"I'll die?"
"Oh yes."
"Why? How are these chains keeping me a live?"
"They aren't. I am. See a normal Adrasai can awaken their gifts on a full moon no problem. Any blood will do. But a Dracos… need the blood of a Maragos."
"You and Jax? So why can't Jax take your place?"
"Only the chosen's blood will work. There are only two Maragos left me and my old man. Unfortunately for you I was chosen."
"I don't get why I have to choose. If I set you free you could still help me."
"Negative."
"Well why not? I'll die."
His eyes darkened with hatred. It pulsed off him in waves. He hated her. She could feel it.
"What did I do to deserve your hatred?" She breathed.
"Nothing. But that soul of yours? Plenty."
"So that's it? My mind and body are my own. I'm not her. Doesn't that count for something?"
"It should. It seems an eternity of servitude has turned my moral compass to stone. Bummer"
"Is there really no other way?" She directed the question at Evander who had been strangely quiet.
He solemnly shook his head, looking more torn up about it than she was.
"If he doesn't let you drink his blood come the next full moon of your 18th birthday you'll never awaken. You'll be dead even before Gorgons come."
"So, my parents. What, they thought 18 years was long enough to live a normal life?" Her stomach churned in dismay.
"They didn't know, Angel".
"Right because that makes it better."
"Will. You. Free me?" said an impatient Sebastian, drawing her attention back to him.
She stared at him wondering how he could be so cold to her. Just what did Angelina do to him to make him hate her to this extent. She looked down at the chains around his wrists. It didn't sit right with her.
"I don't like this but you're not giving me a choice. Not really."
She didn't think it was possible, but his gaze grew even colder. He released her wrists, and they fell limp on her lap. Still tingling from where he'd held them.
"As I thought. May we begin?" He picked up the book and opened it to the page Evander marked.
It was phrased politely but Angel knew he was being spiteful. He meant to remind her that he had no choice in the matter. She would just have to remind herself that he would gladly see her dead if not for the seals restraining him.
"About the awakening. Will I still be you know…human?"
"The awakening is just that. Your dormant gifts will be awakened."
"What he means to say is. In order to become a vampire, you have to die with vampire blood in your system. You'll still be human, Angel. Just stronger." clarified Evander.
"The headmaster at Stratos will give you the textbook explanation tomorrow." said Sebastian.
"So soon? Wait, why am I going to a school for the gifted if I don't have any gifts yet?"
"You'll be entering as a freshman. No freshman has awakened yet. So, you shouldn't feel too out of place." said Evander.
"You are kidding right?... I'm a senior. You expect me to relive freshman year? I'm turning 18!"
"Not at Stratos you're not. The academy's grade system is based on abilities, not age." said Sebastian.
"Don't worry it won't be like your freshman year at a normal school."
"You'll still be fresh meat to any senior at Stratos. The fact that you're a Dracos will only put a bigger target on your back." Sebastian grinned.
Angel blew out a bored sigh.
"I know how to handle bullies."
Sebastian gave her an amused look.
"Even when that bully is a 300-year-old vampire?"
"Nothing a wooden stake can't handle." She glared at him, and he clutched his heart in mock terror. "Wooden stakes do work right?" She asked Evander.
"Okay, settle down Buffy. You won't be slaying anyone at the Academy. Stakes are strictly prohibited. You won't need it anyway. If anyone gives you a hard time come to me or Sebastian. We'll handle it."
She looked from one to the other. Her gaze narrowed suspiciously on Sebastian.
"I think I'll pass on pleading for your assistance."
He threw his head back with a bark of laughter.
"Go on, beg me. I'd love to see your face when I tell you no."
"I thought you had no choice?"
"You have to command him for the seals to work." answered Evander.
"So, if I ask him to do anything he can still say no as long as I don't tell him to do it?"
He nodded.
"If you manage a tear or two, I might leave the 'piss' out of 'piss off'." grinned Sebastian.
"Was that supposed to be clever? In what situation would 'off' be a sufficient response?"
"Well, I can think of plenty. For one, when you're writhing in agony during the awakening you might cling to me, begging me to help you. That's when I would say, 'off'." He mimed the action of shaking me off.
She blinked at him for a moment, before scoffing. He thought he was all that and a bag of chips. Clearly, he needed to be brought down from his pedestal, and she was the one to do it.
"Never in this life will I beg you for anything."
"So, invoke the seals then." He shrugged.
"I won't. You may be an ass but your still a person. When it comes down to it, you'll help me by choice."
It was his turn to scoff.
"And how will you manage that. With your womanly charms?" he mused. He gave her a once over, eyeing her flannel top. "You might have more in common with a trucker than a damsel."
Angel leaned forward, ready to leap across the table and strangle him. She didn't care if he was a vampire. Makeshift stakes would be welcome in her house. Her fingers wrapped around the chair closest to her. He'd stop her before she could break it herself. Maybe it would break if she clocked him with it first.
"Enough!" shouted Evander. "Angel, is violence the only solution you can think of? Sebastian, I won't attempt to dampen your anger, but might I suggest you be sure of who you're directing it."
Releasing her grip on the chair, she sat back. She wasn't that violent. After years of taking the highroad, she learned some people needed some sense knocked into them. Otherwise, they wouldn't quit. Sebastian on the other hand was unbothered. He laughed halfheartedly.
"That's rich coming from you." He insisted.
Evander eyes narrowed. There was something Angel was missing.
"So, you know the who. Care to reveal the why?"
Sebastian's grin immediately fell. Without a word he stood up to leave. He stopped next to Evander, whispering something low in Evander's ear. Evander's left eye twitched slightly, but otherwise he said nothing as Sebastian left the room. For the next 15 minutes he filled her in on what her first day would entail. She tried her best to pay attention, but she kept thinking about what he could have said to him. That's rich coming from you. What did Sebastian mean by that? She wanted to know what kind of relationship Evander had with Angelina.
Evander closed the book with a snap.
"That's all for today. You should get some rest. We leave early for Stratos in the morning." He reached for her hand and in an instant, they were in front of her room.
She looked up at him confused, pulling her hand away. He disappeared before she could ask him why he bothered. Now back in her room she felt even more exhausted. She wondered how he knew she was tired. It was only 5pm, but the day's events left her feeling drained of energy. She shrugged it off. Maybe she looked tired. After a quick shower, she collapsed into the velvet comforter of her new bed. With one leg hanging over the side and an arm tucked under the pillow pressed to her face, she fell into a deep sleep.
It only took a knock at her door to wake Angel up the following morning. She was a light sleeper.
"Who is it?" She groaned.
"It's Evander. I have your uniform."
Clambering out of bed, she wiped the remaining sleep from her eyes. With a yawn she opens the door.
"I have to wear a uniform?"
Before he could answer a passing Sebastian interrupted.
"It's an academy, Genius. Name an academy that doesn't require uniform."
"Ignore him." Said Evander handing her the uniform along with a handbook. "Full uniform is only required on Mondays. You can spruce it up other days. Fridays you wear whatever you like."
Angel waited until Sebastian was out of sight to ask her next question.
"How did you know my sizes?" She whispered.
"Dalia told me. I hope you don't mind me knowing." He bent low and whispered back.
"Don't get me wrong man. I'm not insecure about my size or anything. I just wanted to make sure you didn't get the information from my closet."
"I can assure you I don't spend my nights rummaging through women's wardrobes."
Sebastian could be heard laughing from downstairs.
"Do all vamps have super hearing?" Angel frowned.
"No. He's an…exception."
"What kind of exception is that?"
"A unique one. Better to ask him yourself."
"Don't bother. The answer is Noneya." Called Sebastian from the kitchen.
"Well then, I'll leave you to change." Said Evander.
With that he went poof again. It was a neat trick, that. If Angel could do it, she would poof herself somewhere far away. She could outrun her pursuers that way. Like that guy from that jumper movie. She couldn't run away. She still needed to find her father's killer first and then there was the awakening of course. If she didn't drink Sebastian's blood, she'd die. Can't forget that. Just the thought made her cringe. The uniform fit well enough. Her biggest problem with uniforms was that they were often ugly. She wasn't exactly a fashionista and often dressed like Wrecked-It Ralph but even she loathed those powder blue shirts and khaki pants her elementary school made her wear as a kid. Stratos Academy had good colors at least. A black blazer, white button shirt, a red plaid skirt with black knee-high socks and oxfords. It wasn't terrible. She was rather a fan of plaid. It was the skirt that got her. It stopped midway. The socks only went over her knee, leaving her thighs exposed. She couldn't care less about who saw her thunder thighs. The chaffing, however, would be a problem. A bit of Vaseline should prevent that. She packed some in her schoolbag for later, then left for kitchen in search of some breakfast.
The smell of sizzling bacon made her tummy grumble. Jax was at the stove cooking away. The entire dining table was laid out like a buffet. If every morning here was like this her sham of diet would be done for.
"This isn't the norm. I didn't know what you liked so I suggested Jax prepare a variety." Said Evander behind his newspaper.
"Everything looks so lovely, Jax."
"It's rare here, such a complement." Said Jax.
Angel looked around the room but only Jax and Evander were present.
"If you're looking for Sebastian, he left early. He's a real stickler for being on time." Said Evander,
"Him seriously?"
"Kid's a slacker when it comes to everything else. But he takes his job as an instructor seriously." Jax chimed in.
Angel grabbed a plate and took a seat across from Evander.
"What exactly does he instruct?"
"Combat." said Evander.
"Makes sense. What about you?" Her eyes were on the banana nut muffins close to him.
"I'll be the one to teach you how to master your gift. Once you graduate from freshman status of course." He cut one of the muffins in half and spread it with butter before putting both halves on her plate.
She nodded her head in thanks.
"So, I won't have you guys as instructors for a while then."
"Actually, Combat is one of the first things you'll learn at Stratos."
"Oh, Great." She said bitterly.
"I think you'll find him to be quite the gentleman at the Academy."
"They pay you that well?"
Jax laughed, taking the seat next to her.
"You don't live as long as we do and still depend on a job for money. Without places like Stratos, newbies and the like would be terrorizing the cities. We train and prepare you to be on your own." Said Jax.
"Are you also an instructor, Jax?"
He takes along sip of his tea before replying.
"Deputy Head Master."
Angel blinked at him. She looked to Evander, who nodded his head in confirmation.
"Huh. So, are you this chill at the academy?"
"Not at all. I believe the students refer to me as the Devil."
"You don't seem evil to me."
"I handle all disciplinary actions at the academy and I'm not very merciful."
"Do you get sent to the principal office often Angel?" asked Evander.
Angel chewed her muffin in silence. She'd been sent the principal's office plenty of times. The bullying went unnoticed until she checked it herself. The teachers at her old school were funny like that. It was fine when Sam Anderson wrote PIG on her textbook while she was in the bathroom. It was a problem when she came back and smacked him with it. Angel hadn't always chosen violence first. After her dad passed she simply lost patience. In other words, she wouldn't take shit from anyone anymore. She'd been meek her freshman year. Not this time, she thought. Besides if she was going to have any luck checking off #2 on her bucket list she'd need to put herself out there.
After they finished eating Angel helped put away the leftovers. They exited the manor in single file. Evander and Jax took separate cars. She didn't know who to follow so she followed the one closet to her, Evander. He got in the driver seat and shut his door. Angel stood there dumbly.
"Is something wrong, Angel?"
"It's just that, taking the same car would look bad you know?"
"In what way?"
She blew out a heavy sigh. Annoyed that he was making her spell it out.
"If your that concerned about what people would think you can take Dalia's car. She left it here for you." He took out the keys from his glove department and tossed it to her without warning.
She caught it.
"It's not that I care it's just.." Evander was already pulling off before she could finish.
Oh well, she thought. It didn't matter if he misunderstood her.