Becoming- Everhart High Book one

Vince

I woke up gasping and shaking. This dream had been the same as all the others, except I had recognized the place where my parents had died. I rushed toward the back of the campus. As long as I had lived here I had only been to the far corner once. There was a white square building with energy barriers surrounding it, their fluorescent glow strong even in the full sun. I stopped. In the dream they had been here, but there was nothing to show for it. I don't know what I expected but clearly this had been futile. Until I watched Kyle walk out the door. He casually turned off the energy barriers and walked through. I ran to catch up to him.

"You're telling me something. Now. I'm done trying to figure it out."

"About what?" He feigned confusion.

"Do not start that. From what I do know Mr. Drake would be happy to have a reason to get you busted. Like going to the most restricted place on campus. Now spill."

He closed his mouth and frowned. "Okay, but off campus. Let's go."

I followed him closely, determined to not let him get away. I was walking so close behind him when he spun around I ran right into him. "Wait. We can't exactly leave right now. You distracted me but I have to get um-" He shifted his jacket so I saw a notebook tucked into the lining. "I'll be outside your dorm tonight" Before I could respond he had gone.

The walking paths around the school were often my favorite place to be. The darkness of the trees was exactly what I needed after the chaos of this morning. The time passed slowly but it gave me space to think.

"Hello," said a soft voice from the trees. I jumped and a boy stepped out of the woods. "Very sorry to disturb you, I beg your pardon." he bowed slightly "I don't usually go traipsing through the undergrowth, but there was a rabbit." His white hair seemed to shine, even in the darkness. I just stared at him.

"Goodness, I truly am losing my manners in my old age." He chuckled as if he meant it as a joke. "Forgive me, I'm Vladimir, you can call me Vlad if you so prefer. Who might you be, young lady?"

"Emma, pleased to meet you too." Something about his accent seemed ancient. I detected a hint of British in it as well.

He smiled and I noted his sharp, pure white fangs. "Ah yes, and I am a vampire, but don't worry, I only eat animals. I try to talk to the few people I see during the day, it gets rather lonely being allergic to the sun."

"Are there other vampires around here?" I strained to remember what I had learned about them, but most of it was fiction.

"Yes, my family. We traveled for about a hundred years and decided we needed a change of pace. We started this week. But I should be letting you on your way,"

"Oh no, it's perfectly fine. I don't have anything better to do and honestly vampire culture is fascinating"

"In that case, would you like to join us for lunch? It's probably getting tiring for you to stand so long." he looked dubiously at me as if I were made of paper and might fall over from the strain of standing.

"Sure, but how are you going to get there? Won't the sun kill you? Or is that a myth?"

He chuckled "Well, sun causes me extreme pain, I suppose I've never really been exposed long enough to find out. My sister is hardly affected so I suppose it's all variable." He began forming a dome over himself that glowed before fading to nearly invisible. "The only perk of being allergic to the sun, this is virtually indestructible. Extremely temporary though." He knocked on the hard smooth surface.

He led the way to the furthest dark corner of the cafe. There was seated a slender girl that looked much like him, with the same translucent skin. She had jet black hair though, in comparison to his white. The other boy looked nothing like the others, he had darker skin than I did, his brown hair was messy and he was slouching. The others sat prim while he looked more natural. His grin showed the same pearly teeth as the others had. Strange. I thought. Cute though.

"Hey, I'm Vince. That's Vikki. I know, our parents had a thing for V names." He chuckled and seemed to break any tense aura that surrounded his siblings. Vikki murmured a hello, just as the waitress came by.

I ordered a coffee. "Aren't you going to order anything?" I asked.

"We don't eat human food, and to be frank the blood choices here are ridiculous." Vikki's mouth didn't even seem to move as she spoke and I got the chills.

"Speak for yourself," Vince smirked and ordered an insane amount of food. Vince and Vikki sat for a few minutes before excusing themselves to head to class. I moved to leave as well.

"I'm staying, why don't you" Vince offered. I sat back down but Vikki came to stand by me.

"Can I talk to you, Emma?" She seemed even stiffer than before. Although I decided that wasn't possible. I followed her to the bathroom. "Hey, he's my brother, but trust me, don't fall for him. He's a great guy, but he's like us. Well, mostly he's only 17 and I suppose- " She broke off. "Just please don't, he's probably still gotta live forever." She smiled thinly at me and excused herself to leave. I hadn't been falling for him. Had I? No. He's just cute.

I sat back down across from Vince and he looked up from his plate. "Sorry, I'm hungry" He leaned back, "So, tell me. You're like that super genius that's been here forever right?"

"Well, I suppose, I've been here since I was six. Mr. Drake took me in and I haven't really had a reason to leave. I suppose that changes now that the people my age are leaving though."

"Almost twelve years of school. I could never. I don't know how you waste time like that."

"Easy for you to say, you have all the time in the world."

"I don't know that. Everyone who's ever been bitten has stayed the age they were bitten at. I was bitten at birth, something broke into a mortal hospital for blood and I got bitten before the guys with powers came. But, here I am, 17 and still aging. "He grinned and I wondered whether he had heard his sisters talk." I have vampire teeth, but not their appetite. I have vampire or werewolf abilities too, strength, intelligence, seeing, and hearing," He paused and I decided he had. ". I don't actually know whether I'm part werewolf or part vampire. Usually the main difference is looks and I don't match that either, but I look way more werewolf. Oh, and the sun hardly affects me. So I'm pretty sure I'm the most messed up guy out there."

"Hardly. Your power seems sweet. Great senses without the living forever part and the eating people part. I've got it worse." He urged me to continue and I regretted saying anything. I sounded like I was bragging, even though I hated my power. "Basically, I can take and give powers, energy, strength, anything really."

"And you hate that? Are you kidding, that sounds like a dream come true!"

"Not really. It's too easy to use. I could be distracted while I'm using my power and accidentally kill someone or take their powers forever. It's too much power. Too dangerous to exist." The ensuing silence was awkward, but our conversation quickly picked back up. When I finally looked at the time it was far too late. "Well, I best be going, I'll see you around?"

"I'll walk you, it's getting late and it's not like I have to sleep anyway." he smirked.

He left me at the door to the dorms and I walked to my room quietly. It was nearly dark, but I figured I had plenty of time to find out if Kyle would show. 

I awoke the next morning annoyed. I had my dream again but more importantly Kyle had never showed up. I stormed into History and immediately noticed his empty seat. The bell rang and a full minute later he walked in. I stared daggers into the back of his head while Mrs. Bannon talked. After class he tried to run, as usual.

"Not so fast." I said deliberately blocking his path.

"What do you want? And that sounded so stupid, just so you know." He rolled his eyes and went to step around me.

"Well, besides the point. You never showed."

"I came early and you weren't there. So I left." He side stepped me neatly and walked past.

Ugh, so he had come. I cursed myself for not being home earlier. But yesterday was fun. I didn't usually have fun, to be honest. I tried to come up with something as he turned the corner, walking away from me.