[book one]
The game was simple: A contest comprised of three unique challenges, designed to test a human's strength physically and mentally, their personality compatibility, and their chance of survival.
The prize was excruciatingly tempting: The ch...
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SOPHIE STIFFENED AS the Headmaster appeared. Danger seemed to roll from the ancient vampire in waves. A plate of silver covered his breast, gleaming in the moonlight. His long silver hair was pulled back, his face exposed. Scars crossed above his brow, smeared bright red with blood. His eyes narrowed, pools of darkness slanted into an endless abyss. His hands were clenched into tight fists at his sides, gripped tight around a pair of bloodied daggers.
"It's been disbanded," another authoritative voice rang out. This voice was familiar as well, only it was obviously feminine. "Give it up, Caius."
Headmaster hissed. His gaze scanned over the mass of confused students and hard-faced rebels until he found the source of the voice. Aelia stepped forward, her hands clenched tight around a sword. The blade was held steadily in front of her, prepared to strike. As the two drew closer, Sophie realized that she could finally see the resemblance between her mother and the Headmaster. Both shared the same endless eyes, the same petite build, and the same heart-shaped facial structure. Even Aelia's white-blonde hair looked silver in the moonlight. It was almost as if they were twins. The only main difference between them, aside from gender, was their height. Headmaster was much taller.
The crowd around Sophie shifted to give the two space. Neither sides wanted to interfere. Sophie remained glued Eli's side, watching anxiously with her hand intertwined with his. Headmaster crouched down and readied his daggers. "I should have known you'd be behind this, sister," he snarled at her. "You always are, you wretch."
Aelia darted forward. Her sword arched upward and then swung down, aimed at his head. The Headmaster ducked. The blade sliced just above his head. A few strands of silver floated to the ground by his feet. He parried with a jab at Aelia's side with his right dagger. The smaller blade just barely missed her stomach. The duo flew backward, and then lunged at each other once more. Aelia sliced at his feet. Headmaster jumped and his hands drew back above his head, his dagger glinting in the moonlight. He brought it down in one swift swipe. Aelia rolled to the side and jumped to her feet. Her sword swung out at his chest and sang as it hit the metal of his breastplate.
The fight continued. The duo moved faster and faster, until their movements blurred even to Sophie's eyes. Each attack was matched evenly.
"This could go on forever," Eli whispered.
"And neither would win," Aubrey said, stepping up to stand beside Sophie. "We have to do something."
Sophie shifted around, uncomfortable. The urge to attack the Headmaster, to help Aelia, was overwhelmingly powerful. Not because Aelia was her flesh and blood, but because the Headmaster had done so much crap to both her and Eli. She wanted to give him hell.
A set of internal alarms screeched inside her head as her hand darted out. Her fingers curled around the hilt of Eli's dagger and she threw it with all her might.
Just then Headmaster shot backward. Blood spurted from his torso and rained down onto the ground. He skidded to a stop and his feet rocked against the earth. A hand shot up and clutched at his shoulder, at the gash that stretched from the top of his shoulder to the center of his stomach. Another dagger zipped through the air and snapped against the trunk of a tree behind him. Sophie reached for another and stepped forward, separating herself from the crowd.
His teeth flashed. "You bitch," he snarled.
Aelia lunged. Her sword sliced at the Headmaster's cheek and he jumped backward just in time, narrowly avoiding the blade. "Don't you dare insult my daughter," she snarled at him.
An arrow sang through the air. Headmaster stepped aside to avoid it and it landed just beside his feet. His head snapped toward its source: a rebel who glared daringly at the ancient vampire, another arrow nocked. Other rebels shifted, their weapons aimed at the Headmaster. Eli glanced around at the students that surrounded him, displeased with their uncertain expressions. He shifted his glare to the Headmaster and snarled, "You're through, Headmaster. We're done playing your little game."
Tabatha lifted her fist and shouted, "Yeah! You can't control us anymore!"
More and more students agreed. Weapons were aimed, claws were curled. Everyone stood poised and ready to strike. Sophie couldn't help but smile. She reached back as Eli passed her another dagger. There was no way that the Headmaster could win.
Headmaster's eyes narrowed. He glanced back and forth between Aelia and Sophie. Then his expression darkened considerably, and he dropped his daggers to the ground. A wicked smirk twisted across his lips.
"Alright then," he said. His eyes gleamed like molten black coals. "If you want to play unfair..."
He lifted his hand and snapped his fingers.
The sound resonated throughout the clearing in an endless echo. For a few moments, absolutely nothing happened. The snap was replaced with silence. As more time passed, confused looks were shared amongst the masses. Aelia straightened from her crouch and stared at Headmaster, her expression annoyed. Her blade drooped slightly, tipped toward the ground. The Headmaster watched the crowds, his smirk growing with each passing second.
"Oh great," Sophie called out. "You snapped your fingers. Now the world is going to end, and we should all flee in terror."
Eli snorted quietly. His hand found hers and squeezed.
Headmaster's darkened eyes shifted. He found Sophie's face, and flashed a smile of milky white fangs. "You're quite right, my dear. You most definitely should flee in terror."
Sophie opened her mouth to retort. It clamped shut as the ground started to shake violently. Loose tree branches snapped from their trunks, tumbling to the ground in distinctive thumps. The buildings that surrounded them started to rattle, clumps of roof tearing free and dropping to the ground. Confused shouts rang out around Sophie. Pebbles vibrated against the earth and Sophie clutched onto Eli's arm for support.
A wolf howled loudly in the distance.
A startled gasp rang out beside Sophie. Aubrey's hand clasped tight around her hand. Her eyes seemed glued to the horizon, her expression a mixture of utmost horror. "Wolfe," she whispered.
