Forbidden (Book One)

    "As you all know, all monster kind originated from Alfia. An island discovered in the center of our world ten years ago..." I groan softly as Rachele Anders gives yet another project presentation on Alfia. "Today, I want to talk about Vampires." I sit up suddenly, gripping my pencil the gentle snapping of the wood crackling in my ears. Not quite breaking but giving just a bit. A sudden hand raise silences Rachele for a moment. "Yes, Marshal." "Is it wise to speak about Vampires? Given the current situation with the related murders?" I swallow hard, the murders, he means the ones that vampire cult is behind. Rachele simply nods. "I knew some of you would have concerns on this topic. But I assure you, this will help educate us on the dangers of this species." Species? She makes us sound like a breed of animal. "As you all know, some of the kind from Alfia have decided to live amongst us humans, including some vampires. Isn't that right Reya?" All eyes call on me now, I simply smile and brush my bright red hair off my shoulder. "Yes, that is correct."  Rachele smiles confidently and returns to her presentation.     "Vampires as you all know are the apex predator's that come from Alfia, seeing as the dragon race was hunted into extinction by both the hunters who keep us safe and poachers who sold their wings for a hefty price. As they were more aggressive and harder to keep under control. Vampires on the other hand, with the help of Doctor Calline and Doctor Cuo." A picture of the men appear on the screen, I sit up, looking at the picture, my heart sinking. Dr. Calline, my father was killed not long after that picture was taken. The other man Dr. Cuo, is now my adoptive father. "Both these men, decedents of Aflia, Calline being a Vampire and Cuo being a Werewolf. Together these men created a single pill." The picture changes to an enlarged white tablet. "A single prescriptive drug, that dissolves in water, not only replicating the flavor of blood, but also giving the same amount of nutrients to keep vampires alive, without the need to hunt humans."  "However, as we've seen in the news, there are Vampires out there who prefer the hunting of humans over the pill. Which is why we of course have the hunter association to help deal with the situation. Anyway, Vampires can either hunt in packs, as we have seen with this new cult, or alone. They use their incredible speed, strength, and stealth skills to take down their prey."      Rachele's head shoots towards me as I raise my hand. "Yes, Reya." She paused a bit before saying my name. "While those are ways that Vampires, who were once human hunt, I am curious if you know how purebloods are able to hunt human prey." She just stares at me. "Purebloods?" She doesn't know, interesting. I stand from my seat and walk down to her. "Yes, pureblood Vampires. You see, the vampires who only use speed, strength and stealth to hunt were once human. They were changed, and only purebloods could change them." She steps back a bit as I get closer. "Like me for example, I am a pureblood. Doctor Calline was a pureblood." "Well, what is the difference?" I smile, "well, you see, purebloods have direct ties to the Alfian bloodline. The last Vampire king of Alfia was also part Dragon. King Kyrid. His mother was Queen Emberllyn, the last Vampire queen.     "Purebloods differ from normal vampires because our blood is infused with magic." "Magic?" The class all speaks at once. I nod, "you see there was a war between the vampire and the witch clans, for who should rule the dark forest. Despite the fact Vampires were given the thrown by the gods. And so to stop the fighting, the dark Oracle Ayil proposed an agreement. That Vampire kings shall take grand-witches as their queens.  And so a new breed of Vampire was born from this union, one with magic within their blood. After King Kyrid disappeared the remaining Purebloods dispersed among the human world, and the witches left. But those of pureblood still have magic within their veins. Not enough to do what our ancestors could, but enough to hunt our prey. We became known as shapeshifters." I face Rachele, my hair changing to match her brown and black strands, shortening to my shoulders like hers. My body changes, my chest shrinking just a bit, my skin darkens in tone, and my height changes. "We lure our prey with their eyes." As I speak my voice changes to match her own. Her eyes widen and the whole class lets out a howling scream. "Well I am very disappointed in you young lady. How do you think you're father would feel about your actions today?" I sigh, peering out the passenger window as Bruce lectures me.           My new father. "I just wanted to help. Her report was totally biased and so I gave her some factual information." "You scared that entire class half to death Reya. And I know your brother's actions are not your fault, but we still need to be careful about these things." My brother, my twin, my other half, Lio Caline, leader of the vampire cult. Bruce let's out a heavy sigh. "Amanda is at the house." I clutch my seat, nails digging into the plastic. "Why." My voice a low growl, Amanda being anywhere near me is a bad sign. "Body turned up in a church last night, a nun. She was looking for Jason but he's been in Canada hunting for the past month-"      "He's still not home?" I felt my heart sink. I know he's avoiding me, it's my fault he's gone. I should have never told him how I feel. Bruce rustles my hair a bit. "He'll come around. It's not your fault honey." I sigh as we pull into the driveway, a black Cadillac parked along the sidewalk. Amanda leaning against it, in her school uniform, she must have been pulled out of class for this. "Don't keep her too long now Amanda, she's had a long day." She chuckles softly, "don't worry Dr. Cuo, this shouldn't take long. I simply need her to test a theory of mine." I swallow hard as she walks up to me, peering into my blue eyes. "Might want to take a pill on the way there Reya, I can see a bit of yellow in your eyes." She walks off leaving me speechless, of course she could tell, she's trained for such a thing. I follower her into the car, watching the house disappear in the mirrors.     "I thought we had an understanding Amanda." "Oh? And what would that be?" She doesn't take her eyes off the road, not giving me an ounce of eye contact. "You don't ask me to check out dead bodies, and I don't tell your partner's that you're part witch." She stops the car suddenly, her head snapping in my direction almost inhuman in speed. "Listen to me and listen well. I am well aware that the agency agreed to leave you alone to protect your identity from your brother. But Jason wasn't available and I don't trust Jakob nor Kayla to prove my theory. You, sadly, are my only option. Secondly, I have no relation to the Rosset Clan, nor any witches. You will drop it. I am the daughter of the Head Hunter and I will remain as such. Do we understand each other?" I swallow, nodding my head. She takes off again, and I remain silent the rest of the way.      I can understand why this place would contain a murder right as we pulled up. Old churches tend to be a common and might I saw cliché target for "monsters".  Walking into the church I hear the faint whispers of prayer from the alter. Nuns praying non stop. "Hello Father Goldin." My eyes lock with the priest, who immediately forms a cross along his body, a nun in the corner does it too. "Miss Kestin, I thought you said you would be bringing a wolf with you, not a vampire." She nods, "forgive me Father, but the wolf was out, but she's his adoptive sister, completely safe and under control." He swallows hard still staring. "Very well, come with me." He leads us to the back, and down a small staircase into the cold morgue. There lay the nun, stripped of her clothes, bare against the metal table. A set of fang marks along her neck, a couple in her arms, and legs. "I'm telling you, it was a horde, must have been look at all the marks." I glare at the worker as I examine the body. "Don't touch!" I grin, "I assure you I can't leave any fingerprints." I get back to work. First caressing the fang marks on her neck.      Sniffing my fingers taking in the scent. I then move to her arms. Odd, the marks are the same, along with the smell. "You're wrong. This wasn't a horde, it was a single vampire, fang marks are the same as the ones on her neck. Scent is the same too." "Human turned or Pureblood?" Amanda now holds a clipboard, marking everything down. "It's not human turned. The scent is stale, when it comes to the human turned vampires there's a slight scent of human blood. Plus," I move back to the woman's neck, taking in a long whiff. "There's still the smell of venom on her neck. Meaning it's a Pureblood. But these aren't my brother's fangs, nor are they male, too thin to be. We're looking at a female. New to town maybe, or just passing through, I've never picked up this scent before. But she killed her with the strike to the throat. Then she drained her from her arms and her legs before she could turn." "She could have just drained her from her throat, why go through the extra trouble?" I smirk, "probably to throw you humans off her scent. By the time you got a hunter here to take a look, she could be long gone by now." I look up at Amanda who caps her pen.      "Looks like we have our homework to do. Reya, if you come across this smell again, have Bruce call me immediately. Until then I'm going to have a word with the Vampire council." I snicker. "And what, ask them to turn in the suspect?" She simply grins, inserting a syringe into the bitemark along her neck, thick gray liquid fills the vile. "No, I'm going to get a warrant for venom samples, for any Pureblood who's been in this area this past month, or week." She begins to leave, making me catch up to her. "The council won't work with you, they don't like to turn in one of their own. I mean Purebloods are descendants of Queen Emberllyn. Basically royalty." "Reya, as per our agreement the Vampire Council must cooperate with us if the proper paperwork is filed. If I have a warent asking for venom samples, I am going to get venom samples. Until then just keep your nose open." I get into her car without another word, watching the church disappear as she takes me home.