Vampire Prince's Temptation

2. Challenges

Aileen sat on the window seat, was seeing the cotton ball-like clouds floating in the air. Looking at them, made her feel like the plane wasn’t moving, stuck in the water like the sky. A ray of sunlight flash on it and then reflected on the window. Though there wasn’t anything new about that view, she still couldn’t turn her gaze away from it. It was soothing her mind, spread warmth in her heart.  

"Ailey," She turned at Janette who was sitting beside her. Handing a turkey sandwich that she packed the last night in their kitchen, and said, "Eat before you fall asleep. And here, have it, kid - " 

She gave a snack packet, and chocolate bar saying, "Happy meal, kiddo," Janette smirked and turned to Cosette who was busy reading a magazine that she bought from the airport. "Hey, Cosey. You..." 

Aileen told her cousin, "Did you eat, Jane?" After handing food to Cosette, Jane shook her head, saying, "No, I am going to have it now," Aileen sighed softly and turned her gaze to the window. While eating her food, she began remembering about her birth parents whom she never met before. 

She didn’t know who she is. She didn’t need to as she accepted Janette’s parents like hers. They gave her everything which she didn’t think she deserved from them. After losing them, she lost it, completely. She lost her birth parents before and then losing her adopted parents, she couldn’t bear that pain anymore.

She left home to take revenge on those who were behind Janette’s father’s death. 

She fought, fought with her humanly strength. Growing up under a rogue and a witch’s wing, she came to learn many things which other werewolves are not aware of. Then comes Cosette, who joined in the fight and killed them all one by one. Aileen and Cosette didn’t let know Janette and decided to leave that place as soon as possible as Janette was Rogue. They would come to hunt her down and kill her. 

Even though Janette was both, witch and rouge, but because of her father, she was Rogue Dominant. Janette was the only relative Aileen has left and to protect her, she can do anything.

The next day, Cosette and Janette stepped out of the airport and went to talk to a driver to take them to the campus. Hugging herself, Janette said through her teeth, “Damn, I am freezing here, Cosey,” 

She was wearing one woolen sweater and a heavy jacket on it, but she was still cold. She wished she wore more before leaving the airport. Cosette, she was in her leather only and nothing else. She can bear with any atmosphere. So, the coldness and snowfall weren’t bothering her much.

She pulled Janette by throwing her hand on her shoulder, asking, “Better?”

Janette hummed taking warmness from the demoness.

“Look at Ailey. She's enjoying herself.” Hearing Cosette, Janette looked at where they left Aileen and saw her standing with her arms spread on either side and her face was up, smiling herself as the snow was falling on her face. Janette winced saying, “She will catch a cold, Cosey.”

The demoness didn’t say anything except staring at Aileen with different emotions in her eyes. She doesn’t know why, but she believes her friend was anything but a normal human. To make her doubt clear, she brought Aileen to a place where she would face many issues in every step she would take.

An hour later they reached their college campus and they stepped out with their luggage. Standing in front of the gate, Cosette asked, “Ready, girls?”

Aileen smiled, saying, “Yes,”

Janette said cautiously, “Yes…?”

Aileen missed noticing her cousin’s hesitation who sensed something was wrong with their new college. Cosette gulped hard and led Aileen inside the campus.

Where Aileen was looking around the campus in wonder, Janette began sweating even under the snowfall. She glanced at Cosette and found her looking indifferent. Aileen was walking ignoring gazes on her which she always does no matter where she goes. Janette’s breath caught in her throat when she saw everyone on the campus circling them like vultures, waiting for a chance to jump on them.

Aileen’s step halted when a voice sneered, “Who allowed a human in this campus?”

She raised her head and became dumbstruck to see the tall guy standing in front of her. He was fair, almost pale white. His unfathomable, entrancing green eyes contrasted with his light-toned face. His eyes were as deep and expressive, where you could get lost if you stared long enough. He was handsome, possess a latent power, and always walks with purpose and authority.

She couldn’t take her eyes off her if that person in front of her didn’t snap his finger on her face, saying harshly, “Hey, human. Get out of here now!”

Pushing her thoughts aside and suppressing her erratic beating heart, she asked frowning, “Excuse me? What did you just say?”

He took a threatening step to her, saying emphasizing each word clearly, “I. Said. Get. The. Hell. Out. Of. Here. Is this clear or not?”

Aileen asked challengingly, “And what makes you think that I will listen to you? Don’t you think you are old enough to bully your juniors? You are not in school anymore but in college. So, get rid of this nature of yours before it is too late,” A course of gasp echoed in the whole campus, and startling her, a group of black and red-eyed girls and boys appeared around her and her friends.

“What did you just say?” The guy seethed.

A girl said out, “How dare you to talk to him in this tone, you disgusting lowlife human?”

One of his friends said with anger in his eyes, “Why are you listening to her, Keiran? Give us your word and three of them will be dead,”

Aileen’s eyes widened to see the guy’s eyes turned coal black. Her mouth hung opened to see the people who have surrounded her, were neither werewolves nor human, but freaking vampires!!!

She looked at Janette and saw her trying her best to control herself from fainting.

And then at Cosette, saw her giving a look which says, “Don’t be scared, Aileen. You have me,”

Like seriously? After knowing I am a human and my cousin a rogue, you brought us here on a campus full of vampires, and demons!

“So, you were not aware of this campus.” Her head snapped at that guy who mocked her with a cruel smile that didn’t make Aileen flinch at all.

She kept her mind blank to confuse the vampire who became irritated in failing to read her mind. 

Leaning closer, he smirked saying, “You have two options, human. One is to go back from where you are coming from. And two is to live the next three years of your life full of insecurities and a dread of losing your life any time in the hand of our kind.”

Seeing Aileen quiet, Janette got scared. She shook Aileen by her shoulder saying impatiently, "Aileen, let's go home. We don't need to be here. Please,"

Cosette said in a dark tone with her eyes throwing glares at the vampires and demons standing around them, "We are staying here. Let's see who has the guts to kick us out of our college. We are not cowards and definitely not afraid of any one of you." 

"Cosette!" Janette was stunned by the demoness words. 

She is talking about three years! Can we make it for even three hours on this campus? What was she thinking to bring me and Aileen here? We have blood in our veins for god's sake. Janette was scared, mostly for her cousin who was probably the only human with no special ability on that campus. Aileen is her only family. If anything happens to her, she will die.

Keiran and Aileen were staring at each other blankly. None of them was ready to break their stare. 

Keiran's two brothers were standing just behind Kieran whose eyes were fixed on the other girls who were fighting against each other. They read the witch's mind who wanted nothing but escape with her cousin to whom she claimed to be her only family that left in her life. 

“What did you choose? Are you leaving or staying here, human?" 

Keiran asked her challengingly in which she said through her teeth, "I'm staying and I will not die in any one of yours hand in which I am sure about," 

Cosette smirked proudly at her friend. She knew Aileen was fearless. No one can scare her with her life. 

Janette gasped out, saying, "Aileen? Don't do this?" Why does she always have to accept every challenge stumble on her way? Moon goddess! Please show me a way to make her say no to it. 

Aileen said smirking, "If you are done with here, can you please move? We need to go to our dormitory," 

As he moved from her way, Aileen wasted no time in dragging Janette with her toward the girl's hotel with Cosette following them from behind, completely ignoring burning gazes on them. 

Cosette did all paperwork and grabbed the key to their dorm room with three beds. 

Janette wanted to cry, but she can't for that promise she made with the demoness and her cousin. 

After keeping their luggage inside their dorm room, Aileen closed the door and turned toward Cosette, asking in anger, "What the hell were you thinking before bringing me and Janey here? Do you want us to die in those vampire's hands?"