My Vampire Thralls

Midnight. On the stage, the white-bearded headmaster was droning on in a tedious, overly passionate speech. Tucked away in a dark corner of the grand assembly hall, Seraphina sat in a trance-like state, her mind foggy with exhaustion. Today was the orientation ceremony for Eli Academy. This prestigious private school was established primarily to serve "international elites," split into standard and international tracks. It was a full boarding school with a grueling five-day schedule. To accommodate the "special lifestyle" of its elite students, Eli Academy operated entirely at night. 8:00 AM had become 8:00 PM. Midnight was lunchtime. Class didn't end until 6:00 AM, allowing everyone to retreat to their dorms before the sun crested the horizon. Seriously? It’s the 21st century. Why does a school for the privileged still operate like a medieval coven? Seraphina grumbled internally. She sat with a slouching posture, hands folded over her stomach, staring listlessly at the intricately carved ceiling. The architecture lacked crosses or bibles. Instead, the pillars were engraved with mysterious sigils—supposedly the ancient family crests of the foreign nobility attending the school. If I catch a few minutes of sleep now, no one will notice, right? The headmaster’s speech had already begun when she slipped in, so she had picked a secluded seat at the very edge. She shifted down in the pew, resting her head against the back of the wooden bench. Suddenly, a shadow fell over her vision. A pale, exquisitely handsome face appeared in Seraphina’s line of sight. Seraphina blinked. The boy blinked back. He had warm, honey-colored eyes and a small, delicate mole just beneath his right eye. His hair was the same shade of golden honey—soft, fluffy, and slightly long at the nape. His features were sharp yet lacked any immediate aggression. He looked like a piece of sweet honey cake. The sudden "beauty attack" sent Seraphina’s heart into a frantic rhythm. Her pulse began to climb. "You..." The "honey cake" boy pressed a finger to his lips, silencing her with a soft, "Shhh." As his voice trailed off, the heavy doors of the assembly hall creaked open. A procession entered. It was a parade of stunning men and women clad in striking red-and-black uniforms. Every single one of them possessed a perfect physique—broad shoulders, narrow waists, and long, powerful strides. Perhaps because they were foreign or rarely saw the sun, their features were incredibly defined, and their skin seemed to glow with an ethereal pallor. Leading the group was a boy with raven hair and striking crimson eyes. The blood-red gem at his collar caught the light, making him look both regal and chillingly cold. Seraphina’s head tracked them like a fan in mid-summer, her eyes glued to these gods and goddesses as they marched to the front of the hall. "So, who are they...?" Seraphina whispered. Before she could finish, the doors opened again. This new group wore elegant white-and-gold uniforms. Unlike the lethal coldness of the first group, these students were the embodiment of romantic grace. As they passed, the air was filled with the intoxicating scent of fresh roses. Seraphina’s eyes were practically popping out of her head. Okay, so the schedule at Eli Academy was hellish. But the visuals of the student body were more than enough to compensate for the lack of sleep. "Those are the members of the Fencing Club and the Theatrical Troupe." Taking advantage of the crowd's distraction, the overly familiar "honey cake" boy vaulted over the back of the bench and slid into the seat next to Seraphina. From this angle, she realized he was looking up at her with eyes that slanted upward at the corners, giving him a look that was both adorable and dangerously innocent. He stared at her without blinking. "I haven't seen you before. Are you a transfer student this semester?" His voice matched his face perfectly—sweet, almost cloyingly so. Seraphina, who had a high tolerance for beautiful people, nodded instinctively. "Which class are you in?" he pressed. "I'm in Class 3," she replied. Those honey-colored eyes instantly lit up. "Ah... that’s perfect." Seraphina didn't know what was so "perfect" about it. She waited for him to elaborate, but the chatty boy fell silent, turning his head away with a sweet, cryptic smile. He hadn't even introduced himself—he just wanted to know her class. Well, at least he’s hot, Seraphina thought, catching a glimpse of the mole by his eye again. Fine. I forgive the world. The orientation dragged on. After the headmaster, representatives from the two clubs spoke, followed by the Dean of Students. Finally, just as Seraphina was about to drift off again, the ceremony ended. The students began to disperse to their respective classrooms to meet their new teachers and classmates. Seraphina glanced at the boy next to her. "Aren't you going to class?" He looked up at her, beaming. "Not yet. I'm waiting for someone." He looked mixed-race, likely part of the international track, whose classrooms were in a different wing. Seraphina nodded and followed the flow of students out of the hall. As the assembly hall emptied, the light filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting vibrant colors across the floor. The sound of leather boots clicking against the stone echoed in the silence. A figure stepped into a beam of light. It was the raven-haired leader Seraphina had noticed earlier. He stopped and looked up, spotting the honey-haired boy—Xavier—crouched on the high railing of the gallery. It was a precarious position, supported only by his toes, yet he perched there silently, like a bat lurking in the shadows. "Get down from there," the raven-haired boy, Demyan, commanded coldly. Caught, Xavier didn't look embarrassed. Instead, he grinned. "So fierce." Demyan’s crimson eyes flashed with irritation. "This is the third time you’ve broken formation, Xavier." Xavier tilted his head, resting his chin on his palms. His body swayed back and forth on the thin railing as if he might fall at any moment. "Don't be so serious, Demyan... It was just a formality. It’s not like they needed me there." Demyan watched him with a mask of indifference. "Class 3... Class 3..." Xavier let out a sickly sweet, morbid laugh. "The newborns there are going to love her." His honey-colored eyes darkened. "If she isn't drained dry by then... make sure you hand her over to me on Hunt Day." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The academic buildings of Eli Academy were classic European structures. Their ornate facades and deep colors allowed them to blend perfectly into the surrounding night. The vines crawling up the weathered stone walls gave the place a decadent, melancholic beauty. It was a bit hard to appreciate in the middle of the night, though. Seraphina followed the crowd toward the main building. Many students had moved up from the junior high division and knew each other, but Seraphina was alone, glancing around warily. The atmosphere was heavy with an "unlucky" energy. It was fine while walking with a crowd, but the idea of walking down these forested paths alone felt distinctly eerie. Suddenly, the trees rustled. The students ahead of her erupted in piercing screams. One girl, backing away in terror, collided right into Seraphina’s arms. "There's... there's something up there!" the girl shrieked. Seraphina steadied her and looked up at the dark shadow flitting by. "It’s just a bat." The bats here were significantly larger than the ones Seraphina knew, likely due to the pristine ecological environment surrounding the school. The girl in her arms looked embarrassed. "Ah... sorry. I overreacted." Seraphina gave her a friendly smile. "It's fine. Just be careful next time." Bats were nocturnal, and given the school's location and hours, they were bound to be a common sight. Fortunately, Seraphina wasn't afraid of small animals. The girl blushed, thanked her again, and ran off to find her friends. Entering the building, the crowd thinned out as students found their rooms. Class 3 was in a strange spot. Logic dictated it should be in the middle of the hall, yet it was tucked away in a remote corner. The lights in this hallway were noticeably dimmer than elsewhere. Great. Does this class come with its own ghost story? Seraphina found the seating chart on the door. There were only 20 students—a small, elite class. She found her seat in the back: the second-to-last row, right by the back door and the corridor. She was of average height, about 5'5", and had usually sat in the middle of the room in her previous schools. This was the first time she’d been so far back. She pushed open the door and walked to her seat. Someone was already sitting in the row behind her. He had slightly curly golden hair, pale skin, and thick, dark lashes. His nose was high and straight, yet he possessed a distant, ethereal aura, like an angel stepped out of a myth. Many students were stealing glances at him, but he remained focused on his desk, lost in thought. Seraphina looked at him and felt her irritation with the night schedule vanish. He’s gorgeous. This school is a blessing. Perhaps sensing her long gaze, the boy slowly lifted his eyes to meet hers. Across the small gap between them, Seraphina saw his eyes. They were a brilliant, vivid shade of crimson. Wait... what ethnicity has red eyes? The thought flashed through her mind, but she quickly averted her gaze and sat down. Just as she got settled, someone tapped twice on the back of her chair. Seraphina turned around to see what the handsome stranger wanted. The angel-like boy leaned forward, propping himself up with one hand on the desk. The movement caused his desk to slide forward an inch, bumping into the back of her chair with a dull thud. His cold breath brushed against her skin as he spoke in a lazy, low drawl. "...You smell so delicious." Seraphina: "...,Seriously, dude?"