My Vampire Thralls

Chapter 14: The Predator’s Plea

The moon hung low in the sky, tilting toward the horizon. In two hours, the sun would rise, reclaiming the world from the creatures of the night.

Seraphina slipped back into her dormitory. Her roommate was likely still lingering at the club recruitment fair, as the room remained plunged in darkness. Through the window, the distant silhouettes of bats clung to the trees like heavy, dark fruit. Closing the door, Seraphina looked down at her finger. The bleeding had stopped, but the faint, jagged marks left by Theodore Canaster’s teeth were a stinging reminder of what had transpired.

He had bitten her in a fit of pique, venting his frustration without a shred of restraint. The raw sting on her skin confirmed that tonight hadn’t been a fever dream. Only now, in the silence of her room, did she realize her hands were shaking. Her heart, which she thought she had steeled, began to race at the memory.

God, that was terrifying.

Stripped of their ethereal beauty, the vampires were nothing more than monsters who viewed humans as livestock. If they weren’t so unnervingly handsome, they’d be no different from the mindless ghouls of a zombie apocalypse. Before coming to Eli Academy, Seraphina had been a firm believer in the rational, material world. Now, she had not only confirmed the existence of the undead but had also managed to kill one. Her worldview wasn't just crumbling; it was being demolished and rebuilt at a dizzying speed.

In the bathroom, she scrubbed her face repeatedly with a towel, focusing on the spot where the vampire’s blood had splattered her cheek. She didn't stop until her skin was flushed a deep red. She sighed, resting her forehead against the cool glass of the mirror.

Could she blame Nina for calling out to her? Not really. It was human nature to scream for help when faced with death. If Seraphina had stood by and watched Nina be drained dry, she wouldn't have been able to sleep for a year. A small, unexpected spark of pride flickered in her chest.

I reacted pretty fast, she thought. The blade was out before I even processed it.

She hadn't managed a clean, one-hit kill this time due to lack of experience, but she promised herself that next time would be different. If there’s a Vampire Hunter organization out there, I should probably send them my resume. Maybe I can get a government-subsidized position. She could see the bullet points now: "Infiltrated vampire stronghold alone; 1v5 combat record available for verification."

Sure, she had only actually finished off one of them, but a little exaggeration never hurt a resume.

Seraphina managed to steady her nerves. Just as she was about to climb into bed, the dorm door swung open and slammed shut with a violent bang. Her roommate was leaning against the doorframe, sliding slowly to the floor. Her hair was a bird’s nest, her academy uniform was covered in dust, and her forearms were peppered with scrapes. She looked like a refugee from a war zone.

"Did you go out and commit a heist?" Seraphina asked, arched eyebrows raised.

"I almost died!" her roommate gasped, clutching her chest. "I was just trying to fill out an application for the Baking Club when a literal table came flying at my head."

Apparently, the Fencing Club and the Drama Club had turned the recruitment fair into a battlefield. Neither side would yield, and they were one step away from leveling the building. "The Baking Club booth was at least four hundred meters away from the fight!" she wailed.

Seraphina winced, imagining a pack of unnervingly beautiful people tearing at each other’s throats. It was a grim mental image.

"Why were they fighting?" Seraphina asked, sitting on the edge of her bed. "It’s not like they’re fighting over territory."

"Who knows..." the roommate groaned.

"Does this happen often? Doesn't anyone stop them?"

Only at a school like Eli would this level of violence be tolerated. Anywhere else, the school board would have the police on speed dial.

"It’s always been like this," her roommate said, collapsing onto her own bed. "The families behind those two clubs hate each other. Especially the President of the Drama Club, Micah, and the Captain of the Fencing Club, Demyan. Every time they clash, it feels like they’re actually trying to kill each other."

The names made Seraphina’s head spin.

"Nobody dares to intervene," her roommate continued, her voice muffled by her pillow. "Not everyone is as brave—or as crazy—as you, Seraphina. You started picking fights with the elite families the moment you stepped through the gates."

Seraphina stared at the ceiling, remaining silent.

Her roommate, despite her cowardice, was resilient. In just a week, she had accepted her place in Class 3, focusing on avoiding anything—and anyone—dangerous. She glanced over at Seraphina’s hand. "What are you reading?"

Seraphina lifted the book she was holding. Since they weren't allowed phones, they had to rely on the dormitory library for entertainment.

" Living with My Vampire Step-Brothers ... Oh my god, Seraphina! You’re into that Mary Sue trash?"

Seraphina felt her reputation dying a slow death. The book was a shameless romance about a girl moving in with vampire "brothers" who spent more time in the bedroom than the living room. The author was a genius at bypassing censors; the plot was non-existent, but the "exercise" scenes were legendary.

She couldn't exactly tell her roommate she only checked it out because she was trying to research vampires.

The roommate studied her for a moment. "Actually, this school is pretty vampire-ish. And the people in the International Class... they’re almost too beautiful to be human."

"I know what you mean," Seraphina agreed quietly.

"Who stole my life as a rich socialite?" the roommate lamented.

Sensing the conversation was veering off-track, Seraphina closed the book. "Hey, have you heard of something called 'Hunting Day'?"

The roommate looked blank. "Hunting Day? What’s that? Some kind of weird club event? Are they hunting wild boars in the forest?"

Seraphina looked at her with a touch of pity. It seemed the majority of the students were blissfully unaware of the monsters among them. Her roommate feared the International Class because they were arrogant and unpredictable "rich kids," not because they were predators. It was a very human kind of fear.

A sharp knock at the door startled them both.

The roommate opened it to find Nina standing there. The senior was pale, her eyes darting past the roommate to land directly on Seraphina. "Seraphina, I need to speak with you. Privately."

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Seraphina hadn't wanted to go, but Nina’s tone carried a veiled threat. "If you don't come with me, there are certain things I might not be able to keep secret."

Seraphina gritted her teeth and followed.

The sun was up now, which meant the vampires should be dormant. Still, Seraphina tucked her silver dagger into her belt just in case. They walked to the edge of the Restricted Zone, near the white manor where she had first encountered Xavier. In the morning light, the building looked ethereal, almost like a dream.

Nina stopped and turned. She kept her head low, her face devoid of color. "I'm Nina. About what happened earlier... thank you."

"It was nothing," Seraphina replied coolly. "As long as you don't rat me out."

Killing a monster was one thing; killing a witness was a line Seraphina wasn't ready to cross.

Nina glanced up briefly. She wanted to ask if Seraphina was a Hunter, and what her business was at Eli Academy, but the words died in her throat. Instead, she said, "Seraphina, stay away from Xavier."

Her tone was harsh, almost brittle.

"I wasn't planning on 'stealing' your man, Nina," Seraphina said patiently. Xavier was attractive, sure, but the school was full of handsome faces. She didn't understand Nina’s obsession. Nina wore a silk scarf to hide the bite marks on her neck; if Xavier was literally draining her dry, why was she so protective of him?

Does being bitten turn you into some kind of mindless devotee? Seraphina wondered. Is it some 'he didn't kill me, so he must love me' Stockholm Syndrome nonsense?

Perhaps sensing Seraphina’s judgment, Nina looked away, biting her lip. "You’ve been asking about Hunting Day, haven't you? My advice: don't participate."

"Why?"

Nina’s hand instinctively went to her neck. Seraphina noticed the faint, terrifying marks on her wrists as well—perfectly aligned punctures and scratches against her pale skin. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I’ve been through a Hunting Day. Whatever you think you're looking for... it’s not worth it. They aren't like us. Xavier is interested in you, and that’s dangerous. They will tear you apart."

Seraphina realized Nina wasn't being malicious; she was traumatized. The girl clearly knew more than the average student.

"During Hunting Day," Seraphina asked, "did you ever see a boy who looks like me?"

Nina looked genuinely confused. "No."

Seraphina was about to press for more details when a voice cut through the air. "Hey, you two."

Seraphina looked up to see her homeroom teacher, Lillian, standing at the edge of the Restricted Zone. She had her arms crossed, her eyes cold as she surveyed them. Nina turned and went bone-white with terror the moment she saw the teacher.

In this school, many of the staff were little more than extensions of the Great Families.

"What are you doing here at this hour?" Lillian demanded.

"I... we..." Nina stammered, her voice failing her.

Oh for heaven's sake, Seraphina thought. She’s useless under pressure.

"Teacher," Seraphina chimed in with her usual quick wit, "there was a misunderstanding between Nina and me. I was just clarifying that I have zero interest in the guy she likes."

Lillian’s gaze slid from Nina to Seraphina.

"And why are you here, Teacher?" Seraphina asked, meeting Lillian’s eyes with practiced innocence.

Lillian frowned. "Don't ask questions that don't concern you. The sun is up. Go back to your dorms and sleep. And stay out of the Restricted Zone."

Seraphina gave Nina’s hand a reassuring squeeze, putting on a show of reconciliation for Lillian. "Got it! See you later, Nina!"

Nina watched the dark-haired girl disappear. The rising sun made her squint in discomfort. As a "vassal" raised by the Crossed Swords Clan, she had long ago adopted the nocturnal schedule of her masters. She was chronically anemic and had just lost a significant amount of blood; her body was at its limit.

Back in her bed, Nina tossed and turned. Seraphina’s face wouldn't leave her mind. She had been cruel to the girl before, yet Seraphina had killed a monster to save her. As a vassal, Nina's life belonged to the family, valued less than a purebred lapdog.

She thought of the way Seraphina had swung that knife. Even when the Vampire Clans fought, they rarely used weapons on each other.

If Seraphina is a Hunter... maybe she can get me out of this cage.

The thought made her shiver. She tried to bury the hope and go to sleep, to forget the horror of the night, when she saw a figure standing near the white manor. Her pupils dilated, and a primal fear took hold of her.

"Master Xavier..."

Xavier was leaning against the wall, dressed in the black-and-red uniform of the Fencing Club. He had a bandage on his cheek—a souvenir from his fight with the Drama Club earlier. His honey-colored eyes were fixed on Nina. He was smiling, but the warmth didn't reach his eyes.

"So," the vampire asked softly, dangerously. "What exactly did you tell her?"

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On Wednesday night, a grim announcement was made.

Lillian stood at the front of the classroom, her expression icy. "A student from the International Class is missing. Until the investigation is complete, no one is allowed to leave campus. Everyone will be subject to questioning."

Theodore Canaster was absent. His sycophants were present but looked visibly shaken. The classroom erupted in whispers.

"Missing? Maybe they just went out to party?"

"Are you an i***t? The International Class kids go wherever they want. If they’re calling it 'missing,' it means there’s no record of them leaving the grounds!"

"Thank god I haven't been alone lately. I have an alibi. I don't want the International Class targeting me."

Lillian rapped her knuckles on the desk, silencing the room. "That’s enough. We will also be conducting a search for prohibited weapons. If you have any, turn them in now."

The vampires are slower than I expected, Seraphina thought, leaning her head on her hand. It had taken them days to realize one of their own was gone, likely because of the chaos between the Crossed Swords and Wild Rose clans during recruitment.

Her roommate leaned in, her voice trembling. "The investigators are coming. They say there’s a 'dangerous individual' on campus... Who would be crazy enough to mess with the families here? Do they have a death wish?"

"I have no idea," Seraphina lied smoothly.

As the class ended and students headed for the gym, Lillian lingered. She stood by the window near Seraphina. "The girl you were talking to the other morning... she’s been taken by the investigators. You should find a way to distance yourself from her."

Seraphina felt a jolt of anxiety. Nina, you better not talk!

Lillian left without another word. Suddenly, Seraphina felt a presence behind her. Adrian was standing there, his expression unreadable.

"The girl they took," Adrian said, his voice a low hum. "Does she have something to do with you?"

"She’s just a senior from the archery class," Seraphina replied, her heart hammering against her ribs. She tried to stay calm, but Adrian was close enough to feel the change in her pulse.

The angel-faced vampire leaned down, his nose grazing the side of her neck. He inhaled deeply. He had known since this morning that she was injured; he could smell the lingering scent of another vampire on her skin.

Adrian’s eyes crinkled into a slight, dark smile. Unlike the other vampires, he was a quiet ghost, seemingly detached from the clan politics—perhaps because he was a new convert.

"You know I don't belong to any clan yet," Adrian whispered. "I'm not like Theodore. If you need me on your side... I only require a small... reward."

He didn't say "payment." He said "reward."

His fingertips trailed down her shoulder, sliding along her arm until they reached her bandaged finger. He traced the shape of the wound through the fabric.

"I can go make her stay quiet for you."

"It’s a fair trade," he murmured, looking into her eyes. "What do you say?"

Seraphina looked up at him. She realized she had been wrong about him. This wasn't a porcelain angel. This was a predator with sharpened fangs, a beast begging for a crumb of her favor.