Dhampir Academy

Shadows at Dawn

“I didn’t do it, Madam Delcoix!” Alex blurted, even before she’d reached her.

Madam Delcoix arched a brow. “You didn’t create a snowstorm so Lucas could sneak into your bedroom?”

Alex blinked, her mouth forming a shocked ‘O.’ She repeated the principal’s words in her head. Snowstorm? Lucas? That wasn’t even close to the crime she was worried about.

She cast a quick glance at her room, expecting bloodstains and chaos. But everything was spotless—Lucas must have cleaned it up before the principal arrived. Relief flooded her, and she whispered a silent “Thank you” as Lucas gave her a subtle wink.

“No one’s ever done something like that for me,” she thought.

“I’m sorry, Principal,” she finally said. “I just wanted to understand my powers better.”

Madam Delcoix’s lips pursed. “You have no right to invite a male student to your room, especially on your first day. And I heard you skipped defense class. Make sure you attend all your classes from now on.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Alex replied, suppressing a smirk at the principal’s stern tone.

“Good. Now, off you go. Lucas, straight to the boys’ dorm,” the principal ordered.

The small crowd that had gathered dispersed. Alex caught Lucas’s eye and gave him a grateful smile. She’d talk to him tomorrow.

Back in her room, Alex felt uneasy. The image of the dead body—b****y and lifeless—still haunted her. She almost wished she’d been assigned a roommate.

Who had framed her? And why had Annie helped her cover it up? Could she trust her?

Exhausted from the day’s events, Alex drifted to sleep, unaware that trouble was stirring just beyond the Academy’s walls.

In a dark cave, a hooded girl stood before a shimmering bowl of water. Ancient words left her lips as the water bubbled, revealing the face of a handsome man.

“What’s the update?” the man asked.

The girl’s lips twisted. “I had her—she was right there,” she snapped.

The man’s smile returned. “Patience. Trust must be earned. Your role is vital.”

The girl snorted. “I could’ve ripped out her throat. Instead, you had me play nice!”

“Relax, Princess,” the man said, his voice soft but dangerous. “Good things take time. We’ll strike soon.”

The girl’s smile turned predatory. “She won’t know what hit her.”

With that, the vision faded, and the girl slipped out of the cave. The moonlight revealed her smirk as she gazed at the Academy in the distance.

“Sleep well, Alexandria Vladimir,” she whispered. “Tomorrow, the game begins.”