Born or Made

Chapter 6: Escape Artist

A soft knock came on the door. Capry scooted onto her elbows and pulled her blanket up to her chest as Healer Ivy and a male Host entered the room. Healer Ivy carried a food tray and the Host had a stack of fresh clothing.

“This is Ivan. Ivan this is Capry,” Healer Ivy said with a smile. Ivan nodded in her direction. He was tall and lean with broad shoulders, had long brown hair that was tied back, and blue eyes. He wore a flannel button up shirt and jeans. “He’ll be your second Host for the evening.”

“Must have been a hell of a thing, miss,” Ivan said with a charming smile. He sounded southern. Capry stared at him blankly, not sure how to respond. An awkward silence ensued with the two of them just looking at each other. Healer Ivy cleared her throat.

“I see now, that may have been out of place,” Ivan began. “I do apologize.” He shuffled forward, rolling up his sleeve and brought his wrist to his mouth, his fangs lengthening as he prepared to puncture his skin.

“I’ve never done this before,” Capry said hoarsely, leaning back against the crawling vines that grew close to her bed. She pressed her back against the wall, clasping her hands nervously in her lap. “My Guardian was supposed to teach me how. He said there’s etiquette. I don’t know the rules.”

“Well you gotta feed, girl,” Ivan said brightly. “I’ll walk you through it.”

Capry fidgeted nervously at the thought of drinking this guy’s blood. She found that it didn’t sound appealing at all. She wondered if Hosts should at least look appetizing? How did that work? It seemed kind of intimate.

Healer Ivy interceded.

“Normally after you’ve met the Hosts you can pick the ones you’re most compatible with and schedule a time to feed. Once you’re on a schedule it’s easier to do. But since this is an emergency we brought you one of our highest producers,” Healer Ivy said motioning to Ivan. He smiled his dazzling smile again.

“You don’t just have a blood bag or something?” Capry asked. She didn’t feel hungry. But she did feel weak.

“It’s better straight from the spout,” Ivan said. “Especially when you’re trying to heal an injury. Tastes better too.”

“We do offer bags,” Healer Ivy said giving Ivan a sideways glance, wishing he would stop talking. “But they’re only used to satiate the thirst if a Host isn’t available. The magic you need to heal your wounds loses its' potency in bags. We also give them to students who visit their families during vacations and holidays in the human realm once they’ve stabilized.”

Capry sighed and leaned forward a bit. It was sounding more and more like Ivan would just have to do. He didn’t seem to take her obvious aversion to him personally. She thought he probably didn’t take a lot of things to heart.

“Hey, I know it’s probably scary,” he said. “You’re in a new place and then that crazy thing happened to you. And now they’re tellin you to drink from a guy you don’t know. And you ain’t never done that before. But just think of me as a big ol' Capri-sun. Just stick a straw in me. You’ll feel a lot better once you do,” Ivan said with a small smile.

“Are you from the human realm?” she asked. She didn’t know if that was a play on her name or just a human reference. It was slightly endearing and clever. He seemed friendly enough, like he had a permanent pep in his step. But a stranger was a stranger.

“Born n raised. Up until about eleven years old,” Ivan said. “I can’t cast spells. But I can hit a target from fifty miles away, swing the hell out of a sword, and feed the masses,” he said proudly. Capry was happy to meet someone from home. Especially someone who seemed reasonably content to be at the Academy.

“So, the etiquette?” Capry asked. Ivan was glad to see she had visibly relaxed.

“Well,” he began. “The only rules really, are to try not to invade anyone’s personal thoughts. On both sides. We have a right to privacy, as do you. But since you’re new at this, I know that accidents happen. Most hosts have an array of nice images they put up while they’re providin this service as a way to keep their personal business separate and make the experience more enjoyable to you. I don’t got much goin for me in the way of personal anyhow. The most you’ll probably see is me sittin around eatin cheetos.

Capry smiled a bit, which was something she didn’t think she’d be able to do so soon.

“And also. It is not a s****l act. We like to keep it professional ‘round here, so no bitin. The Host will open their veins for you and you take the blood from the wrist, always. No funny business. If anyone tells you otherwise, let me know so I can pop that p*****t in the jaw.”

Healer Ivy flushed and looked at Ivan disapprovingly. Capry giggled despite herself.

“Awe see? That’s what I like to hear,” Ivan said winking at her as he nudged Healer Ivy playfully. “Well, that about sums it up, I think. You got anything to add Healer Ivy?”

“There are no perverts enlisted as Hosts at this Academy, Capry. And I would hope if there was, somebody would report them,” she said, glaring sternly at Ivan.

“Yes, ma’am. I sure would,” Ivan reassured her.

“And since the subject has come up,” she added. “Feeding on other students inside the Academy is prohibited. If you are caught committing such an act there could be disciplinary actions taken, as seen fit by our Grand Sorceress. However, I am just the school Healer. If you have any questions about s*x or your s****l health you may come talk to me in my office at any time.”

Capry felt herself blush.

“Yes, ma’am,” Capry said glancing at Ivan awkwardly. She briefly wondered how s****l feeding actually was. She had noticed that the two seemed to go together in every conversation she’d had about it thus far. Yet, it was also a necessity.

“Alright!” Ivan said clapping his hands together crisply. She jumped slightly. “Are you ready Capry? Let’s get this show on the road!” he said enthusiastically.

Healer Ivy didn’t entirely approve of Ivan’s approach to loosen up Capry. But the girl seemed to respond well to his antics and she supposed that’s all that mattered. That was technically part of his job.

“I’ll be in my office if you need anything, dear,” Healer Ivy said before taking her leave. Capry was a little put off. She had thought Healer Ivy would stay while she fed. She wasn’t sure if she would do it right.

Ivan approached her slowly, this time.

“You ready?” he asked.

“Sorry,” Capry began awkwardly. Her heart had sped up considerably. “This still seems like a weird thing to do.”

“I can see why,” Ivan said. “But the body needs what it needs. You remember how it felt your first time?” he asked.

Capry stared at him for a moment. She knew he couldn’t possibly know what her first time had been like but for some reason she was suddenly afraid he did.

“What do you mean?” she asked slowly. Ivan could hear her heart beating a mile a minute. He watched as her face turned pink, which was a good sign, because Penelope had told him she looked dead when she had come up to see her.

“Well, maybe not whatever happened to you that triggered your change,” Ivan said trying to double back. Capry reminded him of a skittish baby animal. You make a little leeway and slowly start getting them to come out of their safe spot and then you move too fast and they hide again. Once you feed ‘em, they’ll be your best friend. “I’m talkin about when you drank the blood. You remember what that was like?”

“Yes,” Capry said, avoiding eye contact.

“Well. It’s gonna be like that,” Ivan said. “But maybe it’ll taste a little better cause it’s better for you. Humans are kinda like junk food. They’ll keep ya going but you’re not gettin your nutritional value.”

“Ok…” Capry took a deep breath. “I think I’m ready to try.”

“That’s all I’m askin, darlin,” Ivan said. She watched as he brought his wrist up to his mouth. His fangs lengthened and he cleanly punctured his own skin. She leaned forward slowly, and took his wrist in her hands. Blood was pouring openly from the wound and dripping onto the floor. She quickly put her mouth over the wound as to not waste it or make more of a mess. And also partly because she thought she might lose her nerve if she didn’t dive right in. She caught the blood in her mouth but hesitated to swallow. Nothing happened at first. The only thing she noted was that it didn’t taste bad at all. And that freaked her out a bit. She felt the warm liquid slide down her throat and the familiar tingling sensation that went with it. Her body was suddenly on fire, in a pleasant way. She tasted the strange bitter flavor enter her mouth, her jaw tingling.

She began to draw blood from the wound. And as she did, she saw images of fields that went on for miles. It looked like some kind of vegetable was growing and she saw the warm sun just beginning to set. There was also livestock and a lake. It seemed really nice. She felt warm as the blood entered her system, distributing itself throughout her body. She hadn’t realized how uncomfortable she’d been until her pain began to dissolve. She could feel the holes in her ribs closing and sighed in relief.

She fed for maybe ten minutes until she felt full and when she pulled away she smiled gratefully at Ivan. But her smile was immediately wiped from her face when she saw how pale he was. He looked like he’d seen a ghost.

“I’m sorry,” Capry said quickly, reaching out slightly. “Did I take too much?” Ivan didn’t say anything right away. He sat down looking incredibly concerned.

“Nah. I’m what they like to call the Everlasting Fountain,” he said with a bleak smile. That must’ve meant he was pale for a different reason. “I’m real sorry that happened to you,” Ivan began. “I didn’t mean to see it. I apologize for that.”

He had tried to push the images out of his head when it began, but they had entered his mind so quickly and efficiently, he’d seen everything before he was able to shut Capry out again. He was impressed at the strength of her mind but still felt as though he had intruded, even though the invitation had come from her. He knew she didn’t know how to stop it yet, which made him feel worse.

Capry was confused at first. She hadn’t meant to show him anything. And then she was immediately frightened at what he may have seen. She swallowed, her throat still feeling a bit tender. Capry watched silently as he licked his wrist to close the punctures in his skin. She inwardly kicked herself because she wasn’t sure how to produce the chemical she needed to close the wound.

“I’m sorry,” Capry said apologetically. “I feel like a botched that pretty bad.”

“Sharin the blood shares experiences,” Ivan said, waving his hand. “You’ll learn how to close your mind in time.” Even though he was being nice about it, she could tell he was shaken by what he’d seen.

“I don’t know how to close the holes either,” Capry added self consciously. She found her mouth was full of saliva that was slightly thicker than usual. She felt like spitting it out but thought that would be unladylike.

“That’s probably the coagulant,” Ivan said motioning towards his mouth. He noticed Capry seemed to be swishing something around. “If you think about it, it’ll come.” He looked like he wanted to say more but didn’t know if he should pry.

“I don’t know what you saw…” Capry began, her hands fidgeting in her lap again.

“Just a lot of darkness and pain,” he stated simply, looking a little sad. She let out a deep breath. She was afraid she had shown him everything. Not just her latest traumatic experience. For some reason she was relieved. “Listen, little lady, I don’t want to overstep. But a word of advice, stay away from that place on the fifth floor. That thing, whatever it is, just about swallowed you whole. Now, a lotta strange things happen in this place. Ain’t no doubt about that. It can be dangerous if you don’t know how to navigate it, so step lightly. I wasn’t aware there were things like that lurkin ‘round. You gotta learn how to protect yourself.”

Capry nodded, her eyes trailing to the blood on the floor.

“You ain’t gotta feel like you did anythin wrong,” he added. “That thing latched onto you. I’ve never seen anythin like it,” Ivan said, as he eyed her new markings. They weren’t fading in the least bit. He sighed. “You maybe want to try not to think about it too much either. I know that’s a hard ask, but sometimes if you think about somethin too hard, it allows it to have access to you. Especially bein what we are. Your mind is a powerful thing. Maybe even more powerful than typical fledglings.”

“I’m scared,” Capry confided. “I can still feel him,” she murmured, as the hairs on her arms stood up. “It’s almost like he’s still touching me."

Ivan looked troubled. Hosts exchanged information frequently if it was medically necessary. Like when they had to feed the same fledgling or if there was a safety concern. The information they exchanged was confidential. Penelope had warned Ivan before he went to see Capry. She had told him that she could feel something clinging to her, like a shadow. He had picked up on it when he entered the room, but he didn’t spook easily. Penelope was afraid that whatever it was could reach out, using Capry. To put it plainly, she was afraid it could get her too. Ivan could tell it only wanted Capry, with the way it hovered around her. The energy was unstable but it wasn’t lashing out. It was resting over her like a storm cloud.

“Things can latch on. Especially after what happened to you,” he said. “It may be a good idea to get cleansed. The Elders can help you with that. They’ll cast a spell to try to cut the strings that guy has on you. I’ll mention it to Healer Ivy on the way out. She’ll get you set up proper,” Ivan replied.

“What if they can’t?” Capry asked. She felt a slight chill run down her back like a soft but not so friendly caress.

“They can,” Ivan said firmly. “They will.” Because they have to. Safety is a priority here and those Elders can do anythin they set their minds to. Believe that.”

Capry wanted to feel reassured, but she didn’t. She felt like she was the duckling stuck in the ice. And that the boy with the wooden clogs was going to crush her instead of set her free.

Ivan took his leave shortly after their brief conversation. Capry was left alone in her room with her racing thoughts. She kept telling herself to try not to think of it, like Ivan had told her. So that creature couldn’t gain access to her again. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about him. But he was there. She felt as though he was still choking her with his leathery sand paper hands.

Her room was too quiet. There wasn’t even a spider to keep her company. She slowly got to her feet, her body feeling electric with her anxiety. She felt better but she knew she wasn’t a hundred percent. She could still feel a dull ache in her ribs when she began to move around. If she was wise, she would get back into her bed and try to rest. But she wasn’t wise. She was a confused, scared, fifteen year old girl.

She reached for the pile of fresh clothing Ivan had brought but froze as something stirred around her. It was a faint rustling of leafs. How could there be a draft with no window? She spun around to look behind her but nothing seemed amiss. She hurriedly ripped off her clothing, cringing at the sharp pain it brought. Her shirt had stiffened up where the blood from Penelope had leaked out.

She paused to look at herself in the mirror that was placed on the wall. She could still see the faint handprints and strange markings that intricately covered large portions of her body, where the spirits had touched her. She took in the ugly holes that Zagreus’ tendrils had made in her bruised ribs and wondered how deep into her body they had gone. But worst of all, was the weird dark cloud that seemed to be enveloping her in a possessive embrace.

The stirring came again. She quickly got dressed and pulled her new hoodie over her head and threw on her slides. The faint whispering had begun again. She only understood one word being uttered repeatedly, possibly in different languages. Run.

“Uh uh. Nope,” her voice escaped her as a panicked, breathless squeak. She had made up her mind before she even realized what she was doing. The whispering was rising again and she tried to push it out of her head. She wouldn’t be drawn in again. The crawling vines began to sway in the strange tornado of energy that seemed to be swirling angrily around her.

The voice that entered her mind was very faint but she recognized it as his. “The mind of a child is a foolish thing,” he stated simply. His voice was coarse, like stepping over sand that had been tracked in from outside. “You cannot hide from me.”

In an instant she bolted out of her room. She found a long hallway with a row of rooms on both sides, most with the doors ajar. She hurriedly walked past them, down the hallway. She could hear Healer Ivy in one of the rooms speaking with someone. She kept walking until the hallway turned. She could see the waiting room with its’ comfortable chairs. Her footsteps quickened until she had cleared the infirmary. She almost ran toward the stairs, headed downward to the bottom floor where the dining room was. She had noted a large tall set of double, heavy, wooden doors where students came in and out. She was hoping it led outdoors.

Capry threw her hood over her head as she reached the last set of steps. She could hear men talking somewhere below her. She paused, her heart beating hard in her chest. The whispering had faded away to a soft hum, seeming to die as she got further away from the fifth floor.

This place confused her. She wasn’t sure why the entrance would be at the bottom floor if they were inside the ground but she was hoping her hunch was correct. She swallowed hard and descended the steps as quietly as possible. As the double doors came into view, so did two very large vampires posted on either side. They were armed. They seemed to be debating something heatedly amongst themselves and didn’t notice her approaching until she was almost in front of them.

“Halt!” one of them ordered, holding out his hand. “We’re on lockdown. Didn’t you hear the announcement? What are you even doing walking around at this hour? Return to your dorm immediately.”

Capry froze, staring at them wide eyed. She was considering making a run for it and they in turn seemed to sense it. They moved closer together to close the gap between them, their wide bulky bodies blocking her path. She wondered how they got so huge. They had to be warriors. She didn’t recall seeing guards at the doors any other time. She wondered if there was a curfew or if it was because of the lockdown. She wasn’t even sure what time it was.

“Do I need to escort you?” the other vampire asked sternly. “What is your name?”

Capry abruptly pivoted to the left, to run around them. She felt one of the large warriors reach out, his fingers brushing her arm. She managed to dodge him and propelled herself towards the doors, throwing all her weight forward for momentum. They were probably heavy. She felt a strong jolt, pulling her body inward and without warning vanished before their very eyes.

************************

Athanatos and fifteen other warriors flanked Elder Virgil as he worked. They were armed and alert. Some had transported from other locations at Athanatos’ request. They kept watch as Virgil moved cautiously around the statue of Zagreus.

The Grand Sorceress was present as well. She had temporarily removed the wards to allow the Warriors to pass into the hallway and then immediately sealed them inside. The tension was palpable.

Virgil was mumbling incantations under his breath as he paced in front of the statue. He could see the broken links in the proverbial chain. Magic could age. It was possible that the spells had weakened over time making it easier for Zagreus to access Capry, or possibly any student. Virgil was trying to determine if it was an unfortunate coincidence or if there was something particular about the girl that had woken the sleeping monster.

Every so often bright silver threads would erupt from his hands and wiggle their way into the statue, emitting an impatient tremor from the air around them. He worked meticulously, acutely aware that he was receiving resistance. Every time he placed his threads, a vibration would reverberate out towards him as though something were trying to undo his magic. He paused every so often to make sure his threads would hold, and then continued to work, reinforcing his magic where he needed to.

“He’s fighting me,” Virgil addressed Acara over his shoulder. There was a restless stirring around him, the warriors tightening their grips on their weapons. Acara approached him, narrowing her sight to attempt to see what he did. There was a detectable rhythmic ripple emitting from the statue. Virgil’s movements quickened as the tremors became more insistent. There came a loud c***k as the statue’s chest suddenly began to split open.

“BRACE YOURSELVES!” Athanatos yelled. His men crouched, their weapons ready. Several of them murmured their own incantations and their swords were suddenly ablaze with supernatural light. Others freed their hands, their whole bodies erupting with their magic, undulating with the power they were exerting.

The excitement was short-lived. Everything became silent and still. Virgil continued to work, in large bursts. Acara raised her hand and held it towards the c***k in the statue. The narrow gap began to repair itself. When it was closed, golden light erupted from the c***k and stayed burning white hot for quite some time. She had sealed the opening much how she had sealed the hallway, and would later seal the stairs, cutting off all access to the fifth floor.

The warriors remained poised for battle. Athanatos' paced slightly, feeling as though something was off. He couldn’t quite place it until he felt the distinct sensation of the Veil being ripped open. He and Acara were alerted at the same time. This wasn’t the opportune moment for interruptions.

Acara approached him quickly.

“Is it another fledgling?” she asked him urgently. There suddenly came persistent banging on the hallway’s barricaded doors.

“It’s alright, Acara,” Virgil said. “He’s too weak to escape. I can take it from here.”

The Grand Sorceress rushed to the doors and opened them. One of the warriors that had been guarding the main entrance to the Academy saluted her formally. The expression on his face said he brought bad news.

“What’s happened?” she asked. “Why have you left your post?”

“Athanatos’ fledgling has fled the school,” he informed her, without looking her in the eyes. Athanatos approached him, clearly livid

“What?!” he yelled.

“The girl transported out of the Academy,” the warrior said, clearly embarrassed.

“She transported out of the Academy?” Athanatos repeated slowly, unsure if he had heard correctly. “You’re sure it was Capry?”

Athanatos was momentarily bewildered. There was no way to know how powerful a fledgling would be until they started learning how to use their abilities. But most didn’t start transporting right after they began to transition. He was trying to wrap his head around what he was dealing with.

“Yes. Small girl with strange markings on her face? She had her hood up. That was all we could see,” the warrior said. Athanatos stomach sank as he thought of the Veil breech. “We scanned the premises for her. It took us a moment to figure out where she came from and who she belongs to. She isn’t in the system, yet. Healer Ivy reported her missing a few minutes after she transported past us. She’s gone,” he said apologetically. “And we were ordered not to telepathically communicate while you were handling this security threat,” he said motioning to the statue. “So I came here as soon as I realized she was yours.”

“I have to go find her,” Athanatos said to Acara. “I think I know where she might be going.”

“Home?” Acara asked.

“I don’t think there’s anywhere else she would go,” he said. “If she’s using her magic, the blood she’s been given won’t last. She’s still hurt. She won’t be able to get back on her own.”

“Keep me updated. I’ll inform the other Bloodhounds so they don’t answer the alert,” the Grand Sorceress said. She pressed her lips together, clearly stressed. “I’ll probably be gone once you’ve returned,” she added. “Hopefully I’ll have some answers and a plan of action.” Athanatos nodded and turned to leave.

“Put Alex in charge,” he told the Grand Sorceress as he departed. “And you, back to your post,” he said waving the warrior away. He wasn’t sure if disciplinary actions would be taken against the guards. There was no way they could’ve known what Capry meant to do. But if a hundred pound, five foot girl could get past them, he decided he may have to rethink who he had posted at the main entrance during the evening.

Athanatos made a quick stop at the Academy's refrigerated storage and took an insulated bag from the wall. He then grabbed enough blood bags for a few days and slung it over his shoulder. If Capry had made a run for it, he wasn’t sure how long it would take him to convince her to come back. He wanted it to be her choice.