Born or Made

Chapter 12: Return to Vhladèvara

Capry stood next to Athanatos in a large clearing in the forest located near Vhladèvara Academy, amongst a sea of fledglings and full-blown vampires. The day was overwhelmingly gray as the crowd huddled together against the falling rain. Capry found it strange that they were experiencing such intense weather. It had been two weeks since the incident on the fifth floor. Athanatos hadn’t said much about what happened that day, but Capry had caught more than a few whispers amongst the vampires around her and it sounded like it was a m******e.

Laid out across the clearing were several slightly raised circular gravestones, each with a tall, red, ceremonial candle placed on their flat surfaces. They honored the warriors that had died inside of the Academy. The energy that was swirling around Capry made her breath catch in her throat, as though she had been hit in the face with a strong gust of wind. She found it difficult to take even breathes. Athanatos had said adjusting to her new abilities would be challenging, but that could not have prepared her developing senses for a day like this. The grief was palpable amongst the foreign guests and Vhladèvara people alike. The warriors that had survived looked haunted, as though they’d experience something unlike anything they’d ever encountered before.

The ceremony had been spiritually beautiful. Vampires lingered around the gravestones paying their respects to fallen comrades or saying goodbye to their family members. From what Capry understood, the warriors who’d been buried in the forest were only Vhladèvara warriors. The Gikaineró were going to bury their dead in their homeland. She thought it was nice that they stayed to attend the mass funeral for the Vhladèvara warriors. There weren’t very many Gikaineró left.

Capry noticed that she was getting a lot of curious glances from the vampires around her. Some even seemed to be giving her and Athanatos a wide berth.

“Are they avoiding me?” Capry’s voice came into Athanatos’ mind. Her thoughts were accompanied by a light touch on the back of his arm. He took a quick glance around and realized most individuals did seem to be keeping as much distance as possible. Capry saw his jaw clench momentarily.

“I wouldn’t take it personally. Sometimes beings fear what they can’t understand,” was the response she received. She stood quietly, taking it in. It was almost as though she was an armed bomb ready to explode. She felt a little out of place amongst so many strangers. Their eyes said what they didn’t. She was responsible and these good men died because of her. She was a stranger from the human realm and not to be trusted.

“I’m going to go back up to the school,” she said quietly. She stuffed her hands into her hoody and began to retreat, her shoulders slumped slightly.

“Perhaps I should escort you,” Athanatos replied, turning to follow her.

“Athanatos,” someone said politely, their voice silky. A tall slim vampire with dark black hair approached Capry’s Guardian. Wealth spewed off of him like too much cologne. He carried a sleek black walking stick that he clutched with pale fingers, adorned in gaudy sparkly rings. Like a pimp. He looked like a vampire pimp. The only thing that was missing was the hat. Capry tried hard not to crinkle her nose. Athanatos didn’t seem thrilled by the man’s presence either, but turned his attention to indulge him, nonetheless.

“I was hoping to discuss something with you,” the man drawled. “It’s a shame it’s under such unfortunate circumstances.” The man’s tone suggested he really didn’t care about the circumstances, but had to feign sadness to blend in. Athanatos glanced at Capry apologetically.

“It’s fine,” Capry said with an awkward wave of her hand. “I’ll see you back at the school.”

The slim vampire pressed his lips together as he pointedly examined Capry, his pale gray eyes narrowing slightly. He then stared expectantly at Athanatos. Almost impatiently.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Pelisotero?” Athanatos asked reluctantly.

“Seeing as there’s now a chunk of Vhladèvara warriors to be replaced, I wanted to discuss the progress my son has been making. You’ll likely need more candidates to fill the vacant spaces, yes?” Mr. Pelisotero began.

Capry left Athanatos and began making her way through the trees to head back to the Academy. As she got further from the grave site, she realized the rain was slowing to a light drizzle. She wondered if perhaps there were just too many sad vampires in one place. It would be odd if that could actually affect the weather.

The trees began to thin as she approached the Academy’s entrance. This was the first time she’d seen it in broad daylight, and she found herself frozen, her mouth hanging open in pure awe. She had pictured the Academy differently. She thought it was built out of a smooth rolling hill as its' silhouette would have suggested on the night she escaped. But it would appear that it was built out of the side of what was the beginning of a mountainous terrain. She stared curiously up at it wondering how she could’ve missed the mountains stretching towards the sky. Even upon her and Athanatos’ arrival to the funeral. He had transported her directly into the forest after he picked her up that morning. Someone who worked at the Academy had taken her bags to her dorm.

Capry approached the pathway that led down into the ground to the entrance of the Academy. She took one last glance upward, taking in the large arched glass dome that was the roof, before she descended down the path to her new future.

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Capry had picked a nice quiet spot to sit and wait. Lately, it had felt like she spent most of her time waiting for something. Either Athanatos or imminent doom. She didn’t like being so cynical all the time, but she had been through quite a lot recently. She supposed discovering she was a supernatural being and then almost being killed by an ancient demon would change anyone’s outlook on their life. Perhaps it was all in the way an individual chose to process things.

She found the trickling of the stream soothing. She sat under one of the twisted trees that grew throughout the Academy. It had grandly sprouted next to the water. She watched the large fish mill about lazily, periodically poking their little “O" shaped mouths above the surface to gulp some air, before submerging themselves again. Capry thought they looked like some exotic and possibly deadlier form of Koi fish. They were flashier than the ones in the human realm and seemed to have teeth. There was also a sign next to the stream that read, “Keep hands and feet out of the water.” She wondered what misfortune had befallen someone to require such a sign. She also wondered why everything in the vampire realm seemed to be carnivorous.

“You know, they’ll jump out of the stream if you sit too close,” someone drawled. Capry startled slightly, realizing she was no longer alone. She turned around to find the fledgling named Scar standing behind her, flanked by a couple other boys. At least she thought that was his name. What kind of name was that anyway? Was it short for something? Athanatos’ words echoed in her mind.

“Give that one a wide berth.”

She was instantly anxious and felt her face flushing. She wasn’t sure why she was having such a strong reaction but chose to trust her instincts. Her lower back was sweaty. She glanced upward towards the other floors. Nobody seemed to be around.

Capry slipped her shoes on and moved to stand. Maybe she was in their spot? She didn’t know how things worked and was one hundred percent certain this vampire had no reason to speak to her. He regarded her casually as she stood, his arms crossed lazily over his chest. He seemed genuinely curious about her, which was odd, but she didn’t plan to stick around.

“So, you’re the mixed girl that unlocked the portal,” he stated tonelessly. Capry felt a lump form in her throat. She remained silent, her eyes darting between Scar and the other two males that accompanied him. He was built slim, with broad shoulders. His eyes were a light gray shade, which threw her off a bit. The last time she’d seen him, his eyes had been dark as coal. He wasn’t built like a warrior, but his friends were. They almost looked like bodyguards, but the energy emanating off of this individual suggested he didn’t need bodyguards. He was sturdy for his size. His energy felt like threads of electricity that kept shooting out to zap her. Like static. He reminded her of a snake. Someone you would do well not to underestimate. She found herself guessing he was probably gifted when it came to magic. Maybe so much so that he didn’t need to bulk up. She didn’t know why her intuition was whispering such things, but it was like she was reading him. His friends were a different story. They didn’t look like intellectual individuals and Scar probably wasn’t very interested in them. He looked like the type who grew bored of people easily. He did, however, seem interested in her, but Capry had a feeling she didn’t want any kind of attention from this being.

“Um…” she began awkwardly, trailing off before she could form a response.

“Why are you so red?” he asked. His tone was impatient. She could get redder. She probably would. He paused, realizing he wasn’t going to receive an answer to his last question. He took a slow step forward.

“You know, you accomplished quite a feat, for a mixed vampire,” he continued. “How did you do it?”

If red flags could randomly appear on some people, Capry imagined this vampire would be covered in them. She didn’t particularly want to answer his questions and didn’t quite like the way he enunciated the word mixed. She didn’t like that he kept referring to her that way. Although it was a new term to her, she was informed on what it meant. It was rude.

“I’m not really sure what I am,” Capry began. “It’s presumptuous to assume things about people you don’t know.”

“If you don’t know your family’s lineage, you’re likely mixed,” Scar stated, raising one dark brow at her. Capry pressed her lips together, biting back a sarcastic retort.

“Good to know,” she murmured as she began to make her exit. Scar stepped into her path, blocking her way to the stairs. His friends moved with him as though they were attached to strings.

“How did you do it?” he asked again, this time a little bit less polite, if that was possible. His entitlement was stifling. “It’s alright, you can tell me your secret,” he coaxed. She felt a slight chill go down her spine as she glanced up at him. His facial expression was calm, but his eyes had gone dark again and she felt the static tingle of his energy increase, almost like the rattle on a rattlesnake. It was making the hair on her arms stand uncomfortably on end. His poker face was amazing, but his energy gave him away. He was frustrated and underneath that was a strange sort of anxiety.

Capry stepped back to put some space between them and took a deep breath. She calmed herself and imagined a barrier forming in front of her. Suddenly, the uncomfortable magical assault she was enduring from him ceased.

“Oscar!” someone bellowed from above them. Scar jumped and spun around as though he’d been caught with his hand inside of a cookie jar. Capry watched as Mr. Pelisotero and Athanatos came into view. Relief washed over her at the sight of her Guardian, as it often did. Athanatos, however, looked livid, his eye twitching with irritation.

The two men descended the stairs, Mr. Pelisotero’s shoes clicking obnoxiously as he went. The resemblance between Scar and Mr. Pelisotero was uncanny. He had to be Scar’s father. Capry found herself wondering how old Mr. Pelisotero was and how vampire reproduction worked. Could you be three hundred years old and still have children? She found that not being able to tell the age of an individual by their appearance was far more confusing than she expected it to be. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her thoughts. Now wasn’t the time.

“Here. Now.” Mr. Pelisotero said quietly as though he were reigning in an unruly dog. Scar kept his eyes low as he skulked over to his father, shoulders slightly slumped. It was a vast contrast to moments ago when he’d seemed to be towering over Capry like a storm cloud. Mr. Pelisotero gave Scar’s cronies a stern dismissive look and the two of them hurriedly took their leave. Capry wondered if he’d conveyed his thoughts to them or if the glare was enough.

“Forgive my son for his lack of manners, Athanatos. I hope he wasn’t bothering your fledgling,” Mr. Pelisotero said politely. Capry didn’t buy it. “I hope you will consider what we’ve discussed, as long as Oscar stays out of trouble.”

“Your son needs to get his emotions in check,” Athanatos said reluctantly. “I can’t work with him if he will not take direction. As you know, that has been a consistent issue. That temper of his. One more mark for misconduct and he could be discharged from the program.”

“He will shape up,” Mr. Pelisotero said, putting one pale hand on his son’s shoulder. “Won’t you?” Capry saw Mr. Pelisotero’s fingers tighten slightly around Scar’s shoulder.

“Of course, Elder,” Scar said, his eyes fixed stubbornly on the floor. Capry could see the indignation on his face. His eyes remained the color of coal as he stood silently next to Mr. Pelisotero looking only slightly embarrassed. They were almost the same height, but Scar seemed to shrink in size under the scrutiny of his father.

“We can discuss this more at the beginning of the week. I shall be bringing a generous donation for your program to help get us back on our feet. This has been a most unfortunate occurrence,” Mr. Pelisotero said, his eyes trailing over to Capry. She felt he wanted to elaborate more on the topic, but chose not to. He looked at her as though she’d said or done something distasteful. Scar glanced her way momentarily and rolled his eyes, shrugging off his father’s hand. Capry couldn’t help but notice his jaw clench tightly. Perhaps Mr. Pelisotero had made a comment, just not out loud.

Capry shuffled uncomfortably next to Athanatos, unable to stop studying Oscar Pelisotero. She realized all vibrations he’d been omitting were now nonexistent. She wasn’t receiving any energy at all, as though he’d flipped an off switch. He coldly met her eyes for a moment and then turned to take his leave without another word. His father followed suit and the two made their way to the entrance of the school. Capry noticed their body language mimicked that of two people having a disagreement, but neither were speaking aloud. It was the strangest argument she’d ever seen. Mostly because it was silent. She bit her lip to keep from giggling.

Athanatos reached out and gestured for Capry to walk with him. He remained tense as they made their way to the dorms.

“Never trust a vampire who primarily communicates mentally,” he murmured.

“What do you mean?” Capry asked, genuinely curious.

“Usually when vampires are in mixed company-” Capry paused and raised her eyebrows at Athanatos, placing her hand on her hip.

“Mixed?” she asked, her tone a bit sassy.

“No,” Athanatos said with a small smile. “Poor choice of words. When there are several vampires present it is considered polite to speak aloud. Or at least not be so obvious about the side conversations you are having that nobody can hear. Sometimes a little mental communication is harmless but there is no way to know, which is why it is polite to refrain.”

“Were they speaking to each other?” Capry asked. “The whole time?”

“Yes,” Athanatos said. “Usually, vampires are better at hiding it. Scar is not good at hiding anything. Which is probably why his father was reprimanding him so harshly.”

“How could you tell?” Capry asked.

“His body language was very tense. And his father’s face was inclined more towards his son even though he was addressing me,” Athanatos shrugged. “I’ve known Castro Pelisotero a long time. He’s sneaky. Not trustworthy in the least.”

“Oscar was asking me how I opened the portal,” Capry blurted out. A couple students turned curiously as they passed. Athanatos reached out and placed his large hand on Capry’s shoulder, silencing her.

“That is a conversation for later,” his voice entered her mind. “We heard the exchange as we approached.” Capry nodded, biting her lip.

“The boy isn’t very tactful,” Athanatos resumed quietly.

“How old is he?” Capry asked.

“A year above you,” Athanatos said.

“How old is his dad?” Capry asked.

“A bit younger than me,” Athanatos replied glancing at her curiously. He could see Capry’s ears turning red again. “Why do you ask?” he went on hesitantly.

“How does that work?” Capry asked. “Does he have like a billion other children?”

“No,” Athanatos chuckled. He realized where this was going. “Seeing as our lifespans are indefinite, we are taught to breed responsibly. To give life is sacred and not to be taken lightly. Of course, there are always some that end up with twenty or so children, but they don't make up the majority and it is frowned upon. We find our offspring have greater abilities the less we reproduce. It’s strange. Most families stop at three to keep the magic from diluting. Or in some cases change their partners to continue passing their abilities. Some families select their children’s partners at birth to ensure the magic stays strong in their bloodlines.”

“I see,” Capry murmured thoughtfully. “So, you could still have a baby if you wanted to?” she asked. Athanatos cleared his throat wondering if that was what Capry had been dying to ask the entire time.

“I could,” he nodded awkwardly.

“Interesting,” Capry said. “What is that like?” Capry asked. “Raising a baby when you’re seven hundred years old? Wouldn’t you be tired?”

Athanatos found a laugh escaping him, which made more students turn around as they passed. Capry saw immense surprise etched on their faces. Her Guardian usually reeled in his emotions when he realized people were watching but he seemed to be enjoying the sensation.

“I wouldn’t know,” Athanatos said with a smile. “I opted out of that long ago. I guess for some it is better to wait. They have time to live their lives before dedicating themselves to another being. Humans are not so lucky. They don’t have all the time in the world to decide.”

“Do vampires take marriage seriously?” Capry asked. “It seems like it would be hard to stay with someone for hundreds of years. Especially if the marriage is arranged. Is divorce a thing here?”

Capry thought this conversation took an odd turn, but Athanatos seemed just as invested in it as she was.

“We do take our commitments seriously. In some cases, vampires wait a long time before they enter into a marriage. Unless you are from a more traditional bloodline, you could be in your hundreds before you make that promise to another being. As far as divorce, it is not common but separations do occur. Some couples choose to open their marriages, or they go their separate ways and make new lives. Much like humans.”

Capry seemed to be mulling something over, her brows furrowed hesitantly. She opened her mouth and slowly closed it again, with a small almost imperceptible shake of her head.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Well,” she began carefully. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want. I know we haven’t known each other very long but…have you ever been married?” she pushed out the question quickly and dropped her eyes as though she expected to be scolded for prying.

“Er… Almost. Once. A long time ago,” Athanatos replied. She raised her eyes slowly and found him staring straight ahead of them, his eyes reflecting a small amount of sadness. Capry immediately felt apologetic and didn’t push the subject further.

“So, I will take your advice and try to stay away from that individual from now on,” Capry switched topics. She was referring to Oscar Pelisotero.

“I’m sure he was the one who came across you,” Athanatos said, sounding relieved. He looked at Capry with something like gratitude. Or perhaps he just felt thankful for her understanding. “If he should seek you out again, let me know so I can correct it.”

Capry felt like a worm was wiggling around in her belly at the thought of Oscar Pelisotero engaging her in another lovely conversation. She realized he likely did want something from her and that’s why he’d approached her in the first place. It made her nervous. Chances are he’d seen she was alone and taken his opportunity to bully information out of her. The only question she had was, why? Why would he be so curious about the portal? Also how did he know so much about it? Did everyone?

Athanatos watched Capry chew her lip anxiously as they came to the entrance of the girl’s dorms.

“Oscar Pelisotero is someone you do want to avoid,” Athanatos voice entered Capry’s mind. “His family advocated for the Great Destroyer to come into power long ago. And there are still several bloodlines in existence that would fight to bring him back into this world. The Pelisoteros are one of them. They will be under surveillance from now on. Do not tell him anything.”

“I wouldn’t,” Capry replied, meeting Athanatos eyes intently.

“It is troubling that he accosted you in such a manner. It was also incredibly reckless,” Athanatos’ words floated thoughtfully through Capry’s mind. “He will likely have hefty consequences for that mistake, but I’m glad he made it.”

Capry nodded, wishing she felt reassured. Being here wasn’t turning out to be the kind of fresh start she’d wanted. She wished she could return home and deal with the kids bullying her about her s****l orientation instead.

“This week will be a big one for you,” Athanatos resumed aloud, straightening up and adjusting his large coat. Capry stared up at him curiously, feeling a tinge nervous. Of course there was going to be more amongst the cascade of drama that was already flooding her shore. “You’re going to officially be enrolled in the Academy. You’ll be receiving your schedule this week and will begin your classes. You can also meet the Hosts and pick the one you like. Hopefully without any hitches this time. It is exciting.” Athanatos offered her an awkward smile. It reminded her of pictures of her younger brother, when he’d been asked to smile on cue. The cringey kind. She felt her own smile creep onto her lips.

“I suppose so,” Capry sighed, her stomach bubbling with anxiety. There was an awkward silence as they both shuffled in the hallway. Athanatos cleared his throat.

“Well, I’ll let you relax then,” he said briskly. “Your belongings should already be inside your room. Try to rest up. Maybe go look around the main living space. You’re welcome to anything in the fridge. They stock them regularly. Perhaps see if any of the girls are around. Try to make friends.”

Capry nodded. “Yeah, maybe,” she replied, trying to sound enthusiastic, but falling flat.

“Alright. See you soon,” Athanatos said. He then abruptly turned on his heel and exited the hallway. Capry looked after him, feeling exhausted. She reached behind her and fumbled slightly for her doorknob, before entering her room. She turned, locked her door behind her, and collapsed on her bed.