My Vampire Mate

CHAPTER 3: SCIENCE CLASS

Next morning, I woke up to blue light. The aquarium wall in Room 96 was glowing. Fish were swimming above my head. For a second I forgot I was in vampire school.

Then I remembered. Veleric. Red eyes. _Strawberries and honey. My mate._

Molly was already dressed. Her dark hair was in a ponytail, her almond green eyes were worried.

"V, you need to get ready. Science starts in 30 minutes. And Winter posted something last night on VampNet."

She showed me her phone. On the school's private network, Winter Haven posted a picture of our dorm hallway from last night. Veleric standing at our door.

Caption: _Someone thinks she can steal what is not hers. Human girls should know their place. - WH_

There were 200 likes.

"She knows," Molly whispered. "La Hotties know. V, maybe you should skip today?"

"No," I said. I put on my long dress and my thick lens glasses, hiding my deep blue eyes and sky-blue hair behind a tight ponytail. "If I skip, they win. I'm Vanessa Baldini, the only human in Vamp Prestige Academia. I'm here from City Hall Academy because I earned it. I'm not running."

Molly smiled. "That's my V."

The walk to Science Department was a nightmare. Every vampire stared. Some sniffed the air when I passed — I guess humans smell different. Some whispered.

We entered Science Lab 1. Professor Vlad was not there yet.

La Hotties were in the front row, like queens. Winter Haven in the middle, long blonde hair perfect, hazel eyes cold, American court uniform with gold edges because her father is a count. Whitney Houston on the right, brown hair, deep brown eyes, tall, French court uniform. And Evelyn Evangelico on the left, from Canadian court, always smirking.

They saw me.

"Look who it is," Winter said, loud enough for the whole class to hear. "The human exchange student. Room 96. I heard you had a visitor last night, Vanessa?"

Whitney laughed. "The Prince doesn't visit low rooms, Winter. Maybe she imagined it."

Evelyn stood up and walked to me. "Let's see, human. What makes you think you belong in Vamp Prestige? This school is for ancient bloodlines. Not... City Hall Academy leftovers."

Molly stepped in front of me. "Leave her alone, Evelyn."

"Oh, Molly Hampson, the clerk's daughter defending the human? How cute," Evelyn said. "Your father files papers in Transylvania court, remember? You should know your place too."

I pulled Molly back. "Don't. I can handle it."

I looked at Winter directly. "I don't want trouble. I just want to learn."

Winter smiled, but it wasn't a nice smile. "Of course you do, darling. Then go sit at the back. Humans sit at the back. That front seat next to the window is for Veleric. He always sits there. And you will not sit near him."

The class went quiet. That seat — window seat, front row — had a black jacket on it. Veleric's jacket.

Professor Vlad came in — tall vampire with silver hair, from the German court.

"Class, we have a new student. Vanessa Baldini. Human, Science Department. The first human in 100 years to be allowed in Vamp Prestige. Please make her feel welcome."

No one said welcome. Winter rolled her eyes.

"Today we are studying Blood Memory," Professor Vlad said. "Vampires can smell memory in blood. A powerful vampire can find his mate by scent alone, even across continents."

My heart stopped. Mate by scent?

"Mr. Valdini should be here to demonstrate," Professor Vlad looked at the door. "He is the best at scent tracking in this school."

As if called, the door opened by itself. Cold wind blew in.

Veleric walked in. His black hair was perfect today, his uniform perfect, but his red eyes were tired. He looked like he didn't sleep.

He saw me instantly. In the back row.

He saw his jacket on the front seat. He saw Winter smiling at him.

He understood everything.

"Professor, sorry I'm late," he said calmly. Then he looked at Winter. "Winter, why is my jacket on a chair? I didn't ask you to hold it."

Winter's smile froze. "I was saving your seat, Veleric, like always—"

"Like always is over," he said. He picked up his jacket. He walked past La Hotties. Past everyone. To the back row. To me.

He stopped in front of my desk.

"Move," he said to the boy sitting next to me.

The boy moved in one second.

Veleric sat down next to me. The whole class gasped.

"Strawberries and honey," he whispered so only I could hear, leaning slightly to the crook of my neck. "You wore the glasses again. You don't need to hide from me."

My face went red. "Your Highness, everyone is staring."

"Let them stare," he said. He took my hand under the table. His hand was ice cold, but it felt safe. "They will stare anyway. You are my mate."

Professor Vlad continued, pretending not to see. "As I was saying, once a vampire finds his mate, the bond is unbreakable. The vampire will know her scent forever. He will be... possessive."

Veleric squeezed my hand.

Winter couldn't hold it anymore. She stood up. "Professor, this is unfair! He has never sat at the back! She is manipulating him! She is just a human!"

Whitney and Evelyn stood up too, behind Winter.

Professor Vlad sighed. "Miss Haven, sit down."

But Winter walked to our desk. She looked down at me, her hazel eyes full of hate.

"You think because you have blue hair you are special?" she whispered. "You think because the Prince called you mate you are safe? Your father is nobody, Vanessa Baldini. My father is a Count. I can make your life hell here."

She "accidentally" pushed my desk. My books fell to the floor. My thick glasses fell too and broke.

The whole class saw my face. Without glasses. My deep blue eyes. My real face. No longer hiding.

Silence.

Veleric stood up slowly. His chair made a loud noise.

His eyes were no longer dark red. They were bright, glowing red. Like fire. His fangs were slightly visible.

"Who," he said, his voice so low and cold the windows shook, "touched her books?"

Whitney stepped back. Evelyn stepped back. Winter stayed, but she was shaking.

"Veleric, I was just—" Winter started.

"My father is King Vladimir Blade Faccio," Veleric said, each word like ice. "I am Prince Veleric Faccio Valdini. And this girl is my mate. You pushed her books. You broke her glasses. Apologize."

Winter's eyes filled with tears, but not from sadness — from anger and embarrassment. "You are choosing a human over me? Over us? Over the American court?"

"I am choosing my mate over your ego," Veleric said. He bent down and picked up my books himself. He picked up my broken glasses.

He handed them to me. Then he looked at Professor Vlad.

"Professor, Vanessa needs new glasses. And she will be sitting with me from now on. Front row. My seat."

Professor Vlad nodded quickly. "Of course, Prince."

Veleric took my hand and pulled me up. He walked me to the front row, to his window seat. He moved his jacket and made me sit there. He sat next to me.

The whole class stared. Molly in the back gave me a thumbs up, her mouth open in shock.

Winter ran out of the class crying, Whitney and Evelyn following her.

Professor Vlad looked at the door and then at us. "Well... as I said... possessive. That is today's lesson on Blood Memory."

Veleric leaned to me and whispered, "You okay, strawberries?"

And for the first time since I arrived at Vamp Prestige Academia, I smiled.

"Yes," I whispered. "Thank you, mate."

His red eyes glowed brighter when I said that word.

Outside the window, the North Tower — his tower — was visible. And on the top floor, a light was on, waiting for me.