Cursed Fate

3- The New Students

Another day of lessons passes by and everyone heads back to the dorms or to the Common Room, also located next to the dorms, but Cyla and I take a detour and head to the Infirmary.

We cross the intricate layer of tunnels throughout the Academy to reach the Infirmary, where a friend of ours is at, due to a stupid prank with a banana peel and seaweeds.

I try to avoid looking at the many couples flirting with each other along the way. As we took a shortcut nearly no one uses anymore, these tunnels are filled with hormonal teenagers obviously wanting to get lucky away from the many security cameras existing at the Academy.

I refrain a gag as I hear the cheesiest pick up line ever and pick up the pace to get out of here as quick as possible. I’ll never be that way. Ever.

I am yet to find my own mate so romance is not quite my forte, but honestly, I am in no hurry to find him. I like my life this way. I don’t need a guy to make me feel special.

I do have a guy who comes over whenever he wants to, but I never quite got to care for him all that much. I suppose you could say we are dating, but as far as love is concerned, we don’t have it. At least, I don’t.

Finally, we reach the Infirmary. We are greeted by a ferret who climbs up Cyla’s leg and sits on her shoulder. This doesn’t seem to bother her though.

“Hey, Owen” She greets him with a smile. “How’s Vi today?”

In a sudden move the ferret grows in size and transforms into a teenage boy around the same age as Cyla. Problem is, he was still on Cyla’s shoulder.

“Owen, you i***t!” I shout as I watch them both fall to the ground. “Don’t you know you have to step back before you transform?”

Owen is obviously a Shapeshifter, but he still has a lot to learn to be able to fully control his abilities. His hair is grey like the one of a rat and he is clearly not the handsome type of guy, but he is sweet, which I guess kind of makes up for his looks.

I help them back on their feet and watch as Owen scratches his head embarrassingly.

“Sorry, Cyla” He says with a sheepish smile.

“It’s alright” Cyla says, with a smile and reaches out to touch Owen with a finger.

Owen shouts like a girl when Cyla uses her powers to slightly electrocute his arm. “Now we’re even” She laughs her characteristic laugh which sounds like bells.

I just shake my head as Owen rubs his arm, looking like his feelings got hurt and Cyla continues laughing.

“Be quiet in there” A voice comes from inside the Infirmary. “There are people trying to sleep here”

“But there is no one else here” Owen says as we go inside and go closer to the person who talked to us. “And you weren’t sleeping”

Olivia crosses her arms, laying on her bed at the Infirmary. Her greenish hair is covering half of her face, as usual. She tries to hide that part of her face as much as possible because a horrible scar stretches from her forehead to her chin. She doesn’t like to show it or see it. It reminds her of how she got to come here in the first place.

“Of course, I was sleeping, i***t” She says. “My eyes were just open”

“Oh, ok” Owen just shrugs, totally accepting her excuse.

“How do you feel today, Vi?” Cyla asks her.

“I’m feeling ok now” Olivia answers, looking pissed. “But I wouldn’t be in this situation at all if it weren’t for Mr. i***t here!”

“She’s still mad at you” Cyla says.

“I said I was sorry!” Owen excuses himself, raising his hands in defeat.

“You should have known mermaids can’t eat anything other than seaweeds, i***t! Dying a banana peel and calling it a seaweed is not acceptable!” Olivia shouts.

“I thought it was ok” Owen shrugs. “You were so hungry. I just wanted to give you something to eat but the kitchen was all out of seaweeds”

“How can you eat that gooey stuff anyway, Vi? It’s disgusting” I say, making a disgusted face.

“Says the girl who drinks bags of blood for lunch” Olivia snaps back.

“Good point” Cyla says.

“Ok, I can see you’re Miss Good Humor today” I say, sarcastically.

“And I can see you are in too much of a good spirit” Olivia counteracts. “Did you win again?” She asks, referring to the Simulation game we played earlier today.

“She always wins” Cyla says.

“Yeah” Owen supports.

“But today she actually wanted to drink my blood” Cyla says. “It was terrifying”

“Aw, you don’t have to be afraid of me, Cyla” I tease her.

“So, did she?” Olivia asks.

“Did I what?” I ask her.

“Drink Cyla’s blood. What did it taste like?” Olivia asks.

“EW! She didn’t drink my blood! EW!” Cyla shouts, making a disgusted expression.

Olivia shrugs. “She could have. It wouldn’t kill you”

“Where’s Nurse Aileen? Shouldn’t she be here?” I ask, changing the subject.

“She stepped out to grab more supplies” Owen answers.

“She was supposed to discharge me today” Olivia says. “Where is she? I want out of this dreaded bed”

“Don’t worry, babe. I’m sure she’ll be here soon” Owen says, sweetly.

“Don’t call me babe!” Olivia shouts, grumpy.

“Look out, Owen. She’ll bite you if you push it too far” Cyla says.

“I know… I’ve been there…” Owen says, rubbing the back of his head yet again.

Owen and Olivia aren’t exactly a couple. Don’t get me wrong. Everyone knows they have feelings for each other, but Olivia is too stubborn to accept it. So instead of being lovey dovey, they just play this game of cat and mouse.

“Oh, hello children. I didn’t know you were here” We turn to greet Nurse Aileen as she enters the Infirmary with a cart filled with weird stuff.

Nurse Aileen is a gorgeous vampire with brilliant blonde hair and stunning blue eyes. She is the sister of one of our other teachers, Dr. Alistair.

“How are you feeling after the last dose of medication, Olivia?” Nurse Aileen asks, coming closer.

“I’m feeling a lot better” Olivia answers.

Nurse Aileen nods while quickly analyzing her. “It seems you’re healed. Be careful not to eat something other than seaweeds again. Especially bananas. Those are terribly toxic for mermaids”

“Yeah, I’ll be careful” Olivia says, looking threateningly at Owen, who just gulps.

Nurse Aileen lets Olivia out of her bed and lets her get into a private room so she can change from the smock she’s wearing.

We wait in the Infirmary while she changes when a dog comes in, holding a basket of more strange stuff in her mouth. It’s Nurse Aileen’s dog, Heka, who aids in whatever she can in the Infirmary. She’s mostly there for the pets and snuggles. It helps a lot for new students to feel safe when they get sick. I know she helped me when I was feeling down after wrongly eating human food for the first time.

Vampires can eat human food without too much of a damage but it makes us weak and dizzy, almost as if we’d been drugged. The wrong kind of drugs. It’s not a happy feeling and I hated the first time I went through the experience.

“Hey, Heka” I greet her with a pet in her ears when she drops the basket in its proper place.

“Heka!!” Cyla kneels down to give Heka a full hug.

I would feel uncomfortable if I was her, but Heka is a good Labrador dog and she loves hugs and snuggles.

“There you are, Heka” Nurse Aileen says. “You took some time getting here. Did you take a detour through the kitchen again?”

Heka looks somewhat guilty, but still wags her tail.

“Don’t be mad at her, Nurse Aileen” Cyla says, still vigorously petting Heka. “She’s such a good doggie”

Heka barks as if to prove her point. Cyla chuckles like a child.

Suddenly the intercom present in every room and every tunnel of the Academy rings the Academy’s tune, signaling us that an announcement is about to be made.

“Students and residents of Subterra Academy” A female voice speaks. I recognize the voice. It’s the wife of our Headmaster, Mrs. Cameron. “Please gather at the Main Hall in 20 minutes. We will be introducing two new students. Let us welcome them into our big family, united”

The tune rings again, signaling the announcement has ended.

“New students?” Olivia asks as she comes out of the private room in her usual emo clothing.

We are allowed to use something other than our uniforms, as long as outside class time.

“Seems like it” I answer her.

“You should go now, children” Nurse Aileen rushes us. “There will be a lot of people trying to get to the Main Hall. Go before it gets crowded”

“Bye, Heka” Cyla pets Heka one more time and we take off to the Main Hall.

Nurse Aileen was right. This is getting crowded.

It’s no surprise though. It’s been a while since we welcomed new students.

As we get there early, we manage to get in the front row. We’ll be able to see these new students up close.

Soon enough, Headmaster Estevan and his wife get up on the main balcony, right under the huge watch that used to indicate the time for the people using the subway station. It’s quite a beautiful watch, made in ceramic tiles and painted in tones of blue and white.

The words Subterra Academy were added just atop the watch in the Academy’s colors: black tinged with white and bluish spots trying to represent a starry sky. In truth, Night is the Academy’s symbol, for it is the school’s motto: We are all creatures of the night. Which is supposed to mean we’re all equals and we shouldn’t fight amongst each other or whatever.

“I wonder what they’ll be like” Cyla says, next to me.

“I bet they’re adults. They’re just teasing us with the students’ part” Olivia suggests.

“What if they come to our class? We still have room!” Cyla says, excitedly.

“No, Cyla. They’re adults, they won’t come to class” Olivia says.

“Why would they come to our class?” I inquire. “They’re new students. We’re the class with the oldest students. It wouldn’t make sense”

“What if they’re the same age as us, or at least, as old as we are” Owen suggests.

“Uh… The world must be about to end, because that kinda makes sense” I say and Owen smiles in victory.

“Shhh! They’re coming!” Cyla hushes us.

The room is filled with nearly every creature who lives in the Academy, which is quite a lot of people. If you have to imagine it, picture a concert of the most famous band in town. The concert is sold out and they sold illegal extra tickets.

I’m just surprised how all these people got here so fast. They literally had a 20-minute head start. I know they are supernatural creatures, but damn.

 The new students finally come into view and I have a hard time seeing their faces at first. It’s the scent that hits me first.

I feel dizzy, and then very thirsty. It’s the most intoxicating scent I have ever smelled and I just want to get closer to it. I take a step forward without realizing it.

The world feels like it’s spinning around me as I finally see the new students clearly. They are obviously werewolves and by the way they are dressed, they belong, or belonged, to a wild pack.

The girl’s face captures my attention first. It’s as if I am looking in a mirror. She looks just like me. Every. Single. Trace.

“She’s looks just like you” I hear Cyla’s surprised voice next to me, but it is already muffled.

All I can sense now is this intoxicating smell which is making me feel so thirsty.

It is when my eyes set on him that I realize it.

Mate.

Shit.

He’s my mate. My freaking mate is a freaking werewolf.

And I never wanted to taste someone’s blood as much as I want now.

I submit to my vampire instincts and before I know it, I jump up high to the top of the stairs to where the new students are and a few more teachers. I can hear screams and shouts and am vaguely aware that everyone is looking at me, but all I can focus on now is him.

I show him my fangs, making it clear what is it I want.

He just looks at me with an expression I don’t understand. It’s as if he is looking at someone he has missed dearly.

“Arya…” He mumbles, but I barely hear him.

I leap at him, but he dodges my attack. I am about to go for him again when a horrid shockwave goes through me, immobilizing me and forcing me to fall to the ground. I whimper in pain as the electricity courses through me.

I barely register Mrs. Cameron shouts for me to stop as she uses her powers to keep me contained. She is a powerful witch.

But all I want is him. All I want is his blood.

So, I just continue struggling to get to him.

Before long, someone forces something down my mouth and I nearly choke on my avarice to gulp it down. It’s blood. It’s not the blood I want, but it is enough to calm my instincts down.

“Now that you are calmer, we need to have a little chat” I hear the Headmaster’s voice as I still lay on the ground, my mouth and chin dripping with the remains of blood. “Cameron, can you take them to my office? Keep them separated for now. I will be there as soon as I tranquilize the crowd”

I hear Mrs. Cameron answer him, but I don’t manage to hear much more as I am forced back on my feet by who I understand are Professor Balto, our Physical Education teacher, and Maximus, the Groundkeeper of the Academy.

I am dragged by them to the Headmaster’s office, where I know I will be hearing the lecture of my life.