Moonlit Academy

Four

Stella Lockheed

I stepped into the office, and my heart drummed like I was about to face a firing squad. The place was all fancy, decked out with magical stuff that made me feel like I had stepped into some kind of mystical library.

The Headmistress gestured to a chair, all calm and commanding. "Please have a seat, Miss Lockheed," she said.

Sighing, I sat down, trying to hide my nerves, but her gaze felt like it could see right through me. Geez.

"First, I want to assure you that your encounter with Lenard was not your fault," Headmistress Mooncrest began. "He can be quite impulsive and often acts out in a way that doesn't reflect the values we uphold at Moonlit Academy."

Yeah, right. Like that makes me feel better.

"I heard that, Miss Lockheed."

Oops. Not again.

A warm blush spread across my face, but I realized in an instant that I didn't need to apologize for my thoughts. They were mine, after all.

"Of course, Stella, you don't have to." The Headmistress sighed. "You see, I have a unique gift. I can hear the minds of those around me. It helps me maintain order and fairness within the academy. It's important for me to be aware of what's happening among the students, but I assure you, I respect privacy and only use this ability when necessary."

I swallowed hard, still feeling uneasy about having my thoughts exposed like that. An urge to lash out clawed at me, but I knew better than to pick a fight with the headmistress.

"Regardless," she continued, "I want you to know that you are safe here at Moonlit Academy. We take the well-being of our students seriously, and any form of aggression or bullying will not be tolerated."

There was nothing for me to say to that, so I just kept my mouth shut as Mrs. Mooncrest blabbered on.

"I believe you have great potential, Stella. While you may not possess supernatural abilities, you bring a unique perspective to this magical world. Embrace your strengths, and I am confident you will find your place here."

Wait, what? My eyes widened. "You know that about me?"

"Of course, I know about your... situation. Your parents have made me well aware of it."

Great. Of course, they did, I thought. "If you know about that, surely you know that I clearly do not belong here, Headmistress. I'm just... I'm just..."

"A human?"

Averting my eyes, I kept my lips pursed. It was hard to admit that I was just a regular human in a world filled with extraordinary beings. There were simply no words for that.

"Aren't we all?" she asked. "In a sense, I mean. Your powers may not manifest right now, but you are still the daughter of two of the most powerful supernatural beings I have ever known. It may take some time, but I believe you will find all the answers to the questions that have been plaguing you all your life here, Miss Lockheed."

I looked up at her, fighting the tears threatening to spill. Her words offered a glimmer of hope, but it was hard to believe that I could find the answers I sought in a place where magic was everything. I wasn't like my parents, and I doubted that I could ever live up to their legacy. "Are you done, Headmistress?"

Headmistress Mooncrest smiled, nodding. "Yes, I am. That's all I want to say, Stella. Now, go and settle into your dormitory. Classes will begin tomorrow, and I'm sure you'll find the experience both challenging and rewarding."

"Thank you, Headmistress," I replied, quickly standing up, eager to leave the office and put this behind me.

As I reached for the doorknob, Headmistress Mooncrest's voice rang again, stopping me in my tracks, "Stella."

I turned to look at her. "What is it, Headmistress?"

She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "You be careful around them."

I furrowed my brows, trying to understand her cryptic words. "Around who?"

A small smile played on her lips, and she averted her gaze, pretending to focus on the papers on her desk. "You know very well who I mean."

Confused, I searched my thoughts for any hints about who she might be referring to. The Corridor Boys? The other supernatural students? It wasn't clear.

Nonetheless, I decided not to press further as she seemed content with leaving it at that. With a shrug, I turned and walked out of the office and shut the door behind me.

~ o 0 o ~

Can this day get any more exhausting? I sighed, deciding against heading straight to my dormitory. Instead, I found myself trudging towards the school grounds, hoping the open space and fresh air would help me clear my mind.

Well, wrong again, Lockheed.

As I weaved through the bustling crowd of students, I rolled my eyes at some pupils who seemed overly excited about their magical abilities. What's the big deal, anyway? So they can shoot fire from their hands or turn invisible?—good for them.

Show offs.

I scanned the area, looking for a secluded spot where I could just be alone with my jumbled emotions and thoughts.

Finally, I spotted a vacant bench under a large, shady tree. I made my way toward it, feeling the gazes of curious students following me.

With an eye roll at the nosy gazes, I settled onto the bench, trying to unravel the events of the day. Meeting Tristan and the Corridor Boys, the confrontation with Lenard, and then the unexpected encounter with Headmistress Mooncrest—it was all too overwhelming. I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm the storm of emotions within me.

In the midst of my trance, a sudden commotion in the crowd caught my attention. The chatter died down, and hushed whispers spread through the air like wildfire.

What's going on? I wondered as I stood up to see what was happening.

The crowd was parting to make way for someone, and my first thought was that it might be the Headmistress. But no, it was someone else entirely—a young man who exuded magnetism and mystery. Pristine and perfect, he had dark hair that contrasted beautifully with his fair skin. He's like Snow White, but a boy. He appeared unfazed by the attention, his gaze piercing through the crowd as if he owned the place.

And then, our eyes met.

Time seemed to slow down, and everything around me faded into a blur. It was as though the world had ceased to exist, and there was only him—a pale boy with dark crimson eyes. At that moment, it felt like an electric charge surged through the space between us, drawing my attention to him like a moth to a flame.

His stare bore into mine, intense and penetrating. The dinosaurs returned inside my guts, their roaring drowning out the sounds of the bustling crowd.

Is he... walking towards me?

He was.

As he took his long-legged strides, he seemed to hold the power to unravel the deepest parts of my being. I wanted to break the connection, to escape from the hold he had over me, but I was rooted where I stood.

My blood rang in my ears as he drew closer, and with every step he took, my fear intensified. Then and there, I realized I was prey, trapped by a predator, and there was nowhere for me to escape.

Goddess, why isn't he stopping?

I could see the flecks of red in the depths of his black eyes, and it sent tingles to certain body parts I would not dare name. His presence was frighteningly alluring, and I couldn't tear my gaze away from him.

As he approached, my nerves got the best of me. The distance between us closed, and I could feel my heart wanting to flee my ribcage. I held my breath and braced myself for whatever was about to happen.

Please don't eat me. Please don't eat me. Please don't eat me.

And then, just as he was mere feet away from me, he broke our intense gaze. He turned his eyes away without a word, and walked past me. I caught a whiff of his scent. Like lilac and burned sugar.

I stood there, still trembling, trying to make sense of what had just transpired. My heart was still pounding, and my mind was a whirlwind of confusion. I glanced over my shoulder to see where he went, but he was already gone.

Oh, Goddess, I thought, realizing belatedly what he was as I released my breath. Gooseflesh crawled all over my skin as I sat down.

He's a bloody vampire.

And he had his eyes on me.