By moonlight's shadow

Chapter 23

It was going to be a long day, thought Snow as she landed on her back from a blow to her chest and a kick that swept her from her feet on the mat. She did not even grunt as she sprang back up like a wire and dodged a blow and landed a solid punch in the ribs and then in the kidney making Raphael grunt once. But that did not deter then from fighting even harder. After almost two hours of exercise Raphael stopped and sat down on the mat.

Snow was breathing hard and her hair was a flaming red now. There was some connection with her emotions to the colour of her hair, of that Raphael was pretty sure. But they had been going at all kinds of training since five thirty in the morning and it was ten in the morning. No normal Nosferatu could have tolerated such amount of exercise since they were more inclined towards tearing the throats off their opponents but a duel was fight where they were bound to fight honorably.

Raphael needed to do other things as well as the Headmaster and he needed to let Snow rest as well. This much of exhaustion and exertion on her body was not going to bode any well for any of them.

“I think we are done for today, for my part, Ms. White,” said Raphael as he rose up and dusted his hands from the contact with the mat.

“So soon? I am not done yet!!!” pouted Snow looking at Raphael.

“It is not a good thing to burn out all that you have in a day completely. Moreover you have a meeting in the Great Hall with Mr. Patrick in about thirty minutes so that you are able to reply to the challenge that he had made towards you yesterday in your absence. If he is so brave and proud to do the same thing in your presence once again today then it will be formal rather than the informal rumours and gossips which have been flying since yesterday. So get ready in some time and don’t forget to wear your best colours, like something which brings your eyes out or whatever you like best,” said Raphael, quickly looking away knowing that he had made a grave mistake by saying this to Snow.

Snow smiled at him slyly. She knew that it was a difficult choice for Raphael after yesterday night to let her go out of his eyes but it was something which was necessary and needed to be done. She nodded in his direction and then left without any word. She knew that it would be embarrassing for him to even accept something like this.

“Ms. White, wait!!!” called out Raphael as he came back to her in his vampiric speed and Snow looked at him. His face was etched with frustration. He wanted to speak a lot of things but it was not the time or the place or the moment for them to share something of this sort.

“Yes Headmaster,” Snow softly prompted him hoping to hear something about the last night but what he said was in no way related to that.

“After your meeting with Mr. Patrick I over you need to go and visit the new teacher who has joined us yesterday. The sorceress. She will be taking the rest of your detention for the day and none of the teachers said that you would have any kind of problem if you did miss classes for the next few days so I took the liberty of changing your schedule. It will be there in your locker. Kindly check it. I hope you do not mind the problems at all,” said Raphael, as softly as he could. It was becoming tougher by each and every moment to bring out the authoritative figure in him which he had successfully maintained until last night.

“I have been punished Headmaster. Even if I do not like it, I know that I am supposed to follow the rules until I graduate from here. And you know this better than me that I hate missing any of my classes. So it is an apt punishment in my case,” said Snow as she smiled at Raphael who was also trying to stifle his laughter then.

“Fine then go along,” said Raphael with a smile on his lips making him look so handsome that she forgot to breathe.

“You need stop looking so delicious,” said Snow under her breath as she went away in full speed from that spot and Raphael’s laughter boomed out in the auditorium. Snow went absolute red with embarrassment, she did not mean for him to hear her. In her way to her room she collided with Akira who caught hold of her and then looked at her and then nodded and they both ran back at full speed towards their rooms.

Sonata was waiting for Snow in her room.

“Where in the name of the sweet merciful angel have you been Snow? And what are you doing in those atrocious clothes? Do you know that we had such an important class today and you still missed it?” asked Sonata without giving her a chance to speak.

“I have been punished for hurting Serena b***h Patrick,” said Snow as she took off her jacket in front of both the girls and Akira immediately came inside and locked the door.

“And for that what? Sorry what did you say Snow?” asked Sonata again for she did not even last time what Snow said.

“She said that she has been punished for hurting Serena yesterday evening and what is your punishment Snow?” asked Akira as Snow dropped her pants and she was standing naked in front of the mirror and both the girls were looking at her absolutely shocked.

“What?” asked Snow as she watched their open-mouthed reflections in the mirror.

“Did no one teach you that people need to change clothes not in front of other people?” asked Sonata as she turned away from Snow.

“No, good thing that you asked this Sonata. My grandmother is here and I have not been taught useless things like not changing clothes in front of friends. It is not a crime and I am definitely not shy about my figure. You should try it too sometimes, it is very liberating,” said Snow as she wore the school pair of bra and panties. Then she continued,” By the way when were you both going to tell me about this stupid challenge of duel that even my grandmother knows about but I don’t? And for your question Akira, I have been punished by not being allowed to go to classes and be in the training grounds and get my ass kicked severely.”

“By?” asked Akira, with her brows raised.

Snow turned back and said with a glare,” By the Headmaster!!”

“Oh dear!! That cannot be a good thing at all,” said Akira, as she looked at Snow worriedly.

“I think that is a pretty good thing if the Headmaster wants her to train her continuously without the distractions of the project so that she can only practice and fight without studying then this is something pretty good. Others will not understand this but we do that this is perfect excuse for her to learn how to fight in different ways!!!” said Sonata as Snow finished dressing in a dress which made their eyes go wide.

“I would extremely glad Sonata if you do keep that piece of information solely to yourself. And your analysis as well. So you guys still did not tell me that when were you going to inform me the entire thing of this duel nonsense?” asked Snow as she took out her make-up box from the dressing table probably for the first time since she had arrived here and then handed it over to Sonata.

She looked up at her and then nodded.

Snow took a seat on the chair and Sonata’s hands for the next two minutes were nothing but a blur. When she was done Snow looked at her reflection in the mirror and then smiled at it with her fangs bared.

“What do you say girls? Is this a good look for accepting the challenge to a duel?” asked Snow as she did a twirl in her leather pants and a black cropped top and a red leather jacket. Her eyes were smoky and she was wearing a red glossy lipstick and along with metal button studded boots. Black was a colour which suited her pale skin quite good and Snow realized that the first time.

“Well what can I say girl? You got the figure, you got the looks and you got the attitude to carry it off with aplomb so definitely it is pretty good look on you and for the answer to your earlier question we did not think you were going to accept his challenge to duel so it would not matter at all,” said Sonata as she flipped her hair which had lost its curls and were now soft and smooth and so silky and she just tied a strand of hair in the form of horsetail.

“And then I would be called a coward right? That is what you both wanted? Seriously guys!! What kind of friends are you?” asked Snow as she finished getting ready.

“I did not know that you were so damn concerned about what the people thought about you…is that so?” asked Akira, as she opened the lock on the door.

“I am least worried about the school. I am bothered about the pride and dignity of my family and that is what matters here. That b***h got hurt because she was trying to hurt me through saying things about my already dead parents. Now I am not going to allow her brother to tarnish the reputation of my Grandmother who is present solely for the sake that I accept this challenge and then fight him.

“Then let us not keep them waiting and make them understand that they need to know who they are locking horns with alright Snow? Come on, I can’t believe that Mrs. White has come to see this,” said Akira as they all came out of the hall and then they reached the Great Hall within seconds. Raphael was present at the place in his office from where he could see the entire auditorium and by his side was Elizabeth White looking down at the three girls entering the hall while all the eyes turned towards them.

“What do you think she is going to do?” asked Mrs. White.

“As far as I know her she is going to kill that boy in that ring. For your information this is the same boy who had tried to bite her saying that blood-letting was a necessary norm for the new-comers and she had almost staked him that day with his own ribs. I am pretty sure that she is going to finish the task this time. Did you tell her something about making an impression on others with the way she looked?” aksed Raphael as he could understand that there was a strange stirring in his loins looking at Snow walking in her six-inched heeled boots and her clothes were nothing short of an assassin or a high paid model.

“Nope, not my doing. But it seems that she is well suited for what I have in mind for her. I must say that I find a lot of myself in her,” said Elizabeth as she looked on them still walking.

“You should Mrs. White. After all both of you are the first of your kind,” said Raphael as he looked at his mate coming face to face with her challenger.