Chapter 5 Bitten By a Vampire

CARIS

The moment the teacher dismissed us I was on my feet.

June turned to me and smiled. “Caris, do you want-“

I'll see you at dinner," I interrupted, and I was already moving toward the door.

I felt bad for approximately three seconds. June had been nothing but kind to me since I arrived and she deserved better than being brushed off in a classroom doorway.

But I also knew that if I stayed and let her talk to me, she would say and I would get distracted from the very important task of leaving this school before anything else happened to me.

So I went.

The main corridor was busy with students coming out of classes, but I kept my head down and moved against the flow, retracing the path we had taken that morning.

I was almost at the end of the corridor when I walked into someone for the second time that day.

This one felt like walking into a wall. I bounced back a full step and looked up.

He was one of the four boys from the hall this morning, Ronan was his name if I remembered .

He was broad shouldered with dark eyes and long hair that was tied at the back. Roman looked down at where my shoulder had caught his arm then at me.

"Watch it," he snapped.

Any other day, I would have apologized… maybe.

But I already had enough of drama to last me an entire year.

"You watch it," I snapped back and there was silence.

The students closest to us had stopped walking, staring at us in awe. They were probably surprised I had the nerve to talk to their beloved monster boy like that.

I didn't wait for a response. I stepped around him and kept walking. It felt like I was going nowhere.

The map was useless, I was sure I had passed that particular statute twice now. I didn’t even know how time worked here but it was already approaching nightfall.

And I still didn’t know where the exit was.

"Are you serious," I said out loud. "Are you actually serious right now! There’s no way I’m sleeping here.”

I sat down on a tree root because my legs were tired and my feet hurt. Tears pricked my eyes and my throat was starting to close up.

I fought it but eventually failed as the waterworks exploded.

"This is all your fucking fault, Richard," I said, out loud. "You are a genuinely terrible person and I hope every meal you eat for the next year doesn’t digest.”

I heard a sound somewhere in the trees but I ignored it.

"And Zara." My voice wobbled. " I helped you through six years of your life and you couldn't even… I hope your Instagram account gets hacked!”

I heard another sound but I ignored it still.

"And Mom and Dad." I wiped my face with my sleeve. "I know the divorce isn't about but it would have been nice if someone had maybe noticed that I was also a person in that house who…"

I stopped again. "You know what, never mind."

I breathed deeply, feeling sorry for myself for about two more minutes. There was no way around it, I had to meet Mrs. Layla and respectfully forfeit my admission.

But I heard it again and I lifted my head. The moon was strangely too bright and shining down on me.

I stood up slowly, remembering Mrs. Layla’s warning to stay on the marked paths. I looked around me, there were no marks anywhere.

Shit. Shit. Shit!

A figure stepped out from the trees directly ahead of me and then another and another.

They were four of them and they all had glowing red eyes. My heart plunged when I realized I was staring at vampires.

“Dammit.” I cursed as I spun around and ran for my dear life.

Behind me I heard the whoosh of their footsteps and I realized that I was dead. If there was anything I knew about vampires, it was their speed.

I turned around a corner when a hand caught my arm.

I screamed and wrenched sideways but the grip pulled me, forcing me to run until we were safely behind a large stone wall.

My heart was pounding and I was breathing like I'd run a mile, which I possibly had.

I looked at the hand still on my arm then up. A devastatingly handsome guy peered down at me and I recognized him as another one of the four.

Nero.

I was stunned by how pale and beautiful he looked under the moonlight that his glowing red eyes were the last thing I noticed.

My own eyeds widened and I opened my mouth to scream but he slapped a palm over it.

“Keep quiet. And don’t move.” He hissed.

I was about to curse him when I heard the voices of my pursuers.

“Where did she go?”

“Check that way!”

They stormed off, their growls and laughter echoing until everywhere was finally quiet.

He was very still and I tried to match it and mostly succeeded except for my breathing, which was still ragged and embarrassingly loud.

Then he looked at me. "What are you doing out here?”

I shook my head, unable to form a proper response. “What’s happening?”

"It's the blood moon.” He said simply. “We’re hunting and you’re supposed to be in your dorm.”

I narrowed my gaze on him. “I was planning on-“

He groaned and doubled over, clutching his stomach. My eyes widened and I immediately moved closer.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” I searched his face but he didn't answer.

His gaze dropped to my throat and he groaned away, his red glowing. "You should go inside.”

"I can’t leave you here like this!” I reached for him but he grabbed my fingers.

When he raised his head, I could see his fangs protruding. “Leave NOW!”

I should have moved but somehow, my feet were glued to floor. So he moved first and it was faster than my eyes could properly track.

He bit into my neck, it was gentle at first then he pressed, his fangs breaking into my skin and I gasped.

“NO!” I cried out but it was too late.

He was feeding off of me and I could feel my strength dwindling, my legs gave way from underneath me and I succumbed to the darkness.

The last words to leave my lips were. “Damn you, Nero.”