Vampire Shifter Academy, page 21
The demon kept twitching, at one point it even tried to bite Roman, but he was focused on reading the lines, as he knew that the flow of the spells mustn’t be broken, otherwise, it might not work.
A powerful gush of wind entered the room from nowhere, swirling around. Papers flew everywhere, Eva had to clutch at her backpack, as the gush pushed her backwards and pinned her against the wall. It did the same with the others. Roman glanced at them, just to make sure everyone was alright, all the while repeating the words. The demon kept hissing at him, his eyes glowing an even more fiery red by now, until finally, his back arched so much, that it looked like Rannulf’s spine would break. The weight of his body made the bed wobbly, threatening to break it down, as Roman stood by his side, one hand on the demon’s mouth, the other firmly holding the book.
Then, Rannulf’s mouth opened, and dark smoke arose from his depths, smelling of rotten flowers and dead bodies long forgotten. It rose high up in the air, then dispersed into nothingness. The body on the bed suddenly released, and was now, lying motionless.
Roman stopped reading. He lowered the book, but didn’t take his hand off of the mouth.
“Is it finished?” Eva asked.
“I don’t know,” her father replied, not taking his eyes of off the body, which now seemed like it was blissfully asleep.
Rannulf opened his eyes. He looked at everyone, then at his bound arms and legs. He tried to speak, but no sound came out.
“Give him some water,” Roman urged, and Frey offered the water that was left inside his bottle.
Rannulf gulped it down thirstily. He lowered his head back on the pillow, and looked at Roman.
“Is it finished?” he asked, repeating what Eva just asked, moments ago.
“What?” Roman pretended not to know.
Demons can be deceitful. They can lie. He knew not to trust it. Not yet.
“I feel liberated,” Rannulf managed to say in a whisper. “I thought the only way out was to die. But, it wouldn’t let me die, no matter how many times I tried.”
“Can we trust him?” Eva asked.
Roman remembered what Sorwyce told him. The only way to make sure that Xol’gorog was expelled from Rannulf’s body. He extracted his Katana. It still had the Hellhounds’ blood on it. He didn’t wipe it clean on purpose.
Rannulf watched him, as he pressed the bloody blade onto Rannulf’s bare stomach. The blood lay there. Nothing happened, even after a few seconds had passed.
“What does this mean?” Eva wondered.
“If he was still Xol’gorog, the Hellhounds’ blood would burn him. The blood from Hell is acid for demons.”
Everyone looked at the blood on Rannulf’s stomach. Nothing was happening. It was just blood.
“I’m glad we sorted that out,” Rannulf said, a little shyly, and everyone winced.
It wasn’t the Principal they knew. It didn’t even sound like him.
“Now, can we please untie me so I can go see if my parents are alright?” he asked.
The gang all waited for Roman’s okay to do so. As soon as he nodded, they rushed over to untie Rannulf. He sat down on the bed, rubbing his sore wrists.
“You have no idea how grateful I am to you, Roman,” Rannulf said.
“We have to go see Sorwyce,” Roman said, instead of a reply.
“Is he alright?” Rannulf asked, worried. “What happened to him?”
“We had a close encounter with the Hellhounds. He got hurt.”
“Let’s go see him, immediately!”
Rannulf rushed out, and everyone followed. Roman took his daughter’s hand and from the look on his face, she knew it was really over.
Chapter 27
The following week at school, it seemed that no one, apart from Eva, Bella and the guys knew what had happened. Life went on calmly, as it always was, untouched by the events that could have changed it all.
It was lunchtime, and Eva was sitting in the cafeteria with Frey, Dorian and Sebastian. They were busy chatting, and didn’t even notice when Bella came by and sat down next to Eva.
“Hey, love birds,” she giggled at them. “You guys are the cutest group here.”
“How could we not be?” Frey grinned, and Sebastian punched him jokingly on the shoulder. “Ouch! What was that for?”
Frey was rubbing his shoulder, even though they were all sure that it didn’t hurt the least bit. He just wanted attention.
“For being a smart ass,” Sebastian smirked. “Hey, meant to ask you,” he addressed Eva, “how’s Sorwyce?”
“Well,” Eva replied sadly, “the bad news is that he lost his arm. Amelie managed to stop the bleeding, but it was far too late to do anything about the severed arm itself.”
“What’s the good news?” he asked again, and everyone leaned in to hear.
“The good news is that he will continue to be the best vampire magician this world has ever seen, and he’s going to be even more badass, because he’ll be doing it with only one hand,” she smiled. “Only, of course, if you tell him I used the word badass to describe him, I’ll totally deny it.”
Everyone laughed. It felt good to laugh freely, to know that the danger that was once threatening to consume them all was finally gone. There was nothing on the horizon but clear blue skies, and Eva was eager to find out what the next day would bring, as she gazed lovingly into the eyes of the boys who made her so happy.
“So, are we on for the picnic this weekend?” Bella asked.
Everyone nodded. Their idea was to make a little celebration of what happened, and invite Sorwyce, Amelie and Roman.
“I was thinking, maybe you guys wouldn’t mind if I bring Darlith?” she asked, shyly.
“Woohoo, girl!” Frey whistled, “but, only if he promises not to go all wolf on us.”
“Then you better behave,” Bella replied, with a smile.
“Sure, I don’t see why not,” Eva added, “he’s more than welcome. And, I guess this makes him your serious kinda boyfriend or something?” She tried to remember what Bella told her about him, weeks ago, when she pointed him out during the annual basketball game.
“He gave me a promise ring,” Bella displayed her hand proudly.
There was a little ring, with a pear shaped crystal on her ring finger. It was small and delicate, absolutely lovely.
“I love it!” Eva squealed in delight.
She was too immersed in her awe of the ring, that she didn’t even see the significant glances the guys were exchanging between one another. And, better. Because this way, she had no idea that they were making a little surprise for her.
At that moment, they heard the sound of a commencing school announcement.
“Good afternoon, students, this is Principal Rannulf speaking.”
Eva glanced at everyone at the table. Smiles were spreading wide.
“It has been an exciting school year, one filled with many treacherous traps, but together, we managed to overcome them all.”
The rest of the students had no idea what exactly he was talking about. For all they knew, this was just an exaggerated metaphor for hardships during the school year, and they understood his message as such. Eva knew better. He was thanking them publicly.
“So, I would like to congratulate everyone on a successful year, and also, I would like to make a special announcement. But, I shall let my dear brother speak for himself.”
Everyone looked around, all confused. Principal Douxora?
“Good afternoon, students. To those who do not know me, I am Principal Douxora and I run Pleamore Academy. After careful deliberations, my brother and I have decided that, from the following school year, we shall merge Ridgeview Academy and Pleamore Academy, into what was once so well and dearly known as The Holmerry, Institute of the Arcane.”
Eva could see that many students around her not only recognized the name, but welcomed this idea. Everyone had enough of the bridge that had existed between vampires and werewolves, and they all just wanted to be friends again. Some, even more than friends.
“Oh my gosh!” they could hear Bella squeal to herself.
“Of course, the physical building of the Holmerry Institute has degraded significantly, since it hasn’t been used in such a long time, so we need the summer to get it back to the once shiny emblem of vampire and werewolf togetherness, that has always existed between us. It is a new beginning, one that brings us back to the old ways.”
Principal Douxora finished his monologue, and a roar of claps was heard immediately afterwards.
“We hope you are as happy about this as we are,” Principal Rannulf added, “and we wish you a wonderful rest of the day.”
“Oh my gosh!” Bella repeated again, for good measure.
“You seem excited,” Dorian poked fun.
“If you were in my shoes, wouldn’t you be?” she asked.
“Sure,” Dorian nodded. “But, luckily, I got everything I need right here.”
He smiled at Eva, and she blushed under his gaze. She couldn’t wait for the weekend, and for some time with the guys. She desperately needed it. But, before she could daydream some more, someone slammed their fist on their table loudly, making them all jump.
Eva lifted her gaze. It was Katrina. Her posse was right behind her, as backup, in case things got rough. This time, Eva was ready. She was furious, watching her mother’s chain dangle around Katrina’s neck. She felt a titillating desire to snap it like a little twig, but she knew that violence wouldn’t really solve anything. With the likes of Katrina, it would only bring forth more violence, and then, they would all be stuck in a vicious, never ending cycle. She didn’t want that. Not after everything they’d already been through. She had to put a stop to this, once and for all.
“Dorian,” Katrina started, without looking at him, and rather, staring down Eva, “why are you sitting with this bunch of losers, when you could be sitting with us over there?”
Her voice was whiny and nasally. She didn’t look one bit as intimidating as she did a few weeks ago, when she smacked Eva’s head against the bathroom sink, cracking her lip. There was no fear anymore. Only determination, to put Katrina in her place, and make her regret ever bullying anyone.
“I don’t know how many times I gotta tell ya…” Dorian started, but Eva lifted her hand and he knew that was a sign for him to stop talking. She was taking over.
“I think you have something that belongs to me,” Eva started, calmly.
She stood up, as she was talking, and now, she faced Katrina bravely. It was strange. She always thought Katrina was much taller than she was. But now, standing straight and unafraid, she realized that they were roughly the same height. The thought made her smile. It gave her even more courage to end this, once and for all.
“This,” Eva pressed her fingers gently against the sunflower pendant, “was my mother’s.”
“Ew, get away from me, you freak,” Katrina wanted to push her backwards, but Eva blocked her hands with hers.
Still, she made sure not to hurt her.
“Please, give me back what you stole from me,” Eva repeated, as kindly as she could.
“Or what?” Katrina sneered. “You’re gonna tell on me?”
“No,” Eva shook her head. “That wouldn’t solve anything.”
“Then what?”
“I’m going to take what is mine.”
“Oh really?” Katrina tried to make herself look bigger, like a chicken about to attack another chicken.
Eva thought she was so ridiculous, it wasn’t even worth mentioning it.
“You’re pathetic,” Eva continued, politely, as if she was tutoring a younger student, and she was taking the time, calmly and patiently, to explain every single step in a complicated process.
“You better watch it,” Katrina hissed, but Eva interrupted her.
“There is nothing to watch,” Eva shook her head, with a mild smile on her face, “you are nothing. You are smaller than nothing. You build your own sense of self-worth by shaming and hurting others.”
“Why you…” Katrina started, but Eva wouldn’t allow her to finish any of her sentences.
“Your reign of terror is over,” Eva nodded, “do you understand?”
Ruby and Nora were standing behind Katrina, and they looked like they had no idea where they were or what was going on. They seemed embarrassed, and eyed for a way out. Katrina was still looking at Eva, trying to regain her power.
“You need to realize that you aren’t special, by no means. You are painfully ordinary, simple and when you act like this, you are ugly. You are horrible. You are an embarrassment to yourself, and to your friends, who somehow, still stand by your side, even though you are being a bitch even to them.”
She wanted to make it all nice, but she couldn’t resist calling Katrina a bitch at least once. It brought her so much pleasure. The more Eva talked, explaining to Katrina all the things she was doing wrong, the smaller Katrina looked. It was as if she was actually shrinking under the weight of the words aimed at her.
“I don’t want to fight you even,” Eva looked disgusted. “I don’t want to touch you. You cracked my lip? Well done. Bravo. Do you feel good about that? Did you feel good when you broke that girl’s arm?”
Eva gestured with her finger at a girl sitting at a table next to them. Eva knew Katrina pushed her down the stairs, but everyone was afraid to say anything. And, she did it just because the girl refused to do Katrina’s homework any longer.
“Did you feel good when you called all of us stupid, retards, idiots, useless, freaks, sluts, morons?”
She didn’t notice it, but Eva’s voice was slightly raising, and as she did so, more and more people started listening in. They were gathering around them, paying close attention to what was going on.
Katrina was clenching her teeth. She had no idea what to say, but Eva could guess she was fuming on the inside. It didn’t matter. This was not her moment anymore. This was not her school. These were not her victims any longer.
“We are done being pushed around,” Eva continued. “I’m done.”
She was finished. She had finally said what she wanted to say. Whatever Katrina chose to do, Eva would react accordingly, even if that meant kicking her ass. If she could kick Hellhound ass, then one mortal Katrina was a piece of cake.
“I’m also done,” Dorian suddenly added.
He stood up quickly, as if someone catapulted him from his seat. All eyes were on him.
“What?” Katrina eyed him suspiciously.
“I’ve been trying to tell you nicely to leave me alone,” Dorian continued, “but it obviously doesn’t work. It’s not getting to you. Leave me alone. There is nothing between us. This is the girl I am with now and you won’t come between us.”
He spread his arms wide, gesturing at everyone around them.
“I’m telling you this in front of everyone,” he spoke to her, as kindly as Eva did, “go away and leave us alone. I’m done.”
The look on Katrina’s face was one of disbelief, like she couldn’t believe this was happening. Neither could Eva. But, the look on her face was one of victory.
“I’m done, too.”
A voice was heard from somewhere in the back of the cafeteria. Everyone was silent, turning around to see who it was. The voice belonged to a shy girl, but the look on her face told them that she was done being silent.
“And me!” another voice shouted.
“Me, too!”
“I’m done!”
“I’m done, too!”
It seemed that thousands of voices had joined in, falling like steaming hot raindrops onto Katrina, who slumped down under the weight of the words that were attacking her now. Ruby and Nora ran away without a word, disappearing when Katrina turned around to look for their support. The words kept coming at her, like daggers, cutting deep and shallow, leaving invisible scars, until Katrina could take it no longer.
“Fine, fine, just leave me alone!” she cried.
“Give me back my necklace,” Eva asked, gently, after the voices had died down.
“Here!”
Katrina pulled it off of her, breaking the chain. She threw it hatefully at Eva, who managed to catch it in her hands, before it fell down to the ground.
