Stephan and I walked to class, vampires I knew glanced at me. I smiled at them, and they smiled back. I knew they couldn’t accept the fact that I was hanging out with a Hunter. But they knew I was a guardian of a very important Princess, they knew I’d take precautions. So they smiled back.

Stephan and I had same lessons together. So we walked to class.

Biology, was what Miss Valance was teaching. Though the immortal academy was clearly for vampires, but we have to let the humans learn too right? So headmistress Melinda appointed us to study human science, history, etc. I mean, we’re fine with it.

Before Miss Valance entered the biology lab, I slid into my chair, sitting beside Raquel. She smiled, and I smiled back. Stephan slid into his chair beside Aaron, Raquel’s crush. I felt a cool presence in the room. I turned around, and saw Lukas standing with Tina and Felton, two other guardians in charge of the Sworn bloods. His eyes pinned on me. I felt shocked, why in the world would he be staring at me? I noticed his eyes gazing at my neck. I turned back to face the board as Miss Valance walked in.

“Today, we’ll be dissecting a frog.” Miss Valance said, after she managed to get the class settled. The class groaned. I barely smirked. Stephan coughed to cover his laughter. Miss Valance walked down the aisle, placing a container containing a fresh dead frog. She handed each pair a scalpel. Raquel made a face.

“I’m not happy I have to stain my nails.” Raquel complained.

“I’ll do the dissection then.” I said, grinning.

She smiled gratefully.

I picked up the scalper, and gently cut open the frog.

The blood smeared my nails. And the scent of the blood was seductive, but not as intoxicating as my dream had. Speaking of my dream, I couldn’t see the boy’s face. The neck, smooth. My blood lust hit me hard, but I managed to keep it down. My throat was dry, and it felt like it was on fire. Surely I was thirsty. I held myself down. I placed the scalpel on the table, and Raquel looked at me questionably. Then, I could see my reflection in her eyes. My chocolate brown iris had a ring of crimson red around it. There was still brown in it, but the red was taking over. Raquel’s eyes were filled with concern, her hands reaching out to me. I shook my head, and we continued with our experiment. We looked through the frog, and did our work. After the bell rang for lunch, students rushed out of class.

I took my time to walk down to the dining hall. I opened the door to the dining hall, and walked down to Georgina’s table. I sat down beside her. Her eyes flickered to mine, and she saw the crimson iris. She handed me a dark bottle. I took it from her, her eyes smiling. I took a sip of it, and realized it was blood. I took sips of it quietly.

“…. And Rosaline just cut it opened!” Raquel exclaimed.

The girls made a face as Raquel told them about how I dissected a frog. I glanced at her, her face haughty. I shook my head. I finished the blood, and wondered whose blood did it belong to.
“Georgina, where did you get this?” I asked.

“In the storage room. It has tons of it. People donated it.” Georgina said.

“Oh.” was my only reply.

I bit my lip, wondering which kind soul would donate their blood to an academy.
Suddenly, an explosion and screams could be heard, and a sharp high pitched alarm went off. I recognized that alarm.

“Could all guardians, and in training please head to the teachers’ meeting room please? I repeat, could all guardians, and in training please head to the teachers’ meeting room?” Raquel and I stood up, we glanced at each other, and we went to the teachers’ meeting room.


“Impossible! A sudden attack on the academy! And at the dormitories!” Tina exclaimed.

Apparently, Cryptos managed to enter the academy, and attacked the dorms. I shook my head, my ponytail getting lose.

“More importantly, where will the students stay now?” Lukas asked, his voice still calm.

“There are some vacant apartments near the academy. They’ll have to make do. And they’ll have to share the apartments too. There’s bound to be enough.” Melinda said.

“Somewhere where guardians can’t look after their Highness?” Raquel said, piping up for the first time.

“The guardians will be staying together in the apartment, Miss Lair.” Melinda replied.

“It’s not safe…” I whispered.

“I beg your pardon, Miss Hunt.” Tina turned to look at me.

My eyes in a trance, as I witness the same vision again.

Georgina on her bed, her throat torn open, blood all over her bed, her face paled. What’s scary was Georgina was dead. Her eyes wide open, but all it shown was the color of bright red. The predator, still hungry, eyes crimson red, long claw-like nails, climbing onto my bed, the nails slashed across my neck, my blood spilling. Weird, I didn’t see this part of the vision. I thought. I gasped out loud, as the nails dug into my neck again. The predator dipped its head and snuggled into my neck, before biting me.

I cried out in pain. It was obvious. If the attacker was a Crypto, it’s victim had to be willing, or else the process would hurt badly. I groaned.

I blinked, and I was back into reality.

Lukas was in front of me, shaking me gently.

“Ah… I’m sorry.” I said.

Lukas looked at me, his eyes filled with concern for his comrade. It hurt, his eyes looking at me this way. I looked away, thankfully meeting Raquel’s eyes. Her eyes were worried. My lips parted, but no words came out.

“Rosaline, what’s wrong?” Tina asked again.

“The Cryptos will attack us if we’re not in the academy.” I said, my voice hoarse again. I cleared my throat quietly, the scene of murder replaying in my mind.

Melinda gasped, Tina looked at me, astonished, Lukas’s eyes filled with understanding.
“Don’t worry. Remember, Cryptos can’t enter houses uninvited. Only the owner could allow Cryptos to enter.” Melinda murmured.

“Then how did Georgina get murdered! How did the Crypto manage to drink my blood?” I said, my voice getting louder and louder.

Raquel was beside me in a minute, hushing me. I just realized that the rest of the guardians were looking at me with pride that I couldn’t understand. Melinda was a great headmistress, but when times like that, I couldn’t understand why she just couldn’t listen to students’ warnings!

“Miss Hunt,” She began, her voice hard and cold, like ice. “We will let the Queens and Kings be dispatched to the apartments, with you guardians together. Your job is to protect them isn’t it? Then protect them with your life! It’s what you’re born to do!”

My eyes narrowed, as I lifted my chin, glaring at Headmistress Melinda.

“Alright then, Headmistress Melinda. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’ll regret it!” I said. She was so heartless.

"Headmistress," Tina began. “there are still Cryptos lurking around. And it attacked one of the Swornbloods while all the guardians are here.”

“Who’s the casualty?” Melinda asked.

“Eriol Blake.”