Chapter 7-Four sire bonds

Chapter 7: 7-Four sire bonds

After several minutes of walking, curiosity overcame her fear. "The student council..."

Kriza smiled knowingly. "They’re famous among each bloodline so they were chosen to represent their bloods on important matters, to make sure each bloods voice is heard."

"I guessed as much."

"You just met the four most important students in the entire academy," Kriza spoke in awe.

Maisa’s anxiety returned immediately. "The one at the head of the table..."

Kriza straightened instinctively. "That’s Princess Varitreya Vancrest," she spoke up, even saying the name carried reverence. "The future ruler of the vampire nation. Mine and your future queen. Remember to bow every time you see her."

Maisa’s footsteps slowed. "The future... Queen," she panicked. The Vancrests were famous among vampires hunters. Though small in numbers, they had eliminated most hunter families in existance. They weren’t to be taken lightly.

Kriza nodded. "She’s considered the strongest student our academy has produced in decades."

Maisa felt faint. She’d zinged with a future queen and a vampire from a house that hunts vampires hunters to protect the vampire nation. ’Wonderful,’ she sighed.

"The Blackblood beside her is Addessa Challan," Kriza continued, the envy in her voice was easy to note. "The Challan family is the wealthiest Blackblood house."

She lowered her voice slightly. "Her family has served the Vancrest royals for generations."

Maisa listened carefully. She could still feel the hatred that Addessa had for her clinging to her skin.

"She’s princess Varitreya’s assigned warden."

"Warden?" Maisa asked, she didn’t know such a role existed among students.

"Its a fancy term for bodyguard. In short, you attack Vari, you have to get through Addessa first and the vampire doesn’t play around," Kriza shook with absolute fear.

Kriza smiled. "Shes also earned a spot as Varitreya’s confidant."

"Best friend, you mean."

"No, make no mistake... they’re not friends," Kriza explained. Her tone was firm. "Shes just one of the two people allowed to stand beside the future queen in the academy. Which is a straight ticket to a spot in the vampire royal court after graduation," the jealousy in her tone continued to echo loudly.

Kriza didn’t bother to hide how much she envied Addessa for her privilege.

Maisa couldn’t imagina vampire that terrifying having friends or that a whiteblood could lower herself to be friends with a vampire that’s beneath her.

"And the Blueblood?"

"Oh, Lumi Ashbourne," Kriza uttered, her tone was soaring even higher with jealousy. Her face brightened. "A genius..." her eyes lit up. "The second smartest student in the academy."

"Wow, that must come with a lot of pressure."

"It does. The only person whose grades ever come close to Princess Varitreya’s are Lumi’s."

Maisa wasn’t surprised. The girl had books all around her and seemed more curious about mysteries. They just met and she already had that impression of her.

"There are rumors she’ll become one of the greatest blood scholars in history," Kriza practically groaned as she spoke. She didn’t like that a blueblood would take that honour.

"Oh," Maisa didn’t know how to react.

"And she has a twin brother."

Maisa blinked. "Really?"

"Luan Ashbourne," Kriza rolled her eyes playfully. Her eyes daring for a moment as she drooled over his image in her head. "The heartthrob of our year," she said. "Every girl wants his attention."

Maisa almost smiled. "Even you?" She asked innocently.

Kriza composed herself. She went back on topic, "The mixedblood you saw earlier was Zolani Mortensen," Kriza’s expression softened. "She’s nice so it’s a lot harder to hate her," she said as though she would give an arm and a leg to hate her.

"Most people underestimate her because she’s mixedblood but she’s incredibly strong," she admitted. "She’s worked twice as hard as everyone else to prove herself."

Maisa remembered the kindness in Zolani’s eyes. The only one who hadn’t looked at her like she was beneath them. Something inside her relaxed just a little bit.

However, she didn’t hear about redblood having representation on the council. It seemed she was at the bottom of the barrel, with no say or importance.

Eventually they reached the redblood residence. Compared to the rest of the academy, it was simple. Plain stone walls on the building, smaller windows in each room and narrow hallways.

There were no luxurious decorations. Kriza unlocked one of the doors. "This is your room."

Maisa stepped inside. There was a bed, a desk, a wardrobe and a wardrobe. All of which were small, clean and basic.

Kriza smiled apologetically. "I know it isn’t much but you’ll have to make do just like you’ll have to make do with a lot of things around the school."

Maisa shook her head. "It’s enough," she said. She’s been a hunter, and the second rule she learnt was not get attached to materialistic things.

Hunting took them to every corner of the world. Sometimes they stayed in rundown inns and other times they camped in the forests. Comfort and luxury didn’t come with the job unless they were on break at home on Everheart estate while the elders gatherer knowledge on the next hunt.

It trained her. She could pretty much live anywhere abd still be alright.

Kriza placed a handbook on the desk. "Classes begin tomorrow evening for redbloods also known as nightwalkers like you who can’t be in the sun."

She pointed toward the booklet. "Everything you need is inside. Instructions, your classes, and who your teachers will be."

Then she hesitated. "If..." She smiled gently, a kindness that didn’t reach her eyes. "If you need anything..."

Maisa looked up. "Thank you," she said politely. From their talk, she could tell that kriza looked down on lesser vampires and guessed she was on nice to her because she was assigned as her guide. She didn’t see a need for uncomfortable pleasantries.

Kriza nodded. "Get some rest."

The door quietly closed behind her as Kriza walked out. Silence took over the room.

Maisa finally allowed herself to breathe. She dropped onto the edge of the bed and buried her face in her hands.

"What... is happening to me?"

Just then, a strange warmth spread through her chest. Her eyes widened. She pressed a hand over her heart. It wasn’t painful.

The warmth was comforting and strangely connected. She could feel the four vampires.

Four presenc, separate heartbeats that were faint and distant but alive and connected to hers. Her breathing quickened.

"No... that can’t be," she denied. From she learnt about the vampires, Zolani was the only one she felt was a safe bet, Lumi came a close second but Varitreya and Addessa were a hard pass.

She stood so quickly the chair beside her toppled over. The warmth intensified, something glowed beneath her uniform.

Maisa froze. With trembling fingers, she unbuttoned the collar and pulled the fabric aside. Her reflection stared back from the small mirror above the desk.

Just above her heart on her chest. A flower slowly bloomed across her pale skin. Its petals were unlike anything she’d ever seen.

The four elegant petals intertwined into one blossom. Each glowed with a different light; a brilliant white, a deep black, a soft sapphire blue and rich crimson.

Each color pulsed gently in time with four distant heartbeats. Maisa stumbled backward.

"No... they’re going to kill me." Her voice cracked. "No... this can’t happen."

She rubbed at the mark desperately. It didn’t fade. She splashed water over it but nothing happened to it.

The flower remained a beautiful and permanent mark on her chest. A declaration burned into her skin.

Four sire bonds...four mates. Four of the most powerful vampires in Veris Academy were connected to her.

Panic flooded her chest. That wasn’t just a secret anymore, there was proof that turned it into something she couldn’t hide forever.

’If anyone saw it...’ Her mind shattered.

Questions would be raised. Questions she couldn’t answer. Questions that would eventually lead to one name, Everheart.

Maisa slid down the wall until she hit the floor, hugging her knees tightly against her chest.

The glowing flower continued pulsing beneath her skin. Outside her room, Veris Academy slept peacefully beneath the moon.

Inside, the daughter of the vampire hunters trembled alone, realizing that fate hadn’t merely thrown her into enemy territory.

It had tied her soul to the four people who could destroy her the moment they learned who she truly was.

"I am doomed."