Chapter Eighteen

Chapter eighteen

Peter groaned and shifted on the hard floor. The moment he moved he felt aches in every part of his body. His veins seemed to be on fire, but why? The last thing he knew before he blacked out, was pain, and a female’s face hovering above his and saying,

“It will be over soon.” While he had slipped in and out of consciousness he had heard a faint conversation, but he hadn’t been able to make out the words. Peter’s body was still on fire when he came to his senses. He sat up slowly, his muscles aching.

“Finally you’re awake.” Peter looked up to see Lye sitting on a wire chair in the far corner. She stood up and walked to where he was sitting. She held out her hand, and he took it. Lye pulled him to his feet. Peter paused, looked at Lye, then he kissed her. She smiled at him.

“What happened?” Peter asked, he stumbled a bit, his head swimming. Lye sighed.

“What do you remember?” She asked Peter. Peter shook his head before responding.

“I remember being up here,” He gestured with his hand at the room. “I remember, kissing you, and then pain. That’s all. Why the pain Lye?”

“Well, here it might be easier to show you then tell you.” Lye took a small mirror out of her pocket and held it out to Peter. Cautiously Peter took the mirror and directed it at his face. He gasped in shock at what he saw. His irises, were completely golden.

“What, happened?” His head began to swim with thousands of questions. What was happening? Was he dreaming? How did this happen. Peter came to a slow realization. “Wait, you and Declan said that during the ‘disease’ that a person’s eyes turned golden. How did I get the disease?” Peter searched Lye’s face worriedly.

“There is no disease Peter, it’s called the change. From human,” Lye pointed at Peters chest, then to her own “To vampire, I changed you.”

“Vampire, I’m a vampire?” Lye shook her head.

“No, well not yet anyways. My venom, ” Lye lifted her top lip and ran her thumb along the edge of her incisors. “Only killed and resurrected you. You are now in the morphing stage. After your new genes place themselves properly the gold in yours will retract until it is just a ring.” Peter nodded.

“Alright then.” Peter said. Lye’s brow furrowed.

“Alright? You believe this?”

“Well, yeah. My irises are gold Lye, what else am I supposed to think?” Lye shook her head, she then proceeded to explain the fact that Dark Side Manor Academy was a sort of breeding ground and housing institute for the creature world. It was the first there ever was, thanks to herself. Peter raised his eyebrows, even that small a movement caused pain. “You started the Academy?” He asked. Lye nodded.

“Many centuries ago.” Peter’s eyes widened. Lye smiled and laughed. “Yes, I am very very old. I was born in 1418, I lived a very happy life in Carlisle with my parents. It was a very difficult time for us. The time of the vampire scares.” Lye’s eyes seemed to glaze over as she looked into her past. Peter slowly sat down to listen.

“The year was 1434 and I was sixteen years old. My parents were accused of housing vampires, a felony in those days. A mob convicted them, and burned them at the stake while I watched. I’ve never forgotten the sound of their screams. I couldn’t go home, the mob would find me and burn me as well. So I turned into a homeless. I wandered the streets not knowing where my next meal would come from. I was numb inside, I was depressed, helpless. My parents had taught me not to accept help from strangers, but I was starving and he was so nice. That was the biggest mistake of my life. His name was Aldridge, and he was the one who changed me into a vampire. Do you remember Eloy’s story of Dracula creating companions?” Peter nodded. “Aldridge was an original, one of the last that had existed. Because all of his ‘siblings’ had torn themselves apart from jealousy. So, I’m a third generation vampire. As is Declan. We like to call ourselves Dracula’s grandchildren.”

Lye gave a small, humorless laugh. “One day I woke up, I think it was a month after I had completed the change. My master was gone, it turns out that he liked to make ‘friends’ and leave them. I felt betrayed. So I made a vow, that since I was forced to join this world I would never bring anyone else into it. It was fifty years until I met Declan, at first I didn’t trust him but then I found out that we had the same master. We became friends, true siblings. I kept my vow, I would not force anyone to become a vampire. Then I met Bradly.”

Peter blinked, she’d had a boyfriend? A wave of jealousy swept over him, then quickly left when he saw Lye’s tired look. “He was a sweet guy, annoying, but sweet. He discovered what I was, he, well he was in love with me. He begged me to change him, so he could be with me forever. After two years I finally gave in. He didn’t make the change. I had killed him. That haunted me for another couple decades. Declan and I had met other vampires, and had also become friends with other creatures. We were still being hunted, we weren’t safe. That’s when I came up with the idea of creating a safe house. Declan and I decided to go back to our roots, to live where our original being had lived.

“Eventually even magic couldn’t make the manor big enough to house all that needed to be protected. I confided in one of my dearest friends, you all know her as Dean Silk. I know her as Adeline, or Addy. She gave me the idea of a school, and so that was what we did. We built the Academy, more boarding manors. We invited creatures from every country to find their refuge here. There was just one problem, a lot of us were going extinct. There was a rule that stated no one must know about us, no humans would come into contact with us. So the immortal species mostly, were dying. That was in what year was it? 1674? The idea was presented to me, as the head of the Academy, that we pretend to be an actual school and accept humans to repopulate. I loathed the idea, because I stuck close to my vow. Eventually I couldn’t deny it anymore, and also I was tired of being in charge. I gave my head position over to Adeline, and I let her make the decision.”

“I bet I know what she chose.” Peter broke in. Lye nodded.

“Yes you do. I hated it, it felt like deceit and torture. Looking back on it I probably could have talked Adeline out of it. I mean, I still could if I wanted to I am her second in command. I do have some influence over her. But I know the advantages of it. It’s important to repopulate. But even with all the advantages I still don’t agree with it. That’s why I come off as mean. I want newbies to leave, to not come back and to stay human. It’s never worked, but I still try.”

“Ashleign?” Peter asked Lye. To Peter’s surprise Lye’s face broke into a grin.

“Ashleign. I was four hundred and twelve years old when I met her. She became my very best friend. From the moment I spotted her I knew she was special, there is this special vampire instinct that draws you to certain people. That instinct drew me to her, and also to you.” She cleared her throat awkwardly before continuing. “But I was determined not to make her a vampire. It would go against everything that I’d lived for thus far. So a full year passed and she was still human, she went home. She almost revealed the true purpose of Dark Side Manor Academy. Ashleign inspired the rule that no human that comes to this school may stay a human for a full year. Also, no one goes home. Ever.”

Peter’s face fell. “Ever?” He breathed. Lye shook her head.

“Eventually your families are told that there was an accident, and you died in it. They may try to go on the internet and look up the Academy, only to find that it doesn’t exist.”

“That’s horrible” Peter whispered. Lye sat down next to him, she placed her hand gently on his neck and turned his head so that he looked at her.

“I agree, but it has to be done. Please understand that Peter, no one wanted anyone to be hurt. But it is necessary in order for us to survive.” Peter swallowed hard and nodded.

“I-I do understand but Lye, my parents. I’m their only child.” Lye bit her lip, golden tears were beginning to rise in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry, I really am Peter.” Peter shook his head, the sound of his hair swishing in the air whistled in his ears. He breathed deeply and brought Lye back to her story.

“What happened with Ashleign?” He asked.

“We were together for almost a full century. We were inseparable, and because of my psychic abilities I thought that she’d never die.” Lye swallowed. “But I was wrong, I was so terribly wrong. I felt like a piece of myself had been ripped out of my body when I found her dead, she looked like glass. That was by far the very worst day of my five hundred years of life.” A chocking laugh came from deep within Lye. “I never truly got over it, how could I? I loved her more dearly than anything in the world. I was turned colder than ever when Declan and Claire finally brought me back to life. That is, I was ice cold, until I met you.” Peter blinked, and smiled. He took her hand and squeezed her fingers in his. Lye sighed, wiped her tears with her other hand and continued.

“I was selfish in changing you I know that, but I couldn’t deny the pull. I’m sorry that I robbed you of your life, but I hope that you can forgive me.”

“Lye,” Peter said, leaning closer so his lips brushed against hers. “I already have.” They kissed, and after they pulled away Peter wiped away all of Lye’s tears. She laughed as he did this and took a deep breath to bring herself together.

“Any questions?” She asked.

“What happens in the morphing stage?”

“Well, it starts with speed.” She demonstrated by disappearing from where she sat, appearing on the other side of the room, and then coming back. “Then, hearing, strength, smell, basically all of your senses intensify, then you develop your venom, and…”

“Thirst?” Peter’s voice was tight. Lye shook her head before responding.

“No, you have the thirst right now. If you didn’t, you would die before the change is complete. You know the red drink that Declan, Ecrin and I have every night?” Peter nodded. “That is called a supplement, it keeps us more or less alive and in control. Every month the Saturday after the full moon all of the Dark Side Manor Academy vampires get together to hang out, talk, and drink real blood every month.”

“What happens if you don’t take the supplements or the blood?” Lye sighed and squeezed her eyes tight, pressing the heels of her hands to them.

“You go on a human blood rampage. It’s disastrous. It’s better to drink what is put in front of you, then to murder.” They sat in silence for a while longer, until Lye looked at Peter and said “Your exhausted, you need to rest.” Taking his hand she led a stumbling Peter back down to the second floor. As they came out onto the second floor everything before Peter’s eyes began to swim, he barely made it up the set of stairs that led to the attic. All he remembered last was the opening of a door and Lye telling him to lie down and close his eyes. He did this gratefully, and sank into a deep sleep that was untroubled by dreams.