Alchemist and the Vampire

Chapter Two
The Coven

Leave it to me to inspire an awkward silence. Rev and I hadn’t talked since leaving my family house. And my painfully shy, socially awkwardness was shining through brighter than the damn sun. The fact that Rev was completely hot and had the most amazing smile didn’t help that awkwardness go way. If anything it made things worse. So much that when Rev finally spoke it was like I had forgotten how.

“So, you’ve never been out of the country before have you?”
Rev questioned once we were on the privet jet taking us to this school that was waiting for me. I gaped at him a moment longer before shaking my head quickly and staring at my feet. Rev laughed to himself as he draped his arm across the back of the seats.
“And you’ve never been alone with a guy before have you?”
Again I shook my head not meeting his gaze. God I was such a dork. Why can’t I be some completely confidant girl looking him in the eye and making conversation with him.

“Don’t worry Jail Bate, you’ll get used to it”.
Of all the things to draw me out of my shell. It had to be him calling me “Jail Bate”. I looked at him slightly confused by this name and turning myself to face him.
“What? Why would you call me Jail bate”?
Rev smirked at me.
“Because it’s your nickname. It’s kind of what I do, I give people nicknames”.
He grinned at me and I had to avert my eyes to keep from melting right then and there. Could he get any cuter? I blushed at the thought and thankfully Rev didn’t notice the sudden pink tint in my cheeks. We remained silent for the rest of the flight which kind of was my fault since I didn’t know how to make proper conversation with people. Boy, did Nyx pick herself a real winner. I thought to myself sarcastically.

Once we arrived in Huntington I felt myself growing a little more nervous about everything. Rev was calm and collected through, Of course he was. This wasn’t anything new to him. His world hadn’t just been turned upside down.
“Don’t be nervous”.
Rev grinned at me as we grew closer to our destination. I looked at him kind of wondering how he knew what I was feeling. Did I look nervous? Was I chewing my lower lip again? I did that when I was nervous. And sometimes I’d even twirl my hair around my finger. Rev draped his arm across the back seats of the car that was taking us to our destination.
“Just relax and no you’re not chewing your lip. You stopped a half hour ago”.

I whirled around facing him again.
“You can read my mind?”
Rev smirked at me as our eyes locked.
“Would that make you want to melt too?”
My mouth fell open and I was horrified he had been reading my mind this whole time. I wanted to die right there. Rev started to laugh at the look on my face shaking his head.
“It isn’t my fault, you think loud”.
He said with a mischievous grin that let me know this was partly his fault. I turned away from him.
“Oh my god”.
I cupped my hands over my face feeling sick. Rev laughed clapping me on the back.
“Relax Jail Bate, I won’t tell anyone I make you swoon”.
He teased. I shot him a narrowed gaze.
“Jerk”.

I huffed turning away from him again. Rev snickered and I knew not only could he read my mind, he could also feel what I did, which was why he knew I wasn’t really as mad at him as I wanted to be. Hell I wanted to be so mad and I got nothing but this swooning feeling in my chest and a feeling of endearment. Oh lord. I was so screwed now. This guy could use these things to his advantage and he seemed like the type to do it. We pulled through a beautiful iron gate as we drove up a weaving winding road that looked like it went on forever. The road was lined with cherry blossom trees that made me think of my vision of Nyx. The trees were eternally in bloom by some sort of magic obviously since they don’t normally bloom all year around.

Rev looked over at me with that same smug grin and I did my best not to think about how he made me feel this time when I met his eyes.
“Don’t worry, I won’t feed you to the wolves right away. I’ll let you get comfortable before meeting everyone”.

Rev said as the car came to a stop. I hadn’t noticed the breathtaking building we had stopped in front of. It looked like something out of a gothic fairy tale. This place was so amazing. The tall towers with sharp peeks. The vines that grew over the walls were flowered with white lilies. The stain glass windows in vibrant rainbow colors. Anyone else would find this beautiful building ominous because of the overall gothic feel it gave off. But to me, it looked like home. The ideal dream home I’d always wanted.

Rev grabbed my bag for me and we walked inside the great hall. The floors were a beautiful black marble that were so polished I could see my reflection in them. And the walls were like white ivory. With arches and archways that had angels carved within them. In some cases it looked like the angels were holding up the ceiling from coming down on people. The stairs were a pearl white that reflected light the way actual pearls do. Rev ushered me forwards as he carried my bag for me over his shoulder.
“Your dorm is this way. I think your rooming with one of the girls in the covenant from what I got anyway. Shadows arrived here with her yesterday so she knows her way around if you need anything”.

Rev continued as we climbed a spiral set of stairs just opposite the pearl grand stairway. We rounded a corner of the sky blue walled and soft cream colored carpeted sixth floor of the building when we reached a door that was sky blue and cream white like the wall and carpeting there was an envelope on the door that looked very official. Rev removed it from the door opening it and reading the card inside.

“Ah, well I guess you’ll be meeting everyone at the welcome ceremony”.
Rev said turning back to me. He smiled ushering me back down the hall.
“Where are we going?”
I asked running to keep pace with him.
“The High Priestess wants to meet you”.
Rev explained as we walked down another hallway. This one was beautiful too, lined with paintings of gods and goddesses on the walls. I stopped standing by the one marked “Nyx”, the paint looked fresh like it had just been done a few nights ago. Rev stood on the other side of me flashing that smile of his.

“Wow, you look like her”.
I sighed to myself shoving my hands in my pockets as I gazed up at her. My creator, my eternal mother. No matter what happened in the world, no matter what changed around me. This wouldn’t change, I would always belong to her and she would always belong to me. I felt the tears in my eyes quickly wiping them away.

“It is good that you’ve arrived”.
A calm soothing voice spoke from behind us. I turned facing the woman who stood there, she was blond with waves of beautiful hair that rippled to her waste. She was wearing a beautiful soft pink silk dress that was almost like the one I’d seen Nyx in. she had beautiful tattooing marks down her arms that were a deep shade of magenta. They looked like lace symbols and I knew each of them had a meaning.

“I am Athena. Goddess of Knowledge and Wisdom. And I am the High Priestess of Alchemy High”.
She turned to Rev and smiled at him.
“You may place Krissi’s things in her room and excuse yourself until the welcome ceremony”.
Rev nodded without hesitation as he turned and made his way down the stairs. Athena turned back to me offering her arm. I linked arms with her and followed her down the long hallway.
“You should know that no one else here knows about what makes you different, no one knows that you are the creation of Nyx. The one chosen to save us all”.
She explained as we walked.
“Is it supposed to be a secret?”
I asked looking up at her. Athena stood at about five eight, and had heels on. Where I stood at five three, and didn’t wear heels. Ever. She nodded opening the doors to her office.
“It would be good to keep this quite for as long as we can yes”.

She said closing the doors behind me and ushering me towards one of the velvet couches of her office. I sat down and she sat on the other side of me. Placing her hands over mine she smiled.
“You have had many lifetimes and in each life time there has been evil that needed defeating. I am telling you this because it is of great importants that you understand just how important you are. You were the first Alchemist born one hundred years ago created by Nyx to save the world from your guardian angel. He rebelled against his creators and tried to change the fabric of everything so that he could be your consort instead of your true love and vampire at the time, Dracula. It is unknown where the vampires originated from or how they came to be. But Dracula was the first and he bore children with you until Raven attacked and killed most of your children, he nearly wiped out the entire race. However because of you, the vampires were saved, you sacrificed your very existence in this world to seal Raven away in the shadow realm”.

I gaped at her, Athena smiled cupping my cheek.
“Once he was sealed away there were only minor evils that needed containing. You and Dracula were born again and again and again. Three lifetimes you shared happily protecting the world from demons and other monsters that were trying to tare through the veil. However this life is not like the others you and your consort have shared”.

I diverted my gaze.
“What happened to Dracula I mean, after I gave up my life here to save the race?”
Athena smiled at me.
“He followed you into the spirit world. The race was saved and he entrusted rule to a dear friend”.
I gave a curt nod looking down at my hands.
“And, Rev is?”
Athena gave a curt nod.
“Yes dear, Rev is Dracula reborn as you are Lena reborn. The first alchemist to be born in this world”.

Athena kept her hands over mine.
“There have been movements in the shadows, movements that have not gone unnoticed. We believe that Raven is ready to break out of his prison. One you put him in and when he does, it will be chaos and anarchy on us all. He will be out for blood, your blood”.

I swallowed hard.
“Great! My guardian angel wants to kill me”.
I half laughed trying to make a joke of it. Athena gave a smile of endearment cupping my cheek.
“As long as no one knows who you are, that you are truly the creation of Nyx then Raven’s followers will not be able to track you. I am hoping that this gives you a chance to prepare yourself for the day when he does free himself. It is this reason that you more than anyone must excel at your classes. Using magic, your elements and combat training. So long as everyone believes you are an alchemist like any other. Your life and the lives of those around you will be safe”.

I sighed closing my eyes as I slightly turned myself away from her.
“I can’t believe this, are you sure you have the right girl? I mean, I’m not that great”.
I explained looking to Athena again, she laughed lightly cupping my face in her hands.
“You’ve asked me that every time. That alone is confirmation that you are indeed Nyx’s creation”.
Athena stood walking towards a far part of the wall were a garment bag was hanging with a dress inside that I couldn’t see because of the gray plastic bag round the outside.

“This is for you”.
She smiled holding it out to me.
“I know you don’t own a dress and you’ll need one for the welcome ceremony tonight”.
She said handing the bag to me. I smiled at her grateful I had someone looking out for me. It wasn’t something I was overly use to. Athena smiled placing her hands on my shoulders.
“I have vowed to your mother that I would protect you. And that is what I will do no matter the cost. You will remain safe for as long as I can manage to keep you that way”.
I nodded to her and she escorted me from the office back to my dorm. I hung the dress up on the far side of the room where Rev had left my things. Athena smiled at me.

“I believe we are serving cheese pizza in the dining hall right now. If you would like me to take you”.
I had to admit I was hungry and I could never turn down a cheese pizza. I followed Athena from my dorm and down towards the dining hall, it was packed full of very tattooed alchemist and vampires alike. Tables upon tables of them. It made me feel very small and very insignificant. Athena placed her hands on my shoulders and smiled.
“Ah, Amanda there you are. This is Krissi and she is the newest member of your covenant. Would you be kind enough to show her around”?
Amanda was a pretty girl with long blond hair and bright blue eyes. She looked like a china doll. She smiled at me giving a nod to Athena.

“I’d love to”.
She said in a happy tone that I hoped was a reflection of how she felt and not how she was pretending to feel. In my experience all girls are catty and hateful. At least all the ones I’ve come into contact with. Amanda smiled at me.
“Hi, I’m Amanda Aphrodite, I was gifted by the goddess of love and beauty”.
She said was we walked through the over crowed room. She looked at me as we walked.
“What’s your name?”
She asked in a happy cheerful tone.
“Kristen Moore, but I hate my full name”.
Amanda giggled.
“You can change it here, everyone takes on the name of the goddess who gifted them or god. And the vampires change their names to whatever they want too. I guess it’s all about finding your true name”.

Amanda explained with a smile as she handed me a tray and we began to follow the slow moving line. I thought about what she said, what was my true name? What name would Nyx have given me if she had kept me with her in the ethereal world?
“How about Krissi”.
Amanda smiled at me as she took some spaghetti and meat balls that actually looked really good and smelt even better. She grabbed some cheesy garlic bred too and a coke.
“Krissi Nyx, that sounds cute right?”

Amanda continued. I nodded to her. It did sound cute and it felt right to hear her call me that. I grabbed a slice of Cheese pizza that was huge almost as big as the plate it was on. We both got some salad and she walked by the ice cream Sundays but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I got a strawberry milkshake and followed Amanda across the room to a table of bad ass looking girls with colorful hair. Purple, Orange and black hair. The girl with the purple hair looked like she was upset about something while the girl with black hair smiled at her talking quickly. The orange haired girl smiled at Amanda and greeted her with a side hug before Amanda sat down with them.

I took a breath, this was it. I was going to sit with them and be accepted. I told myself taking a step forwards only to trip over my own feet and send everything on my tray flying. As I hit the ground on my stomach the wind getting knocked out of me a girl screamed as if she had been shot bringing silence to the massive room. I looked up seeing the girl covered in pizza, salad, Sunday and milkshake. Her vibrant blue eyes narrowed to slits as she looked at me.

“YOU! You clumsy stupid fucking girl!”
I got up fast frowning at her.
“I’m so sorry, I tripped”.
I began to explain the girl threw the pizza on the floor removing it from her head.
“No shit! You fell and you got your stupid loser food on me!”
She roared storming towards me now. I crowed a little shrinking as she towered over me.
“And look at your stupid loser mark freak! No one gets a mark on their damned forehead”.
She laughed now crossing her arms. The room filling with laughter around me.
“Seriously is that thing even real? It’s not even a solid color, just a bunch of sparkles someone glued to your forehead”.

The room howled with laughter.
“Leave her alone Harlyn!”
Amanda barked at her. But Harlyn as she was called ignored her completely.
“You’re just a wanna be Alchemist come here trying to steal one of our vampires for yourself”.
I fought back tears not sure what to do or say. I didn’t want to cry but the tears kept building in my eyes.
“Awe, the fake alchemist is gunna cry”.

Harlyn laughed a horrible laugh as she successfully made me feel like complete and total shit. Before I could run from the room I heard the laughing die down and everyone got really scared looks on their faces.
“I sure hope your mother fuckers aren’t laughing at my girl”.

Rev narrowed his eyes at the room. A big guy standing next to him removed his sunglasses narrowing his eyes at them.
“I’d really hate to have to show you fuckers what happens when you mess with my clan”.
He said and everyone started staring at their plates trying to look like they hadn’t just been laughing at me. The girl Harlyn narrowed her eyes.
“What do you mean “Your girl?” “
She said looking at Rev who smirked at her draping his arm around my shoulders.
“I have an alchemist that’s what I mean”.
Harlyn looked even more pissed now as she narrowed her eyes into slits at me.

“You mean her? I thought you were going to be my Vampire!”
Rev grinned at her.
“Well then I guess that means I dodged a bullet doesn’t it?”
Harlyn growled storming out of the room her group following behind her.

“You ok?”
Rev asked looking down at me. I nodded a little. Rev smiled at me walking towards the table and sitting down with me.
“Well guys and gals this is Jail Bate”.
I sighed hanging my head.
“Also known as Krissi”.
Amanda added narrowing her eyes at Rev slightly. He grinned at her keeping his arm around me.
“This is Vixen, Sunshine, Grape Crush and Panda”.
The girls each groaned at him.
“We have real names Sullivan”.
The dark haired girl said looking back to me and smiling.
“I don’t know how you’re going to put up with him. But my name is Brielle but please call me Elle. Everyone does. This is Avery and Aria. And I guess you met Amanda”.

I nodded to them.
“Yes. Nice to meet you all”.
The big guy with the sunglasses smiled at me.
“I’m Shads, and the leader of the coven. This is Syn, Zacky and Johnny”.
“They get the cool nicknames”.
Aria added in a bitter tone. I couldn’t blame her, Grape Crush was a pretty bad nickname but not nearly as bad as Jail Bate.
“Nice shot with that pizza by the way”.
Aria grinned at me.
“I’ve been waiting for Harlyen to get a face full of my fist for years but pizza is just as good”.

I sighed lightly.
“What’s her problem anyway?”
“You mean besides the hypothetical pickle up her ass?”
Aria grinned. I cracked a small smile giving a nod.
“Yeah that”.
Amanda sighed shaking her head.
“She was gifted by Hecate and is currently the most powerful Alchemist ever to be gifted by a goddess. Needless to say the powers gone to her head”.

Amanda explained.
“How about she’s just a nasty bitchy person who doesn’t deserve the power she has”.
Avery added. Elle sighed turning back to me.
“Either way, she’s a bitch and it’s best to avoid her at all costs”.
I nodded in agreement my stomach rumbling. I got up to replace the food I lost when a bell chimed and I groaned knowing that meant that feeding time was over. Rev stood taking my hand into his.
“See you losers later, we’re going to get food”.

I followed Rev away from the group.
“But food’s gone”.
He looked at me.
“So, we go get something else. There’s a café on the grounds we can get something to eat there”.
I smiled a little to myself as I followed him. So far I was doing ok, if I ignored the part with Harlyn wearing my lunch that I had really wanted to eat. I had met the other members of the coven and everything went smoothly.