Do Mine Eyes Deceive Me...A Gorgeous Sadistic Vampire?

I actually liked high school. When I had been human. When I had looked like a 17-year-old. When I had been smart and good at schoolwork. When I didn't stand out like a freak of nature.

"This isn't a good idea, Harrison," I complained. We were back at his manor, and I was sitting on his bed in his room, which I'd never been in until now, watching him pack his things. His room was about the same size as mine, but with a much different interior. Where mine was purple and gold, his was blue and silver. And not in the modern way either. I mean a darkish royal blue covered the walls in a patterned wallpaper, and the Victorian-style bedding and furniture were decked out in navy with tarnished silver trimmings.

"Why not?" he asked lightly, continuing to pile his belongings into a seemingly bottomless suitcase. Did they make immortal luggage now, too for goodness' sake?! "I will be there with you everyday as a teacher and guide. What is there to worry about?"

Yes, Gregorovich had begrudgingly agreed to allow Harrison a teaching job at the school I would be attending - the Undead Proper Academy. It was the only school for the fantastical creatures of this world that was in existence. The thing was, most immortal beings weren't created; they were born. Okay, that's not completely true, I guess. Most of the immortals that were turned and not born were serving as slaves to their masters or sold if their masters didn't need them. I was the exception. Originally, Harrison had planned to keep me as a servant, but plans changed due to . . . 'complications,' as he called it.

"I will be the only one of my kind there, and we're supposed to act as if we don't even know each other while we are there. I don't get that because I thought it was spread across the universe that we were 'married,'" I said, using air quotes around married. "And how come me not being a slave is so uncommon. I'm sure other of your kind have experienced similar complications, right?"

"Sure, you'll be the only of your kind, but you'll also be the strongest and most powerful there. And we only have to act like we've never met before in public. There will be plenty of opportunities for us to - ahem - talk. And it was only told to the Council, because I needed a spouse in order to maintain my position in the army," he explained patiently. I blushed at his insinuation to time we would spend 'talking (insert more air quotes here).' "And its uncommon because usually when my kind attack, we - or they, I should say - go for their same gender, so that will not happen. Unless, of course, they prefer their own gender as opposed to the opposite, in which case they would go for the other sex. I had not anticipated developing feelings for you, or that you would foolishly come after me in the first place."

I nodded my head, drinking it all in. That made sense, I suppose. I guessed that not many people had ever actually gone after a deadly murderer, albeit at the time I hadn't know he was a vampire! Or that vampires, werewolves, demons, elves, faeries, trolls, centaurs, or shape-shifters even existed! That's not to mention any hybrid mixes of the two, like I, myself seemed to be. I was part centaur, part vampire, but was more powerful than both combined? Why was that?

Instead of asking said question, I diverted the topic away from my previous thoughts, afraid the mind-reading thing might glitch and allow him to see my thoughts even while we were in the same room. "So, I guess I will be needing some new clothes . . . is there a uniform at UPA?"

"Yes, there is a uniform. It's pretty generic even by human standards, but not too strict. We'll have to get you some weekend clothes, too however. We can go shopping as soon as I'm done packing,"he answered.

I bit my lip timidly. "Couldn't you just have someone do it for you?" I whispered. "A lot of servants work here, don't they?"

Harrison turned to me sharply for a minute. "Joanalie . . ." I held my breath.

"That is a fantastic idea! Let's go now, and I will get one of the maids to finish up. There is not much left to do anyway." he answered with a smile.I exhaled in relief, unsure of why I was so worried about his answer. Maybe I simply wasn't comfortable with making suggestions so openly, although I saw no reason why that would make me uncomfortable. We were, after all, equals. He had more experience, but I had more strength. That kind of freaked me out. Did I want to be stronger than my . . . er, husband? I certainly didn't want to be a damsel in distress, but I didn't know that I wanted to have this kind of power.

I looked down at my clothes. I was back to wearing that wife-beater and sweatpants that Devlin had got for me and supposedly changed me into before I woke up after having my jaw broken by Harrison. "Could I borrow some clothes before I go out? It doesn't matter what, but anything else will be fine."

He went back to his closet swiftly, I suppose to find some clothes that he hadn't planned on packing because they were too small? Those had to be some old clothes, because I was pretty sure once you were turned, you didn't grow anymore.

He came out with some basketball shorts that looked like they'd once belonged to a middle-school boy for basketball practice and a plain red t-shirt. What was with him and the color red? It must be a vampire thing. Somehow, I couldn't imagine some over-sized troll going around wearing a red slip-dress.

I pulled the drawstrings on the shorts so they fit right and pulled the shirt over my head loosely. It was all a little bit shapeless, and that was okay with me. I didn't need to be wearing sexy ball gowns every day, now did I?

It wasn't until after I had finished changing that I realized I haven't even bothered to stop and think about getting some privacy first. I was standing in the middle of his bedroom, dressed and ready to go. Apparently, my breed of immortal didn't come with a great deal of modesty. I turned my head to see him staring at me.

"Uh . . . oops?" I said, feeling suddenly embarrassed, but feeling not heat rush to my face.

I looked down at my bare feet. Staring more intently, I realized my legs were also bare, even though I knew I hadn't shaved them for quite some days now (ew). Did being an immortal hybrid stunt the growth of my leg hair?

Then, my chin was being lifted by a thumb and forefinger that didn't belong to me. Having my face forced upwards, I looked into Harrison's intoxicating violet eyes. They were that color because he'd stopped biting humans. He'd taken to drinking animal blood . . . for me. He had changed his entire lifestyle, albeit for the better. He certainly didn't have to, but the fact that he cared enough to change meant something to me.

"I like the new you," he purred in my ear, sending imaginary shivers up and down my spine. "Let's go shopping."

I nodded my head, just before he kissed me on the cheek, and we were off.

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