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

"Joanalie Noelle Rivers . . . our newest hybrid, and the single Turned immortal here at UPA. I've been anxiously awaiting this meeting," Professor Rynost admitted. He seemed like a very nice man. His appearance was that of a fifty-something-year-old well-groomed man. He was polite, poised, and prestigious. The three P's of Rynost; interesting.

"Thank you, Professor. I'm very honored to be accepted into this fine academic institution," I recited, saying exactly what Harrison had told me to.

"What, if you don't mind my asking, would you classify yourself as, exactly, Miss Rivers?" he asked, unobtrusively. It was amazing how someone could ask such a personal question without sounding rude.

"If I remember correctly, the doctor described me as the equivalent of the product of a vampire and a centaur, but supposedly many times more powerful. And I'm not at all trying to be vain, I'm only relaying to you the words of a professional," I explained to him. Harrison had encouraged lengthy, but very polite responses when addressing the headmaster.

'You're doing great; don't worry.'

"Yes, that's what the council told me. I just wanted to be sure of it by hearing it personally from you. You just can't trust the ICOI these days, if you understand my meaning?" he said casually.

I only nodded my head, unsure of what to say, and not wanting to come off sounding ignorant.

"Anyway, I think you'll get on just fine here at the Undead Proper Academy. I would offer my assistance, but seeing as you are probably more powerful than the rest of the pupils here, I don't believe you'll be needing my help. Oh! And I would prefer it if you wouldn't mention that to the other students. They can't all be the single most potentially incredible being to ever exist on the face of the earth, you know? And what's more . . . your heart still beats. They may resent that." He said all of this in a friendly, amiable tone. It wasn't accusatory, but he was merely stating the facts.

"I understand, Professor Rynost," I said, nodding my head with a smile. "Thank you for the forewarning. I will take it into careful consideration, and it shall not go to waste."

"That will do, Miss Rivers," he dismissed kindly."I'm sure we will get to see a lot of one another, or I shall hope, at least."

Again, I was amazed how he could say things that could be interpreted in a bad way, but sound perfectly normal! In a different situation, that might have sounded creepy, but now, it was just comforting.

"Thank you," I said before turning and leaving his office. I would describe it to you, but since the moment I'd entered this building, I hadn't been paying a spec of attention to what it looked like. The same face just kept popping into my head every time my eyes tried to wander.

Harrison heard this and took recognition of it, but he had just gotten to the Faculty Quarters and was being introduced to the rest of the staff. I sighed and looked at my feet as I was walking, therefore, I was too preoccupied to watch where I was going until I ran into something wet before falling to the floor and hearing the slap of something else falling to the floor.

This was not normal immortal behavior. The grace we all possessed normally prevented us from falling over or running into things. I must have been really deep in thought . . .

"Walk much?" an unpleasant, womanly voice trilled.

I looked up to see a very pale girl. Her skin color was similar to that of a vampire's, but the white sheen of it was more sickly-looking than beautiful. Her eyes were a foggy yellow, but she didn't have any pupils, which made it hard for me to look her in the face. Her hair, which went nearly all the way down to her knees was actually quite pretty, had it not been for the green highlights amidst the golden locks, and how damp the hair itself was.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I apologized. "I was thinking about something and wasn't paying attention . . . but I'm Joan, and I'm new here."

I already knocked the . . . girl over. I might as well introduce myself, right?

"Eris," she said shortly, standing up. She took a comb out of the folds of her long, layery dress, and began brushing out her hair. As I watched, it only seemed to get wetter. "I'm the main Chieftan here at UPA, and I've heard of you, Joanalie. But this is my school, and you're not taking it away from me, got that?"

She didn't wait for an answer, but only spun herself around and walked past me.

"Nice to meet you, too," I grumbled.

'Making friends already?'

I mentally stuck my tongue out at him, and told him to watch out for the female troll that had her eye on Harrison from the corner of the room where she was scratching her belly.

"Don't worry about her," a different voice broke into my silent conversation. I spun around to see a funky-looking spritely character of a girl with light red hair. She was on the taller side of life, and seemingly naturally thin.

"What is she?" was the most articulate question I could form.

"Oh, Eris? She's a rusalka. The last of her kind, actually. She's like a water-demon. She carries that comb-thing around because it has some weird everlasting supply of water in it that keeps her hair wet; if it dries, she dies. But she's got some sort of stick up her that makes her think she's queen of the school."

"Well, that's certainly interesting. I've never heard of a Rusalka before. Is she a Greater or Lesser? And, by the way, I'm Joan," I introduced for the second time in ninety seconds.

"The Council hasn't classified her as either, because I guess they just can't make up their minds. And I already knew who you are! It's all over campus about how the greatest immortal ever is attending UPA. I've been dying to meet you - excuse the pun! Is it true you're some sort of freaky hybrid that's a mix between superhuman and vampire? That's pretty awesome, if you ask me. I'm just a Lesser Faerie, and my name is Claire Alexandra Alice Walters," she said excitedly.

"Hi, Claire," I settled on, slightly unsure of how to respond to an introduction like that. "And, um yes, I suppose that's true enough. I'm sort of too new to tell yet how powerful I am?"

"That's cute! You're so shy. We will have to work on that," she laughed, looping her arm through mine. "There are some very nice boys here, if you know what I mean. Do you have a boyfriend back in America?" she asked.

"No," I laughed shortly. "I don't have any American boyfriends." That was true, at least. I didn't have any American love interests. And I wasn't even sure what Harrison was to me.

I let that thought linger loudly in my head, knowing he heard it anyway. All I got was silence in return, and a feeling of indication that we would have that discussion later.

"Great!" she said. "I love playing matchmaker! What building did you get into?"

I told her Building C, and she gasped.

"That's so cool! I've always wanted to see what the dorms were like around here," she began looking around said building, because that's where she'd found me.

"You are too sweet, Claire," I said earnestly. "But actually, I'm really tired right now. We don't have classes tomorrow, right? How about if you come by my room at around 10 tomorrow morning and we can hang out? I would love a tour!"

"That sounds great! I will meet you then," she smiled happily, and I could definitely see us becoming friends. Sure, she was a little on the hyper side, but that would be great whenever I needed cheering up. And she really was the nicest little faerie.

I told her my room number, and she skipped off gleefully. That made me laugh; she had so much energy!

Then, I got a message from Harrison.

'138.'

It was a room number.

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