Chapter 25 You are getting better
“You’re getting better,” she suddenly told him, thinking of a way to make the situation less charged with sexual energy. She just needed to joke a little.
“At what?”
She caught him. He was surprised. He wasn’t expecting that. She could see it on his
face.
“Giving compliments,” she explained.
As soon as he heard that, he started laughing. She joined in.
“Seriously…” he chuckled. “Come on, let’s go. The others are waiting.”
He turned around and pulled her by the hand, his palm in hers, as if it was the most natural thing in the world and, somehow, it was. She intertwined her fingers with his and followed behind. When they finally reached the end of what seemed to be an endless corridor, it opened up into a big room, circular in shape. There were a few couches scattered around the place and there were people already sitting there, cheerfully chatting
to one another. In the right corner, two huge speakers were placed around a miniature DJ set. A guy was already spinning records. Izabella liked the sound of it.
As she looked around, she realized that no one was really looking at them, even though they’d just entered. The atmosphere was pleasant and casual, and Izabella wasn’t feeling like she was forced to be here. She didn’t even feel like the odd one out.
Hendrik was still holding her hand and she was grateful for that small act of affection. A group of unknown people were usually enemies to her. These people, essentially were exactly that: enemies and, yet, this guy holding her hand was not. He was everything her enemies usually were, without that one main trait and that was wanting her dead. He wanted something else from her and her blood always rushed to her cheeks whenever she contemplated that possibility.
They approached the people sitting on one of the couches and Hendrik introduced her to them. There were three guys and four girls. Their names sounded almost made up but Hendrik explained later that they were all related by blood, belonging to a very old, aristocratic vampire family. Izabella knew a few of those. They usually favored earthly riches, amassing wealth, which combined with their longevity was more than enough for a life well led. They usually weren’t interested in something as barbaric as killing or any other criIzabellal acts, as they considered those beneath them.
Izabella smiled and realized that she actually wanted them to like her. More importantly, she wanted Hendrik to like her and never let go of her hand. Another guy came and offered them a drink.
“It’s the same shit as the ones they’ve got in the cafeteria but at least the place is
better,” Hendrik said, accepting a can of some energy drink.
Izabella did the same. The cans popped open almost at the same time and Izabella quickly put her lips to hers, so that the foam wouldn’t seep through.
“I like it,” Izabella nodded, looking around.
A few people were dancing now, it was as if there was a shift in action. Everyone started doing something else and they were having as much fun as before. Izabella felt like she was at a friend’s house when their parents weren’t home. She liked the feeling. It was something normal teenagers did, something she didn’t have much experience with.
She half expected him to make a move. She even caught herself being overly flirty with him a few times but it seemed like he wasn’t getting the hint. They spent a few hours talking and despite the fact that nothing romantic happened between them, she realized that she’d had a lot of fun with him.
“So, what… we can be just friends…” she thought to herself, as she cozied up in bed, and went to sleep, with occasional images of what just happened popping up, before she finally fell asleep.
All Hallow’s Eve was just around the corner and there was no sign of the Headmaster. Izabella had hoped that he’d return by now but, at the same time, she was happy that he wasn’t there yet. She didn’t feel ready. Dante was notorious in vampire slayer circles. He was dangerous and unpredictable. This was the only thing she knew, because not many had survived a meeting with him and lived to tell about it. But, she was sure that Emile was right. If Dante was really the Headmaster of Zeadore Academy, then he knew what happened to her brother, because he was most certainly responsible for what had happened. That thought alone gave her the necessary strength to face him at any given point.
That was exactly why she concocted a plan. She’d go to the secretary just to enquire whether he was back. She could take a look around at the same time, maybe get some info from the secretary herself. It was a simple plan, so she hoped nothing would go wrong.
After school, on Friday, Izabella headed towards the main building. She had no idea if she needed to schedule anything or not. After all, even if the Headmaster was back, she’d need to get out of actually meeting him. She could make something up, lie, bend the truth a little. All she wanted was info.
She strolled over to the main building, rehearsing her speech inside her mind. On the way there, she almost had to elbow her way in the opposite direction, as students were generally headed back to the dorms, most of which were situated in the same part of the campus. Izabella had arranged to meet up with Reeba later on and take a walk, maybe grab a late coffee from the cafeteria or one of the machines. Either way, the coffee tasted
bad, but it gave one an excuse to hold something liquid and warm in one’s hand, while chatting. It was a habit one couldn’t break easily.
Stopping before an old, worn down part of this ancient building, Izabella knew this to be the entrance. The main offices were situated here, the Headmaster’s office and the school psychologist. The teacher’s lounge was in the other part of the building, where the students went to class every day, but the teachers had one lounge here as well. Izabella guessed this one was for those precious moments of solitude, where the students wouldn’t bug them as much.
Izabella climbed a few steps, then stopped before the left side wall, which held a large metal poster, with the location of each room and office in the building. She found the Headmaster’s office easily and figured his secretary must have a desk right in front of his office or somewhere very close to it.
She entered the building and, immediately, felt the temperature get colder. She shivered, then rubbed her upper arms, trying to make herself warmer. She found herself in a big, seemingly endless hallway. Its tiled flooring was time-worn. The paintings on the walls hung in chafed, wooden frames which could have used a bit of a touch up. However, old as they were, they still possessed some vintage, antiquated charm which had always appealed to Izabella. In the middle, there was a winding staircase. There was no sign of any possible elevator, even though Izabella preferred to climb stairs. Once, she got stuck in an elevator and it took them over three hours to get her out. She wasn’t scared, really but it was still unpleasant and, worst of all, she had no food or drink on her.
She grabbed the handrails confidently, going over her speech one last time in her mind, thinking what would be the right note of polite and inquisitive but not overly
pushy. She’d have to start, and then see. She climbed one step at a time, until eventually, the third and final floor opened up before her. There was a small desk to the right of the heavy doors with golden door knobs in the shape of a wolf’s head. The doors were closed tight. The desk next to it was small and neatly arranged but it managed to accommodate the woman who was sitting at it easily.
Izabella kept walking towards her and the woman lifted her gaze the moment she heard someone approaching. Her eyes watched Izabella closely