Chapter 11 Missing
“It’s just a manuscript,” I said weakly. “I only want to understand it.”
But my eyes drifted to that half open canvas, and my heart stopped. The painting beneath the cloth looks like me. A half-finished portrait of a girl crowned in ivy.
“What the…?” I whispered. Julian turned to look.
“Is this… you?” he asked quietly.
“It can’t be.” My voice cracked. “I mean… it looks like me, but it can't be possible.”
He studied the painting. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s the Ivy Girl.”
“The Ivy Girl?” I turned to him. “Who’s that?”
He tilted his head. “Haven’t you finished translating the first passage yet?”
I hesitated. “I… I’m working on it.”
He stared at me for a long moment, then smirked. “Still too slow.”
Before I could answer, he lifted a hand… “Shh.” His eyes narrowed, head turning slightly. “Someone’s approaching.”
My heart pounded. “What? Who? I don’t hear anything.”
He took a sharp breath. “We need to leave. Now.”
I darted toward the door, but he pulled me back against his chest. His whisper brushed my ear: “He’s closer than you think.”
I froze, listening. Footsteps crunched outside. One door. No escape.
We stood close to the door, my body pressed against his. I couldn’t feel his heartbeat, his skin was cold as ice, his breath slow and shallow. Is he even alive?
He held my head to his chest, waiting for the person outside to twist the knob. As soon as the door creaked open, Julian didn’t hesitate, with blinding speed, he slipped us through before I could even see who it was.
Within five minutes, we were already back at school. But this place felt strange, unfamiliar. The room was completely empty, except for a row of black Gravenmoor uniforms hanging neatly in an open wardrobe, though Gravenmoor’s uniform was green with black pants.
“Where… is this place?” I asked, my voice small.
“My room,” he said simply, “in the male dormitory.”
I turned to him sharply. “You live here… alone? No roommates?”
He shook his head. “No, I don’t need them.”
I looked around again, confused. “Where’s your bed?”
“There’s no need for that,” he said.
“Why?”
“I don’t sleep.”
Strange. Everything about him was strange. “What about books? Don’t you study?” I asked.
He turned his gaze toward the dark window. “I’ve been studying my entire life.”
I was speechless. Not because I had nothing to say, but because every answer he gave crawled under my skin.
“Vampires don’t have hearts, do they?” I asked without thinking.
He was silent for a long moment. Then, before I could blink, he was standing in front of me, his hand gripping my chin, not hard, but firm enough to make my breath hitch. He glared into my eyes, his eyes gleamed like polished obsidian.
“You really can’t keep your tiny mouth shut, can you?” he said quietly. “Maybe it’s best if I just make you forget everything that happened tonight.”
Panic clawed at my throat. I shook my head, clutching his wrist as my eyes pleaded with him. “Please… please. I’ll do anything… just don’t.”
He released my chin. “Anything?”
“Yes,” I whispered. “Anything.”
He exhaled slowly. “Alright, then. I want you to get me the Daylight Ring.”
“The what?”
“The Daylight Ring,” he repeated. “That’s my only way to walk under the sun… during the day.”
“Where can I find it?” I asked.
“Anywhere,” he said. “But I’ve located one in the Student Council Hall.”
“Then why don’t you get it yourself?” I asked.
“I can’t. I’m not a member of the council.”
“You’re smart enough to be one,” I said. “Even if you’re not… from a wealthy family.”
He scoffed softly. “For your information, I am wealthy. The problem is… I’ve missed too many classes. Daytime’s not exactly convenient for me. No punctuality, no qualification. And you must participate in many activities to be there. And since you said you’d do anything… Well, that’s what I want.”
“You want me to get into the Student Council?”
“It’s not that hard. Unless you’re aiming for president.”
“And if I do, you won’t erase my memories?”
“Deal,” he said. “But I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”
His task wasn’t impossible, but right now, my memories mattered more than anything. “Fine,” I said. “Deal.”
“Good.” He took my hand. “Now, back to your dormitory.”
In the next heartbeat, the world blurred, and I was standing before my room door. I pushed it open, and froze.
Melissa was kissing a girl on her bed. They both startled, pulling apart when they saw me.
“What’s… going on here?” I asked, closing the door quietly behind me.
The girl stood up quickly. She had dark skin, permed hair, and bright brown eyes flickering with embarrassment.
“Lexie,” Melissa said, “meet Emily. My… girlfriend.”
Emily gave a shy smile. “Hi, Lexie.”
“Hello,” I said, awkwardly lifting a hand.
“I’ll be heading back to my room,” Emily murmured, glancing at Melissa.
“Okay,” Mel whispered, smiling tenderly. They kissed once more before Emily brushed past me and slipped out, shutting the door behind her.
I stepped fully into the room. “Wow, Melissa, I never knew you were into girls.”
She chuckled, sitting on her bed. “I’m into Emily, not girls.”
I raised my hands in playful surrender. “Emily must be a lucky one. You don’t really look like someone who’s into girls.”
She smirked. “I get that a lot.”
I sat on my bed, untying my shoes. Her eyes fell on the handkerchief in my hand, the one still faintly stained with blood.
“Where have you been?” she asked.
“The woods,” I said simply.
Her eyes widened. “The woods? Lexie, a student was reported missing tonight after the observation class there.”
I froze. “Sally?”
“Yes.”
My breath hitched. “She hasn’t come back?”
“You know about her disappearance?”
“No… she was just in my group. I got lost looking for her and…” I stopped.
“And what?” she pressed.
“Oliver… and Adrian… are they back?”
“Adrian?” She frowned. “Not a sign of him since then. Who’s Oliver?”
I dragged a hand through my hair. “Adrian isn’t back yet? We were all in the same group.”
“You were in the same group as Sally?” Melissa gasped. “Lexie, you’re doomed. Kaitlyn and the Student Council will come for you, that’s her sister.”
I froze. “Sis… ter?”