Perfect Pet

Ch.6: Tears in the Wind

It was still nice out but I had noticed the farther away from home I got, the cooler the weather was. It was the only hint I had to where we were going, even if it wasn't enough to narrow down the options. It wouldn't surprise me if Rigryce was far up north, in the middle of nowhere, where the human population was scarce and cities were replaced with small towns. Easier to keep us safe and monitor the surrounding land than if it had been in a large urban area like L.A. It also gave the vampire students room to roam, having their space something essential to them. Just like wild animals, they liked having their territories and didn't appreciate others invading them.

The thought of weather brought up another interesting point. Snow was something I had never had the pleasure of experiencing, the lower part of Texas too hot for it to form. Movies and shows made it look so pretty, falling from the sky in fat puffs. Common sense said it wouldn't be like that all the time. I was not overly fond of being cold in the first place, making me wonder if the novelty of it would wear off quickly once I had to walk in it. Snow was frozen water and ice melted when it got hot enough. That meant wet socks. Bleah.

Kali was gazing out the window too. Her expression was as serene as I'd seen it, head resting on her crossed arms as a few small farms appeared in the distance. "What a pretty view."

"It is," I agreed softly. "One of those experiences you can only get on a train."

She chuckled at that. "A year ago I would have never believed I'd be riding a train, let alone riding one to Rigryce." It was faint but a flash of sadness darkened her denim eyes behind her glasses. She went to adjust them, any hint of emotion gone when she moved her fingers.

"I know what you mean. I can't believe I found the courage to go through with it. It's something I've wanted to do for a while but didn't think I could." A smile crept its way onto my face as another burst of excitement worked its way into my heart.

Kali turned away from the window to give me her full attention, her eyes looking even bigger than before. "You chose to be a pet? To be around vampires?" She sounded completely baffled like I was messed up in the head.

"Uh...yeah." It was my turn to be confused. "Pets are willing participants. What do you think Rigryce is for?"

Her face went ghostly pale and when she spoke again, her voice was shaky. "Of course, haha. Rigryce is the pets academy and you only go if you want to be a pet." Making it a point to avoid my eyes, she started picking at a loose string on her sweater. "I'm sorry. It's been a long day and my brain's fried."

"You're fine." Even though it was obvious she wasn't like the usual potentials, ready to give their lives to future Masters without hesitation. Being a pet meant having an unwavering loyalty not only to your master but to the vampire race as a whole. You knew secrets they didn't want the entire human population to know, saw things that only vampires would understand. Being stupid and blabbing meant forfeiting your life.

Once the bond was formed, you fell under vampire jurisdiction and there was not one thing the human government could do to interfere if things went south.

I didn't know her. I couldn't judge where she was coming from. Nerves could find their way in no matter how dedicated you were to your cause. Doubts could beat at your head until you felt like your brain would burst. I'd been there, had felt like I wasn't good enough. I still did. Even during my excitement, there was part of me that expected to wake up from this dream and go back to my pitiful life before. There wasn't a basis for it yet I still felt that way.

It was hard to imagine any vampire wanting me, quiet and so unsure. They were the embodiment of perfection, from the way they talked to the way they moved. I wasn't graceful or elegant. Self-conscious and clumsy, yes. I didn't have much of a presence, often forgotten as soon as I was introduced. Not a good thing when all my efforts at Rigryce hinged on getting noticed. I felt like a little girl playing dress-up in her mother's clothes. Looking at Kali's profile, it was hard to admit we may not be as different as I thought.