The next morning Eileen and Ben arrived at school thirty minutes before the busses.
Ben's face showed confusion, "The gym's dark. Coach always arrives real early. We used to think he slept here."
"Maybe he does," Eileen mused, imagining him as a troll sleeping under the bridge he'd claimed. It wasn't a far stretch.
Her eyes traced the face of the gym and noticed something white flapping in the wind. "Is that a sign on the door?"
Ben jogged over and pressed the paper down, reading it quickly before jogging back to her. "It says everyone is to report to the auditorium."
Eileen nodded, "Probably because of the new changes."
"At least I get to spend more time with you," he winked and gave her a large grin as they began walking towards the auditorium.
A smile split her face, but she quickly ordered it gone. Clearing her throat she reminded, "Just friends for now, Ben."
"I can like spending time with my friend, can't I? Especially when she's so smart and beautiful."
Boy he was laying it on thick. But darn it, she was enjoying every second of it.
"Behave," she hissed, but her voice said it was more of a suggestion than a command.
His eyes caught hers, "Yes, ma'am, but if I may say...I like making you blush."
Her hand rose quickly to feel her warm cheek, "Ben Jermin Cougar!"
"Eileen Fantasy Grau...Cougar."
Despite her best attempts, the next smile would not go away.
"That's more like it. I like making my woman--friend--happy."
She shook her head, "What am I going to do with you?"
His eyes twinkled, "I've got a few ideas."
The auditorium loomed in front of them, and a hint of disapproval wafted from the door. Ben must have heard or smelled something the same instant she felt the emotion, because his countenance immediately changed. He gradually walked away from her, assuming a more appropriate distance.
"Cougar," Coach Stout's voice called. "What are you doing here this early?"
"I ride with Eil--Ms. Grau."
"You ride... with Ms. Grau? Is that an arrangement with the school?"
"No," she answered. "We're neighbors."
Ben nodded, "Right. Like I told you, we grew up together."
"Seems like she must have been mostly grown before you even came along," Coach Stout said pointedly, locking eyes with her.
Eileen's heart tripped. Had he heard? Had he seen?
"Nah," Ben said, his voice holding an air of indifference; Eileen noticed, however, that his shoulders had squared. "She's not that much older than me, and we've always looked out for each other."
Coach Stout stared at him, surprise evident on his face, before his lips turned down into a frown. "You should keep to your own kind."
"Eileen is my kind. My pack," Ben said, his voice the slightest bit annoyed.
"I was raised by Louisa O'Hara," Eileen said quickly, hoping Ben was right and everyone knew about the bond between the Cougars and O'Haras.
Coach Stout's features relaxed, "Widow O'Hara, huh?"
She nodded.
"She's good people. I always had the highest respects for Mr. O'Hara. He was my first Coach, you know?"
"No, I didn't," Eileen said honestly.
Ms. Mage walked up behind them demanding, "Why are we all standing around out here? Ben, go sit in the front left row. That's the junior's spot. Eileen, Principal Wesleyan wants to talk to you about some of the finer points of the new schedule and lunch plan."
Eileen allowed Ms. Mage to guide her through the door and towards the back of the stage.
Before he walked down the side steps, Ben glanced back at her and winked.
She sincerely hoped the darkness hid her resulting blush.
***
Ben wasn't alone for long. About five minutes after his arrival, Dustin and Ginny walked in, hand-in-hand.
"You don't mind if Ginny sits with us, do you?" Dustin asked. "The middle school door said eighth and ninth grade Vamps were supposed to come up for the assembly today too. I wonder why?"
Ben shook his head and glanced at the stage to make sure none of the teachers were watching. "Have her sit behind me so they can't see her. They're splitting us by grade."
"See," Dustin said brightly, guiding her into the second row. "I told you he wouldn't mind."
She hesitated, "I don't want to get you in trouble..."
Dustin adopted a puppy dog look, pouting with his full lips and big brown eyes. "How can you say 'no' to this face?"
Ginny blushed from the roots of her hair and down her neck, "Okay, okay, just stop doing that. It makes me feel..."
Dustin's eyes lit up, "Makes you feel how?"
She shook her head, the blush deepening as she quickly ducked into the row behind Ben.
Thankfully Ben didn't have to feel like a third wheel for long. Robbie and Edward walked in together almost as soon as Dustin sat down.
"'Sup, Ben?" Robbie said, dropping into the seat next to Ben.
"Hey, Ed," Dustin called. "Can you sit back here?"
Edward drifted over and asked in a monotone, "Hiding your Mate from prying eyes?"
Dustin's arm moved to rest on the back of Ginny's seat, "Yup. Help a man out?"
"It's not like I have anything better to do," Edward said blandly, stepping over the front row seats so that he could plop down next to Ginny.
She shrank back, watching him with large frightened eyes. Her face screwed into a look of confusion, however, when he took off his sunglasses and offered her his hand. "Calm down. I'd never hurt a girl, and that goes double for one of my buddies' girls. Oh, and I'm Edward, by the way."
"You're a Vampire!"
"I am? Imagine that," Edward rolled his eyes and slid his glasses back into place.
"Why are you wearing sunglasses?" Ginny wondered.
"I was one of the lucky Vamps to inherit severe photosensitivity. I'm also a Fantasy Vamp, and the glasses keep me from making direct eye contact when I don't want to."
"Fantasy?" she asked.
"Yeah. Pleasure actually, which is super annoying. It's not like I can just go to a horror movie. No, I have to..."
At Dustin's intense glare Edward's voice trailed off. Ben turned his head, hiding a grin. Dustin had gone from girl-crazy to protective, doting Mate in less than twenty-four hours.
"I'm just saying, Nightmares have it much easier," Edward finished.
"Nightmares?" Ginny wondered.
All the males looked at her curiously.
"What exactly do you know about Vampires, Ginny?" Robbie asked.
"I drink blood," she said quietly, cutting a glance towards Dustin.
"And?" Ben prompted.
"And...that makes me a Vampire?"
Edward shifted towards her, "Are you screwing with us right now?"
She leaned as far into Dustin as the chair allowed, shaking her head, "No, sir!"
Edward sighed, "Geeze, I've never seen a Vamp so scared of another Vamp. I'm not going to hurt you. Even if I wanted to do you think Dustin would allow it? Relax. We're all friends here."
"Friends?" she repeated, eyes widening as she glanced around their group.
"Yeah," Robbie agreed. "You're Dustin's Bloodmate. He's our brother, so you're one of us now."
"Like it or not," Ben added with a grin.
Tears glittered suddenly in the girl's eyes.
Dustin paled, "Ginny? What's wrong?"
Her head fell forward, obscuring her face with her hair, "N-nothing."
Edward sighed heavily, "She's overwhelmed because she's never had friends before. She doesn't know how to handle all the emotions she's feeling right now. Ginny, you just need to get used to telling him, because I'm not one for keeping secrets. If you don't believe me, ask Ben."
Ben shrugged, "It's not like I was trying to keep it a secret."
"Keep what a secret?" Ginny wondered.
"Ben has a huge crush on Ms. Grau," Robbie whispered to her conspiratorially. "He's liked her for years. I ship them sooo hard."
Ginny relaxed, grinning at Robbie's easy manner, "Oh, wow! Really?"
Dustin started laughing and pulled her into a hug, "Yup. I don't know how many times I spent the night at his house and caught him looking at the window towards Eileen's house. My favorite realization about the whole thing was that if he could get her to agree to marry him that she'd be a cougar named Mrs. Cougar married to a cougar shifter! Cougar cubed!"
The lights blinked off shortly after that comment, and Ben realized the auditorium had filled up during their conversation.
Principal Wesleyan stood at the podium with the other staff standing in a semicircle on the stage behind him.
Ben tried several times to catch Eileen's eye, but he didn't have much luck.
Robbie elbowed him, "Ben, if you keep being that obvious, we're not going to be the only ones that know."
Ben glanced down the line of teachers to see Coach Stout staring at him with a frown. Then he threw a suspicious glance towards Eileen.
Crap. He had to do better.
He forced his attention to what his principal was saying, "And so, as a result, we have all agreed to make some changes. Today you will be traveling with your species to different cultural classes. Mr. Garth will talk to everyone about Weildon, Ms. Mage will give an overview on Giftlings, and Ms. Grau will introduce our students to the Vampire culture and answer any questions you might have. You will start with your own species and be told where to go from there. I can see your considering looks. Yes that only accounts for three blocks. Your final block will cycle you through P.E. with Coach Stout."
There were some murmurs that quieted down when Principal Wesleyan raised his hands for silence. Then he continued, "Beginning Monday we will be implementing a new five-block schedule, allowing each of you to have a year-long species-specific course."
Stunned silence.
"And..." Principal Wesleyan's voice hesitated a moment before he continued, "Vampires will now be allowed to feed at school, provided they--PROVIDED THEY FOLLOW THE RULES!"
Principal Wesleyan's voice strained to be heard over the cacophony of fear, outrage, and disbelief.
"This will be--QUIET! I said quiet!"
Ben saw Ms. Mage elbow Eileen. Eileen nodded and walked to the podium. His eyes watched her lips as she asked, "May I say something, sir?"
Principal Wesleyan handed her the microphone, defeat in his posture, his expression.
Ben watched, fascinated, as Eileen took a deep breath. Her eyes glowed black, her skin became an almost translucent, glowing white, and her fangs and claws grew sharp, dangerous.
The voice that echoed over the microphone was firm, and even though he knew it was Eileen, the voice made his skin prickle with instinctive wariness.
"Excuse me."
All around the auditorium were shrieks and squeaks of fear, of unease. The students did quiet, though, and every eye focused on the new Vampire teacher with apprehension.
Eileen's smile was likely meant to be reassuring, but with the fangs and black eyes it made even Ben want to flinch away.
As her body regained its normal form, Eileen's smile grew warmer, more welcoming, and so did her voice, "Thank you. As Principal Wesleyan was saying, all Vampires that choose to feed at school will only be allowed to do so if they obey the following rules: Vampires may only feed from willing donors, and they may only feed at lunch or under the direct supervision of staff. Any deviation from these rules will not be tolerated."
Ben could almost see other students relaxing as Eileen continued, "Beginning today there will be a red table in the cafeteria. If anyone is interested in being a donor for the day, you can sit at the table. You are allowed to choose the Vampire you wish to donate to, and you have the right to refuse or demand a Vampire to stop at any time. I will be there to ensure the safety of both Vampire and donor."
She hesitated then added, "Vampires aren't evil by nature. The biggest threat we present to others is when we're forced to go long periods of time without feeding. My Giftling Studies professor explained it this way. Imagine predatory Weildon forced into veganism. Yes, they can still eat other things, but it's not what they need. Eventually the individual would become so ravenous that they would attack the nearest source of meat like a rabid animal. That's what a Vampire's frenzy is."
Ben felt sick at the thought. He turned to look at Edward, "That true?"
Edward nodded stiffly.
"Oh, Ginny," Dustin whispered, "I'm so sorry. Never, never again. I'll make sure you're always fed."
"It's okay..." she whispered.
"No," Dustin denied, "it's not. I'll make sure my girl's taken care of."
Ben took a moment to look around, noting other students doing the same. For perhaps the first time in his life, Ben saw Weildon looking at Vampires with compassion and curiosity instead of fear or disgust.
"Our goal," Eileen said softly, drawing every eye and ear in the auditorium, " is for you to learn more about the other species you share your school--and world-- with. The unknown is terrifying, but once you begin learning about it, it often becomes intriguing. Please try to stay open-minded during this process. Thank you."
She handed the microphone back to Principal Wesleyan, eyes flashing to where Ben sat in the front row. He gave her a thumbs up and what he hoped was a reassuring smile; he saw her face flicker with a soft matching smile before she reclaimed the blank, emotionless mask he was starting to think of as her "school face".
Principal Wesleyan glanced out over the sea of heads, at a loss for what else needed to be said. After a pause, he finally said, "Well, I guess that covers almost everything... Oh, eighth grade and freshmen Vampires, you may be wondering why you were instructed to meet here as well. At Ms. Grau's request, since most Vampires begin needing to feed regularly their eighth or ninth grade year, your elective will be first block Vampire Studies, after which you will return to the middle school. You will also be allowed to feed in the cafeteria, provided you follow the rules. Any questions?"
"Where do we go?" a student called out.
"When dismissed go to your species-specific teacher first. Eighth grade and freshmen students, the Giftling Elect have volunteered to be guides for you. Giftling Elect, please stand."
Four Giftling girls stood, waving towards the eighth grade and freshmen Vampires huddled together in the back of the auditorium.
"Alright, then: Weildon to Mr. Garth, Giftlings to Ms. Mage, and Vampires to Ms. Grau. You are dismissed."
"Don't worry, Ginny. I'm walking there with you," Dustin assured her.
"Yeah," Ben agreed. "We're your pack now, and a pack protects their own."
Edward shrugged, "I'd hurt somebody over you, kid."
"And that's a promise, little sis," Robbie agreed with a friendly wink.
Her smile was brilliant.