These past few mornings, Lira kept on having throbbing headaches every time she woke up. It was as if her head was being bludgeoned by a hammer. She started suffering the headaches the night she had those strange dreams. Like last night, she dreamed of the man in the forest. Only this time, he was sitting on a throne-like chair atop a dais like he was the lord of the land speaking in a language she couldn't comprehend to the men standing before him, who didn't share their lord's pale features. She tried to move, only to later realize her hands were bound behind her and she was kneeling in front of the dais. When the lord's pitch black eyes darted to her direction, and as a terrifying smile spread across his pale handsome face, Lira suddenly woke up with her head feeling so heavy and the constant blunt pain in her head wouldn't go away for several hours. It frustrated her that much that she was in a bad mood all morning
Lira spent the afternoon with Mari, Ian and Matt setting the music room for the party later that evening. Mari performed her best actress performance by ignoring Matt the entire time, to which matt didn't seem to mind at all. Everyone helped pushing the old grand piano to one side to provide a bigger space. When they finished making the arrangements, Mari handed Lira a black dress for her to wear.
"Why would I need to wear one? What I have on now is just fine," Lira said.
"But you need to wear this dress!" Mari insisted. "Besides, what would Matt think if he sees me all dolled up? He might think I'm trying to impress him."
Having no choice since Mari was so adamant about dressing her up, Lira complied with her friend and both of them changed their clothes inside the powder room across the music room. Lira hesitantly went out of the stall, looking and feeling uncertain with what she wore. It was a black sleeveless dress with green beads lining the V-neck. A thin brown belt was snugged on her waist; the sheer skirt flowed down almost past her ankles. The dress was beautiful beyond doubt. Only what made her uncomfortable were the slits on the sides, front and back that were thigh high. And although she was wearing a very short black skirt underneath the long see-through one, she still felt uneasy with her legs peeking out of the slits. "Are you sure this dress's okay?"
"Sure it is. Here try these shoes," Mari said, handing Lira a pair of black high heeled low boots. Mari then removed Lira's glasses. "You won't need this tonight."
"But I can't see clearly!"
"Yes you can." After Mari's fuss over Lira's hair ("We'll just twist it up loosely like this") and her squeaky clean face ("Really Lira, this is just light amount of make-up" and Lira retorting "Hey, red lipstick isn't light make-up"), Mari gave Lira a goofy grin.
"What? What did you do? I told you not to put make up on me," she grumbled.
Mari rolled her eyes and said, "Don't be such a grouch. Now turn around and look in the mirror."
She twirled around and her eyes went wide with surprise to see the girl in the mirror staring back at her. "Is that really me? I looked almost pretty," she said sheepishly.
"What are you talking about? You are pretty Lira, even without the make-up."
Lira smiled at her friend. "You look pretty yourself, too," she said, complimenting her Mari's royal blue chiffon tube dress with uneven hemline above the knees, accented by a thin gold band at the waist. Her light brown hair was flowing with soft curls spilling over her shoulders and back.
"We'll you better go to the party. I'll catch up with you guys after I do Yumi some extreme make over. Wonder what's her hair color is today?" Mari said before they parted ways.
Lira was equally flattered and embarrassed when Matt and Ian complimented her in their own way. Matt stood looking stunned, gawking at her only saying "wow" and Ian asking "Who are you and what did you do to my friend Lira?" Lira punched Ian lightly in his arm and pretended to look annoyed and said, "Cut it out you two. Jeez." But she couldn't help but to smile coyly before leaving the two.
Some of their guests were already in the room: Matt's friends from the training, Ian's friends from his club, some from the Second and a couple from the Third. It was funny how at first she thought different castes would never get along. But since having Mari as her friend, she got to know some of from the Second and they were nice. Later, Yumi arrived wearing a short sleeveless dress with a white lace top and wide mint green band that gathered the mint green skirt around the waist that fell into a balloon. She then acted as though she was surprised just like what she had promised she would do. For the occasion, she sported golden red-brown locks. "This is my natural hair color, but let's keep it a secret," Yumi whispered to Lira, giving her a wink.
There was a group of from the First who curiously took a peek inside the room, the loud music drawing them to check what was inside. Yumi, being a nice kid and all, invited them to her party. Without queen bee Lavinia, the ones from the First were pretty decent. Clara was also present in the party. Matt brought her along and confessed that he was hoping his sister and Lira would rekindle their old friendship. Lira saw Ian trying to stammer his way across a sentence, attempting to engage a conversation with Clara. Clara smiled serenely and waited patiently until Ian could finish his sentence. When Clara met Lira's gaze, the former gave her a small smile.
Feeling parched, Lira decided to check the food on the table. She spied a cooler filled with beer at the side of the table. The older slayers must have brought them. She took one and was about to take a swig when Matt snatched the bottle from her hand and replaced it with a can of soda. "Really Matt," she said rolling her eyes.
"You're still a minor. I would have given you milk, but since no one bothered to bring some, a soda would suffice."
"Really? Milk? So I'm a baby now?" she said turning around just in time to see Stephan and his two brothers arrived. She turned back and saw Matt's displeasure to see them present. She knew this would happen so she plastered a smile on her face and said loudly, "Hey guys! Glad you could come. I was starting to doubt you would arrive."
"You invited them?" Matt asked beside her.
"Yes. I invited Stephan actually. Told him to bring some of his friends if he likes," she answered.
The three vampires strutted their way towards them. "Hey Lira. Where's the little mouse?" Stephan asked.
Lira looked slightly puzzled but concluded he was probably referring to Yumi. She jerked her thumb over where Yumi was. Stephan then left to see Yumi. Lira later heard Yumi's sarcastic voice saying, "Oh goody; a fossil at my party. How... ancient" and a few seconds later Yumi with an innocent tone asking "You were saying something, grandpa?"
Lira also heard Stephan answering Yumi's sarcasm. "You know your AGE gap jokes are getting way OLD. Haha! Get that? Age, old?"
Lira chuckled and said to Sevastian, "Your brother and my friend seemed to get along just fine."
Sevastian tilted the corners of his lips to one side, looking amused by Yumi's barbs. Nicholas, however, was glowering at something past Lira's shoulders. She remembered Matt was behind her, who was also throwing an equally murderous look at Nicholas. She sensed the animosity that surrounded her. Suddenly inspired by an idea, she grabbed a can of soda in the cooler and brightly smiled at Matt. "Matt, can I ask you a favor? I promised Mari to bring her a soda. But I have to entertain our new guests. Can you give this to her? Then I'll catch up with you guys later."
"Sure," he said sounding uncertain. "I'll see you later."
Lira let out a sigh of relief after Matt disappeared into the crowd. She turned around and smiled at Sevastian, completely ignoring a glowering Nicholas in front of her. "Sorry we've ran out of fresh blood," she joked. "But I do hope you'll enjoy the party." She then excused herself and went to grab some food on the table. Nicholas was closely behind following her heels.
"Since when did you start showing a lot of skin for others to ogle on?" Nicholas asked, sounding rather disgusted.
"Excuse me?" Lira asked. She noticed Nicholas eyes roamed down on her body. She followed his gaze and realized her thigh peeked out of the high slit of her skirt. Lira pulled the slits together and said, "You think I show a lot of skin? Have you even seen the other girls around you?"
"Well it doesn't suit you. I don't like it."
"Since when did you I think I care what you like or don't like?" she spat, turning away from him.
Nicholas grabbed Lira's elbow rather firmly and said in a low hissing voice. "Listen to me well, Lira. Cover yourself up and do not defy me. I won't let those slayers feast their eyes on your body. If you do not heed, I will garrote every boy with their own entrails who dared to look at you. You are mine Lira; do not forget that."
Lira's eyes went wide as her mouth hang opened with disbelief. She squirmed out of his grasp and shoved him in the chest. "Get away from me! Matt was right; you really are a monster." She left a seething Nicholas and went to look for her friends.
#
Nicholas could not contain his frustration. He deduced it was a mistake he went there with Stephan. He wanted to see Lira if she was still angry with him, that was why he agreed to tag along with his brothers. He didn't expect to see her standing in the middle of the room looking so festive. He didn't even appreciate her standing so close with that slayer. And damn it! He could hear the thoughts of the slayers around him thinking loudly how cute she was. Those cursed slayers. His claws suddenly elongated as he heard a boy's mind with his intent to ask Lira for a dance. Nicholas planted his foot sideways, causing the boy to trip and stumbled on the floor. Nicholas loomed down, his eyes turning murderous black and said menacingly, "My apologies." The wimp scrambled to his feet with a terrified look and took off in the opposite direction.
"Are you okay, brother?" Sevastian asked, joining beside him.
"Do I look okay to you?" Nicholas hissed.
"Nicholas, I know what you plan. Don't do it. She's a nice girl. And both Steph and I liked her."
"You dare say that in my face?"
"We like her but it's not what you think. She was friendly with us and never acted like the way others do whenever we are around."
Nicholas sighed and forced himself to calm down. Lira was not mistaken. He really was a monster. No other vampires in the academy had dared to approach Lira except his brothers. He already made it clear to every vampire in the Academy that Lira was his from the beginning. And he didn't like to share what was his. After all, he was a selfish monster.
#
Being friends with Matt came in handy after all. They were allowed by Miss Amara to extend their curfew till midnight provided there where slayers to guard them. When the last of the guests left, Lira and her friends cleaned the room and placed the grand piano back on its original spot. Yumi for the nth time kept on thanking them for the party, which really made them glad to see Yumi happy.
It was three in the morning and Lira was snuggled comfortably on her bed when the sound of the creaking hinges woke her up. She half-opened her eyes and saw Yumi leaving the room. Thinking Yumi went out to use the bathroom, she tried to went back to sleep. However, when it took Yumi considerably long to use the bathroom, she decided to throw the covers away from her and rose to check on Yumi. She was about to go out when she spied Yumi from the window already outside the dorm, walking towards the direction of the woods. Throwing all cautions in the air, she quickly grabbed her jacket and her small flashlight and ran down the flight of stairs. She took a peek in the hallway, found it empty and went out of the building. She spotted Yumi and followed her. She saw Yumi entering the woods, and alarm bells went off in her head. What was Yumi thinking? Going in the woods, breaking the curfew? Both of them would be in trouble in the morning but she had to follow her. Yumi might be sleep walking again.
Lira saw Matt patrolling nearby. She sprinted towards him and he looked surprised to see her out in the dark. "Matt please, you have to help me," she pleaded frantically. "Yumi, I think she's sleep walking. I just saw her went into the woods."
"What? Okay. Go back to the dorm. I'll go and look for Yumi."
"No! I will go with you. Please, I'm worried," she begged. Matt gave her a curt nod and they both disappeared into the woods. The moon was on its fullest and brightest, lighting their path in the darkened woods. They could hear sounds of crushing twigs as they moved farther in to the woods. "Yumi!" she called. "Where is she?"
She looked frustratingly around her. She heard again sounds of dried leaves crushing and twigs breaking, hinting clues that Yumi might be walking nearby. But where was she? "Yumi!" she called out again. "Where—"
Matt silenced her as he snapped his head to the side and looked as if he was trying to make out a sound he heard. He suddenly withdrew a dagger from his side and handed it to Lira. "Use this. Don't hesitate to defend yourself."
Lira gave Matt a confused look. "Matt what are you saying?"
Matt pushed her behind his him and looked around in the dark. Tall eerie shadows began appearing, moving fast behind the trees. The dark outlines shifted so fast around them, leaving only a blurry trail. The shadows seemed to be toying with them. "Lira, stay behind me okay?"
"Matt, what's wrong?" Leaves rustled and Lira noticed the shadows lurking behind the trees, moving around them swiftly. "Wha—what was that?"
Matt stretched his arms, protecting Lira behind him as the dark figures stepped out behind the trees, surrounding them. The hair at the back of Lira's neck stood, making her shiver with fright. The shadows closed in on them, trapping Lira and Matt in a tight circle. The moonbeam revealed five human-like creatures with a baleful look, staring back at them with hungry red eyes. Their clothes were ripped and battered, as if someone tried to shear their clothes with a knife. The skin on their faces looked almost gnarled, and some had their skin chipping off its flesh. Blood were dripping from their mouth. And when they pulled back their lips, it revealed uneven razor sharp teeth. Deadly looking claws, longer than that of the vampires she saw before, swished at their sides as they closed in the gap between them and their prey.