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There was a scattering of applause that died out as the Kaly simply walked by without looking at anyone. Only Caemorn deviated from the procession when he, like Balthazar, was suddenly lifted off of the road and was levitated alongside his co-headmaster. Balthazar patted his arm, which Caemorn seemed to tolerate. He did give Balthazar a thin smile. And he did pet the cat on Balthazar’s shoulder under the chin.

The Kaly! Are they not magnificent? Are they not terrifying? Balthazar asked, which had people jerking as if they felt the sting of judgment against them for judging the Kaly. And you haven’t seen anything yet!

“Why does that sound like a threat?” Demos muttered.

Grayson withdrew his head from Ryder’s chest though he didn’t make a move to exit Ryder’s arms. He looked pale and a little shaky, but he was intent on watching the rest of the show.

For those of you counting, we have one more Bloodline to go. Balthazar again rubbed his hands together. Ah, you might be asking what about King Daemon’s? But that is a Bloodline available just for two. No! The last Bloodline, but hardly the least is… Seeyr!

Once more that right hand shot out and at the end of the road was the Immortal Seeyr with her bandaged eyes. A child-looking Vampire stood beside her with blonde pigtails and a wide smile. There were only half a dozen Seeyr Vampires in existence. They all wore creamy white and smiled gently at those that they passed.

There was no fanfare. There was no magic show. They simply walked and smiled. Ryder saw that each Seeyr Vampire, including the Immortal herself, carried a dozen or so white envelopes. They stopped walking at the base of the fountain and turned to face the crowd.

“Bit anticlimactic if you ask me,” Mairead muttered.

“They tell the future. What could they do for a trick? Read our fortunes?” Eiji asked.

For those of you wondering what the Seeyr can do, they have the gift--and burden--of knowing the future, Balthazar explained. Do you notice the envelopes they are carrying?

The little child Vampire held up hers so that all could see.

There is one envelope--sealed!--and addressed for each of you, Balthazar said. Inside it are the answers to what you most want to know. Will you be a Vampire? Who will be your Master? And what Bloodline will be yours?

The students, excepting Grayson who stayed put in his arms, surged forward towards the Seeyr, wanting to get their hands on the envelopes. Lightning bolts struck the ground between the students and the Seeyr. The crowd scattered. Grayson’s hands tightened on Ryder’s shirt, but he looked more bemused than scared.

Now, now, we can’t make it that easy for you! Balthazar laughed. As you know this is a school, and along with classes, there will be tests. If you fail these tests your chance of joining a Bloodline may be over… unless! Unless you are able to steal your envelope from one of the Vampires who will hold it! Or… if you get it early, you can just skip to the end.

The crowd gasped. The students looked avidly at the envelopes. Grayson shook his head.

“Oh, man, this isn’t good,” Grayson muttered. “This is going to cause some people to act crazy.”

“I think that may be the point,” Ryder muttered as he strove not to sniff Grayson’s hair or nuzzle his wounded throat.

“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Grayson sighed.

But I’m sure that all of you will succeed! Balthazar grinned. We chose you all very carefully. So welcome to Ever Dark Academy! Welcome to the World of Vampires!

Story Continues in Book 2!

REMEMBERED OR IMAGINED

The feel of Ryder’s arms around Grayson was comforting. It felt right. Natural even. And arousing. It had been too long since he’d been with anyone and his body was hungry to be touched.

Normally, he wouldn’t allow the guys he was with to hold him and kissing was only done with closed eyes. He almost always engaged in desperate, passionate, hot, but also impersonal sex. The thrill was the act, not the person. There was nothing intimate about it. Nothing comforting.

Yet here he was, leaning back against Ryder’s muscled chest, letting those massive arms enfold him, and not feeling claustrophobic or the need to break away. He imagined what it would feel like for Ryder to run a hand through the back of his hair and along his neck, just dipping his fingers into the collar of his sweater. Goosebumps rose on his arms at just the thought of those powerful yet elegant hands gliding along his bare skin.

All he had to do was turn around in Ryder’s arms and look up into that handsome bearded face through his lashes and he would find out if his imagination captured reality. Ryder would know what he wanted with those needy glances. The Weryn Vampire wanted it too, Grayson guessed, from how easily Ryder touched him and the smoldering look in his silver eyes. From the first moment they’d met, Ryder had been interested. They could go somewhere--back to his rooms, back to Ryder’s place--and feed this hunger in both of them until it was satiated.

But it wasn’t just raw desire that had him craving more of Ryder’s touch. When the spirits had come and the memories--no, not memories. Nothing like that has ever happened to me--had flooded over him, Ryder’s strength had been like a lifeline. He’d been safe even as his fingers had dug into Ryder’s back and he’d buried his head against Ryder’s chest. The Weryn Vampire’s scent had been warm and welcoming like cinnamon and fresh cut wood. It had blocked out the cold, icy smell of the spirits and the memory--not memory!--of their touch.

But, like always, the familiar warning thoughts crowded one on top of the other like they always did whenever he got too close to someone.

Counting on someone else is dangerous.

They’ll let you down.

Everyone’s out for themselves.