Page 4 of Ever Dark Academy, Vol. 3

Amara stood very still, practically quivering. “Vampire blood is not to be used in experiments. That’s part of the Blood Pact.”

“But it’s happening! It’s so happening no matter what anyone says.

On both sides. Vampire and human.” Mairead shook her head.

“You had this idea to form a startup with your partner Sandeep Purdesh, but then you got the acceptance letter to the school. But he’s still going through with setting up the startup, despite not having his star researcher at his side. ”

“One wonders if the Vampires would wish us to abandon our strengths when we join them,” Eiji said quietly and pursed his lips. “It would seem a shame if we are but blank slates to be written upon.”

“So you think that we were brought here for what we bring to the table? Not just our personalities and our potential, but our pasts as well?” Grayson asked, making sure to use the word “we” even though he really wasn’t exactly a part of this.

Eiji gave a small smile. “In my modest observation, it appears that becoming a Vampire does not change the core of a person. They are just more of what they’ve always been.

Mairead has a nose for news, as they say.

Dr. Biswas is a talented and driven scientist. These things will not change when the two of them become Vampires.

And those traits would be useful in certain minds, I’m sure. ”

“And how about you, Eiji-sama? I know you’ve had an interesting life though you don’t talk about it much,” Mairead said. There was affection there, but also a touch of frustration that she couldn’t get a read on the older man. “What do you bring to the table?”

Eiji just smiled. “I was a businessman.”

“That’s like saying water is wet, Eiji,” Mairead muttered.

“Let that satisfy your thirst for now, Mairead.” Eiji patted her shoulder.

“Hmmmm.” Mairead slumped down onto a chair.

There was a knock on the door. Dani’s head shot towards it, but Ryder merely called out, “Come in, Demos, Siban.”

The two Weryn Vampires came in with Demos striding and Siban appearing to glide.

It seemed to Grayson that both were more excited than usual, though they were hiding it.

They had gone to greet new Weryn Vampires, who were coming since Weryn had returned.

It was like a bell had sounded and every Weryn had heard it.

Today was also the day that Ryder was going to open the Weryn Palace.

So the excitement was more than justified.

“We have been requested to tell Mairead, Eiji and Amara that Christian is downstairs, ready to take them to class,” Siban said in their neutral register.

“I notice that Grayson’s name is not in that list,” Mairead groused.

“One would expect that knowing Vampires as well as Grayson does, he would not require these introductory courses,” Eiji said graciously.

Mairead hopped off of her seat. “I suppose. I guess we’ll have to wait for another time to be graced with your presence.”

Grayson inclined his head to them. After the three students had left and Demos shut the door, everyone looked at Grayson with different expressions.

Ryder, of course, looked at him with love and tenderness, but also he knew that Grayson had a lot of things to say to the others.

Dani was moving one foot restlessly as she opened and closed her lips, unsure how to begin the conversation that she thought they ought to be asking.

Demos’ eyes were narrowed and lips were pursed as he stared at Grayson as if he saw something different in him.

Siban’s cool gaze was speculative. Grayson let out a laugh.

He found himself laughing so hard that he couldn’t breathe.

The other people in the room stared at him with lifting eyebrows and blinking eyes.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry!” Grayson bit down on the chuckles that kept escaping him. “It’s not funny. It’s just they all think I’m a student, and I know that--other than Ryder--you all think I don’t know I’m Ashyr.”

“You know?!”

“When did he figure it out?!”

“Who told him? Or did he just figure it out?”

“With the Ashyr Vampires surrounding the dorm like a siege, how could he not know?” Demos asked.

“Dani, we need that to stop,” Grayson said to his fledgling.

Dani had gotten off the couch arm and took a few steps towards him. “Ah, yes, I told them, but they need you… Ashyr…”

Grayson’s expression softened and the inappropriate laughter dried up. He went to her and stopped a foot away.

“Dani,” he said her name and cupped her face. “I’m so sorry I left you.”

She surged into his arms. He held her as she shook.

Silent tears of joy and grief left her as he stroked her back.

He rocked her. And he closed his eyes. The memories were there.

Of seeing her. Of watching her eyes widen when she saw him for the first time.

The way she’d gasped when she’d realized what he was.

And then the smiles when she’d told him she wanted to be like him, too.

To spend eternity together. For their friendship to last the ages.

For them to grow together. He held her tighter.

How could Lawson have ever touched any of his fledglings like he did? How could he not treasure them? How? HOW?

But hadn’t Weryn done worse?

He must have been out of his mind to do so.

Grayson and Dani pulled back from the embrace. He wiped her tears away. She was smiling so wide that he was sure her face hurt.

“You’re back and you know! I was trying to figure out how to tell you and have you believe me,” Dani explained. She stroked his arms. “I just hoped that you’d feel it. That you’d feel how much you are loved and were missed.”

Grayson’s throat tightened. This life had been one where to be alone was safest. He’d let only a few people in. Sam had been one. But not even the homeless man had any idea of his true self. To think he had not remembered his Bloodline, his fledglings, Weryn, and the other Immortals…

“I don’t understand how I ever forgot,” Grayson told her. He kissed her right temple tenderly. “Now, I know you have questions and concerns and--”

“We want you with us ,” Dani told him. “Not here. Back with us.”

Grayson nodded. “I know. But I believe I can best serve King Daemon remaining as a human student right now.”

Dani’s silver eyes flared with alarm. “Ashyr, I know how strong you are, even in this mortal coil, but humans are frail .”

Grayson nodded again. He felt Ryder shift behind him. Demos and Siban had tensed, too, because they felt that Ryder was unhappy with this talk. Not just about him remaining human, but the turning and who would do it.

“Right now the Sect of Dawn is prepared to defend itself from Vampires. But not from me,” Grayson told her.

“But--”

“What do you fear? Losing me again? You cannot. Kaly is on our side. He can form me a new body if need be, just like he did for the Harrows,” Grayson told her.

“You would trust Kaly after all they did? You know what they did?” Dani looked dubious.

“I do. Kaly was sick. For a long time. And I should have… done something, but I was distracted.” Grayson’s eyes slid to Ryder. “And there were terrible consequences for that.”

Ryder met his gaze evenly. They had been in love.

In that first, eternal flush of it. And Grayson hadn’t wanted to think about--or care about--anything else.

Especially Kaly's growing sickness. But the irony was that their love had only fueled Kaly’s illness and had, perhaps, pushed them over the edge into what was to come.

I have to understand the War. Everything that happened then. And the aftermath. Yet another thing to talk about.

“So the plan is for you to remain human and pretend to be a student while hunting these Sect of Dawn members?” Dani clarified.

“Yes, that’s the plan,” Grayson said. “In the meantime, I think the story I just floated about knowing you all before this will help tamp down the interest I’ve engendered.”

“Do you think that will work?” Demos looked uncertain.

“Even if it doesn’t and there is interest in me, that might be good, too. They’ll come after me instead of the other students who can’t defend themselves,” Grayson pointed out.

Demos shot a look at Ryder, undoubtedly, to see if he was okay with Grayson putting himself in danger.

“I don’t know why you are looking at Ryder, Demos,” Dani said sharply. “Ashyr is an Immortal. Weryn is an Immortal. They are equal and separate .”

Demos held up his hands. “I meant no offense, Dani. This is just a dangerous plan. And you have mentioned that.”

This is one of those complications. If Ryder and I decide to have him turn me then Dani and the other Ashyr Vampires will feel subjugated.

“I welcome Ryder’s thoughts on this, as I do any of yours,” Grayson said evenly. “But no one ever has--and no one ever will--have undue influence over me.”

“Of course, Master,” Dani murmured.

“I think all of us--having just got you back--are anxious to keep you safe, Grayson,” Ryder said quietly. “But I trust your judgment. And until we eliminate the Sect of Dawn there is danger for everyone.”

“King Daemon’s return has unearthed things that have festered too long and unleashed new enemies,” Grayson told them. “Our focus cannot be on old wounds. There will be time for that. But we must protect each other and our king. Do we agree on this?”

“We do,” Ryder said.

“We do,” Dani agreed.

The others nodded.

“So, for now, I am Grayson Duke, not the Immortal Ashyr,” Grayson said. “I’m a student at this school with no powers. Just a normal, fragile human.”

Ryder grinned. “They’ll wish that was so--pray it was so--until they find out otherwise.”