Shadow School

When twilight arrived, Mahi had shown up on Cameron's doorstep with two men; Bastian, a tall, leaned muscled man with a square jaw and all-American good looks, and Danvy, a... well... he looked like an Irish pirate.

Elias wasn't shy in front of the newcomers, but his demeanor had changed to that of an authority figure. Turning to face her, Elias kissed Cameron's forehead before stepping outside with the guys, leaving Cameron in the care of his half-vampire daughter.

Knowing she was now being thoroughly looked after - she refused to call it babysitting - Cameron showed Mahi to the family room and sat there in silence; Mahi was listening to the conversation taking place outside.

So. Vampires really could hear well.

"I can't hear them," Mahi had said this without turning to look at Cameron. "Elias is communicating his orders to us through his thoughts."

"Wow," was all Cameron could think of to say at such a revelation.

She hadn't expected Mahi to be upfront about her powers and she was a little puzzled by gaining such a significant piece of information so easily. Knowing that Elias could communicate mentally with others was stepping into a whole new realm of cerebral ability Cameron hadn't yet considered. It had to have been a big secret; why was she being told?

Cameron waited calmly, albeit a little awkwardly, until Mahi finally relaxed and turned to her. The copper-skinned young woman let a smile play across her lips before her expression turned serious. "Cameron, you are a Life-giver. A Blessed One. Nothing will be hidden from you, though you will now be asked to carry secrets on behalf of the father of your child."

Mouth falling open, Cameron stared at Mahi. She knew. Mahi knew. How...

"Such circumstances are rare and celebrated among our kind. Granted, it is a bit early for such things, but you are to be protected and cherished by any Arinson no matter where you are in the world." Mahi finally let a grin take over her face. "And I know of your condition because my father told me the moment I arrived. Word will spread to the entire family before dawn."

Bastian and Danvy appeared then, entering the room like a secret service agent and a swashbuckler; there really was no other way to describe the way Danvy walked. Cameron couldn't help but stare at the waif, whose flaming red hair was knotted in thick dreadlocks that ended just below his shoulders, a few strands woven with hemp and wooden beads. He had a tattoo on his face, a tribal thing that spanned an entire cheek, and a multitude of weapons hanging from the belt at his thin waist. Compared to Bastian, who looked like a thirty year old frat boy-quarterback turned business man, Danvy was the ultimate scallywag, down to the patchouli cologne and doped expression of ease. The two men in her living room were as different as night and day.

Except for their teeth. Both had sparkling white, perfect teeth. She had seen them when they smiled their greetings and when she glanced reflexively at Mahi, the girl offered her a wide, perfect-toothed smile surrounded by orange-mocha lipstick.

It wasn't until that moment that Cameron took in Mahi's whole appearance, which was very different from the college uniforms of SVMC. Mahi was exotically dressed in a bright orange sari with hot pink and gold beads. The outfit was beautiful, and suited Mahi's skin and hair color perfectly.

Taking in the other two people in the room, they all couldn't have been more different; Bastian looked like he had just come from a business meeting and Danvy, curiously outlandish in his choice of clothing, could have just stepped off the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney World. Cameron shook her head at her own assumption that they would be dressed in spy gear or something.

That thought made her look again at Mahi. "So when Elias said to let the 'younger ones go as surveillance,' he actually meant..."

"Myself and the other escorts, yes." Mahi nodded. "We train for many situations and that includes protection detail for those important to our Houses. That includes incoming human students."

"So, do you babysit students often?" Cameron couldn't help but ask, feeling a little coddled. Now seemed like a really good time to use the word babysit. She let her mind punch that word for emphasis.

"First time babysitting an older student." Mahi smirked. "I have watched over the young ones before, but this is my first time out in this capacity."

Young ones...

Two different curiosities warred within Cameron, but she chose the second. "And what exactly am I being protected from?"

Mahi glanced at Bastian, perhaps to see what she was allowed to tell Cameron. Or maybe she herself didn't know?

Danvy plopped down on one of Cameron's mother's decorate chairs and popped open a Sprite saying, "growly things with glowing eyes that go bark in the night. Probably nothing serious."

Cameron watched in fascination as Danvy used a finger to lift his mustache before sipping. "Growly things? What like dogs? Wolves?" Noticing she was surrounded by vampire progeny, she thought of another mythical creature. "Werewolves?!"

"Not really," Mahi said, giving Danvy a level look. "There's no such thing."

"Like there's no such thing as vampires?" Cameron said a little tersely.

"Trust me," Mahi said quickly, "if you ever meet with a real vampire you will not survive the encounter to tell anyone."

"But-"

"Jesus," Danvy said to his soda can. "This girl is going to have a dhamphir baby and she doesn't even know the difference between the immortal races?"

Cameron stared open mouthed, unable to speak. She felt her cheeks flush.

"You know this is a special circumstance," Mahi said, glaring meaningfully at Danvy. Her face turned sweet when she turned to Cameron. "Elias is taking no chances with your condition. Your guard is double the number the other girls have."

"How many people are watching me?" Cameron asked.

"Does it matter?" Danvy said, propping up a worn leather boot on the coffee table.

"And they're protecting me from growly things that are not werewolves?" Cameron said, starting to get a little irritated by her ignorance of the supernatural. Especially now that that the supernatural had her surrnounded.

"Call them werewolves if you like," Mahi said, "just don't expect them to change during the full moon or die by silver bullets. That's what we mean. The same goes for the term 'vampire.' It sums up the immortals you have met more than any other word but they are not what you see in movies. They don't get bumpy foreheads when their fangs come out and they can't do some of the fantastic things shown to you with the help of computer generated images. And they are not dead... or undead for that matter, unless something happens that..."

Lights flashed in the window, signaling her parents return. By the time Cameron looked around with worry about what to do with her house guests, only two remained; Bastian was gone and Danvy was sauntering toward her bedroom. Turning to Mahi with wide eyes, Cameron saw that the other girl had settled into the chair next to the couch.

"I'm visiting. When it's time for me to go you will still have two guardians in the house."

Cameron gulped. Well, Mahi did look like the college student she was... Maybe she would say she was here on college business.

"To get to know the new addition to our House," Mahi said, answering unspoken thoughts before suddenly bursting with laughter. "I had an uncle just like that once! He backpacked all the way across India and back before he finally settled down with the girl his parents chose from him. When you come in the fall I will show you pictures of my adorable niece and nephew."

Cameron was startled by the abrupt change in Mahi's demeanor and momentarily confused by the fake conversation starting so early. When the door opened and her parents came in from the garage, she understood. Maybe they didn't hear what was said, but they knew Cameron was speaking with someone before they entered.

"Well, hello again," her father said, coming over with a bundle of grocery bag in his arms. "Cameron didn't tell us she was having someone over this evening."

"Surprise visit," Mahi said, smiling as she stood. The sari, along with the slight accent of her culture gave Mahi an exotic flare that seemed to mesmerize Cameron's father. "I was in the area so I thought I would stop by."

"Can I help you, dad?" Cameron asked, jumping up. It was a bad idea. With the return of her parents, she'd forgotten about her body being out of whack since Elias took some of her blood and gave her some of his own. His had helped, but he only gave her enough to heal and the effect on her body's reaction to the stuff made her equilibrium a little wonky.

Her father frowned. "You feeling okay, pumpkin?"

She sighed and plopped back down onto the sofa. "Yeah, just sat in that position too long... my legs are wobbly." Which was wasn't true at all but seemed to make since to her father. He took that as enough of an answer but Mahi was eyeing her sharply. Cameron shook her head slightly.

"Oh, mine do that all the time," Cameron's mother said as she came over with a few bags of her own. "Must run the family." She stopped to stare at Mahi. "My, what a lovely dress! I mean... Wait, what is it you call it?"

"A sari," Mahi said, smiling and looking down at the bright fabric.

"Well, I just love the colorful way you people dress. Such vibrant, pretty things. Sometimes it just makes us look drab doesn't it? I think I'd love being able to dress up in pretty dresses every day. Oh! Sorry, saris." She laughed at her wordplay.

Cameron inwardly cringed.

She doesn't mean to offend, she doesn't know any better,

Cameron thought at the girl. Luckily, Mahi's face never changed but she did wink at Cameron to let her know she'd been heard.

"Well, would you like to stay for dinner?" Cameron's father asked.

"Sure. I'd love to." Mahi offered the country-clubbers a sweet smile and watched them as they went into the kitchen. As soon as they were gone, she turned her gaze on Cameron but didn't say anything. Her face had changed though, and not in reference to the conversation that had just taken place.

Cameron mouthed "I'm okay," to the half-vampire, hoping that that was what Mahi was referring to, but she got no response. Instead, Mahi just sat back and started talking about classes and what going to Shacrow VanMeter College would be like.

As Cameron listened, she noticed that though Mahi was saying things that would raise no suspicion, she was actually being honest about what to expect at the school; things Cameron really did want to know. Settling back, she listened, asked questions whenever they arose, and even got a few answers when she hadn't spoken questions aloud.

By the time her parents called them in to dinner, Cameron had a better idea of what to expect at the mysterious shadow school she would attend in the fall.

***

Melanie's fingers cramped for the hundredth time. She told herself to rest, but that had been an hour ago. Every time she paused to stretch her fingers, she had a hard time just sitting and staring at the wall to rest. She just couldn't bring herself to sit there and rest when every minute counted. She could rest after they got out. Hopefully.

Devin had been sicker than Melanie had expected. The girl could barely raise her head by the time it was her turn to work the lock, and Melanie had no way to help her. Instead, she made herself work overtime and the stiffness in her fingers told her she was pushing it. She even got up the nerve to call out for help, to see if anyone was listening, but no one came.

Melanie had lost track of time. She didn't own a watch and her cell phone was long gone. Without any natural light coming into the room she had no idea how long she'd been at it, if it were a few hours or a whole day; it seemed like several days had gone by but that wasn't possible since she was only now beginning to feel the pains of hunger.

Glancing at Devin, Melanie decided maybe it really was time to rest. There was only one cot in the room, but they could both fit on it, and she would rather be up close and personal with a girl she barely knew than try to rest on the cold floor.

"Devin?" When the girl didn't answer, Melanie thought she might have fallen asleep.

Melanie stumbled to her feet and stretched, hoping that someone would come soon. Or that she could figure out the lock and escape. Either way, she promised herself a good week in bed watching reruns of "Friends" when all of this was over.

Reaching out, she gently shook Devin. When the girl didn't respond, Melanie shook her again. "Devin?" she said, a hint of panic seeping through her voice. The girl just laid there.

Melanie's heart started to race. She flipped the girl over onto her back and checked for a pulse. It was fluttering lightly, but it was there. Next she checked for breath. If it were there, it was too shallow for her hear. When she couldn't feel anything either, Melanie remembered a trick she'd seen once and licked the back of her hand before holding it close to the girl's nostrils.

There! Melanie's panic began to ease up when she felt the air brush her wet flesh; the moisture made her skin more sensitive to any breeze, even if it was body temperature. She sighed and shook Devin again, calling out to her. The girl still didn't respond.

Melanie looked around, helpless. There was no point in doing CPR since it wasn't air that Devin needed... she probably needed penicillin or something. And water. Devin's lips were chapped from dehydration. There was literally nothing Melanie could do to help the girl.

But there was; she could get them out of the cell. Melanie spun around and hurried back over to the lock, determined to get out. She stared at the number, trying to figure out what the combination would be. She was going about it mathematically, starting at zero and working her way up knowing eventually she would hit the number. If she veered off course, it would be her luck that the very next number she was destined to hit would be the one and she would miss it trying to play the sleuth.

So did she continue on? Or start at 99999 and work her way down?

If there were four numbers across, she would use a date, like a birthday or something. Or a phone number. Or street address. Not that she knew any so that was a moot point. But there were five numbers so that would mean a zip code. Of course, she didn't know where she was so who knew what the zip code was. Guessing a number was pointless.

Then again, there were two guys... maybe more. They would each have to know the code right? So it would have to be something easy for multiple people to remember. So... Something easy but not easy to get out of. If someone went at the numbers like she was, they would start at the beginning. Or maybe they would try to outsmart the lock and start at the end; maybe even starting in the middle? The whole process was frustratingly random.

Hoping the guys who stuffed her - and Devin - in the cell were not the brightest, Melanie memorized the number she stopped at earlier and cranked the numbers to 99999 and pulled. She exhaled when nothing happened. Gritting her teeth, she turned it to the middle number 55555 and tugged. Still nothing.

Pursing her lips, Melanie tried 66666 then 77777 and 88888 with no reaction from the lock. Still determined, she thought of anything that would trip up someone but make it easy on those who had to know the combination. She tried one number more or less at the end, starting with 88889. She tried a one in the middle like 55155, and a one at the end like 99991.

Conceding that it was useless to try to figure the system out, Melanie knew that by just going back and picking up the number she had stopped at and continuing on in the same way she had before, she would hit the number eventually. Her fingers hovered over the 55551, pausing just before backtracking to where she left off.

Melanie stared at the lock. Something... something was on edge of her brain and... She stared at the numbers. What was 55551? What made her pause? Her brain was too tired to connect the thought but the process had started nonetheless, just as other thoughts do.

Melanie stared at the numbers for a moment more before grunting in frustration and dropping the lock to the door. She was tired, aggravated, hungry, and there was a dying girl in the room with her.

Suddenly the silence was too much for her. Melanie picked the lock back up, turned back to the number where she had left off, and started talking as she worked.

"I've been studying, you know, about our new... friends. Do you know what they are?" Glancing back at Devin, she saw that Devin was still just laying there. "Don't die on me okay?" Melanie turned back to the lock and pursed her lips. "Anyway, you'd be surprised how many stories are out there. I mean, there's loads of legends that were passed down orally before Anne Rice came along, and she wasn't even the first. I read 'Carmilla,'" her cheeks flushed at the memory of some of those paragraphs, "and 'Dracula,' which of course has been made into many movies since then. Lord Byron is even involved in the lore. Seriously. They're all over the place."

"I watched Bela Legosi saunter around with that widow's peak and then there's 'The Lost Boys' which, despite being a little scary, is just a chance for teens everywhere to scream over the Cory's. Of course that was like a decade ago so no one cares anymore. We're so fickle." Melanie stared at her fingers which were already starting to cramp. She sat down, lifting her arms -- which also ached -- to reach the lock and continue.

"I like 'Buffy' but it seems a little hokey in comparison, and I bet you'd agree that Brad Pitt as a vampire is just plain sexy. Maybe even Tom Cruise... as a bottle blonde. I still prefer him in 'Top Gun.' She paused for a minute, letting the plastic click in between testing pulls on the metal and calling herself an idiot in her head for talking to someone who couldn't even hear her. But then, the silence was worse.

"So what we have to go on is the traditional view of the vampire. Crosses, stakes, silver bullets, thought I think that goes along with the werewolf myth more... garlic, coffins, having to invite them in before they can enter a home... daylight." Click, pull, click pull...

"I'm trying to take a scientific approach to everything but it's just impossible. Magical beings don't just spontaneously pop up out of nowhere. And if I followed my faith I would say they're demons. Which could be possible I guess. Lucifer is supposed to have been beautiful before he was thrown into Hell... but that doesn't explain why a creature has to drink blood and bursts into flames when in sunlight. It's all fun fantasy. It can't be real." Melanie stopped, dropping her fingers to her lap to let her arms rest. She massaged each digit and turned to check on Devin who was in the same position as before.

"Looking at what we know," she sighed, "they have tunnels to travel during daylight hours and sun-blocking curtains. So. No sun. They have a church, and according to William, some even follow different religions, which makes me think crosses have no effect and maybe they don't have demons inside them." That made her think if William. He was Catholic, still, even after changing however many years ago. She just couldn't think that such a beautiful person was possessed. Lucifer, she reminded herself, shaking her head and starting with the lock again.

"Stakes, who knows... but a stake through any animal's heart would do the trick, you would think. I could die that way so why not them. And silver bullets... or silver in general... who knows. Garlic... there's no reason behind that, otherwise there would be other things in nature that could do the trick if they were in the same plant family... it probably just started as a way to make some scared fool feel better. 'Oh, hang a bundle of garlic outside your door and the monsters will stay away!'"