Rousseau's Academy for Vampire Hunters

mandy

"hello" i said to the girl as she opened the door. i had been hunting with fai when i saw her. she was walking with her dog, but no it wasn't a dog, it was a wolf. I could sense the connection between them, and i could tell that she was commanding him with her mind. it was so odd that I dragged Fai over here to see her. he was hiding somewhere down the hall observing. he wasn't as curious as i was.
"um, hello" the girl answered unfriendly. i could see that the dog was tensing up. it was then i realized she was one of them. one of those people that went to that academy, the one for vampire hunting. Me and Fai have seen it before, we basically steer clear of it and go to a regular school with regular humans. i could see Fai tense in the corner and i new he new 2.

"would you like to come in....." the girl said with a new sense of confidence. i new she had something planed, by the way her dog walked into a corner and sat watching us. but i came here to study them, so i thought i might as well go in.

"shore, i just had some questions about your amazing dog" i said with a smile. Fai tensed even more but i went in, if i had to, i could take her, and her dog.

Kassia:

Study flew by and I was sure Lucius noticed my bandaged wrist but he didn't say anything. Why did we have to start at 6 in the morning? It was cruel and I hadn't had any sleep yet. I'd noticed Lance talking to Alissa during combat but promptly forgot about it. What was the point? Adrian had my last dagger.

I growled under my breath as I walked down the hall, headed to the headmaster's office. I had to tell him about this conflict thing...or maybe he already knew? I frowned, eyes on my sore wrist. Silver. Of course it'd hurt like hell. I hated my father. I hated him for what he was. I hated him for abandoning me and killing my mother.

Sighing, I looked up and pushed open the door to the Headmaster's office. Lucius placed a hand on my shoulder, holding me still. I'd forgotten about him being there. I checked his face-he was staring into the shadowed room, a stream of sunlight marred the floor, partially blocked by our shadows.

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust but I saw them. Adrian, Isidor and, surprisingly, Declan. He looked no older then me but his eyes betrayed his true nature. Paper was scattered across the desk and part of the floor. The filing cabinets on the other side of the desk hung open, more paper hanging out of the drawers.

Silence descended while I stared at them. What the hell were they doing here?

Finally, Declan broke the silence. "It's good to see you, Kassia."

I snapped out of my stunned stupor and glared at the boy-faced ancient vampire. He has a slight smile curving his lips.

"I don't think it's good to see you," I snapped. Luicus' grip on my shoulder tightened. A warning. "Why are you here?"

Declan's eyes flickered to Isidor, then to Adrian and back to me. Eventually the vampire shrugged. Great, I thought sourly. What a wonderful answer.

*Okay, let's get Lucius back in this. I'm gone for a day and this just takes off! xD**

LUCIUS

What the hell was wrong with that girl? Was she asking for a death sentence? Sometimes he feared for his friend's very life. She was the only person who got his reason for hating vampires. Her father was a true monster. As were all vampires. And now they were facing them. If Kassia had planned this he would murder her. Lucuis may be a vampire hunter - and a good one at that, thanks to his parents- but she knew how much he hated it.

"What do you want with Kassia," Lucius hissed through gritted teeth. He kept one hand on her shoulder, almost as if holding her back.

In reality, if worse came to worse, he would kill them. He wouldn't let them hurt Kassia. The world would be a lonely place without her.

One vampire grinned at him. "Ah! Marcus's boy. And dear Monica's brother. Tell me, have you seen you're lovely sister lately."

Lucius bit his tongue to keep from cussing him out. And his hand bit into Kassia's shoulder, making her elbow him slighly. Now, it seemed, he was the one who needed to keep calm. So he took a deep breath and shrugged.

"How many of you has my father killed? You sought revenge on him by killing my sister. And yes, she's dead in my eyes. Being a vampire makes you no more alive than a corpse," he said, only his eyes betraying emotion. Anger, grief and fear for his friend.

If Kassia hadn't been there, he would have attacked these vampires. And probably died. It didn't matter how good he was. He was severely outnumbered and they didn't look like new vampires.

What he was doing now though, and he was sure that Kassia knew it too, was distracting them. He was trying to keep them focused on him so that Kassia wouldn't be the focus of attention.

Declan

Isidore stood there, a smile on his smug face. Monica. Declan remembered her. Pretty girl, some other vampire coven leader's mate. Declan had met so many coven leaders he couldn't quite distinguish who her mate was, but he recalled meeting her one early dawn.

She was suicidal; Declan knew that much. For a vampire her age, staying out that late was taboo.

The slow whir of the fan above them reminded Declan he needed sleep, working in conjunction with the lulling smell of dust. Weeks. He hadn't slept in weeks. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw them being mauled, beheaded, pounded until they were nothing more than the bloody pulps Declan found on his doorstep. But he shook it away. No use dwelling on the past.

Declan tilted his head slightly to the side, amused. This boy was actually thinking about taking them on. Didn't he know that Declan could stop his heart with a single glance? How adorable.

"How many of you has my father killed? You sought revenge on him by killing my sister."

Ah yes. Declan remembered now. Marcus, was it? That madman who attempted to slaughter all the world's vampires. He'd gone into reclusion recently, but could Marcus be the one behind all the deaths? Declan frowned. No, no. Marcus was nowhere good enough to track down Declan's coven, and even if he did, Marcus was smart enough to know to stay out of the way of a vampire as ancient as Declan.

He almost chuckled. Ancient. Haha. It was a funny word to describe him, considering how young he looked when he glanced into the mirror. Speaking of age, he studied Kassia. She had ultra-fine lines invisible to the human eye tainting her youth. Like all humans her age.

She actually aged.

"And yes, she's dead in my eyes. Being a vampire makes you no more alive than a corpse," continued the petulant human.

Declan almost snickered. He'd heard that joke far too many times. The boy was trying to distract him from Kassia, he knew. Hunters could be so innocent sometimes. Didn't they know vampires could read minds?

Isidore tensed, as did Adrian - neither took well to being called a walking corpse. Declan held up a hand, and they growled but relaxed. Declan couldn't help but smile at the human boy's shock, though.

Declan supposed he looked the least intimidating of the three. Youngest, too. But he'd learned over the years to never trust appearances. That was why he always ransacked the minds of those around him.

Save Adrian. Adrian was...a special case. As if his brain was written in a language foreign to Declan (and there weren't many languages like that). A discarded glance was thrown at Adrian.

"Declan," Kassia began. "I'm going to ask you again, just to be nice. After this, the three of you are going down. Why are you here?"

"You wouldn't dare," Declan quipped, effectively silencing Kassia. Her fists balled up and her human companion seemed ready to lunge at them.

"Try me," Kassia lied.

Declan ignored her, and she did just as he knew she would - nothing.

"Kassia? Lucius? What are you doing here?" asked the headmaster from outside.

Lucius babbled about danger, but the headmaster pushed his way past the two and into the dark office. He frowned and his hand moved for the light switch, eliciting hisses from Adrian and Isidore. Declan simply gazed at the hand, which stopped moving and retreated, then snapped towards the switch again. A retreat, then another wild grab. It happened a few times before the headmaster realized something was blocking his hand from the switch, specifically, Declan.

Declan remained seated, cross-legged on the headmaster's chair. When the headmaster's eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, he swallowed, his adam's apple diving down before slowly resurfacing.

"You," said a weak voice.

Right. Only the first ever headmaster had seen Declan. The others must have been shown only a portrait of him. Declan hadn't spoken to the last hundred or so headmasters, hadn't appeared to them since.

The headmaster glanced at Kassia, then back at Declan. "Leave," he told the students.

They refused, of course.

"It's all right," Declan said, his soft voice clinging to the stagnant tension in the room. "They can stay. I assume they ought to hear this too." He cleared his throat afterwards. He hadn't spoken this much in months. "There have been deaths. We do not blame you for the first two - I know enough to say they weren't caused by your inept hunters. But the last few...They were just children," Declan whispered in a weak voice. Brianna, little seven-year-old Brianna, had only been a vampire a year. He found her little body in a dumpster, kissed by blood wherever she wasn't black or blue.

And he could hear her screaming when he tried to relax.

"We've kept our side of the bargain, headmaster. I want justice," Declan said. "I know for sure the last one was an attack from one of your academy's students, in retaliation for the deaths in your community. After you do so, I'll be willing to negotiate a new system, through which your students will learn that my coven is one they can trust."

The headmaster was reeling. Declan heard the headmaster's head screaming. 'Don't trust him - but wait. He might be able to help. But you wouldn't dare betray one of your students for a vampire, would you? No, of course not! For all you know, they're just looking for a free meal. But this is Declan, and you know what the books say about him -to trust him, and never to anger him. But those books are obsolete - the vampire might have changed -

"If," Declan interrupted, "you do not hand over the students responsible, I will be forced to take matters into my own hands." Declan lifted his gaze to meet the headmaster's eyes. "I will systematically murder each and every one of your students, by myself, and their families, and everyone who ever knew anyone who attended this school. Then I will come after you, and your family, and your friends. The rest of the staff will be treated the same way. The Rousseau Academy for Vampire Hunters will vanish from history."

The room was far colder than it was before Declan spoke.

"Do I make myself clear?"

LUCIUS

He trembled with fury. Literally shook with the force of his anger. Kassia looked at him in horror, knowing him so well that she pinned his shaking arms behind his back. She was the one holding him back now.

"Crystal clear," he hissed. "You want to know who did it? Well that just sucks for you!"

Lucius knew how foolish it was for him, but he didn't fear vampires like he should. And one day that would probably be the cause of his death. And his death was probably sooner than he realized. But how could he stop himself now that fury made the words bubble up from within him.

"Because you kill our, meaning human, young all the time. You just got a little taste of your own medicine!" Lucius shooted, adrenalin pumping through his veins. A dangerous combination with anger.

"Shut up, Lucius," Kassia hissed. But he couldn't be stopped.

"I don't care what you say, I'll never, ever be able to trust you. Headmaster please listen," Lucius turned, distrated for only a moment. "They can never be trusted. Vampire hunters are far stronger than those stupid vamps give us credit for."

"Enough, Lucius!" Kassia shouted.

"No! They want us to hand over our friends? No way! That makes us as bad as them," Lucius said and spat at Declan's feet.

In that instant Lucius realized how far he had gone. But he didn't care. Monica's death had made him oblivious to fear from vampires. And only the gene's from his parents - two of the most accomplised vampire hunters ever - as well as Monica's death could grant him the nerves to stand up to this ancient vampire.

Lucius raised his chin. "I'm not a pathetic vampire. I don't sell out my friends. You can just kill me first. Or...should I say you can try to kill me. I know that you're much stronger than me and I know that I wouldn't be much of an opponet. I'm not that stupid. But listen to me...I will not go out without a fight.'"

**Dang it Lucius! You're so dumb. xD**

OK, well, after Kara's longer than hello post, I'm sort of lost!

Alissa Mefore
I was angry. I had never been this angry. I wanted to kick some vampire butt. I went to Lee's room, grabbed her, not explaining the reason behind this sudden urge to get her away from the academy, and pulled her out into the forest.
"It's vampire time," I said with a grin.
The hard part for me was not the killing, but the finding. Luckily, I had Lee there for that. I let her think that was why I brought her. I didn't dare tell her about Lance Moon. Mr. Moon was not going to find us. I would make sure of that.
After about an hour, we found one. Well, Lee found one. He looked to be fairly young for a vampire, under one hundred surely.
I didn't know his name, and he didn't look important. So I roundhouse kicked him, gave him a punch to his left ear, and stabbed my stake through his heart. "Ah," I said, turning to Lee. "All better."
I know wolves can't grin, but I swear she did at that very moment.
The next one Lee found quickly. Apparantly they were traveling together which was unusual but not unheard of.
"I'll let you take this one, Lee." Silently, I berated myself for saying her name. Oh well, the guy would be dead soon, anyway.
It's okay... Alissa. She thought to me. I enjoy watching you....

This guy looked at me incredelously. I smirked. "A five year old?" he said mockingly. "They have officially run out of good candidates for vampire hunting."
I smiled and said cheerily, "I'm seven." Then I killed him.

Adrian

Lucius raised his chin. "I'm not a pathetic vampire. I don't sell out my friends." He glared down at Declan and he just grinned in return. "You can just kill me first. Or should I say you can try to kill me." It was obvious how frightened he was, and even more so how horribly he was hiding it. "I know that you're much stronger than me and I know that I wouldn't be much of an opponent. I'm not that stupid. But listen to me: I will not go out without a fight." But the boy was brave; Adrian had to give the credit to him.

Declan shook his head and stayed silent for a moment, waiting until Lucius' breathing regulated. "Please understand that your drivel doesn't make you any stronger than you can be." Looking down, he opened the desk drawer and retrieved a pen, looking it over with a careful eye. "Lucius," he mused, spinning the pen on its head on the desk, "your bravery is a sinking ship." As the pen spun, he applied a bit of pressure with his pointer finger, drilling it into the desk, through a four-inch thick textbook and the mahogany gloss. "Though you may traverse a final distance and say you went down fighting," He grinned, showing his fangs to the fuming boy, "you still go down."

Lucius recoiled, balling his fists before making an inch or two lunge towards the three vampires. Kassia made quick work of his attempt and restrained him, keeping his anger in a weak check. He spat out at Adrian's feet and growled pathetically, "You think you're so all-powerful just because you had the mortality sucked out of you? Just because you lost your soul to some hollow tombstone you call a sire? Go ask your year-old sister how powerful you are!"

Somewhere in that moment, an earthquake shook a city to its knees. A hurricane mauled a coastline. A volcano plumed into the sky with Declan's quieted fury. And Adrian would've killed for that patience. He just snapped his fingers; he simply made one sound with his thumb and middle finger. And he knew what would happen.

Within the second after Lucius' final word hit the air, his throat was clenched between Adrian's claws, his feet dangling a meter off the ground. Between his eyesockets, brain cells shut off from shock and his eyes bulged. All because his lungs were suddenly separated from his brain. All by a bit of pressure on his neck.

Adrian stared into his fearful blue eyes as Declan spoke; and Declan knew how long Adrian could hold him there without killing him. It had all been done before.

"You've reached the place in your life wherein you are given an ultimatum," Declan kept his voice flat, not coaxing his anger into anything more--or less-- than it needed to be. "You can either continue to speak and have your life ended, or you will silence yourself and hang onto your dwindling, miserable existence." Declan snarled, standing up as calmly as he could manage. "You're just an insolent babe, so I don't expect you to understand restraint." he growled, snapping his fingers. Adrian immediately let him drop to his face on the ground in coughs and gags. "But I do expect you to honor a threat."

Declan turned his magma-orange eyes up to the headmaster, closing his lips over his imposing fangs. "We will find out who served this injustice to our family," his voice cracked on the word family and Adrian mused that he nearly lost his composure. And he didn't fear at all because Declan would never know what he thought. "And unless you honor our suggestions, our vengeance will be drawn;" Declan turned to Isidor and then Adrian, nodding to both of them, "Please operate wisely."

The headmaster stammered backwards in half-fear and half-anxiety for the situation. The tension was rising in his veins; Adrian could feel it. He looked from the headmaster to the floor where Lucius lay with Kassia at his side, tending to his breathing. And as Declan and Isidor paced for the door, Adrian caught the fleeting glance from Kassia which said it all: She knew what the three were capable of and she knew how much Declan held back from his righteous, yet warranted, fury.

As Adrian turned to join the two out the door, Kassia finally spoke up, saying, "I know you still have it," her voice hiccuped in the middle out of tension, "please take care of it...until we meet on better terms." And her words were in whispers so low that neither Lucius nor the Headmaster could hear, because she knew the danger. Adrian merely nodded and turned his back, shutting the door behind him as he left in a swift breeze.

Declan

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick-tick-tick.

The clock stopped tick-tocking after a while, and it simply started to go on a never-ending tick. When he was younger and clocks were newly invented, Declan would pick up the clock and stare at it, shake it, wonder why it stopped tocking and kept ticking.

Now he knew the clock never truly changed. It was only his conscience, mutating every single sound the clock made. Declan approached the heavily curtained window, the sliver of sunlight spilling out from a crack. Put a hand in front of it, trying to stop it from marring the ground.

Stop it from hurting his coven, from hurting Ivan. But it was too late, because today when they returned, they'd found Ivan's head in a beautifully wrapped box, along with a bottle of ash that was presumably Ivan's body.

The sun branded his skin, now. It was past the realm of a sunburn and into the world of actually burns. The skin started peeling, but then the floorboards outside his room creaked, and Declan quickly withdrew his hand from the sunlight. He couldn't let them see him like this. He was their leader - strong, perfect, flawless.

Powerful and invulnerable.

The footsteps melted into nothing and Declan was now in front of the wine bottle that held Ivan. With his burnt hand trembling, he reached out to touch it. Numb, numb, numb. Declan wished he could shed at least a tear for Ivan, as the rest of his family did, but he couldn't. Simply couldn't. Couldn't even feel for his family.

His hand froze an inch away from the cold bottle, tensed. Readied itself to fling the bottle against the wall, smash it into thousands of pieces and return Ivan to the house, scatter his ashes around the room.

A soft knock from the door shattered the insanity that had manifested itself in Declan. He beckoned the door to open, and Adrian stood outside, quiet and awake. Not asleep. In danger.

Declan frowned. The unspoken words wrapped themselves around the room, intensifying the pressure of Adrian's presence. He shouldn't even be here. What if Declan had been asleep? If he'd woken Declan, Declan would have flown into a grumpy rage. Maybe even hurt Adrian.

Adrian should be asleep. He wasn't old enough to survive a day without a drip of sleep.

"Why did you enter without permission?" Declan asked, but it held no anger, nor malice. It was a simply a question, out of curiosity. The rules of the coven were clear on this: Declan was not to be disturbed when asleep unless it was an emergency. Emergency. Declan wished he would panic, run around in circles, or even just suffer a breakdown. Anything to show his coven he cared. "Has something terrible befallen us once more?"

Sadness in Adrian's eyes as he glanced at the wine bottle. "No, nothing like that," he said hastily. "A-a message came in, though. From the headmaster." He hesitated, as if wanting to say something, but refrained.

"Yes?" Declan prodded, taking the letter from Adrian's cold fingeres. He opened it, smiled, but it was a weary one.

The Headmaster was willing to compromise.

"I thought...I thought...I'm...worried."

Declan raised an eyebrow as Adrian fiddled. Worried? Just then, Isidor shuffled towards them.

"What, you're worried too?"

It took Declan a few moments of awkward silence to realize what they were trying to get at. "You're afraid they're going to come for me next."

Isidor:

“Where are you going, Isidor?” Declan asked with a slight glare when he saw Isidor going for the door.

“Freshen up my mind?” Isidor turned and raised his eyebrow. He knew it was a bad timing and he could feel strange eyes fill up his view but he wanted to go somewhere alone.


Isidor went out from the coven and breathed in the fresh air as he placed the headphones over his head. He checked everything around him and saw nothing but the birds circling under the sun and the cloudy sky.


He didn’t want to fill his mind with problems and wanted to stay away from any dispute. But he knew it was really important that he should take part in helping Declan and Adrian for the academy.
Music started to occupy both of his ears and it soothed him a bit. But whenever he thought of something related to the academy, his face would crumple with concerned eyes. He then noticed someone behind him.

Kassia:

I stayed on the floor next to Lucius after they left. So they wanted a truce? I snorted and stood up, staring after them. Adrian had aknowledged me and Luciucs was still gagging. I nudged him with my foot and quickly stepped away, towards the door.

Frowning, I spared the Headmaster a glance-he looked rather pale-before following the vampires from the room. The hall outside was empty. They were long gone. Sighing, I looked back over my shoulder and saw Lucius slowly getting to his feet.

"Quite a grip, huh?" I called and Lucius shot me a glare. He muttered a reply but I ignored it. It was probably just an insult anyway.

Shrugging, I turned away and wandered off down the hall a few steps until Lucius caught up.

"So what're you going to do now?" He asked. He sounded a lightly raspy... Probably bruised, I thought absently and shrugged again.

"I don't know," I replied. "Hang out in my room or something? Maybe I'll sleep. I need it 'cause I haven't had any yet."

Lucius snorted and I gave him a slide long glance. "What?" We said it at the same time and then I burst out laughing.

"What?" I repeated after I had calmed down a little.

"I swear you're crazy, Kass," he muttered and gave me a half smile.

"Damn straight I am!" I exclaimed and started laughing all over again. "I think..." I paused to laugh. "I think I'm really sleep deprived right now."

Lucius chuckled. "Go and sleep, Kassia. I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah, tonight," I said and took off for my room at a run.

~Davine~

I looked at the girl puzzled as she stood in my room. I looked over at Sophie, who I had commanded into the corner. She was whimpering softly. There was a boy behind her, who was moving a bit slow, his eyes darting around.

"My dog?" I asked. Why would they want to ask some questions about Sophie?

"Yes, just a few questions. Your dog is so amazing," she said, looking at her. She growled, and the girl was taken aback. The boy froze.

"Wolf," I corrected. "and she's not one to be messed with, just so you know." Sophie got up, running to my feet quickly, still growling. She barked a warning at them. I didn't call her back. If they knew what was best, they would leave.

She was only barking at the vampire girl. The boy must've been human or something, or harmless to me. Sophie was only interested in her. This made me think for a moment. Who were they, and what did they want with Sophie?

"Down," I whispered, barely audible over her barking and growling. But she stood down for a moment. I didn't look away from the boy, who had backed out into the hall. I was sure that Sophie had waken a few people up, but they would live, wouldn't they?

"Um, Fai doesn't like your dog--wolf too much," she said, but I still looked at the boy, a wave of some unknown emotion sweeping over me. Sorrow? Relief? Pain? I didn't know. Sophie sat down next to me like a dog, her head high. I couldn't tell what they had planned, and I was sure I didn't want to know.

The need to comfort, I realized. It was the need to comfort him, tell him it was all OK. But I didn't know how, or if that was a good idea. This was the first time I'd ever felt that need.

Mandy

"well.... i guess Ive kept you long enough" i said to the girl with the wolf. her wolf was getting mad, very mad. it did not like me at all and i really didn't want to hurt it if i didn't have to, or the girl. plus i saw her looking at Fai. I was beginning to become a bit afraid for him... she was just staring at him and he was backing out slowly, trying to tell me to leave.

"um, its OK..." she said actually looking at me this time. i stepped out closing the door behind me. then i walked home with Fai. he wasn't talking much. When we got to his house we said a quick good bye and i left. i just figured he was freaked out about the wolf thing.

the amount of vampire hunters around here was beginning to worry me. i new about the young one killed, and new she was covered in blood and bruises. and i new the one who found her. Declan, an old friend. this old friend i had to find now, i had an issue i had to discus with him. i new he would help, and i new he would know the answers. as i walked to Declans house i saw someone standing outside. Isidor.

" Hello my old friend, it's been so long. do you have any idea where Declan may be?" i said taping him on the shoulder.

~Davine~

They left too soon. Sophie was just beginning to stop growling. I needed to get to the academy before my classes start. I grabbed my bag and headed out the door, Sophie behind me. My first class was study, and it wasn't all that interesting. I laid my head on my hand, and closed my eyes...

The next thing I remembered was the bell ringing, and my head snapped up. Sophie stood, and I headed to combat, still half asleep. I plopped down on my mat, Sophie laying her head on me. I heard someone call my name, but I didn't feel like opening my eyes.

"Hm?" I grunted to whoever it was.

*Anyone*

Lance Moon!

Lance smirked as he watched Alissa kill the vampire, Lee standing behind her and watching. Lance stepped out from behind the large oak, clapping his hands together slowly. Alissa flipped around, a snarl on her face. The snarl quickly fell away and Lance crossed his arms. "Good job Alissa. A plus." He smirked, pretending to right it on his palm. Lee growled, loudly, and Lance couldn't help but laugh. He turned to Lee, and smiled maliciously. "Grr." He mocked, winking.

"You followed us?" Alissa growled.

"Followed you? Haha! No, I was minding my own buisness, but ran across you right before you killed that leech." He smirked. "Would it be a problem, if I had followed you?" What would really make the little brat angry? Maybe some critisizm? Yup. "That last kick, just a little too low, which is why the vamp had enough time to grab you, but you brought a good return, so I have to applaud you." He caught a shadow in the forest. "Do you know the number one rule of hunting?

"W-what?" She growled, defiantly as Lee glared and snarled.

Lance tensed, the shadow getting closer.

"Never turn your back to the enemy." He snarled, and as she whipped around, dagger in hand, Lance shifted and tackled the vampire, the two rolling across the forest floor, Lance's teeth on its jugular.