"Tell me who you are."

The eldest of the group sighed, his red eyes closed in careful deliberation. And then, he spoke.

"This school was never what it seemed, y/n."

"And we might not be the best to tell you how, or why things are the way they are." Lucian added.

"But you... you already know. You've known for a while now, haven't you?" Dimitri continued.

Y/n didn't say anything. She didn't have the chance as Roman's footsteps echoed through the open space. The boy strode over to the girl, carelessly tossing her a roll of gauze, which she caught clumsily in her hands, still holding the knife.

"Avery's back." He said.

The others exchanged glances.

"Does he have-" began Lucian.

"Avery didn't take it." Roman finished.

"Belmont, can you-"

"Yes." Bel answered. But his eyes were transfixed on y/n's wound.

Y/n's heartbeat quickened but Dimitri only gestured she follow to the next room.

"N-no, I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me everything." The girl bravely said.

But Dimitri frowned in frustration and disregarded her demands coldly.

"If you don't come with me, you're going to be in a lot more trouble than this. Here- you can rinse off the blood yourself."

"He told you to go, Bel," Lucian said in a low voice.

"R-right."

The blonde stood quite still.

"Both of you can go." Dimitri said calmly, looking from Bel to Roman.

The redhead rolled his otherwise tense eyes, pulling Bel by the arm away from y/n.

Lucian and Dimitri stared at her frightened form.

"We'll tell you everything." Lucian assured her. "Please y/n..."

The girl lowered her weapon slightly, and began carefully walking into the next dimly lit room.

An antique table fit for a dozen sat idly in the centre, while a low hanging chandelier watched over the group from above. The ominous ticking of a grandfather clock gave off the feeling that this room, despite the many chairs and cupboards, was not used.

"The sink is right over there." Said Dimitri.

Y/n slowly made her way to the sink, turning the golden knobs and letting the cool water soothe the pain beginning to surge through her open wound.

Amidst the water, red began to flow into the basin like crimson paint.

"Lucian." Dimitri spoke.

Y/n had just begun to apply the gauze when she saw Lucian and the torment in his eyes.

"I can handle it." He choked.

The snow-haired night student leaned against the cupboard, seemingly to keep himself from falling forward. Y/n's eyes grew wide in alarm as Lucian removed his grip to reveal a chasm in the wood where he was holding eerily tight.

"Go, it will be fine." Dimitri spoke once more.

Lucian's golden eyes were rippled with agony. He rested his silver head against the cupboard, with tense shoulders.

"I'm sorry y/n."

And then he left in the direction of the others.

The girl's hand stung but after wrapping it securely, it was the least of her worries.

"I'm sorry for this." Dimitri apologized. She thought his eyes lightened a few shades in the moonlight.

"How is this possible?" Y/n asked.

Dimitri gestured to the common room.

"I'm fine standing." She said sharply.

"You'll want to sit."

Despite y/n's premonitions, she followed him; the knife with her while Dimitri sat first in the armoir, as if to say there was no harm in sitting. The cautious girl sat opposite him.

"Now," he began calmly. "Where to begin?"

And then what he told you changed your world.

"This story does not start with a girl, but it ends with one. And I know you dearly want the answers to the questions that you of all people deserve. See the night students... as you well know, are vampires. But none of us would be here if it weren't for Sir Enebris.

Or as you know him, Cadere.

I knew Cadere long before he and Lady Petrikov started this school. I suppose they each had their own reasons. However... and this is where I know I won't possibly be able to tell you everything in one night... you must understand that there is more than one type of vampire.

Cadere is extremely powerful, yes, but he once had the compassionate eyes of a human. Now we are all the same. But that man was changed by the love of a woman and what kept him alive ended up destroying him in the end.

Among Cadere's travels, throughout the centuries... yes he is quite old... he made a habit of 'collecting' those of our kind with rare powers. He sought to educate us, to teach us right from wrong, and to harness our abilities in order to provide balance amongst other creatures. I have a feeling you know there are more than vampires in these forests, y/n.

I have been a vampire since 1849. Months ago I had my 168th birthday... I know, I'm much older than I look. But Cadere has been by my side in more ways than I deserve, and I was one of the students he desired to teach.

Along the way, countless others accompanied us. Many died. Many fled. Now there are four girls, and five boys in the night class. The other four boys came throughout the years... some more troublesome than others.

I am one of few pureblood families alive to this day. So is Lucian.

The bridge between our dormitories is the link between our worlds y/n... this school has only ever been about creating balance. We want to live too.

It is natural to be afraid... but, there are worse things to be afraid of than creatures without a choice."

You stared at the dark night student as you contemplated his words. It was a storm of questions crashing in your head, trying to stay afloat. His answers left more questions than solutions.

"What- is Lady Petrikov a vampire too?"

Dimitri shook his head solemnly.

"She is not."

"And the teachers- what are they- Sylabil-"

"Sylabil as well as the others are human, yes." Dimitri explained. Although a few have magical ancestry."

"Magical ancestry?"

"There is more to everything, y/n." He said. "I'm glad to see you're more calm."

You hadn't even noticed your knife was now on the table.

"This- this doesn't really change that much- I mean it does but... you drink blood."

"Yes, I do." He said with an unreadable expression. "We all do. Otherwise, we would die."

You stared at the boy with wide eyes- his red versus yours.

It hadn't really occurred to you that if what Dimitri was saying was true, they didn't choose to be the way they were.

"Wait-" you paused.  "So if you and Lucian are purebloods, then that means the others were-"

"Bitten, yes..." He answered darkly.  "Turned."

"That is... I can't imagine that." You said softly.

The ticking of the grandfather clock filled the cold room.

"You mentioned having special powers." You said. "What kind of powers?"

"Vampires have enhanced speed and strength with age," he said, raising an eyebrow. "But all of us differ greatly in ability."

Slowly, despite the fear that paralyzed you in light of the truth, the curiosity that now overcame you was more adventurous and less menacing. Without waiting for him to elaborate, more questions piled high in your mind.

"If you're over a century and a half old, why go to school?"

Dimitri laughed his warm, familiar, yet all too elusive laugh.

"Someone has to help Cadere maintain order around here." He answered. "And of course, a desire to learn doesn't decrease with age."

Suddenly, still overcome with questions and faint lightheadedness, a cold chill ran up your spine like an icy centipede.

"What happens now?" You asked, frozen. "Are you- are you going to-"

"No, y/n." He said warmly.

"But the others- the way they were looking at me..."

"I know." He replied, standing up. "I am much stronger in that sense. And much older."

"But now that I know- you're not going to make me a vampire are you?"

"Not yet." He said with a smile.

The lighthearted manner of Dimitri's answer gave you a sense of comfort you felt must be impossible given the circumstances. You rose from your chair, the height difference much more evident now.

"I really mean it-" you told him quickly. "This is crazy- but I don't want to forget-"

"You mustn't tell anyone." He said calmly. A cool glint reflected in his eyes, even in the growing darkness.

You thought of Simone. Of Eleanor. Of Theodore. How could you not tell them? Your heart sank. This wasn't just some kind of gossip- this was a  secret the world had been keeping from you your entire life.

"You didn't answer my question." You told him. "What happens now?"

"Well," he sighed, taking a step closer. "Seeing as it is the weekend, and we can't let you leave- at least, not right now-" He added quickly after seeing your expression. "I think the best solution is for you to come with us on a little excursion."

"An excursion? Where?"

Dimitri gestured towards the window,  where a few stray lights dotted the sky but were too low to be stars.

"There's a small port town across the water." The vampire told you. "And I think the one who started all this, is the only one who knows how to finish it."

~
Fanfunctional here at 2:00am! Thank you infinitely for reading. Makes my life SO much brighter. I won't be updating for about a week (+), so this will be the last chapter (before school starts! Heh heh ;] ) I'm beginning university in a day by the time you read this. Gotta get used to my real life Arcadia! That's why I updated three times in two days- as I will be gone, starting my life! I'm majoring in English! Woo-hoo! More stories!

But I hope you stay eager to see what happens next, comment any theories or criticisms... or make art (pls I love it.) Oh, and don't ask why, but Avery wants to know your blood type. Promised I'd ask on his behalf.

ALL THE LOVE, WILL MISS YOU, good luck with school,
~Fanfunctional ♡