Angel

I finally arrived at school! I've been getting a lot of good luck lately. Opening up my laptop at a bench, I read the timetable from my Form Teacher, in a file sent via email. First lesson... I checked the first row of boxes, saw the one furthest to the left, and found it.

It's Geography. Great..... luck's run out.

---

"Hi, is this class 101?" I shyly asked as I knocked on the open door and peered in.

"Are you Angel?" The teacher standing at the Teacher's Table was sorting out her things and closed her MacBook Pro.

"Um... I am..."

"Angel, sit in that empty desk, the one in-between the boys." She pointed to the one and only desk available for me. Looks like I'm considered late enough, 'cause everyone was here. I shuffled through rows of desks and sat down at mine.

"Man, this girl is hot!" The boy on my right avoided my eyes.

"Not to mention feisty." The boy on my left spoke to another boy.

Gah, Michael said that once or twice of me. He found out faster than you guys. Wait, why am I supporting Michael? What's happening to me? Am I biased towards a vampire? What am I thinking...

"Angel! Snap out of your daze, you were dreaming long enough to garner your reputation as a dreamer!" The teacher, who did not introduce herself snapped.

"Students, lessons will begin shortly. However, let's greet each other. My name is Miss Brooke, good morning students!" I obediently followed her orders, greeting them like the other students.

"Good morning Miss Brooke." Everyone greeted her, then as she gave a wave of her hand, beckoning us to sit down, we sank back onto the backrest of our seats, except for me, who somehow sat real upright, all senses on high alert.

I really needed Michael, I did not want to have school. I wanted to see him. Time flew by slow for me. As my classmates were probably relaxing, this teacher left me uncomfortable... Finally, her lesson ended and we all went out of class for a short break. For me, I hung around my locker, waiting for English lesson to start.

"Ohhhh! That's the girl who got the guts to be late for Miss Brooke's lesson!" Late? I was on time!

"I wasn't late for Geography, don't place words in people's mouths!" I defended myself, trying to show them I wasn't that kind of girl who had no self-control, but I knew I would run out of patience, and it would not be long before that stage comes.

"Oh really? You were daydreaming as well, mind you. Do you have a lover? Is it one of us?" Hold up. It's those two sitting on each side of me during Geography! Gah damn, Miss Brooke had made a bad decision to let a girl sit in the middle of two boys!

"I have a lover, but it ain't either of you. Back off, before I call him. I don't even need a cell phone." I emphasised that I did not need a cell phone to make them think my boyfriend was one of the seniors, but no, Michael could hear my thoughts from far away, run over here and without being seen because he was too fast, humiliate them. I think he'd be glad to do that.

However... the two boys closed in on me... suspiciously eyeing me...

"No senior shall take you. It's either Alex or me, Ray." They really thought I loved a senior! How amusing! 

"I... um, no, I'm not in love with any senior... and I broke up, I found another boyfriend... at the Haunted House." Ray and Alex backed away as if I had a deadly disease.

"Um... I could call him, you know? Michael?" I asked into thin air, and in a gust of wind that caused both boys' hair to flip, Michael appeared, with his mask. Luckily I had wished for him to wear it, or his identity would be exposed.

"Yeah? Why did you call me from school?" He cuddled me in his arms, as I stuck out my tongue at Ray and Alex. They should know never to mess with me.

"Did those two boys bully you?" Michael asked, giving them a stare. While he was doing that, I made an effort to see the time on my watch. Five minutes to English. I just need to hold them off longer and I can escape from their lies for a long time for the day.

"You know, I can take care of them... I can make sure they never hurt you, again." I knew I could trust Michael with that job, he excelled at it. I waved my hand, giving him a kiss.

"Are you a student here..?" I don't know why I asked this, but it just seemed to come to mind.

"I can, anytime you want me to," Michael replied, and in a flash, he and the two boys disappeared. Three minutes to go, I guess he can teach the two well enough to know that he ain't anyone to mess with.

Michael

I dropped the two boys, Alex and Ray in the forest near the school. I had run out of there pretty fast so nobody caught me. 

"What were you doing with my girl?" I hissed.

"Who are you, man! Don't think wearing a mask will get you anywhere!" Ray retorted, I should save him the trouble of torture.

"What if your nightmare became me? Would you be here, sitting before me, mocking me as if I was inferior to you?" I smiled as I removed my ring in the shade of the forest, and revealed the vampire within me. I felt a refreshing burst of strength, and suddenly, I had the urge to ravage these two bodies...

"Ah... ah... a vampire!" Ray and Alex pushed their bodies backwards for a while as I closed in on them, then quickly stood up and ran for their lives. They won't run away from me, but I have to honour my promise to Angel and lead them back to school before English. Just nice, one minute left. I can slow down time so that once the two reach school they will have enough time to take refuge in the classroom.

"I should not have played around with that girl earlier bro! We better think of who we are playing with next time!" Ray cried to Alex. I laughed as I wore my platinum ring, and the cool feeling of the chrome skull materialised on my face.

Luring them to school, I remained hidden within the forest as I watched them go, and sped to Angel waiting outside the classroom before they ran in, giving her a short peck on the lips and disappeared.

"I'll fetch you later. Watch out for a sleek red and black car with a matte finish." I winked at her, my voice echoing in her mind, then I was gone.

To Aldevia.

---

Aldevia... I have returned after so long. Transylvania does not apply to my generation of vampires... only the oldest live there. I stood in front of the invisible bridge to Aldevia at a deserted corner of my home, built especially for my use. I was rethinking my decision. I did not want to argue with Lord Lucian over Angel. If he wants her turned, I have no right to argue...

But I am after all a platinum ring holder. I don't see why I can not have the right to argue. I wore my ring and walked through the wall, the scenery changing from the room concealing the bridge to a view that did not surprise me - pure darkness, with only the moon hanging in the sky, the sound of vampires feeding on humans they brought back, filling the air. Some of them indulge in cannibalism, eating their own kind, but as they get stronger, they lose control, and hence, they get executed. I breathed in deeply as I walked through vampires, either visiting or those who stay here, looking at me as if I've changed. My contributions to Aldevia was a lot, but just because of Angel, I may be stripped of my rank of platinum ring holder.

Finally, at last. The gates of Lucian's castle. 

"Damascus! It's me, Michael!" I heard the door creak, slowly swinging outwards. 

"It has been a long time, Michael." Damascus peered out to see me from within the castle grounds, his mask a demon guard's. I waved my hand, saying hi but he turned and without a word, dragged me in by the neck forcefully with his back to me.

"What do you want bro! Don't take me by my neck, Hell! You're suffocating me!" My hands struggled to pull Damascus' hand away from my neck. Damascus continued to drag me until I regained my breathing, on my knees, at the stairs leading to the entrance of the throne room.

"Michael, Lord Lucian wanted me to do it, you know I cannot refuse his orders. I'm sorry. He wants to talk to you, quickly get in before he rages." I got to my feet at the end of his sentence and sped up the stairs.

"Michael. On one knee." Lucian. Slowly, I lowered one knee to the floor.

"Greetings, Lord Lucian." I bent my head down low, raising it to see another person walk in.

"Vayne." I gritted my teeth as I met one of my rivals I was always at loggerheads with.

"Lord Lucian! Why is he there?! He was meant to be put in exile!" Lucian removed his ring to reveal the smile he had hidden from me with his mask.

"I have no use for you anymore. Vayne will assist me in future missions. You can focus on turning that girl, then we can talk about letting you keep your position as my right-hand man." Lucian, I'm not an indispensable person to you?!

"And watch your manners as well...or you will be the one put in exile." Lucian read my thoughts. Interesting.

"Vayne..." I took out my ring, wore it with the jeweled side facing the ground, and the mask I wore was a totally different one. It wasn't just a mask, it was a full body suit.

"Time to fight for my position, big time." I snapped my fingers and my swords, in their sheaths, appeared on both sides of my belt. I wielded the swords, ready to fight. Vayne, on the other hand, clenched his fists as his eyes turned red, bloodshot.

"End him, Vayne." Lord Lucian commanded. He wanted to kill me...

---

Angel

I feel as if Michael had just experienced difficulty, a dead end. If this was true, I don't know where he is, how I can help him. I paced around the walkway in the corridor after school, remembering where he had drawn the circle in mid-air into the outskirts of Aldevia. The bell rang, signalling the time for everyone to get out of school.

"Angel?" A deep, feminine voice, seems like an adult. I turned my head to see Miss Jenkins, who was my Councillor. I didn't commit anything that would need councilling, but I liked to visit councillors in my previous school, have a peace of mind.

"Yes, Miss Jenkins?" I answered, but I don't see why she came to see me at this time.

"I hear from two boys in your class, Ray and Alex... that your boyfriend, not of this school, kidnapped them, but thankfully they came back to school in a bid to escape. They even mentioned he is a vampire. Is it all an act?" Ray and Alex! Those two motherfudgin' asses, why did they...

Revenge. My first impression...

"Michael...." I whispered under my breath, hoping he would hear me, but he never came.

"Angel Celeste, I hope you are not trying to stall time. Please explain the incident." I had no choice, I didn't want to get a bad reputation in a new school on my first day.

"Miss Jenkins, to talk about this would need privacy..." She followed me to the councilling room, now empty.

"So here's how it begins... with me moving here." I started retelling my story with Michael, but I don't believe Miss Jenkins would believe the fact that Michael was a vampire.

---

Michael

"Kill him, if you wish," Lucian told Vayne. Bloodied, thirsty, tired and injured, I used my sword as support. Vayne just smiled, as from his wristguard slid out a dagger. Immediately remembering in our old fights he would lace the dagger with poison, I forced myself to put on a brave front, readying myself for my backup escape move.

"You can never escape from me, Michael. Sometimes, I wanted to just do this later, but you're taking too long for things. You are not the Michael you used to be. I wanted to see you, taking blood just for fun.. but you ended it all for a mere human you turned into a half-vampire." Lucian... I did not turn her into a half-blood yet! She will be only after one more bite...

"Michael... Angel isn't even human anymore. Why don't you just turn her? Why did you take it slow? I faked being a friend to mislead her while I thought of a plan to make you finish that job. Instead, when I released Reuben from his prison and set him free, Angel found him and you killed him to protect her! Have you switched sides and betrayed the Vampire Lord?  You definitely have. To punish you, I could send you to torture... but I will let Vayne do the job, now he has enough power to crush you." Vayne was now towering over me, his dagger's point facing my chest.

"It's time for your punishment." Vayne sneered, as he plunged the poisoned blade into my chest. I puked a wave of blood as I was thrown back, to lie on my front. Deciding to retreat, I used my powers to withdraw my swords, and teleported to Angel's home, sending a distress message through my thoughts... before I fainted.

---

Angel

Save me... I'm poisoned... I hear Michael. Where is he?? He didn't even tell me his location, but I couldn't possibly get to Aldevia, I would be prosecuted. Is he in his house? My house seems to be the best place for him, though...

"Angel, this story you just spoke of seems to be just a random tale you made up. Unless..." I had no time to lose, Michael's poisoned... and she wants to see Michael... it'll have to do.

"Miss Jenkins... if you want to see him... come with me, now. I need to see him.." I don't know how I said the last sentence, but my feet seemed to glide on the pavement with my suddenly lightning-fast pace, with Miss Jenkins trying to catch up. I don't know how Michael got poisoned, but it definitely was related to something from Aldevia, or Lucian.

"SLAM!" I slammed the door once I unlocked it, leaving it open for Miss Jenkins to enter, as she was tired and decided to slow down. I frantically ran up the steps into my room to see a masked Michael lying on my bed in a pained position, as if he was in pain.

"Michael, Michael! Wake up!" I shook him wildly, trying to do CPR, finding a pulse, but while hearing his pulse, I only feel a faint heartbeat..

Michael, wake up, please... I beg you...

But he didn't.