When we visited the school, I saw large buildings and long hallways, and rooms full of desks and chairs. There were no students, though, and an eerie stillness lay upon the place, like an empty theatre between performances.

In a little office with pictures of cats on the walls, a woman with wild gray hair asked a lot of questions and made Ari sign his name on a stack of forms.

I tried to pay attention, but it was dreadfully dull, and I entertained myself with a squishy little toy the woman handed me when I began to fidget. It was shaped like a cat, and dry to the touch, but felt as if it were made of slime. I wondered at what strange alchemy could have created such an unnatural substance, and if this was the sort of thing that I would learn in school.

The woman seemed to note my fascination, and then asked Ari several times if I had 'special needs.'

He considered this carefully, but at last told her I did not. I was glad of this, for I did not wish to be special; I wished to be like everybody else.

She made him sign an extra form or two anyway, but at last it was finished: I was a registered student at Humboldt High.

That was nearly two weeks ago; and now, with father Volkir's help, we had all the documents to prove I was a normal boy, attending a normal school, as normal boys do.

Everything was arranged, and the following morning, 'school' would begin at last.

I had learned my part well. It was like preparing for a play, but easier, as most of it was true.

My name was Fenn Dayraven, and I was from England. Ari and Soren were my fathers. I was seventeen years old, and I was adopted.

This last fact pleased me greatly. I knew it was only for pretend but, when Ari and Soren wrote their names on the fake documents proclaiming themselves to be my parents, an immense joy filled my heart.

I wanted to celebrate but did not know how, and then I got in trouble.

"You can't kiss me, Fenn—not in public, anyway," Ari had said. "That's not how children express affection for their parents. People will get the wrong idea."

The rules were confusing, but I vowed to remember them.

No kissing, and no mention of magic or of traveling in dreams. I was to feed every morning before I left for school, and if anyone asked why I didn't eat at lunchtimes, I was to say I had 'dietary restrictions' and 'bad allergies.' I mustn't let my teeth show, or my eyes shine, or reveal my inhuman abilities. Most of all, I was not to speak of vampires at all.

"Do you think I will be the only vampire?" I asked. It was late, but I was far too excited to sleep. I had 'school' in the morning. "Might there not be others like me, Soren?"

I had asked if I could call him 'father'; he had said that I could not.

"Unlikely," he answered, looking up from his book. "No responsible vampire turns anyone that young. Not these days, anyway."

"Oh."

"Don't worry about it, Fenn," Ari said.

He was writing something on his laptop, and I sat beside him on the bed. He'd said I might stay the night here, if I was too anxious to be alone.

"Lots of people are the only one of their kind at school; whether it's how they look, or where they're from, or who they love, or what they believe. There might be no one exactly like you, but there will be plenty of students who are like you in that way. It's the ones who can't hide their differences that need friends the most. Maybe you can't tell them what you are, but you should be proud to be yourself."

He set aside his laptop and stood up.

"Speaking of... I have something for you."

He went to his closet and came back with a large, flat box. It looked like a present, and I took it carefully.

"Go on." He smiled. "Open it."

I lifted the top, and blinked in surprise.

It was the beautiful sweater with the butterflies.

"I saw you looking at it," Ari said. "I had Soren go back and get it for you. I think you should wear it tomorrow, if you want."

"You do?" I asked.

"Absolutely," he said, and kissed me between the eyes.

~ ❀ ~

Soren drove me to school in his shiny car, and even let me ride in the front seat (he had banished me to the back after I touched something important, once). There was a bus stop about half-way between our home and the town, and Ari said that once I was 'adjusted' I might ride the 'School Bus,' if I chose, but for the first day Soren would take me and pick me up.

As he pulled to a stop in front of the arched gates of the school, I trembled in every limb. There were a lot of people. Soren touched my arm, and I jumped in my seat.

"Ari's right, you know," he said, studying me. "You can change your mind. I know I've said things, and I know you've heard me say them, but... Well, I am quite fond of you, Fenn. You needn't do anything you don't wish to do."

I looked at where his hand lay atop my arm and nodded. "You are kind, Soren, but your words alone did not give rise to this desire."

I blinked and swallowed, and continued in a whisper, which was all I could manage. I had never said this aloud before—not even to Ari.

"My life was stolen from me, and I hardly remember who I was, before. But I remember having wishes, and hopes, and ideas for what my life might be. Perhaps I would not have lived long, anyway—the world was not so kind to the weak, then—but whatever my destiny may have been, a cruel whim forever altered it. I am glad," I added, lifting my eyes to meet his. "I am glad to be what I am, now, and to have met you, and Ari, and our friends. I am glad I have this gift of being in the world. And now that I am able, I would like to make use of it."

He frowned at me, his head tilted a little to the side. "That is admirable," he said. "Just don't rush in before you're ready—certainly not on my account. You have all the time in the world, remember."

I shook my head. "No one has so much as all the time—not even us. It is a gift, and I shall waste mine no more."

Having spoken thus, and with my resolution restored, I ceased my trembling.

Soren watched me for a moment, and then nodded approvingly. "You have everything you need?" he asked, indicating the knapsack I held in my lap.

I hugged it to my chest and nodded in reply. I had selected it because it had a white kitty on it with the word 'Hello,' stitched in shiny lettering. I thought perhaps this 'greeting cat' would help me to make friends.

Soren smiled and reached over to tap his knuckles playfully against my chin. "Good. Enjoy your first day at school."

I smiled too, careful not to let my fangs extend, and got out of the car.

"Fenn," he called after me, rolling down the passenger window and leaning across the seat. "Do your best to stay out of trouble, but don't forget to have fun. Remember, there's a trick to breaking rules."

"There is?" I asked, curious.

"Yes. Don't get caught."

He winked, rolled up his window, and drove away.

"Wow. Was that your brother?"

A pair of girls were standing next to me. I hadn't heard them approach, or expected anyone to speak to me so soon, and had no lines prepared in my head with which to answer them.

"Nnn...no," I whispered, keeping my eyes on the ground, terrified to look at them. "Mm...my father."

"Your father?" one girl repeated, sounding surprised. "Damn."

"Ye... yes. One of them."

"One of...? Oh! You have two dads?" the other girl asked.

"Lauren!" the first girl hissed. "Jeez. Don't be a bitch."

The second girl made a scoffing sound. "I'm not! I'm just asking."

"Ignore her," First Girl said. "Love that fit, by the way. That sweater is snatched." She giggled.

Ari had warned me about this, but he'd also told me what to say whenever I didn't understand 'new words.'

"I'm from England," I stated, remembering my line.

This time I spoke more firmly, and with sound, and then jumped with fright as both girls shrieked in unison. I only relaxed when I realized they expressed delight.

"Oh my God! Your accent is too precious!" Girl One exclaimed. "Say something else!"

My heart fluttered like hummingbird wings in my chest, but I controlled myself and tried another of my lines.

"Hello... My name is Fenn."

"Fin? Isn't that a boy's name?" Girl Two asked.

"N... Not Fin. Fenn," I repeated. "As a low-lying marshland."

They both giggled at that, and I smiled in return. They seemed quite friendly.

Then I looked up at them and saw that they were barely clothed. Their blouses looked as if they'd been cut in half, and their trousers had no legs at all. I was about to ask if they were not cold when the first girl gasped.

"Holy frickin' shit—are you a boy?"

"I..."

I had not expected to be asked this question, for I had imagined it was obvious. I searched for a suitable reply, but then worried it would be strange if I did not reply fast enough, so I settled on repeating what had worked before.

"I am from England," I said.

Both girls burst into laughter. I smiled and laughed with them.

This was going splendidly, I thought.