“Here you go,” he said, handing it to me.
“Thank you.” I sipped. It was delicious. He handed me a napkin. After I wiped my mouth, I asked, “Why?”
He took a deep breath. “First, answer this question. Did you crave Cindy’s blood? Or another female’s blood at any time this morning?”
I thought a moment. “No, I didn’t.”
Professor Pops blew out a breath. “Your best friends are seven guys, young men who are desirable and who find you desirable.”
At those words I blushed. “Nu-uh,” I said.
He patted my hand. “You may try to hide it, Snow, but you are very, very beautiful. Truly one of the fairest in the land,” he added, his face softening.
My face felt like it was on fire. “What does that, or the fact that my best friends are guys, have to do with anything?”
He waited until I got it. “Not every teenage girl is in a situation like yours, seven young men vying for her attention.”
“We’re just friends, though,” I said, taking another drink of my smoothie, thankful I had something to do.
“True, but I believe every one of them would gladly be your boyfriend if you allowed him. I noticed the way you and Gabe are together. There’s something going on with you two.”
I stared into the drink. “I wanted something but, ever since my bite and the note this morning, he’s been different.” I took another gulp, worried about whether I should mention what Christopher said, but I couldn’t bring myself to blurt it out.
Professor Pops sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. It seemed he’d aged a hundred years in the past few days. “I’ve been training the boys since I adopted them. Gabe, though he’s younger, was actually my first.”
I nodded, remembering the day I rode my new bike along Professor Pops’ circular driveway and fell off. Before I could start to cry Gabe ran out, all legs and arms and thick curly hair, and helped me up. ”You’ll be okay,” he’d said, brushing off my knees. ”Shake it off.”
“They’ve been learning—though they didn’t know it—how to kill vampires and anything else that comes after you.”
I lifted my glass to take a drink and stiffened. “Why would anything else be after me?”
Professor Pops came around and stuck out his hand. “Come with me. I need to show you something.”
I set down the glass and rose, hesitantly placing my hand in his. “What?” I asked, my nervousness easy to hear.
“You’ll see. I’ll give you your first vampire slaying lesson.”
I snorted. “Don’t I just stake him through the heart with a wooden stick?”
“Afraid not, Snow.” He led me down a set of stairs into the basement. Opening the door to the storage room, he walked over to the furnace and pressed a button. The wall behind it swung open, revealing another set of steps leading down. “Come,” he said.
I hesitated. It was dark and smelled muggy, like dirt and wet cement.
“You’ll be fine.” He released my hand, flipped on a light, and started down.
I trailed him cautiously. When we reached the bottom there was another door. He pulled a key from around his neck and put it into the lock. I heard the click and he turned the knob. Cool air, like from a walk-in freezer, whooshed out and struck us. I inhaled.
“It’s cold,” I said, stating the obvious.
He flipped on another light and stepped into the room.
I followed and immediately wished I hadn’t.
Chapter 7
My legs turned to jelly and my first instinct was to bolt back up the stairs.
“Snow, it’s okay. Think about the Harvard Museum of Natural History. They have skeletons and animals stuffed to make them look real. The same applies here. Think of this as a Museum for the Supernatural.” He’d rushed over and seized my arm, helping me stand. What I really wanted was to take a Brillo pad to my brain.
As much as I wanted to run away, I wanted to move in for a closer look even more. Sort of like when you see a car accident on the road. You feel revolted and drawn to it at the same time. That’s how I felt.
The room reminded me of a gallery with so much to see I wasn’t sure where to begin. Scanning the room, I went from one fairytale beast to another.
“Why? What? How did you get these down here?”
He chuckled. “It was easy. I’m a professor of religion at Harvard. I’m always studying strange phenomena. Or miracles, if you’d prefer.”
“Makes sense,” I said, moving toward a creature that looked like a tiny angel, its feathery white wings pinned opened to a corkboard. Its skin sparkled like glitter. It wore a white tunic and white sandals that laced up its very human looking legs. Hair was long and blonde with streaks of red.
“A Downy Fairy,” Professor Pops said, coming over and bending so that his face was even with mine. “She died more than five hundred years ago. I haven’t seen another like her.”
I searched his face, having noted the sadness in his voice. “If you haven’t seen another like her, how do you know she’s a Downy Fairy?”
“Very perceptive you are, young one.”
I snickered at the Yoda impersonation.
“She died in the service of our cause. I was there when it happened.”
“Oh,” I mouthed. Then said, “I’m sorry, Professor Pops.”
“It’s alright. I’ve had many years to mourn her loss. She was a good friend, a valiant warrior, and she died for what she believed in. It was honorable.”
“How did she die?” I asked, intrigued.
“That is a story for another time,” he said, straightening. Underneath the platform where the corkboard stood was a drawer. Professor Pops touched a knob and the latch released. Inside was a leather-bound book. He reached in and pulled it out. In the center of the room stood a thick, plastic-looking music stand. Professor Pops walked over and set the book on it, then he waved me over. When I stood in front of the book the first page turned on its own. “You must never touch any of the pages. Touching them will increase their speed of deterioration.”
“Then how?” I began.
Professor Pops said, “Chapter one.” The pages instantly flicked to the page that said Chapter One. “Page one-hundred-thirty-six.” Immediately, the pages flipped until they reached said page.
“Wow,” I uttered.
“Exactly. Inside this book is everything you’ll ever want to know about fairies, including the Downy Fairy.” He motioned around the room. “Under or beside each creature is a book that will teach you what you need to know, including how to kill them.”
I couldn’t help the shiver that ran the length of my body. I didn’t want to kill anything.
“But some creatures are good, right?” I asked, nervous.
“Every creature can be good or evil. Just like with humans, they have their freedom to choose.”
“Got it.” But it was creepy. At least a dozen make-believe creatures were enclosed in glass, on pedestals, or standing. There was a werewolf, a little sprite, a large troll, a black unicorn, and an enormous dragon. All of them were intriguing, and I wanted to study them. Most compelling was a very human looking guy with glowing red eyes.
“A Hunter,” I said, enthralled.
“That’s right,” Professor Pops agreed, placing the leather book back in the drawer under the Downy Fairy. “Follow me,” he said, moving to another door and unlocking it. He went inside. It was small compared to the room we’d come from, and filled with weapons. Professor Pops walked over to a pointy wooden stake. “You mentioned staking a vampire.” He picked the stick up and handed it to me. It was heavier than I imagined.
“Yes. Just jab it in the heart, right?”
Professor Pops chortled. “These work if you have the element of surprise, or if you’re skilled at hand to hand combat. But, tell me, could you stake Christopher?” His face was serious.
The idea repulsed me. I’d sooner stake myself. That shocked me. “N-No,” I said, as comprehension filled my
mind. “Are you saying he’s got me under a spell or something?” Irritation started to build, but I pushed it down. Professor Pops had said Christopher was a master manipulator.
“It’s what I would’ve done.” Professor Pops took a long, thin sword from where it sat on the wall. He pulled off its sheath, revealing its glimmering metal. Even from a few feet away, it looked sharp.
I stepped toward him and the sword. “So, how do I kill vampires?” I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to do it, but we were in the weapons room. It seemed he wanted to share.
“Hopefully you won’t ever have to, but a male vampire must lose his head to be killed.” He placed the knife at his neck. A sliver of blood trickled. When he moved it away, the slight cut healed instantaneously.
“And a Worker?” I asked.
“Females can be killed two ways: by a stake to the heart or the sun. Like I said, though, they normally don’t leave the hive.”
“Wait, so what happens if her head is cut off?” I imagined a writhing body searching for its head.
“The body will find its head, and it can be reattached.” He shrugged. “It’s rather disgusting to watch, but a fact nonetheless.”
“Yeah, that’s icky.” I stepped away, heading over to the stake. “What about a Hunter?”
He brought up his pointer finger and shook it. “Hunters are more difficult because they possess a portion of the Queen’s magic, which protects them from the sun and gives them the power of persuasion.”
“Great,” I mumbled.
“The only way to kill a Hunter is by removing his heart. It beats thanks to the Queen’s magic, so it must be cut from the body and separated from the other organs.”
“That’s gross,” I muttered.
“It is, truly. And once the Queen has marked him, she gives him a portion of her magic. That allows him to walk in the light, to change the color of his eyes, even shift his appearance slightly.”
“Wow. Can the Queen be eliminated by sunlight?”
“No. Her magic protects her.”
I took a deep breath. “How can she be killed then?”
“If you can get through the fifty thousand Workers and the five thousand Drones…” He trailed off. “Honestly, we aren’t sure, but we believe she can be killed during the moments she’s shedding her old body and claiming the new one. We think that’s when she’s at her most vulnerable.”
“You think? You believe? I must say, Professor, I’m not filled with confidence. I have one chance in fifty-five thousand. Those odds are seriously stacked, and not in my favor.” I walked over to a gun. It appeared to be made of solid silver. “For werewolves?” I asked, changing the subject as I wrapped my brain around what I was up against.
He shook his head, placing the sword back on the wall and picking up the gun. “This is for unicorns. A shot between the eyes will kill it.”
“I didn’t realize unicorns were hard to kill,” I said, taking a step back.
“Unicorns are magical creatures, Snow. They can’t die easily. There aren’t many of them left, and most are in the service of the Vampire Queen.”
My throat went dry. “But they don’t want me dead, right? If they work for her, then they’ll want to keep my body safe.”
“That isn’t necessarily true. We’ve heard rumors of dissentions within her hive. Some believe the Queen is too old and should step down. Others have stolen magic from other creatures and are trying to usurp her. Many believe if all of the Marked and Chosen are killed off, she’ll die.” He set the gun down and crossed his arms.
“Is that true? Would she die?” I walked over to some miscellaneous weapons: a club, an axe, smaller knives, and a spiky looking ball with a chain attached to the end.
“In theory, yes, she would die.”
“Couldn’t she take any body? Why does it have to be the fairest? If it came down to it, if she has the magic, couldn’t she use a dog, or a bee, or any living thing as her host?”
I turned when he didn’t respond right away.
He appeared thoughtful. “Technically, yes, she could, but she’s grown accustomed to humans. And in choosing an animal or an insect she would lose the power she so desperately demands. In the time I spent in her service, her hunger for power was quite apparent. I believe she’d rather die than be diminished to something other than what she is, what she’s become.”
“Okay, so say those who want her power do kill all of the Marked and the Chosen, can’t the Hunters mark more?”
“Of course, but they have chosen the best of the best in this generation. If she has to choose a lesser human, her power will diminish. It isn’t only about what’s appealing on the outside. Just as important is what’s on the inside. The purer the person’s soul, the better.”
It made some sense. I couldn’t help but wonder if Cindy had been chosen as well. Her beauty certainly far outweighed mine. Shrugging it off, I said, “So, those who want the Queen’s power will come after me.”
Chapter 8
He nodded. “Yes, that is why you must train. That is why it’s important you become familiar with all of the creatures in that room,” he pointed out the doorway, “and learn how to defend yourself. A war is coming, Snow. I know you didn’t ask for it and it seems unfair, but you’re involved. And from what I can tell, the Queen has put special emphasis on you.”
A devastating weight seemed to sit on my shoulders. The word war felt too big, too overwhelming. “Do you think the others know the Vampire Queen has singled me out?”
“I’m not sure. I would think not.” He moved back over to the sword and took it from its horizontal storage clamps on the wall, then grabbed another and handed it to me. “These swords should become like second nature to you. Some background about them first.”
“Sure.” Professor Pops always had a history lesson about something.
My mind was elsewhere, and Professor Pops must have realized it. He asked, “What is it, Snow?”
“How do you kill a revenant?” I peered down at my pink shirt and tugged.
His arms went around me and I stepped into them. He pulled me against his chest in a fatherly hug. Swallowing the strangled cry in my throat, I returned his embrace. It’d been a long time since my dad had hugged me. I hadn’t realized how much I missed him.
“You are, or will be, a lot stronger than a regular human. Most Marked who are bitten say they feel like they have superpowers.”
“So, I’ll be less klutzy?”
Professor Pops chuckled and I couldn’t help the smile that curled up my lips. “Let’s not count on it.” He stroked my head with a hand and I drew in a deep breath, enjoying the smell of old books, paper, and cigars.
After several minutes I pulled away and considered him. “I’ll be stronger, which will make it more difficult for me to die, but I can be killed the same as any human.” It was a statement. One that I knew, as I spoke, was true.
“Exactly.” He held the blade, still sheathed in a black cover, in both hands. “This is called a Jokoto or Katana, which is the now universal term.” From the wall he took a smaller sword that rested under the long one. “This is a Wakizashi.” He moved into a fighting stance, showing me how to hold them. “Samurai used these swords together during battle beginning in the seventh century.” He indicated with his head I should follow. Awkwardly I bent my knees and angled the swords. He nodded and started to move, crossing his right foot over his left. I followed.
As we moved in a circle this way, Professor Pops said, “The long one is for enemies at a distance. The shorter for when the enemy gets inside.” He parried, maneuvering the blades as he battled an invisible foe. “Like this.”
I tried to follow but ended up tangling my hands together.
“Very good.”
I laughed. “Really?”
Professor Pops smiled and turned to replace his sword.
Turning back to me, he said, “Samurai believed the katana held their soul, and would only use them as a last resort. They wou
ld use the bow and arrow first, then a spear and, finally, if they had to, their swords.”
He moved behind me and began adjusting my body. Several minutes later he had me in the proper position. I felt like a rag doll.
“Every day, after school and after track practice, you will come here and either myself or one of the boys will train you. Dorian is excellent with the swords. Gabe is the best bowman, and Salvatore is brilliant at all of them. Though, if one of those three isn’t available, any of them are more than exceptional.”
I sighed. “Okay.”
“After a couple of hours of training, you will spend an hour or two studying about the different creatures in the other room until you’re acquainted with every one.”
I stood. “What about school?”
He waved his hands dismissively. “You’ll find your schooling comes more easily.”
“I’ll have to see it to believe.” The prospect excited me. I struggled with several subjects, especially English, Science, and Phys-Ed.
“I think you’ll find much of regular human necessities will come easier, and you’ll want to spend more and more time in your new world.” Professor Pops took the swords and placed them back on the wall next to the other set.
“Are you sure I’ll be okay going to school?” I thought about Chemistry and what’d almost happened.
“We’ll give you a double dose of the tea twice a day, then send you with a dose to school for emergencies.” He walked out of the room and I followed. Then he locked it. I couldn’t help but stare at a female vampire behind the glass case. Her eyes were red and still seemed to glow.
“What happens if I do drink a human’s blood?” The words came out without my thinking about them first, and I blushed beet red.
Professor Pops stood next to me. “I understand your needs, perhaps better than anyone. Human blood will increase your powers, making you stronger in every way except one.” He pointed at my heart. “The more blood you drink, the more like a vampire you’ll become. It’s like anything in life; if you work to keep yourself as human as possible, that part of you will remain, will be the strongest. If you consume human blood the way a vampire does, that part of you will become the strongest.”