Cassian Legacy: The Vampire Prince
Chapter 15

The next morning I made sure Idressed earlier than usual, before heading out for school. The bus was stoppedat the end of the street this early, so I hastily scampered onto it before thedoors shut, making sure I grabbed all the items I needed. I didn’t want to beshowing up at school with only my homework and keys again. Once the bus droveinto downtown and towards the school I thought about my state. Currently Iexperienced an excitement of sorts. It was a feeling I had not felt prior tomoving here. I was on my way to meet a boy, granted it was in the parking lotof the school we attended and I had mixed feelings about what he was, but itwas the thought that I had met a boy and was meeting him somewhere in publicthat set off my excitement. Butterflies jumped in my stomach and it gave metime to think about how I might react if he tried touching me again. I imaginedmyself throwing him across the room in addition to not doing anything at all ifhis fingers met my arm or shoulder.

When I arrived at my destinationhis car was there, and parked next to it was a smaller silver sedan. His twofriends were perched on the trunk of the four door car while he leaned againstthe side of his. He noticed at once when I stepped off the bus and onto thesidewalk, right outside the gate. His eyes moved in slow motion as he met myown pair and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. The other two kidsstiffened by my sudden appearance, clearly not feeling quite as relaxed as Finndid. I didn’t know what he told them, but judging from their reactions itcouldn’t be anything good.

I approached them all, not quiteknowing what this meeting was about now that I knew Finn and I weren’t meetinghim alone. “Hi,” I greeted quietly.

Finn’s smile widened. “I thoughtproper introductions should be made.”

I nearly stumbled as I halted onthe pavement. That’s what he wanted me here for? Proper introductions?

He turned to the pair, waiting formy rebuttal. When I didn’t speak further he continued on like nothing hadhappened. “This is Emery and Thalia. They’re my bodyguards.”

The girl nodded and smiled at me.“They call me Tia for short. Thalia’s a mouthful.”

Bodyguards… “So you’re not hisfriends?” I asked them slowly.

“No we are,” Emery concluded.“We’ve been guarding him for-”

“Awhile,” Finn cut across before hecould state the actual number.

The three exchanged a look.

I sighed heavily. The exchange ofages shouldn’t be this hard, even among those of us that were practicallyimmortal. “I already know what you are. Just spill it. Are you afraid I mightrun for the hills after replaceing out how old you really are?”

“I’m eighteen,” he said slowly.

I nodded. “Yeah, and I’mtwenty-one. You know what I mean.”

He didn’t respond.

“He’s been eighteen for threeyears,” Emery answered me when it was clear Finn wasn’t going to announce histrue age.

Finn threw him a dangerous look.One that Thalia shrunk from.

“You’re so young…” I whispered withsarcasm.

His eyes found mine again.

“What?” I asked him. “Did youreally think I’d be that shocked by how young you truly are?”

He crossed his arms. “I honestlythought you’d think I was old.”

I resisted the urge to roll myeyes, but settled for a small smirk. I glanced over at the two perched on thecar. “And how old are you two?”

Emery grinned wide, showing off aperfect set of white teeth. “Nineteen for fifty something years. I’ve beenlooking after Finn here for quite a while. He couldn’t wait to grow up when hewas younger.”

Thalia blushed. “I’m onlyseventeen. I haven’t completely finished the Change.”

Emery nudged her. “But you will.”

Aww…they looked so cute together. Inearly shook my head. What was wrong with me that I would think the two of themwere cute? I usually didn’t replace other vampires attractive or friendly.

Finn smiled and took in a longdrawn out breath. “Sometimes their love sickens me.”

I raised an eyebrow. “How long haveyou two been a couple?”

“Officially?” Thalia questioned.“Only a month or so. We were forced to wait.”

I frowned. That implied somethingelse. I didn’t know what though, and the look on my face must’ve given a partof my ignorance away.

Emery scratched his head. “I’msorry, but Finn told us that you are not from around here.”

I shook my head. “I’m not.”

“How come you didn’t go to theHouse like all the others?”

The question confused me. The wayhe stated ‘house’ made me wonder if it was something that was required of bornand created vampires. If what Finn stated about me was true, they had no idea Iwasn’t a born creature, at least not in the way that Finn implied.

“I didn’t know,” I stated beforeFinn could respond. “I’ve been disconnected from society for a long time. Ididn’t even recognize you as vampires until after the journal incident.”

Emery frowned.

I didn’t know if he completelybought the lie or not, though some of it was the truth.

Thalia narrowed her eyes, but moreout of curiosity rather than suspicion which is what I was trying to avoid.“You read the journal. Finn told us that. You should’ve come to the House then.We would’ve understood.”

Finn sharply glanced at her. “Youmight have. I don’t think the others would. The rules are clear about that.” Hecleared his throat suddenly and shifted to the left. “Besides, I don’t thinkshe was raised by our kind. I think she’s had to figure everything out on herown. Family is a touchy subject.” His eyes met mine for the briefest second butthat’s all it took. He was clearly upset with me for not telling him about mypast and it was a subject I loathed to discuss.

Right on cue I know I blushed. Ihated discussing my family. I took a step back and eyed him hatefully. He knewbetter than to bring that up again or even look at me the way that he did.

Emery made a noise and looked overat Finn. “You think she was abandoned?”

Finn nodded, looking near my facebut not at it. He was lying to them.

Thalia switched her gaze from me tohim. “But an act like that is…” she huffed out incredulously.

Finn met my eyes once more. “Iknow. She’s ignorant of our ways. How else would you explain it?”

“I told you not to bring up myfamily,” I stated quietly.

They all switched their gazes onme. Thalia looked like she might burst into tears.

But before any more could be saidbetween us, a car pulled up into one of the spaces nearby and the door opened.“Ah, Miss Harper,” Ms. Ingram greeted me.

I froze in place. All emotionemptied off my face. I turned and glanced at her, momentarily forgetting thepact we’d made.

From out of her car she pulled outher briefcase and another box full of stuff. “I was wondering if we coulddiscuss your Chemistry project before the bell rings.” She neglected to say hito the others, even though they stood nearby and every single one of them tookher Biology class too.

I was only here to talk to Finn.But that was interrupted, unluckily.

“I didn’t think you had a projectin Chemistry,” he mumbled, sounding suspicious of Ms. Ingram’s odd request.

When I glanced back at him, allthree were tense with anticipation seemingly combined with a twinge of fear.But what had they to fear from her? I turned back to Ms. Ingram who wondered ifI was going to follow her into the building or stay outside with the three ofthem.

“I’ll be right there,” I announcedto her.

Satisfied, she walked indoorslocking her car remotely.

All traces of fear were gone when Iglanced back at Finn and the others. Whatever secret they held from me, theyweren’t listing it anytime soon. “I… um… I better go see what she needs.” I hadno excuse for this.

“I didn’t think you guys were doingprojects in the class,” Thalia stated softly.

“Extra credit,” I answered quickly,probably much too quickly. I had promised not to reveal the teacher’s secret.But she would expect an update on my prowess in replaceing the vampires in theschool. Now I needed a good lie to keep Finn and his body guards away from herprying mind. Obviously there was something going on between them all already.

I hated lying to a human like this,but I didn’t want Finn discovered. He was not a bad vampire, not like theothers, and that’s why he needed to be protected or at least why I justifiedhis protection.

“I’m sorry about this,” Iapologized quickly. “I need to go see what she wants.”

Emery and Thalia glanced at eachother. He jumped off the trunk quickly and approached me. “We don’t trust thatwoman,” he whispered, backing up Thalia’s feelings on the subject.

I nodded, clearly understanding thevibe that radiated off them like heat. “I know. I’ll see you later,” I saidmore to Finn than to the other two.

On the way inside, he told them Iwas completely secretive and trustful, mostly assuring their feelings theyshouldn’t worry so much. I may have been some ignorant wild child to them, butI was still one of their kind.

I shook my head, knowing that I waslying to them all regarding my origins, and headed to class. They needn’t everknow that I was a monster.