Elizabeth Kennedy is a seventeen-year-old girl who's lost her family and friends to a fire started by vampires three years earlier. She strives to hunt and kill Cletus Othonos and Myles Tsaoussis, the vampires who started the fire. Things don't go quite her way. Once she's met Damian Athanasiou, a gorgeous Crimson member who thinks what Elizabeth is doing is irresponsible. But Elizabeth and Damian find themselves falling for each other which is a big issue. Read to find what happens in this story about tragedy, love, and vampires.
~Present Day~
Getting up at 6 a.m every morning was not ideal but necessary. I take forever to get ready and I didn't want to be late, especially today. This week we're assigned our trainers. We were supposed to get on the good side of a few of them last year–seeing as though they came to pick their favorite–however, none of them showed interest in me, no matter how hard I tried to get their attention. It's not that surprising. Everyone–and I mean everyone–knew me as the weird loner girl who lost her parents. Who could blame them? If I were them, I'd stay far away from me but that didn't stop me from trying. I had high hope that today was the day I'd get my trainer.
Now, on any other occasion, I wouldn't have cared much for a trainer but this was my chance. My chance to be stronger. My chance to kick some butt. And my butt, I mean those men's butts. I did my fair share of research over the last three years and turns out, they were vampires. No wonder they hated my family. My dad was very famous for killing their kind and he had the tattoos to prove it (every time a Crimson member successfully kills a vampire they get a special tattoo called an astrapí mark, or in Russia, the Molnija mark.). Most say he was the best Crimson member ever to exist, even though most forgot that after his death.
During my research, I found the names of the men. Cletus Othonos and Myles Tsaoussis. No one believed me that they killed my parents and friends. Cletus and Myles were supposedly killed more than one hundred years ago in a massive sand storm. Obviously, they survived. They were the only two vampires with that specific marking of the bird. It had to be them.
I eat breakfast quickly, take a shower, and grab the best thing I could find in my poorly filled closet. Luckily, it was beautiful. I had saved it for this special day to hopefully stand out from the rest of the students. A jade-green formal cocktail dress–the school disregards dress code on these occasions aside from the super slutty stuff–and I have the most gorgeous necklace ever to go with it. My father gave it to me on my fourteenth birthday. It's made of real diamonds.
The dress fit nicely on me with my curves and all. I'm definitely not flat-chested and I got pretty big hips. Most of the girls in the academy are all skinny mother-truckers. I've got terrible and cringy sayings no thanks to my father. I get them from him.
When I'm done dressing, I brush my hair, put it in a knot bun, and brush my teeth, then move on to makeup. I put on light everything. Mascara, eyeliner, purple lipstick, and blush. I like to go for a natural look so I never put on makeup heavily.
After I've finished with everything I need, I look at the clock; 8:10; my best time yet! I still have twenty minutes to spare, might as well do more research.
I jump on my computer. 'Cletus Othonos and Myles Tsaoussis'. Ooh, this is new. Looks like they weren't your everyday vamps. They come from a completely different branch. Much stronger and all marked with the same tattoo of a bird. Oh my goodness, the bird! That night, on their arms, was a bird. Wow. That version of vampires died out eons ago. They must have been the only survivors.
Okay, I need to get to the assembly. Since we are to be assigned our trainers this week, we have no school. Works for me. And there's supposed to be a 'surprise guest'.
I put on my long black boots and rush out the door. I run through the hallways till I get to 'the cavern' where we have all our assemblies. Damn, there's a lot of people here. I take a seat in an open chair. Immediately, kids start leaving their seats next to mine to sit somewhere else. Great.
“Now, now students, take your seats. It's almost time for our special guest to make an appearance,” says our principal; Dr. O'neil; who's on stage upfront, “And Ramona, please sit down!”
Ramona is the biggest witch there is. When I say people are mean, no one compares to Ramona Alarie. She was the first to find out my parents died. She also was the first to bully me for it. But I don't take crap from devil spawns, hellions, evil terrors, or whatever else goes with her kind. Instead, I fight back and I fight hard, well mostly after my parents' death. I learned I couldn't trust anyone and that people change after elementary and middle school. They're meaner. They're gossip girls and players. They go behind your back and stab it a thousand times with little knives. And Ramona is the she-devil who leads them all.
Ramona sees me and the ten empty seats around me and still tries to go to a different row.
“Miss Alarie you can sit next to Elizabeth,” says O'Neil.
“But—”
“No buts Ramona. You sit next to Miss Kennedy or you can sit out of the assembly in detention.”
Reluctantly, Ramona plops herself down in the chair next to me. We both roll our eyes. Dr. O'neil continues talking.
“I'm sure you're all curious to see our guest and I can certainly promise you, you won't be disappointed. You have all heard of this person for he is quite famous in this school. If you pay attention in your classes you will know that he was the first to graduate from Crimson Academy. He was only seventeen and has spent five years afterward, working hard for The Crimson.”
She could only be talking of one person, Damian Athanasiou. After my dad, he was considered the best Crimson member there is. I'll admit, he is damn talented and from what I've heard; gorgeous as fudge. Many girls have tried to get in good with him but he's never dated anyone, again, from the rumors told about him. I don't see what all the fuss is about. Girls describe him as, “The most handsome man [they've] ever seen. Brown hair and when you look into his [also brown] eyes you'll want to dive into their pool of deepness. Since his parents were from Greece, he speaks with a most magnificent accent. He is strong and muscular, yet graceful. He hasn't trained anyone but somehow people know he would be the best at it.” I laugh every time he's brought up.
“Please give a warm welcome to—drumroll please—Mr. Damian Athanasiou!” I snapped out of my thoughts.
A man walks out from behind the curtains. Everyone claps. I'm speechless. He is gorgeous as fudge, holy mother cheeseballs. He's wearing a plain black suit and has amazing posture. His hands are behind his back as he walks downstage. Even Dr. O'neil seems taken back. If that rumor's true then what if he really is a good trainer?
“Thank you, students, of Crimson Academy. I'm glad to be back in this beautifully constructed building. I have many fond memories of this place and hope you've made some as well. You may not know, but the reason I'm here today, is to choose one of you to become my trainee,” says Damian.
A thought occurs to me, he's the one, you must be trained by him and him only. If you want to get back at Myles and Cletus; he's the one to do it.
Students are now murmuring in excitement. Wait in line, suckers. Dr. O'neil finally snaps out of her daze and quiets the room.
Damian goes on to talk about some other stuff. I love his accent, namely how he pronounces his S's. Hopefully, if he ends up saying my name, he'll pronounce my Z like an S. Snap out of it Elizabeth! You want him to be your trainer, not your boyfriend! I mean, not that you've had a boyfriend. Hmmm, I wonder what it's like.
Ramona's practically drooling over Damian. Now, she actually has a boyfriend, though, I'm pretty sure she's cheated on him multiple times. Poor dude.
I must have him as my trainer. If he's as good as they say he is, he's the key to my strengthening. He's the best of the best. What more could I need?
When the assembly ends, Damian had a crowd full of students asking to be trained by him including—ugh—Ramona. But he simply walks away. I couldn't help but laugh. Ramona just walked up to him and he left. Though the more I reflect upon it, the more I hope I don't end up like her. Unpaid attention to. Jeez.
We were then allowed to walk around campus or stay in our dorms. I chose to walk. I spot Damian. He's outside leaning up against our library. There's no one around him so I decide this is my chance to talk to him.
I walk up to him.
“Hello, Dami—err Mr. Athanasiou.”
“Please, call me Damian.”
“Oh okay. Well, Damian, I was wondering if you could train me. I know you have a lot of people coming to ask you this but I could really use it. I've encountered vampires before and—”
“Wait, you've seen a vampire before?” He sits up straight now.
“Yes...three years ago. Luckily, they didn't see me.”
“Three years ago? The year when...Mr.Kennedy passed?”
When he mentions my father's name I can't speak. Nobody's said his name for a while. I didn't realize I'd get this hurt about it.
“Yes,” I answered.
“What's your name?”
“Elizabeth—”, I start.
“Kennedy?”
Dang, it. He's heard of me. Probably thinks the same thing most people think. I'm crazy.
“Yes.”
“I'm sorry but I can't train you.” He starts to leave.
“What? Why not? Because you've heard the rumors about me?” I try to match his speed.
“No, no, of course not. You're doing what everyone does.”
“Which is?”
He stops and turns around, facing me.
“You ask me to be your trainer but you don't show me the dedication.”
“Excuse me," I ask snarkily.
“Don't take it as an offense Miss Kennedy, but I just need you to show how much you're willing to work for it and that's why I can't train you.” He walks away.
Wtf. Dedication my bum. Every day after school I work out in our P.E room. I work out twice as hard as any of these school shrews. I am determined to make Damian my trainer. I guess I just need to show him what I can do.
