“Sabrina….” An unfamiliar voice of a man suddenly called me. When I turned around, I saw a man smiling while he was stretching out his hand towards me. For an unknown reason, I couldn’t see his entire face, it appeared blurry but I was sure that he was smiling at me.

Without any second thoughts, I reached for his hand. And the moment that I touched it, I was suddenly brought to another place as he disappeared at the same time.

Like my previous dream, it was at an unfamiliar dark forest. The moon was so bright and yet the forest was so dark.

“Shirina…” It was no longer a voice of a man but rather a mystical voice of a woman.

I looked around me but all I could see was darkness. Her voice was becoming louder as I started to panic. She was not calling my name, but I felt like she was calling for me,

“Shirina…”

I shrieked when I heard her whispered in my ears. And when I turned around, I was stunned with what I saw. I found a girl’s body lying on the ground, her white gown was soaked with blood, lifeless. With trembling hands covering my mouth and with wobbling knees that could give up any time, I took a step forward to look at her face.

A move that I immediately regretted.

I instinctively took a step backwards but my trembling body caused me to fell flat onto my butt.

The girl looked exactly like me.

I woke up gasping for breath. I looked around me, still feeling the horror from my dream. It was still dark outside as looked at the window and the grandfather clock at my bedroom told me that it was just eleven o’clock in the evening. I was glad that the lights in my room was lit on.

“What’s wrong?” The door suddenly swung open. For a second, I thought I saw worry on Cody’s face, but I guess it was just because I just woken up and my eyes were just deceiving me for he was wearing his usual stern look.

“N-nothing…. Just a dream.”

In a blink of an eye, he was already standing beside my bed. “Are you sure?” he said asked while he looked around my room.

I nodded as an answer. With trembling hand, I touched my neck. The image of the girl in my dream that looked exactly like me was still fresh in my mind. Her neck was obviously bitten and blood were coming out from them.

“It’s just a dream.” He said, but a frown was formed on his forehead. I bet he was looking into my mind again and he saw the images playing in it. “Go back to sleep.”

As he was about to turn around, I swiftly caught his arm. Surprised by how fast I reacted before he even vanishes from my sight, I wasn’t able to utter a word.

“What?” he asked looking at my hand on his arm.

Sheepishly, I withdrew my hand. “Y-you aren’t looking into my mind right now?”

He sighed and turned to face me again. “I told you, I don’t do it all the time.”

“Can you stay here and watch my mind as I sleep, please?” I sounded like a child pleading for her mom to stay at her room for the night after having a bad dream. After realizing what I was asking him to do, I felt my cheeks burning. “F-forget what I said.”

Embarrassed, I immediately laid down on my bed and covered myself with the blanket. Just how the hell did I casually ask him, a man, to stay with me, in my room, and watch me sleep? Way to go Sabrina, you must’ve really hit your head really hard somewhere!

I heard him sigh, a heavy sigh, but I was way too embarrassed to even take a peek from my blanket. Worse, he might have been looking into my mind and knew what was going on in it.

“I’ll stay outside and do what you wanted me to do. I’ll wake you up once you have that nightmare again.” He said.

I wished that my mind would really stop functioning at that moment out of embarrassment. But oddly, I felt a bit of security after what he said.

That nightmare was really disturbing. It was the very first time that I ever dreamt of something so terrifying. It was so vivid that I couldn’t even go back to sleep.

~*.*.*~

Few days had passed since I was taken to Erebus, but was never allowed to go out of my room. To be honest, I was rather thankful for situation since I was not ready to meet more vampires, yet. All the things that had happen still seemed surreal and meeting more of their kind, or should I rather say, our kind won’t help me cope up with my circumstances.

I was still thinking about how they said my parents died as I looked outside the window. There was a vast forest just outside the gates of the academy. It was beautiful except for the creepy looking mountain on the east side of the forest. I wondered what lies within that mountain, it seemed to be familiar.

"Spacing out again?"

I was staggered that I screamed when Cassandra whispered in my ears before she collapsed on my bed, laughing like an idiot. She was a very playful vampire, that was what I found out while being with her for a few days now.

"Don't you know how to knock?!" I didn't know why but I suddenly felt irritated and yelled at her. Surprised by myself, I apologized but she doesn't seem to be bothered by it.

"I love your shocked expression so..." She shrugged.

I let out a sigh.

Somehow, I was starting to get used to being with my three royal guards, but I guess I’ll never get used to have someone watching over me, all the time. They explained to me that every royal have a royal guard, either chosen personally or chosen by the elders of the coven. Their roles were mainly protecting and guarding their masters 24/7. Condolence to my privacy.

My grandfather, Edmondo, had chosen the three of them—Voltaire Alonso, Cassandra Vieru and Cody Constantin—to be my royal guards. They were all from the family of strongest royal guards—as far as what Cassandra told me.

Both Cassandra's parents—Akantha and Baldassare Vieru—were Edmondo's royal guards, Voltaire's father, Domencio Alonso, was also Edmondo's royal guard, while his mother, Adrasteia, was one of Lorcan's royal guard. And Cody, all I know was that he was Cassandra's cousin and his parents died when the Lycans invaded the Academy. They said that he was trained to be a strong royal guard under Cassandra's father Baldassare and that was all I am aware of.

Fancy, right? I had never imagined that I had all this luxury in life even before. How I wish that I was someone who could find happiness on things like this. From time to time I would still want to go back to my life as a simple human with a simple dream.

"How long will I be staying in this room?" I asked as I sat beside her on my bed.

"Don't worry you'll be able to get out soon enough. Edmondo needs to prepare everything first." Cassandra answered.

I had no idea on what things should my grandfather prepare but I haven't seen him ever since the night he visited me together with the elders. Sulking was not my forte, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Was this how he should treat his long lost granddaughter?

"Where's Voltaire and... Cody?" I asked hesitant to mention his name.

I know that they take turns on guarding me, but it was always during night time. During daytime, they would always hangout in my room, and I bet were only pretending to guard me but were actually just sleeping, if not, bugging me most of the time.

"They are off to somewhere but they'll be here later. " She teasingly pinched my cheeks. "Missing him already?"

I rolled my eyes at her. She was exactly like Dianna, only that, Cass was more playful than her.

"Oh c'mon Sab, I always caught you looking at him. My cousin is one hell of a hot vampire that's why it will never be a surprise if he was able to get your attention."

"I’m just curious.” I pointed out. “I mean, you see, he never talked to me the way you and Voltaire do. He's always...you know... poker-faced, emotionless. Does he even know how to smile?”

She raised a brow. "Just curious?" her grin was not leaving her lips.

"Yeah, I'm just curious," I answered rather defensively. Ugh!

I still couldn’t get over the night when I asked him to stay with me here in my room. My face always flushed whenever I was reminded of it. I was always conscious when he was around since he can read my damn mind.

Getting over nightmares are far better than getting over an embarrassment.

"Since you’re curious," She said with a smirk on her face. "Don't you know that Cody never had a girlfriend, ever? Oh, of course, you don't. I mean you don't remember. But I really think that he likes you."

I stared at her in disbelief. Did I mentioned that she was the most talkative person that I’ve ever met in my entire life? For sure, even when I haven’t lost my memories about them, she would still be on the top of my list.

"Just kidding. But you two look cute together. I wouldn't mind if the two of you ended up together. We’ll be cousins-in-law, isn’t that exciting?” She giggled.

I rolled my eyes at her again as she had this dreamy look on her face. How did the conversation even turn out like this?

“Just imagine —"

"Mind if I ask you something weird?" I cut her mid-sentence.

"Sure!” She jolted upright. “I like weird." I didn't know what she even means by that but I just shrugged.

"Do I have friends here? I mean, you know that I lost my memories right? I was just wondering if I get along with everybody." It was really one of my concerns when I got here and decided to live here for good. And it was also a good topic to change the current one.

She averted her eyes and tilted her head. It seems like she was having a hard time thinking about how to answer my question.

"Well?" I waited.

"Uhm… Aside from me and Volt... I don't think you could call anyone here as your friend."

"You're kidding." I nervously laughed.

She sighed, looking so serious. "Look, ever since we found you living with humans and after months of watching over you, we can say that you have changed a lot. As in a lot with a capital L-O-T. We're not used to seeing you being nice to anyone. Even talking to you like this is a hard thing to do before, just so you know."

"You mean..."

"Let's say…” She placed some strands of my hair behind my ears and let out a sigh. “…you're not nice."

“T-that’s a joke right?”

She shook her head while smiling apologetically. That only means she was dead serious.

I groaned and let my body collapse on the bed, staring blankly on the high ceiling, regretting the very first day that I ever stepped on this place. Well, it was not like I went here with my own feet, the carried here while I was out cold, twice.

I sighed. I couldn’t believe that the me at the moment was far cry from the one I once were.

Just what the hell did the past me did to have them hate me?

"C'mon Sab as long as you are the heir of the strongest coven no one will dare to lay a hand on you, besides you have us. Just tell me and I'll rip their throats off." She was even more enthusiastic saying that.

"Very encouraging." I nonchalantly commented. I felt like I just lost my will live. Okay, that was an exaggeration. But for me who was an outcast as a human, I couldn’t imagine myself being the center of attraction, and in a negative kind of way at that.

"Oh, they're here!" She exclaimed even before the door opened.

I immediately sat down as the two guys with their black jeans, black shirt, black leather jacket, and black shoes entered my room like runway models.

They hated black, I thought.

Cody’s brows furrowed the moment I thought that, making me gulp. Oops.

"How was it?" Cassandra asked.

"There are traces in the mountains, but it doesn't seem to be a threat." Volt boringly answered as he sat down at the maroon colored sofa in the bottom left side of my room.

"I see, that's odd because that kind of power is higher than elite guard levels." Cassandra said that made me frown.

"Maybe they're just strays who happen to pass by the forest." Volt said with his eyes closed, now laying on the sofa.

"Strays? With that kind of aura?" She asked dubiously.

"Strays can also grow stronger like us." Cody answered her as-a matter-of-fact. “Even stronger than us.”

Cassandra just shrugged at what he said.

"Uh... Strays?" I said, trying to get into the conversation. I got nervous when they started to talk about those kind of vampires. My very own experience with a stray was not good. The last time I encountered one, he wanted me as his dinner.

Are they after me again?

"The ball will be few days from now, so we must be alert." Cody said.

Ignoring me, great. Wait, what did he say? "Ball? You mean Party?"

"No. Maybe that bouncy thing humans love to play with." Cody answered me sarcastically, looking at me for the first time after that night.

Volt sat up with a playful grin on his face. "A very nice guy, isn't he mi'lady?"

"He sure is." I answered between gritted teeth. Couldn’t he just answer me without being sarcastic? What did I even do to deserve this kind of treatment from him?

“Oh, that’s right! I forgot to tell you that there will be a ball to celebrate your return.” Cassandra suddenly said.

I threw her a disgruntled look. She was always with me, yet she hasn’t told me a single word about it.

She raised both hands smiling ruefully. “Sorry.”

I sighed and shook my head, calming myself. I had no idea why I got irritated so easily the past few days. “So, care to tell me the details?”

Voltaire and Cassandra excitedly told me about the ball. They told me that it will be held on the full moon, which will happen in two nights and that the vampire nobles were all looking forward to see me. Great, I guess it will be the best night ever, if I am not being sarcastic.

Cassandra told me that there were vampires who hates me, I would assume that they were also coming to the ball. Were they really expecting me to go? For Pete’s sake, I never even wanted to go to my own birthday party that Dianna had prepared. Now they wanted to throw a party full of vampires and faceless nemeses?

“Can’t we just let them talk to me in person like the elders did? Why is there a need to have a ball?” I complained.

“Hundreds of them wanted to see you and you want to meet them one by one?” Cody suddenly said, he was on his usual spot in my room, leaning on the wall beside the door. “Are you stupid?”

Annoyed, I bored my eyes at Cody's. “Don’t you have any nice words in your vocabulary?”

“Hey… hey….” Volt got up and blocked my gaze. “Calm down mi’lady.”

“Come on Cody, try to be nice to her. I want my ship to sail you know!” Cass complained like a child. I didn’t get what she meant by that but that made him disappear from our sight.

Does he hate ships?

“What’s wrong with him?”

Cass and Volt exchanged glances then shrugged simultaneously.

“Forgive him mi’lady. He’s just a bit on edge the past few days. Maybe the higher-ups had given him another mission.” Volt then sat down again on the sofa with arms stretched on its backrest. “Don’t worry he’s just standing outside the door.”

Walk-out king. I thought on purpose for him hear.

“Mission?” I then asked when there was no sign of someone outside the doors to go berserk.

“Yes mi’lady. From time to time, we were also given missions. We need to go somewhere to do something that the higher-ups ask us to do.” He replied.

“Like?”

“Just like hunting rouges.” Cass answered as she lay on my bed.

“Rouges? You mean strays?” I remembered Cody telling me that the stray vampire who tried to have me as his dinner was also a rouge.

“Not exactly, mi’lady. A rouge is not necessarily just a stray. They are vampires who also feeds on vampire blood.” He explained “They can either be a stray or part of a coven. That kind of perversion is a highly restricted thing to do to our kind, that’s why we hunt them down.”

The hairs at the back of my neck raised when I heard his explanation.

So they were worse than a normal vampire, I thought. They even kill their fellow vampires just to quench their thirst.

I was taken aback when he was already standing in front of me holding my hand. “Don’t worry mi’lady. None of them can touch you, as long as I, Voltaire Alonso, remains as your royal guard.” He gave his signature boyish grin and kissed the knuckles of my hand.

From being surprised, an inevitable smile formed on my lips. “Thank you. That’s very reassuring.” This kind of gestures from Volt with his honeyed voice could really lift a mood.

He was a charmer. I was sure of that.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” He said winking at me, then looked over my shoulder. “How could a lady snore so loud?”

When I turned my head, I saw Cass asleep, with mouth open while snoring. I was too focused on our conversation that I didn’t even notice that she was sleeping until Volt pointed it out.

We both laughed as we watch her sleep.

“It was really nice to have you back, mi’lady.”

I stopped laughing and looked up meeting Voltaire’s gaze who seemed to be studying my face carefully. He smiled longingly, taking both of my hands and enveloped them in his strong ones. Not breaking our eye contact, he took them into his lips.

Rather than to feel awkward, which was my expected initial response to such scenarios, I felt oddly at ease. It was comforting.

I had never been around guys before, except for my brother Benjamin and my father, and it was kind of liberating being this close to a guy and talking to him as if I had known him for years—which I suspect that I really did, I just couldn’t remember.

I smiled at him knowingly. “Tell me, how may girls did fell for this?”

He chuckled at my response. “A few.” He shrugged and we both laughed.

And just when I was in back in a good mood, the door surprisingly opened with a noise for the first time.

Just then Cody’s eyes ominously bored into mine.

~*.*.*~