It was early morning and I was stood outside the main school building waiting, somewhat nervously. The weather wasn't the best today; a bit chilly but at least the forecast said it wasn't going to rain so that was a bonus. I was wearing my black thermal leggings and a petrol blue coloured chunky knit sweater with a long sleeve top underneath just to keep the heat in, plus I had brought my waterproof lightweight quilted jacket with me just in case. I was however instructed to wear comfortable shoes, so I had my trainers on. I watched as some of the other students were making their way in to the dining hall for breakfast, or leaving if they had got up early. Some students were being picked up for various reasons that morning so I wasn't the only one waiting. Some of the more popular girls were milling about for some reason, possibly waiting on a taxi to take them in to town. I ignored them either way and busied myself by looking at my phone. It was nearly half past nine.

I was trying out this new thing now where I wouldn't allow anyone's opinions about me, bother me to the point that I started to worry or even take any interest. And right now was a prime opportunity to ignore all the rumours and gossip that people had for some reason started spreading about me and give them something to really talk about.

Then the noise came. The sound of a high performance car thundering its way up the main drive of the school was somewhat unnerving but to be honest, it sort of made me laugh as apparently I only ever knew people with incredibly loud obnoxious cars. This car was nice though; a brand new black and tinted windowed Audi RS7. It drove past the front steps of the school where I was stood then gracefully spun round, coming to a stop just near me. I could feel the stares of the other girls waiting nearby hot on my skin as they looked over to see Duncan stepping out of the car, smiling at me as he made his way round to the passenger side, opening the door and beckoning me to get in. What a gentleman. Well, of course he was a gentleman he's been around for a stupidly long time. I could hear the gossiping and gasping beginning as I made my way down the steps and carefully in to the car. I glanced in the side mirrors of the car to see everyone watching Duncan with pure shock and curiosity. I had to admit I was feeling a bit smug about the whole situation; Duncan was a stunner after all and no other guy in this entire school came close to being as good looking as he was, not even Liam. But here I was, being taken out on our very first "date."

I was going by what my Aunt had said, that vampires are in fact great companions and, lovers to us Witches. So with my throwing caution to the wind regarding my life right now, I thought why the hell not. This was apparently a normal thing in what was my world now. I was feeling like a brand new person almost. My powers were increasing almost daily, I was beginning to learn and retain more and more spells and potions, plus I was getting so much better at riding a broom too; to the point that my Aunt had suggested I actually start taking proper driving lessons.

'Can I learn in your Bimmer Auntie Morri...' I barely got through that sentence before she replied with the most sternest of faces.

'Absolutely not.'

I smiled at Duncan after I had finished my little bout of daydreaming, not forgetting to put on my seatbelt as he began to drive the car back down the schools driveway.

'Are you okay Maddie, how've you been?' I beamed at me as he tugged a pair of really nice expensive looking sunglasses down from where they were perched on his head. The sun wasn't that fierce at this time in the morning or at this time of year, but with him being a vampire... I could understand the sunnies.

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'Yeah I've been good actually. How about yourself?'

'Same old I guess. It's been busy at the house, some of the others are already getting ready for Christmas.'

I sort of scrunched my nose up at that. Christmas wasn't that far off but, it was a little bit away.

'Wait, vampires celebrate Christmas?' I was genuinely confused, I still wasn't completely up on what vampires could and couldn't do. I guess I could be a little ignorant at times, but I still had the habit of going by what the films and TV shows said about vampires.

'Some do. Well we do in our household, some of our clan were devout Christians before they were turned and they still do Christmas.'

'Hmm, I didn't know that.'

'Do you do Christmas Maddie?' Duncan asked.

'Kinda.' I wriggled about in my seat. 'Normally I just spend it with my mum and my Aunt when she got the chance, so it's quiet. It's not been the same since my dad died.'

'I'm sorry to hear.'

'Don't worry about it, that was a long time ago. Either way we do Christmas just because it's Christmas, not for any religious reason.'

'It's the same for a lot of us at the house, we just like it. Arne however absolutely adores Christmas, well he brings in a lot of Pagan Yule tradition.' Duncan chuckled.

Arne. The big bad, ancient Scandinavian vampire who gave off an overwhelming air of scariness; loved Christmas. Come to think of it, so did my Aunt in a really over-the-top way. She also did a lot of Pagan Yule stuff too, which made more sense to me now.

'My Aunt is the same too actually. Loads of decorations, huge tree, awful Christmas jumpers. The works.'

'Has she told you she's usually round the mansion on Christmas eve?' Duncan asked me.

'No, no she hasn't actually. I didn't know anyway, normally she'd turn up at my mums house on Christmas Day, stop for a few nights then bugger back off to wherever. Sometimes, we'd even have Christmas round hers.'

I missed my Aunts house, I hadn't been there in a long time. She had an actual house somewhere outside of Cambridge that was rented out as a holiday home for the ten months of the year she didn't live in it. Because she travelled most of the time she stayed in hotels and lived out of suitcases, but she would pop back home for a week or so before she went on her next adventure. It was an odd house, built in the style of brutalism and made of concrete and glass, filled with futuristic furniture with shiny surfaces and sharp edges; ultra modern and so very stylish. It was set back from all the other houses nearby but was still close enough to town to benefit from fibre internet thank Goddess.

'Hey there's every chance you could be round at ours on Christmas eve this year.' Duncan stated as he smiled at me before checking his mirrors, overtaking a few cars on the motorway. I had no idea where we were right now, I didn't recognise anything.

'That...' I paused and smiled at the thought. 'That would be nice.' It definitely would be nice. I had grown to like all the vampires in Arne's clan and the idea of spending Christmas eve with them was really was quite cool, it would be like having a proper big family Christmas. Something I've never had before. Definitely not since dad died and my mum went wrong.

It was a silent in the car for a few minutes. I watched the countryside and other cars whizz past as Duncan gracefully weaved the car along the motorway.

'Hey you still haven't told me where we're going.' I said to Duncan who chuckled at me.

'It's a surprise. We're not far off now, maybe ten minutes or so.' Duncan said as he twiddled with a knob on the car stereo. The volume went up to a decent level, enough to hear over the road noise. It seemed that Duncan was a seventies man which took me by surprise especially when he started singing along to Charley's Girl by Lou Reed. I joined in with him.