Adrian stood at the head of the Seraphi Pact classroom, arms crossed, watching Nason and More intently. Nason was every bit the high elf—blond hair gleaming under the fluorescent lights, blue eyes sharp, almost cold in their calculation. His stature, tall and proud, screamed of his Valrath blood, a lineage Adrian knew was important. Next to him, More, his half-elf sister, sat with nearly the same features, save for the slightly softer curves of her face that gave her away. The two of them looked like they were cut from the same cloth, almost indistinguishable from each other, twins in all but their birthright.
Adrian knew these two were more than just students; they were Jason’s children, making them important to him as family. But more than that, they were Valrath’s kids, and that carried weight. Nason, though quieter, had the look of someone who knew how to wield power. More, on the other hand, had an intensity Adrian recognized all too well. She was observant, sharp-tongued, and cunning, traits she probably picked up from her mother.
They were both fidgeting in their seats, not out of nervousness, but out of anticipation. Adrian was the president of the Seraphi Pact, and their lessons were supposed to be precise, fast, and efficient. But today, Nason seemed distracted, his eyes constantly drifting toward his sister as if he had something on his mind. Adrian could feel the energy shift.
“Yo, focus, Nason,” Adrian said, his voice low but authoritative.
Nason glanced at him, then over at More, Nason leaned over, eyes darting toward his sister as he whispered with a grin, "Sis, is it true there’s a new dhampir on campus? I heard Xyra and Selene are fightin' over him."
More, ever the cool-headed one, rolled her eyes and shook her head, her voice tinged with the kind of teenage boredom only someone who's seen too much drama could carry. "Only Selene wants him like that. Xyra’s just involved ‘cause she’s worried about losing control. It’s all about power with her."
Adrian furrowed his brow, his mind spinning in a thousand directions. Who was this dhampir? The Seraphi Pact had eyes and ears everywhere—if a dhampir had rolled into town, Adrian should’ve known, and yet this somehow slipped under his radar. That wasn’t like him. Not at all. As the lesson wrapped up, he made a mental note to get to the bottom of this. His mind was like a steel trap—any sign of weakness, and he’d fix it.
He wrapped up the lesson faster than usual, his mind fixated on this new development. As soon as the class was over, he made up his mind to investigate. Whoever this dhampir was, Adrian needed to get the full story. He left the classroom with Nason and More in tow, his steps quick and purposeful.
Adrian’s first stop was the courtyard where Xyra’s friends often hung out. Voira and her little clique—Rhea, Bree, and Aislin—were lounging around as usual, basking in their own aura of superiority. Voira, with her short-cropped black hair and sharp, blue eyes, was the leader of the group. She was always the loudest, the most cunning, and the first to start spilling secrets if she thought it would benefit her. Rhea, the shortest of the group, had long auburn hair and freckles, giving her an almost innocent look—until she opened her mouth. Bree and Aislin, identical twins with pale blond hair and ice-blue eyes, were Voira’s enforcers, always flanking her like bodyguards.
Adrian approached them, his presence enough to make them all sit up straighter. Voira flashed him a toothy grin, always one to try and get on his good side.
“So, Prez, what brings you to our little corner?” Voira asked with a smirk.
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“I’m hearing rumors about a new dhampir on campus. Thought y’all might know something,” Adrian replied, crossing his arms as he eyed them down.
Rhea giggled softly before chiming in, “Ennuy Null. He’s the one causing all the drama. Xyra’s on edge because she can’t control him, but it’s Selene who’s obsessed.”
Bree and Aislin nodded in unison, their eyes practically glittering with gossip. “We’ve seen Selene giving him blood. It’s like she’s trying to get him hooked or something,” Bree added.
Adrian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. This was getting weirder by the second. “Where is he now?”
Voira smirked, her arms crossing as she leaned against the wall. “Cafeteria. It’s lunchtime. If you hurry, you might catch the whole show.”
Adrian felt a twinge of irritation flicker in his chest. Selene and Celesse were both involved with this? And Xyra was losing her grip? That wasn’t good. That wasn’t good at all.
The cafeteria was buzzing with the usual midday chaos. Adrian stepped through the doors, scanning the scene with a critical eye. It didn’t take long to spot the drama unfolding.
At one table, Celesse was sitting way too close to Aether Vaelfhaer, her mouth almost pressed against his neck as she fed on him. The half-elf boy seemed more than willing, a dazed look in his eyes as Celesse drained him ever so slightly. She wasn’t hiding it either—proud, even. Adrian’s lip curled in disgust.
Just a few feet away, Selene was sitting across from Ennuy, the new dhampir. She had her wrist extended, and Adrian could see her blood dripping slowly into Ennuy’s mouth as he drank. Ennuy’s pale face was flushed, his red eyes half-lidded as he licked her blood from his lips. His team—Charm, Ragdoll, Payback, and Frostie—were mingling with other students, completely unconcerned. They acted like they were at a regular lunch gathering, while their leader was being fed blood like it was a casual snack.
Adrian narrowed his eyes, trying to make sense of it all. Ennuy was lanky, but there was something about him that felt off. He had an aura that was hard to pin down, almost like he was a storm waiting to break. And the way Selene was doting on him? It was too much. Too weird.
But what really caught Adrian’s attention was the conversation happening a few tables away. Xyra was sitting with Kaelen, their father, who seemed deep in conversation about something important.
“I’m telling you, stop threatening Don Cappo,” Kaelen said, sounding irritated. “He’s saying someone hacked his device and leaked that conversation, making him look weak. He’s getting old, can’t keep up with the young folk anymore. He’s planning on stepping down as the mayor of Ravetham.”
Adrian couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Don Cappo stepping down? This was big news. Kaelen continued, “We were lucky Mason decided to take up the role, but people suspect his ties with the president. They don’t believe he has nothing to do with that conspiracy.”
Adrian approached them, eyes locked on his father and sister. Without missing a beat, he blurted, “Father, your daughters have boyfriends.”
Both Selene and Celesse turned to glare at him, their faces filled with irritation. “Snitches get stitches,” they both chimed in unison, pouting.
Adrian scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Try me, bitch. I dare you.”
Kaelen, ever the man of few words, simply teleported out, leaving the mess for someone else to deal with. Typical.
Xyra stood up, clearly flustered. “Enough!” she screamed, her voice loud enough to silence the entire cafeteria. Then she turned to Adrian, a look of desperation on her face. “Big brother, stop them. Please.”
It was the first time Adrian had ever heard his sister say “please,” and it caught him off guard. Without thinking, he strode toward Ennuy and, before the dhampir could react, he punched him square in the face. The sound of the impact echoed through the room.
Selene jumped to her feet, her eyes wide. “Fight, Ennuy! Fight for me!”
But Adrian wasn’t having it. Another punch, harder this time, knocked Ennuy to the ground. The room went dead silent. Adrian wiped his knuckles with a handkerchief, the blood smeared across it as he spoke, his voice deadly calm. “If anyone wants to date a Drakov, they gotta go through me first.”
Just as Adrian turned to leave, Ennuy, to his credit, staggered to his feet, wobbling but determined. With a furious snarl, he charged at Adrian. But before the two could clash again, the world shimmered and blurred. Delphinus, the space dolphin, teleported them both outside, separating them before more damage could be done.
Adrian, done with the drama, opened a portal with his portal laser, stepping through it without another word.