Countless students wandered through the corridor, avoiding gazes with the dorm room, behind which screams and shouts emerged. They all knew this room to, of course, be housing two teenage succubi.

“I said stop!” Lia shouted as she dived down and slid underneath the bed. Her hair was a complete mess, tangled and knotted.

“Come on, just one more!” Cyris pleaded, gripping Lia by her ankle. “Im a growing boy, and I'm sick! One kiss won't be enough to make it through class.”

“Oh, really? Because it seems like you have plenty of energy to me!?” A scream followed this statement as Cyris pulled Lia out from under the bed.

She hung from her ankle like a sleeping bat, flustered and out of breath, doing her best to prevent her black dress from falling below her waist.

Lia yelped as she was thrown onto the bed. She bounced twice before Cyris had mounted her.

H-hes to fast!

Lia pressed against his chest, but he was too heavy. All she managed was to push herself down further into the mattress. His grin revealed countless sharp teeth.

Someone save me!

Cyris leant down until their noses gently touched. No matter how hard Lia pushed against him, Cyris didn't budge.

"A succubus from the human realm..." He whispered. "Im beginning to understand why you behave so strangely around me."

Come on! Please move!

The bite mark on Lia’s neck flared up, and suddenly, she found the strength to move him.

Lia lifted Cyris as if he were as light as a feather and threw him into the air. The boy didn't make it very far before his wings and tail caught the air around him. He floated, looking down at Lia with an eagerness and excitement she had never seen before.

“S-stop looking at me like that! I already told you we are just friends!”

“Father was right.”

“Stop talking about your father and start listening to the words that are coming out of my mouth right now!”

At this moment, the door suddenly flew open. Cyris and Lia turned towards it. In the doorway stood a group of students.

“Sorry to barge in... But you guys know we can hear you, right?” Emily asked with crossed arms.

Five other students were gathered at the doorway, peering in on either side of Emily. Most of them looked just as embarrassed as Lia felt.

Please... Just kill me.

...

I can't believe he did that right before class. And the worst part is so many people saw it! Even Emily. God, I just want to scream!

Lia wanted nothing more than a bit of freedom and space right now... But it didn't look like she was going to get it anytime soon.

It was kind of my fault, though... She remembered the kiss and blushed slightly.

Roughly one hundred other students joined Lia and Cyris in their first class. They were spread throughout the tiered seating of the lecturing hall, with each tier consisting of a continuous, white desk running from one end of the room to the other.

A series of shelves displayed various items along the eastern wall, most of which befuddled Lia’s human mind. A few glowing liquids inside small beakers and some polished bone structures were about all that she could comprehend; the rest was a mystery.

Above the students, dangling from the obnoxiously high ceiling on lines of string that reflected the sunlight pouring in from the western windows, were handcrafts. Dragons, wolves, bears, giant squids, and many more that Lia couldn't quite put a name to.

Lia had made the decision to sit as far away from the western windows as possible. Cyris sat uncomfortably close, cornering her against the eastern wall.

There was a strange tension in the room. For the past few minutes now, no one had dared move or speak.

“Now I had planned out this lesson thoughrally over the course of a few days. Weeks, even. But all of it is useless now.” The half-man, half-horse creature standing at the forefront of the room stated, breaking the silence. He dropped a pile of papers onto a crowded desk.

The resounding thud caused Lia to flinch.

The centaur, a teacher introducing himself as Mr David, sighed. After placing his reading glasses on the desk atop the pile of papers, he looked up, scanned the class, and finally locked eyes with Lia.

“You see, this morning, a few individuals that will go unnamed caused a bit of a ruckus at the complimentary buffet.”

Lia swallowed.

“After a brief discussion with a few teachers who were present at the scene, I feel a profound need to restate to all of you the purpose of this academy and the reason it was founded.”

Each word was dry, cold and emotionless. Filled with disappointment and scrutiny.

“You have all heard it a thousand times before, but on this day, you will listen.”

Mr David cast his hand through the air, directing the student's attention to the western windows.

Lia saw the Centuar's lips utter something, and then the whole world turned silent. The sun ceased to shine, and the windows turned black.

“Over a century ago now,” Mr David said. “The monster realm was a world of chaos and death.”

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A splatter of red coated the windows, and Lia gasped.

Cyris glanced at her for just a second. "It's just magic." He reassured her with a whisper. "Calm down."

Lia nodded, drawing in a breath.

“There was no structure, no rules, no nothing. It was a land where the strong thrived and the weak served. But even among this land of cruelty, there was no race more demanding, more threatening than that of the vampire.”

An army of humanoid creatures clad in black coats peered in through the windows. Blood trickled from the corners of their mouths.

“When monster-kind grew tired of the bloodshed, and our world was beginning the long journey to mend its broken heart. It was the vampire race alone that refuted this attempt at a new world.” Mr David stepped to the front of the stage, gazing upon his students. “They claimed that the monster realm was theirs to control. A birthright. And that the weak should simply bow to them. Monster-kind wasn't so weak-willed. We banded together, hand in hand, to push back the vampire army and put an end to their reign of tyranny.”

The vampire army was blown away and turned to dust.

“Victory was ours. And peace befell our lands. On that day, an agreement was made. To stay inside the monster realm and work towards a better future, following suit of our human counterparts.”

"What about the vampires?" Someone in the class called. "Did they join they also join the treaty?"

Mr David shook his head. “Despite the heavy loss in numbers, vampires still refused to join our treaty. Now, they live in seclusion, hiding somewhere in the realm. Many believe they are preparing for another war. Others think they are too scared to come out of hiding and face their past actions. But none of that matters right now.”

Cyris tensed beside Lia. An action that didn't go unnoticed. "Of course, it matters."

Mr David clapped his hands together, and the sunlight returned to the windows. He turned back to the class.

“This academy was built by a motivated, peace-loving group of monsters determined to keep the future generations on the correct path. We are here to bestow upon you all a better life. For ten years now, we have upheld very high standards for our students. Educating them so that they may go forth and better our world. Anyone who dares to try and belittle the sanctity of this academy, or push other students off of the correct path." Mr David locked eyes with Lia once more. "Will be punished.”

...

“I feel awful...” Lia sighed.

“Why?”

“Didn’t you listen to a single word that guy said?” Lia avoided another group of students, keeping her stride through the corridors. “He was talking about us Cyris. We were the ones that disrupted the peace.”

Paintings, awards and certificates of honour lined the walls. Numerous podiums displaying sculptures and artifacts stood like boulders along the edges and sometimes middle of the corridor.

“So?”

“God, it's like talking to a brick wall... He was threatening us. We have to be careful from now on. Got that?”

“It wasn't our fault what happened. How could someone from the human realm be expected to know-”

Lia rushed forward, pinning her finger against Cyris’ lips. “Shut up!” She hissed. “You are the only other person at the academy that knows my secret. For my sake... lets please keep it that way.”

“Am I interrupting something?”

Lia sealed her mouth shut, turning to see a boy standing in the centre of the corridor. Crowds of students walked around him like a stone in a river.

Lia distanced herself from Cyris and regained her composure. “Therion,” She said with a smile. “No, you're not interrupting anything. We were just... talking.”

Therion locked eyes with Cyris, observed him for a moment, and then asked, “Mind if I speak with Itylia alone for a moment?”

Cyris frowned. “What does an Oni want to talk with a succubus for?”

Therion held his ground as Cyris stepped up. They were roughly equal in height, and neither gaze lowered.

“That would be none of your business,” Therion answered.

“You friends with those idiots from earlier?”

“If you're referring to the group of Oni you made a scene with at the banquet, then no. I am not.”

“It's fine,” Lia said, stepping between them. She peered at Cyris.

The last thing we need right now is another argument. The teachers already have an eye on us.

As if he could read her thoughts, Cyris took a step back.

“You sure?” Cyris asked, clearly on edge.

Lia nodded. “I've known him for a while now. He isn't like the Oni we met this morning.”

At least, Itylia had known him...

“Ill, be waiting for you at the next class then.” With a final gaze at the Oni, Cyris stormed off, merging into the crowd of students that filled the corridor.

“Sorry about him.” Lia shrugged. “I think he's a little exhausted.”

“I don't care about him,” Therion said abruptly, then started to walk away. “Follow me.”

“Where?” Lia asked, jogging to catch up.

“Somewhere a little more private.”

...

“Why in the hell did you introduce yourself as a succubus Itylia? Do you have a death wish?”

This was the first thing he said. His face, once expressionless and cold, had turned to that of anger. They stood facing each other on the hill of flowers. Behind Therion, the academy loomed.

He knows I'm not a succubus... Lia thought to herself. I guess I should have expected as much. Does that mean he knows that I'm a vampire.

"Arnt you going to say something, Itylia?"

“Im sorry, Therion... I didn't know what else to say.”

“You didn't know?" The boy laughed. "We were told exactly what to say. Months of planning went into this. Do you have any idea what your mother is going to think when she finds out?”

Lia swallowed. I hadn't even thought about it.

“I wasn't planning on telling her.”

"Oh, well that's just great." Therion waved his hand through the air. "We have to report it to her. It's our entire purpose of being here! Someone is going to need to explain to her what is going on!"

Lia watched as the boy paced back and forth, hands resting on his hips.

Jeez... I really pissed him off.

"Im sorry." Lia tried. "I was just so nervous I-"

“Months of preparation don't just suddenly fly out the window because of a little stage fright, Itylia. We had already decided that I would introduce myself as an Oni, and you would be a witch!”

A witch...

“Not only did you choose the one race that has an awful relationship with Oni’s, making our friendship laughable. But you also got yourself shacked up with an actual succubus who thinks you're telling the truth. God dammit, Itylia, what are you going to do if he actually tries to mate with you!?”

Lia turned red. Her heart thumped like a drum. As much as she wanted to fire back, she knew everything this guy said was exactly right. She was the one at fault, not him.

“We were supposed to infiltrate the academy together... Now, what the hell am I supposed to do? I can hardly even be seen around you without it seeming suspicious.”

“Im sorry,” Lia answered. “I wasn't thinking.”

“Be honest with me, Itylia...” Therion wiped the anger from his face. “Are you trying to rebel against your mother?”

“What? No, of course not.”

"Well that's what it looks like to me." Therion sighed. "And that's sure as hell what its going to look like to them."

"I swear to you, I'm not."

"So you are still going to follow through with this and report back?"

Lia nodded.

"All of this just because of a little nerves. Do you have any idea how hard you have made my job?"

"..." Lia remained silent.

Therion looked grim. "The only reason I was allowed to join you was because your father thought you might need a little bit of protection if things went pear-shaped. Now Im not sure if I can even do my job..."

"Cyris will protect me," Lia said, hoping it might ease the tension. It did not.

"You mean that stupid succubus?" Therion winced. "Great, I feel much better now. The life of the vampiric princess is in the hands of some child soldier. Wonderful."

Child soldier? What does he mean by that?

"It's fine. We can still turn this around." Therion sighed and nodded, eyes closed in thought. As long as we don't tell your mother that you introduced yourself as a succubus, they won't know. Your mother doesn't care enough about the academy to pay any attention to the teachers or newsletters. All she wants is a bit of inside knowledge."

"And she will get it," Lia said.

"Then it's only a matter of protection..."

"Like I said, nothing bad is going to happen as long as I stay close to Cyris," Lia answered. "As long as he thinks I'm one of his kind, he will do anything to protect me."

"That's the issue. The protection only lasts as long as he thinks you're a succubus. And so far, I imagine you haven't been doing the best job at that."

"No... Probably not."

"Moving forward, you need to at least use your transformation powers to convince the guy you're a succubus for as long as possible. Then, when the time comes, and he relises you aren't who you say you are... I will deal with him."

Lia's heart stopped at the cruelty of those words. Still, she forced herself to nod.

Is he saying he might... kill Cyris?