"It's not what it looks like," I tried to reason with her.

"It's exactly what it looks like." Ri replied, a sinister smirk appearing on her face.

She was right, what else could I possibly have been doing.

"Just unhook me, please. The chain's stuck behind the black rose at the top of the headboard and I don't want to risk breaking it by wrenching it free."

She slowly walked over to the right side of the bed, running a lone finger from my ankle up to my knee.

"I think you wanted someone to find you here, didn't you?" She smiled again.

"No I just-" I struggled to find the words, torn between admitting my own stupidity and the tingling sensation running up my leg. "Just undo the cuffs Ri, please."

"Of course Hazel, I'll set you free." The finger left my knee trailing up my inner thigh. "All you have to do is tell me you want me to stop and I'll get you out of the little web you've tangled yourself up in."

I hesitated.

I remained motionless, only my eyes tracking her finger as it continued its steady ascent.

Ri's finger finally reached the apex of my thighs gliding through the wetness gathered there.

Sucking in a breath I said nothing, I don't think I could if I tried.

"I thought so." She teased.

She pulled away and began to undress. The sudden lack of sensation made my back arch and wrists surge against the restraints. I had no choice but to watch the show of my own making.

Ri slowly pulled her hoodie over her head lifting up her hair and exposing her bare breasts. I couldn't tear my gaze away as they came dropping back down with a bounce. There was a primal intensity to her eyes and the cartography of scars that mapped her body had me captivated.

As she finally let her thong drop to the floor, my eyes took in the sight before me. Her body, while completely different from Lorelei, was still stunning and I wanted a taste.

Ri swung her leg over me settling me between her thighs. Leaning forward she took my head in her hands, her tender kiss quickly giving way to passion as we let our animalistic desires take over.

I let out a low purr as she ran her fingers through my hair scratching her nails lightly against my scalp. Her gentle touch, like butterflies, fluttering up my arms to my elbows and then into my palms. As our passion grew our tongues wrestled for control and our fingers interlaced.

Despite the hardness of her body her lips were supple. The frantic energy of my lips was returned enthusiastically, someone who could finally match my ravenous hunger.

Bloodlust again overtook me, my senses sharpening directed at the pulse in her veins. I ran my tongue up the side of her neck, savoring her as she let out a soft sound.

I had to taste more, my fangs protruding and ready to strike. Before I could bite into her soft flesh she fisted the hair at the nape of my neck, restraining my head as she sat up straight. "Tsk, tsk, manners hazel" she chided.

Too overcome with bloodlust it was all I could do to hold back my snarl. If anything my posturing just made her smile. "Don't you worry I'll give that mouth plenty to do in a second." She giggled releasing my hair. With ease I envied she slid up my body until her pretty pink pussy hovered right by my chin.

I ran my tongue from the top of her mound to swirl the pearl bellybutton ring at her navel.

"Don't play with your food, eat it." She purred as she swung her leg over me to back her self onto my face.

She was intoxicating, her scent, her strength, her animalistic drive.

I speared my tongue deep into her wetness, desperate as if she was my last meal. I went to work as she bent at the waist bringing her hot mouth to my dripping core swirling patterns and symbols with her tongue.

I moaned into her overcome with sensation. She knew exactly where to focus as only another woman would.

Our combined pleasure drove us both higher striving to match the other's fervor. I could feel her body tense as we climbed together, no doubt she could feel mine too.

Our bodies began to shudder as we ascended the peak together. We shouted out our release together, our hips undulating and grinding against each others tongues, legs shaking.

Spent from the combined orgasms we collapsed. Ri adjusted her body, bringing us face to face again as we embraced.

Gently, she ran her fingers through my hair. "I'm glad I found you tonight."

Her gaze met mine. "Please don't do something so foolish again, I won't always be around to save you, ya know."

Drained, Ri got to her knees to unhook the chains behind the headboard, giving me a view that only worsened my indecision on if I was favoring intimacy with males or females.

As she pulled the chains free I sighed, finally able to give my tired arms a rest.

"Wow you've been busy with these haven't you?" A wry smile settling over her lips.

"What? No, this is my first time with them, I only just got them today."

"Oh," she hesitated uncertainly, "then what are all these grooves carved into the rear of the bed posts?"

Still in cuffs I leapt up to see what she meant. There were, indeed, many deep grooves worn into the back of the posts. I had never noticed these, even on the night I tied Merrick to the bed with cloth restraints.

Then I realized it was because the front and sides of the headboard had been repainted hiding any evidence. Up until this point the headboard was flush with the wall, only the crest and rose itself leaning forward, so I didn't even think to look behind it. In my desperation to free myself, I must have yanked the entire bed forward.

"What the fuck? What happened in this room?"

Ri turned to look at me. " I don't know but you'd better start asking Merrick or Lorelei."

She looked again behind the headboard. "And maybe wash your bed sheets."

I made a disgusted face.

Looking down I realized I was still naked and in cuffs. "Speaking of I'm going to go get cleaned up myself."

I fetched the key from the bag, freeing myself as Ri began to get dressed. "Tonight was fun Hazel, you're almost as wild as me." She laughed, "Almost."

RI and I cleaned ourselves up and spent the next couple of hours in each other's company, telling stories from our past.

"So you never told me during the exam how you came to join the PDLA."

I sighed.

"I was abandoned by my parents at a young age, I never really knew them but what really set my life on fire was loosing my grandparents. They took me in and raised me as their own until I was 8 years old. A brutal car accident stole them from me."

I tried to hold the tears back but reopening these old wounds got the better of me.

"I spent years being tossed around in the foster care system, always cold, always alone. My only friends were books and music, I had no desire for a social life. When I turned 18 they kicked me out on the street, casting me aside as soon as their obligation had ended, jerk offs. Only through working late night shits as a waitress in a nearby diner allowed me to get back on my feet and get into a community college. I tried to make something out of my life."

I wiped my face, smearing the new concealer Lorelei had given me on my sleeve. I felt pathetic, the monster underneath revealed as I bared my soul.

"Not that it even paid for everything, debt has always being hung over me, never able to get ahead. I'm so tired of never being able to get ahead."

The tears were streaming down my face now.

" I found an ad on a recruiting website for a job as a secretary in a law office, Stienbach and Klein. I had a criminal justice degree still eating a hole in my pocket so I took a chance."

Ri listened intently to every word I said.

"I made an appointment to interview one night but I slipped out the back of my apartment unintentionally dodging the escort they sent for me."

I growled in frustration. "Fucking idiot, once again taking a short cut bit me in the ass."

Ri put her arm around my shoulder as we sat on the bed. I almost pulled away, support wasn't something I was used to.

"I got lost in the woods on the way here. There was a strange man in strange clothes and he was bleeding badly in the center of the road. When his gaze locked with mine I couldn't move, I tried to scream but it was like my body wasn't my own. Even though I have been spiraling out of control my whole life, I never felt more powerless."

I could feel another round of tears welling up in my eyes.

"I left everything thing behind, I threw it all away to come here. I -"

I leaned into the shoulder of Ri's hoodie sobbing.

"It's okay, everything will be fine. Sometimes you have to start out all over again. I did the same, I ran from my village as soon as I got the chance. Fuck em! We are better off without them anyway. We will forge our own path. I'll fight anyone who gets in your way."

Her fingers began to run through my hair again.

"Birds of a feather always stick together." She whispered softly.

I slept through most of the following day, physically and emotionally drained. When I couldn't sleep anymore I laid in bed staring at star patterns in the dome ceiling of my room.

I counted the stars in the night, connecting the dots as my eyes searched for hidden knowledge or divine guidance. All I found were more questions and patterns stretching out aimlessly in every direction.

Story of my life.

What am I doing? I've been so focused on becoming a vampire, fitting in with the agency, I feel like my life is all over the place. I feel like everything is out of my control.

Everything is always out of control.

What am I doing with Lorelei and Merrick, and now Ri? I'm so confused. What do I want? What do they want?

Do they want me? Do they actually want me for who I am?

The real me, who ever that is.

Before me were patterns attributed to gods and goddesses by civilizations long since past. Pinpricks of light that led ancient cultures to construct wonders the world over.

Most days I can barely put one foot in front of the other.

I've had a little taste of everything and it just makes me want more of, well, everything.

Am I content to finally be myself, to be free of the chains? If that's the case then why do I want to be wrapped up in them more than ever?

Sleep was no longer having the desired effect, I needed to feed.

On my way to the infirmary I passed Merrick's room and wondered if he was awake yet. I needed answers.

I gently rapped at the door.

A series of muffled noises could be heard from inside followed by a bang, then Merrick opened the door. He was running his fingers through his hair, while pulling on a long sleeve shirt in an effort to smooth his unkempt appearance.

"Good Morning." He said groggily.

He was holding the right side of his abdomen.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, bit of a stomach ache. I'm fine though how are you?"

"Tired, I can't fall back asleep so I decided to get up. I figured I'd see if you were up yet, I hope I didn't wake you."

"Nah I was already up, had some trouble sleeping myself." He rubbed his eyes followed by a yawn.

"I have some questions for you, do you have a minute to sit and talk?" I said trying to stifle the contagious reflex.

"You can ask me anything Hazel but my room, its kind of a disaster right now." He said closing the door.

"No worries I'm actually headed to the infirmary if you wanna join me."

"Of course, what's up?"

We made our way down the candle lit hall, Merrick's corridor of the mansion was lined with stone lions and long crimson rugs, I felt like I was headed to some kind of throne room.

Once we were out of the corridor and into the old underground passages to avoid risk of exposure to the morning sun, I asked the question.

"Mherr can you tell me more about the person who lived in my room?"

He sighed, it was a sound of sadness rather than annoyance.

"Her name was Amelia and she too was a vampire. She was a dear friend of Lorelei and I, a member of our squad just like you are now."

He broke eye contact as he ran his fingers along the walls of the subterranean corridor.

"She was a great partner, very talented and very ambitious. It was the first time I had ever seen Lorelei take to a vampire. Then one day she was taken from us, they found her body or what was left of it in the courtyard. The remains were a mess, I don't think I will ever get that image out of my mind."

He traced the etchings in the wall as we walked.

"It wasn't the fall that killed her though, it was the morning sun, it overloaded her ability to heal and burned her flesh to ash."

His gaze returned to mine.

"The official ruling was that of suicide, many believed the loss of her mate Vincent, another vampire in the agency, drove her to end her life."

"So, yes, your room was inhabited before you, not that long before you arrived in fact. We left her old things because we couldn't bring ourselves to get rid of them. It just so happened that turned out to be the right move when you showed up. Now you have a place to shield yourself from the sun and maybe even a little help adjusting to the life you are now a part of."

We exited the tunnel near the observatory and I was content to leave the somber mood behind, the questions about the bed posts could wait.

Instead of heading up the marble stairs that lead to the observatory we made our way across the great hall. As we passed under the large statue I looked upward, focusing on the goddess' blindfold.

Could justice really be blind? Even in a world like this?

The stares I received from those around me led me to believe otherwise. Judged for some unknown crime I didn't commit, I made sure to keep my lips closed to hide my fangs.

Caught up in my own thoughts I hadn't realized I had stopped walking. I looked down to see Merrick standing ahead, his arm extended outward waiting for me, welcoming me. I sped up to catch him, interlocking his fingers in mine.

At the opposite end of the great hall was a tunnel to the infirmary. This passage was in steady use compared to the vampire pathways and much better lit. Large lights set into the stone ceiling illuminated the pathway with various statues depicting past healers lining the walls.

Colored lines on the ground marked out sections of the pathway for every day foot traffic while the hazard striped areas were designated as an emergency lane for the quick transportation of patients.

Beginning about halfway down the tunnel large winding trees sprouted in and out of the rock, creating a subtle canopy leading to the entrance to the infirmary.

The healing power of plants had been a staple for many cultures over the years and it was reciprocated here. The entire front of the infirmary was overgrown with medicinal herbs and fruit bearing trees. They served as both a reservoir of supplies and a calming garden for those waiting for the news of loved ones.

The infirmary was open 24 hours a day and always stocked with a wide selection of blood and other medical supplies. Most of the vital fluid was, of course, intended for intravenous transfusion but the excess was always given to the hemoglobin dependent residents.

I wasn't choosy about which bag to take but I did want to try every type at least once. All of the excess bags were in a fridge in the back labeled "for consumption". I opened the stainless steel doors, rows of shelves full of marked bags illuminated in the overhead glow.

"So what flavor do you recommend?" He jested.

"Ha ha, very funny." I replied with a mocking gesture.

I began to thumb through the bags like a secretary would a filing cabinet. "A positive, no, A negative, eh, B positive had that yesterday, B negative not my favorite, O negative?" I stopped and held up the bag, they never have O negative. A rare find, things are starting to look up.

I smiled.

It was the last one I needed to check off my list, in just a couple weeks I was able to taste each type of human blood. A fact that had me both delighted and concerned.

After making my selection I closed up the fridge and headed back to my room. On the journey back Merrick and I exchanged impressions of the different creatures around us when they weren't looking.

We arrived outside my door again.

"Make sure you wear your cadet uniform tonight. I'll see you at orientation, I have to get there early with the other instructors so I won't be able to walk you down."

"No worries, I'll see you there then."

We embraced, the warmth still clinging to me as he went on his way.

I went inside.

Armed with a name, I began to search my room for clues on just who this Amelia might have been.

The corner of my room was lined with walls of shelves forming a nook, most of the bookcases filled with old tomes. At random I picked a myriad of books off the shelves carrying them over to sit on the futon nestled between the cases. I began opening my haul, often stopping to read a paragraph or flipping through the pages.

I had no idea what I was looking for.

As I removed a book titled "Medicinal Plants: A Field Guide" a small note fell onto the floor. I picked up the folded paper, my fingertips flowing over the rough texture. It was a letter handwritten in ink, the long loopy letters exquisite, bordering on calligraphy.

"My Dearest Amelia,

I feel as though we have begun to grow apart as of late, though I know it is not our doing. Every mission seems to take me further and further away from your embrace.

I miss the nights we used to spend together taking walks in the forest and debating the many uses botanicals and medicine. These long excursions will come to an end soon and then I can return to the mansion once more. I long for the day I see your smiling face again.

They cannot keep us apart forever.

Wait for me my love.

    ⁃    Vincent"

At first I was randomly taking books off the shelf to search for more information on Amelia but I began to pick up on the pattern.

I found the second letter from Vincent in the book Herbology: The Secret Uses For Plants Volume III, chronicling the beginning stages of their affection.

The third and fourth letters were folded neatly between the pages of The Mystics's Field Guide to Medicinal Plants.

The remaining letters followed suit in the publications, Modern Botanicals, Roots of Healing: Guide to Medicinal Herbs, The Untold Secrets of Nature's Healing Legacy, and From Seed to Spirit: the Inspiring Journey of Herbalism.

All of the letters Amelia saved were from Vincent, I tried putting them in chronological order to make some sort of sense of their story. The final letter I found, however, was unreadable, scribbled with the same strange symbols from the secret tunnels of the mansion.

Were they somehow connected? I thought.

I reread the letters again as I sipped on my bag of O negative from the infirmity. The taste was to die for.

Amelia was a fledgling vampire just like me growing to understand the world she had been thrust into. The letter, I deduced, was written chronologically just before the one containing cryptic glyphs that stood out to me the most, as if it held the key to the secrets I sought.

"My Dearest Amelia,

I write to you in haste. I have received word from home that tensions are rising, I fear the possibility of insurrection.

The sanctions imposed upon us from the accords have starved our numbers. Many clans have gone into hiding to seek self governance and yet more have threatened open revolt.

The Fae have stopped sending envoys to our lands, as such our list of allies grows ever shorter. The errors of the cele nesfârșit still haunts us, Octavian was a fool, the vampire epidemic was a mistake.

As a member of court I must return to the Blackthorn Keep at once. I pray I am not too late to stop this madness.

For fear of discovery from now on we will have to communicate in the ancient tongue, Sàngelimbà.

This shall pass my love, for we knew this day might come. Once it is safe I will come back for you. All of the information you require I have left in the tome attached to this note.

My love for you is unending.

    ⁃    Vincent "

What was about to happen to them?

Why was I so invested in someone I never knew. Maybe we were both caught up in a life we couldn't control.

I ran back to the rows of shelves, frantically searching for any thing that could lead me to the information he had given her.

My eyes scanned every spine for the word Sangelimbà, my fingers cutting trails in the dust as I ran them across covers.

Nothing.

Wait, I did a double take as my eyes crossed a book titled Clanurile Umbrei, the gold leaf letters stained by drops of red. I pulled the tome from its hiding place.

The cover was worn leather, years of reading had yellowed the pages and weakened the spine.

I thumbed through the ancient text, careful to preserve the time worn pages. I didn't recognize the langue the book was written in but it was not the ominous runes from the hallway or the final letter.

The words meant nothing to me yet I was still mesmerized by the pages. As I continued to scan the book for information I stopped as paragraphs gave way to illustrations.

Exquisite drawings of bats and aristocrats filled the pages. I halted on a page of massive humanoid bat. A bestial face with a flat nose, large pointed ears and mess of mangled teeth sat atop a mountain of muscle. Along the thick arms stretched great membranous wings and the fingers tipped in talons. Below the illustration was the word Vânător.

It was hideous. If this is what's needed to grow wings then I did not want it.

As turned the next page, it stuck to the one behind. Gently I pried them apart only causing a minor tear where a red stain adhered the paper together.

This drawing was labeled Cavaler. Another winged vampire was depicted, this time standing on the battlement of a castle. Ivory hair framed his handsome face, crimson eyes smoldered behind his locks.

There was something about those eyes.

He stood regal in ornate war plate, large pauldrons gave way to magnificent wings. There was a controlled fury about him, the evolved transformation not taking away his human features.

This depiction painted a more promising future.

I flipped to the next page, a lavish illustration captured my attention of a woman on a throne, dressed in all black. She was beautiful. Behind her seat of power was a blood moon, rays of scarlet gleaming off the tips of her crown and the jewels that adorned her neck. She had the same red eyes as the previous armor clad vampire and she was also a conquerer in her own right. For even though she sat on a throne, the crimson sword in her lap radiating power was the focal point. She looked like some kind of queen.

Under the picture was the word, Regină. My fingers trailed over the illustration, the paper rough from age.

Now there was something to strive for, a queen of the night. I laughed at my own ridiculous thoughts.

A knock on the door startled me, drawing my concentration from the pages.

Ri burst in before I could answer the door. Dressed in the black blazer and skirt that served as our uniform.

"Hurry up bitch, I don't wanna be late."

"Shit I lost track of time! Let me throw on my uniform!"

I put the book down and quickly tossed on the black jacket matching Ri.

"Are you ready for tonight?" She asked.

"Yeah of course, it's just orientation right?"

"I always forget you are so clueless when it comes to these things Hazel." She laughed.

"Tonight is Selenealia a celebration of the fall equinox and a festival marking the first full moon of Autumn. The entire agency celebrates as it's the first full moon of the new semester."

"It's going to be wild." She smiled.