PROLOGUE
He paced in his room, waiting anxiously for news. He was tall in his walking stance. He kept his back straight and his head high. He had long black hair and deep brown eyes. He wore a long black cape and a collection of black clothes including dark black boots. The room he was in was decorated fully in black with several candles around the room lighting it slightly. In the centre of the end wall, was a throne area that contained two large chairs, one for a king and one for a queen. Three steps lead up to the throne area.
The man walked to where he kept a large mirror hanging on the wall, it was not his reflection that he could see but the face a beautiful and laughing young lady. ‘This is the one for me. This is the woman I want to be my Queen’ he thought. He starred at her wishfully. It hadn’t been the first time he would be staring into the mirror for hours on end watching this girl on the other side.
Just then the door swung open and banged against the wall behind it. The man turned instantly to see who had disturbed him. Another man but younger looking stood in the doorframe. He had bright white spiky hair and also deep brown eyes. He also stood tall, but not as tall as the man with long black hair.
“We have news M’lord” said the white haired lad “We have discovered the identity of the girl you wish to be married to”
“Yes...” said Sir Malice wishing for them to continue.
“Her name is Charlie Gyid. She is a Swiss Wiccan sir, she is also a Wiccan Royal...” he wasn’t able to continue Sir Malice cut him short “It is destiny then, that she and I will become King and Queen of both the vampire and the Wiccan world”
“There is one more thing, sir, that you might wish to know” mentioned the lad.
“Yes...” Sir Malice willed him to continue.
“She is the host of the orb of power” he said.
“Brilliant. I can tell she was made for me. Make plans to bring her here” ordered Sir Malice.
“There is a slight problem though sir...” started the lad but was cut short by the terrible and piercing glare from Sir Malice. The lad gulped but continued “We have been told she is already madly in love with a Warlock”
“Then get her here quickly” growled Sir Malice.
“It will be done M’lord” he replied bowing out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Sir Malice turned back to the mirror. Charlie’s face remained on it. He reached to her image and stroked her on the cheek.
“We will be together Charlie Gyid, I promise you that” he whispered almost gently.

CHAPTER ONE
WICCAN ROYALTY
“What do you think, Charlie” asked Sir Mallot. He and Mistress Halsente were looking towards me. We were all sat on our seats in the grand hall. Sir Mallot on the grandest chair in the middle, Mistress Halsente to his left and myself on his right. We had a collection of students who wanted an end of exams celebration party stood in front of us. The end of year exams are in three months – which I have to sit as well – and these particular students are in their last year.
“I think it will be a good idea, though if it was only the final year the other years will protest” I replied fiddling with a part of my royal dress.
I loved my royal dress. Every royal meeting and royal appearance I am to wear one of my royal dresses. I have three sets of royal dresses. I have one for a party or ball, one for a formal gathering and then one for the royal meetings. At this very moment I was wearing one from my third set. It was a knee high flowing red dress, being held up by shoulder straps. There was a ribbon wrapped around my body, just under my breasts, tying into a bow on the back.
“Oh, we were hoping for the whole school to be involved. That why we suggested the canteen” commented on the students.
“That’s seems reasonable enough” I commented to Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente.
“Very well, you may arrange your end of exams celebration. Charlie you will be the commanding royal on this. If you need anything, talk to Charlie.” said Sir Mallot dismissing them.
“Thank you” they all echoed together as they bowed and left.
“Well, I think that’s all for today” commented Sir Mallot standing. Mistress Halsente and I did the same. It had been three years since I became a Wiccan Royal and every meeting ended the same way. Mistress Halsente and I would take Sir Mallot’s arms and we would walk from our chairs to the doors together, and this meeting was the same.
“I hear you and Brad want a room of your own” commented Sir Mallot as the door opened.
“Yes, Ben, I was hoping I could move into his room. There is a room just next door that is available, so Geska could sleep in there.” I replied to him.
“Well, it is a good thing Brad has already arranged it for you. Your stuff is in his room, and Geska’s stuff is in the room next door, and a door has been placed in so you can pass from one room straight into the next” replied Sir Mallot.
“That is wonderful” I commented as he headed down the corridor. Mistress Halsente removed her arm from Sir Mallot and excused herself “I have papers to mark”
So, Sir Mallot and I walked down the corridor together.
“Is Jeff returning soon?” I asked him. I asked him this question frequently. Jeff had been sent to have negotiations with the Australian Covert about a Royal visit.
“He has sent news saying he has reached a near agreement.” He replied.
“What do you mean by a near agreement?” I asked as we passed by the corridor for the school wing. The school wing was deserted. We started heading up some stairs.
Sir Mallot hadn’t answered my question and I was starting to believe we wasn’t going to answer when he explained, “ Well, I mean he is close to an agreement so he may be a while yet”
“Ok, I suppose I will give him a little more time before I request he returns” I laughed.
Sir Mallot let out a chuckle but his health was dramatically reclining so it was rare that he should laugh properly.
“Are you sure you are feeling alright?” I asked him.
“I am fine my dear, I am old, it is only natural to age” he replied.
“Except if your name is Geska” I replied with a small smile on my face.
“yes” he replied briefly as we turned on to Brad’s corridor. He stopped and took both my hands.
“You need to stop worrying about other people, Charlie. You are still young, you still have your education to worry about, let me worry about myself. Is that clear?” he asked.
“Yes” I replied regretfully.
“Now, go, Brad will be waiting for you” he said letting go of my hands.
“I shall see you tomorrow Ben” I commented as I started to walk down to Brad’s room.
Room 72.
I knocked on his door. He swung it open almost hitting himself in the face. He placed his hands over my eyes before I could look into the room. He lead me in and shut the door behind him. He lead me into the centre of the room and then removed his hand. I was stood facing a screen that separated the two parts of the room. To the left of the screen was the living area that looked exactly like my old room did but then when I looked to the right I saw a large king sized bed. It was a deep but romantic red colour. It had black lace on the end of the bed. And then sprinkled on top of it was a collection of red petals. I turned around to see Brad had moved, he was no longer stood behind me. I turned again and he was sat on the end of the bed, with his arms held out for me to take. I placed my hands in his. He pulled me towards him and placed a gentle kiss on my lips, while wrapping his arms around my waist.
“God, I love you” he said to me.
“You love me? I thought I loved you” I laughed.
“You know I love you” he commented as he lifted me up and placed me in the centre of the bed. He climbed on top of me and kissed me gently. His kisses always felt like heaven. When he kisses me, I feel I’ve drifted up from my room in the Covert and gone up to cloud nine. He stroked his hand against my cheek as he pulled away.
“I’m taking you to dinner tomorrow” he said.
It wasn’t a question, he was obviously determined to take me out.
“Who said so?” I moaned faking a moody face.
“Me” he whispered as he kissed me again.
Just then the door bashed open and Geska came running in. She was still the same sweet three year old. Because of her mis-adventures with Malietta it is impossible for her to age. Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente have tried every spell they know to get her to age, but each one failed. She jumped onto the bed as Brad slid off me. Both Brad and I sat up as she squeezed herself in the middle of us.
“Geska, how many times have I got to tell you to knock before entering” I said to her, with a smile on my face.
“Sorry” she replied flinging her arms around my neck, hugging me tight.
“Do you like your new room Geska?” asked Brad pulling Geska off me and placing her onto the floor in front of us.
“I love it” she jumped up and down in front of us “And it has a desk, so I can do my work on it”
“Work?” asked Brad confused.
“School work” I explained “Mistress Halsente has finally relented on letting her go to school”
“Oh, that reminds me, in the morning do you want to set the alarm for your time and then you wake me up at my time, or shall I ask for a second alarm for me?” Brad asked.
“You might just have to trust me to wake you” I replied kissing him on the cheek.

CHAPTER TWO
MRS WATKINS-TO-BE
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
I reached over to switch the alarm off. I never opened my eyes, so when I turned over I nearly fell back to sleep if it wasn’t for Brad nudging me awake.
“Charlie, you need... to start getting ready” he said, yawning in the middle.
I opened my eyes. Brad’s face was inches away from mine. He was lay just watching me. He leaned in and kissed me. As he did he lifted his hand and started stroking the hair away from my face.
“Have I ever told you that you look beautiful in the morning?” he asked, meaning it as a complement. I could feel my cheeks start to redden.
“You’ve never seen me in the morning before” I replied giggling trying to hide my rosy red cheeks.
He sat up.
“Are you getting up?” he asked as he stretched his arms.
“Maybe later” I replied closing my eyes again.
He turned me so I was lay on my back. He climbed on top of me. He leaned in close, so close I didn’t have open my eyes to know that our noses where mille-metres apart.
“Brad” I moaned. I wasn’t up for getting up just yet. It was a Wednesday and we still had three more days of school till the weekend. Not forgetting two more arranged royal meetings.
He slammed his lips onto mine, passionately and rough. When he pulled away and sat up, I reached up and pulled him back. I stretched my arms up around his neck. He slowly untangled himself and stood up. I was wide awake from that kiss. I sat up, watching him walk to the sofa and sit down. I stood and walked to his side. I bent down and kissed him. When I pulled back I grabbed my clothes and walked into the bathroom to get changed. I did my hair and make-up while I was at it.
When I came out he was also changed. He was stood inspecting the plasma TV. I realised then in the years that I’d been here I still hadn’t shown him how to work the TV. He always tries to work it out when I’m not around but I always catch him. He had his school uniform on with his school bag over his shoulder.
“Are you ready?” I asked walking to my school bag that was lay on the sofa.
“Yes” he replied walking behind me.
I looked through my bag to check for all my stuff. He closed my bag just giving me enough time to get my fingers out of the way. He picked it up and placed it over his shoulder. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the room.
For the entire walk to the school corridor I tried to get my bag back off him but he wouldn’t let me. He kept insisting on him carrying it for me. When we reached our classroom, Gabby and Alison were waiting for us.
“Hey” they echoed together, they were smiling sheepishly at me.
“What?” They were making me nervous as they smiled at me like that.
“Nothing” they chanted together, bursting out laughing.
I turned to Brad, who looked a few shades paler.
“Are we going in or not?” he asked grabbing my hand and pushing past Alison and Gabby, pulling me with him.
Alison and Gabby laughed to each other and then joined us.
Spells and enchantments, final year. Finally.
In the time that I’ve been here I’d done, two and a half years of Intermediate and a year of Advance. Now I’m finally in my final year. We have six month until our very final exams. Then we have to make our minds up on what we want to do after school.
Our class had been significantly reduced to a number of ten as the other ten left after they finished their Intermediate level. I sat on the front right hand desk, next to me sat Brad, behind him was Alison and finally next to her – behind me – Gabby.
Mistress Halsente walked in, and walked to the front of the class.
“Alright, as you may know tomorrow is the day of underworld co-operation...” she started. The whole class started to moan.
Every year on the underworld co-operation day, the whole day is spent in your first lesson learning about the different night creatures and their kings and queens. It was the most boring day in the whole year.
“...and we have the usual day of underworld studies. However, this year we are going to be doing something different with the studies. You lot in pairs, will be organising different activities for the lower years to do, around the theme of the underworld” Mistress Halsente continued.
The whole class seemed to perk up, eyeing up the their preferred partners.
“Alright get into pairs” said Mistress Halsente sitting down behind her desk.
Before I could say a word, Brad pulled my desk to his.
“Right, you’ll be spending today in here planning then you do put it into action first thing tomorrow morning” said Mistress Halsente making herself comfortable.
“Urm, Mistress Halsente, how are we going decide who gets what creature?” asked one the lads in our class.
Mistress Halsente stood and picked up five pieces of paper. She wrote something on each of them. She folded them and then handed them out. “There you go, now get cracking.” She said sitting back in her seat “Two of you have the same”
I picked up our piece of paper. I unfolded it. Brad’s eyes surprising wasn’t looking at the piece of paper but at me. Written in Mistress Halsente’s usual handwriting was...
Vampire
“Great, we got the blood suckers.” Moaned Brad finally taking his eyes of me.
“Vampires actually exist?” I asked. Three and a half years hadn’t got me used to all this underworld stuff. According to Brad, there were several different underworld creatures. The biggest four: Vampires; Wiccans and Warlocks; Werewolves; and Shape shifters, each have their own laws and royalties, while the rest pick from one of the four and then follow them.
“Wow” I couldn’t help it. All the creatures that I used to read about in fantasy tales were real. I could remember when I was little and I used to spend hours arguing with Alison on whether they were real or not. I guess I have finally won that argument.
“So what are we going to do?” asked Brad taking my hand and squeezing it tight.
“I don’t know” I replied, I couldn’t think of anything to do “What do you think everybody else is doing?”
Both of us looked around at the different pairs, who had all opened their books and started scribbling things down. We couldn’t understand how everybody knew what to do.
“Mistress Halsente, what exactly must we do?” asked Brad. The both of us had been thinking the same thing.
“Well, it could be anything, a presentation, a little show, or a lecture. Your choice” she replied not taking her eyes off an essay on her desk.
I thought for a second of all the books on Vampires I had ever read. The magical creatures book didn’t help very much. The book only told us that they drank blood and could only be killed by a wooden stake through the heart or having their heads cut off. Brad checked through of the different books looking for anything that could help us.
“Maybe we should do a presentation” he suggested “I mean we could write all of these facts down and well present them”
“How?” I asked him. He looked at me confused so I continued “How are we going to present them?”
“A collection of those large flash cards” he replied as he fiddled with my fingers.
“Normal humans can do that, we’re magical, we should do something magical” I said a little disappointed.
I turned the page in the book I was looking in, when I found a picture of a typical vampire den.
“I have an idea. Why don’t we recreate a vampires den? We could have all the light off and say ‘this is what we would see if we entered’ then we turn on some blue, red and green lights and say ‘this is what a Vampire would see when they enter.” I suggested.
“And how exactly are we going to do that in one day?” he asked giving me the look that says ‘you know I’m right’.
I slumped down on the desk. When an idea popped in to my head.
“Mistress Halsente, are we allowed to use the people in the year below us for help?” I asked her.
“If they agree to it” she replied finally looking up from her desk.
“What’s your idea?” asked Brad with a smile on his face.
“My idea is we split the year below us into three groups. A group of four, and then two groups of three. You and I will split and join the groups of three...” I started when he interrupted “Can we get to the point?”
I stuck my tongue out at him and then continued “Ok, two different Vampire Cohorts. Your group and mine. Each one will be a different colour. Your group will be blue and my group red. In the morning we will have until dinner time to convince as many people to join our groups. Then at dinner the third group will enter the game. They will be the vampire hunters, if they catch a vampire and the vampire can’t talk their way out, then that vampire has to un-join. Once you’ve un-joined you can’t re-join the same vampire group, but you can join the other. We can keep collecting new vampire until ten to three. Then at that point the two groups will come together and the group with the most Vampires wins.”
“That’s a brilliant idea” said Mistress Halsente “People will enjoy doing that”
“But how are we going to show who is a vampire?” asked Brad.
“Can we maybe draw three lines on their cheek? Then they can’t hide that very easily. The red group would do it red pen and the blue group would do it in blue.” I replied showing him by stroking his cheek, where the pen would be.
“That would be great. How are you going to organise it?” asked Mistress Halsente walking to us and pulling up a chair.
“Well the vampires will be going around the different groups trying to convince them to join the group. I was planning on talking to the students, so they don’t give in straight away, so the vampires have to work for their prey. Only Brad, me and the people in the year below us can turn a student into a vampire. If a student vampire manages to convince somebody then they have to bring that person to one of us. At dinner we will release the Vampire hunters. They will go around trying to find the vampires. If they find one, the vampire will have to try and talk their way out of it. I will talk to the hunters to make sure they don’t make it too hard for the vampires to talk their way out. If they decide that the vampire isn’t convincing enough then they will draw over the lines in black. Of course then the other team can claim the student. Then at ten to three all the vampires will gather in the Battle room so we can count the teams and see who wins” I explained.
“Right you better go and talk to the people in the year below. They should be with Sir Mallot right now” said Mistress Halsente standing.
Brad and I stood up.
It didn’t take long to explain to the people in the year below what they’ve got to do. We also split them into the two vampire teams and the hunters. We sorted out the different marks, and the pens that we’ll be using.
...
“Scott” shouted Sir Malice, in the full volume of his voice. He was sat on his throne. The mirror that only showed the image of Charlie had been moved so he could stare at her.
Suddenly the door to the room shot open and in came a lad with spiky blond hair, he looked in his mid-twenties when in fact he was over two hundred years old. He knelt down in front of Sir Malice and said in a shaky voice “You called my prince.”
“Yes, I want to know when Charlie will be brought to me” Sir Malice barked looking down on the lad.
“We have dispatched Tony, our event planner, to schedule a visit to the Swiss Covert.” The lad said.
“How long will it be before he returns?” barked Sir Malice.
“He hasn’t long left sir, he may be a while. Though I can assure you he will be as fast as possible to return with a result.” The lad spoke, his voice shaking with nerves.
“Fine. Go and leave me in peace” ordered Sir Malice waving him away.
Sir Malice turned back to the mirror as the lad rushed out of the room.
...
“Charlie? Are you ready yet?” shouted Brad from the main room.
“Nearly” I shouted back as I adjusted my dress. I was in the bathroom, getting ready for my date with Brad. He was keen to go. He had been asking whether I was ready for the past ten minutes.
Finally I decided I’d kept him waiting long enough. I unlocked the door and headed out.
He was sat down on the sofa waiting for me. When he saw me his mouth opened wide. My response to the way he was dress was exactly the same. He was dressed in a shining white suit. He stood. I walked to him and kissed him.
“What do you think?” I asked taking a step back.
“There isn’t a word to describe how amazing you look” he replied with a smile.
“That’s odd, I was about to say the same thing to you” I said walking into his arms. He held me tight to him.
“Are you ready to go now?” he asked me, pulling back and leaving only one arm around my waist.
As we were about to leave the room he stopped me and said, “Wait for a second”
He rushed to the bed and pulled out one of my fashionable scarves. He came to me. He placed the scarf over my eyes.
“Not again” I moaned.
“What, don’t you trust me?” he laughed.
“Of course, I do” I replied as he tied it at the back.
“Then let’s go” he pulled me towards him so our stomachs were touching. He placed his hand on my right cheek and kissed me.
When he pulled back he lead me out of the room.
I couldn’t tell where I was heading. I tried to remember the way we had come but every now and again he would spin me on the spot, so I lost track after the first spin. He spun me three times in total, and then we were finally there.
He lead me into a room. I could feel a warm rush of air float over my body. Brad stood me on the spot and left me. I could hear him rustling around and then settling down.
“Alright, you can take it off now” said Brad.
I reached up and untied the scarf. I pulled it off and saw what was around me. It was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. We were in our special room. The garden room where we had our first date. The ceiling was the night sky. The sky was clear and the stars shone brightly. The tree and bushes were laced in beautiful orange lights, like Christmas tree lights. Just in front of me was a red blanket, surrounded by hundreds of candles. Knelt on it, directly in front of me, was Brad. He was knelt on one knee. In his hand he held a black box. A smile was plastered onto his face.
“Oh, Brad” I gasped at the sight of the box.
“Charlie, will you marry me?” He asked opening the box revealing a large diamond ring.
I hardly gave him the change to finished the last word, as I immediately screamed “Yes”
Brad took my left hand and slipped on the diamond ring. He stood and pulled me into a long and passionate kiss. He made my head spin as soon as his tongue interlocked with mine.
When he pulled back, neither of us could help but smile from ear to ear. He wrapped his arms around my waist keeping me pulled up against him. I slid my arms around his neck and lay my head down on his shoulder.
“I love you Brad” I Whispered to him.
“I love you Charlie” He whispered back.
Some music started to play. He took one of my hands and started to lead me into a dance. We danced for hours and hours until the door opened behind us. Gabby, Alison and Geska poked their head in.
“Sorry if we disturbed you, but we couldn’t wait anymore” said Gabby in a high squeal.
“Couldn’t wait for what?” I asked them.
I didn’t get an answer from them because Brad quickly lifted my left hand to show them the ring. They all screamed and rushed to me to give me a hug.
“You’re going to be Charlie Watkins” screamed Alison.
“I know” I screamed back.
Geska held up her hands to be lifted up. I picked her up and she immediately swung her arms around my neck and squeezed me tight.
“Congratulations” she screamed.
Later that night, I was lay in bed, as Brad had his evening wash. I was lay staring at the diamond ring. It was beautiful. It looked far too expensive. I heard the bathroom door open. Brad appeared around the screen. He climbed onto the bed, and on top of me. The only thing between us was the bed sheet.
“I love you” he whispered into my ear as he kissed it gently.
He slid off me and got into the bed next to me. As he lay back I snuggled up to him. He placed an arm under my waist and pulled me close.
“Good night” he whispered to me kissing me on the forehead.
“Good night” I whispered to him as my eyes dropped shut.

CHAPTER 3
THE UNDERWORLD
The next morning, I was the one to wake up Brad, I had sprung awake, not wanting to waste a minute. I wanted to show Mistress Halsente and Sir Mallot the ring. I literally ran out of the room with Brad trying to keep up with me. When he did catch up with me we were about half way there. He grabbed my arm to stop me but instead of saying anything he slammed his lips against mine. I back up against the wall taking him with me. My heart started to beat faster and I could feel my temperature raising. I scrunch my hands into fist taking handfuls of his top. I could feel his hands running up and down my sides, giving me goose bumps.
There was a cough.
I recognised that cough. Both me and Brad did. It was this cough that often broke up our kisses. We both turned to look at him. We unravelled ourselves and Brad took a step back.
Jeff was stood in front of us, his bag over his shoulder.
“Your back” I screamed as I quickly rushed to him to hug him.
“Yes, I am, and hopefully for a while” he replied as he pulled me off him.
“Guess what?” I screamed.
I waited for a reply but he smiled and waited for me to continue.
I continued “Brad proposed”
I held up my left hand, showing off the large diamond ring. Jeff took my hand and took a good look the ring. He looked to Brad and nodded with a smile. Brad nodded back. He had already been smiling from ear to ear. Jeff hugged me again and whispered “Congratulations, my little girl is all grown up”
“dad” I moaned trying to push him off me, but he wouldn’t budge.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to let you go off in the world yet” he said. He was purposely embarrassing me and I knew it. I’m pretty sure he knew that I knew but he continued anyway. Even Brad knew.
“Don’t worry, I’ll look after her” spoke up Brad, trying to save me.
Jeff finally let me go, he smiled and then replied “You better”
He twirled me around and then said “I better go. I’ve got to dump my bag and then go and teach a class”
“But you’ve only just got back” I replied “Aren’t you tired?”
“Don’t worry, Jeff, it’s the underworld cooperation day so you won’t be doing much” commented Brad as he placed his hand over my shoulder and pulled me close.
“I know. I’ll talk to you later kid” Jeff said as he started to walk off.
“Bye” both me and Brad echoed as he walked down the corridor.
Brad lowered his arm so it was wrapped around my waist as we started on our way to the school corridor. The school corridor was packed with students. After all the students had been told about the Vampire gig, they all perked up about the day. As we walked past, every pair of eyes in the corridor followed. I tried to ignore it the best I could.
“Are you ready to be beaten by the blue team?” Brad teased.
“No, cause it’s not going to happen” I replied laughing.
We stopped outside of our History lesson. Alison and Gabby had beaten us there. They were smiling and giggling to each other again but I wasn’t bothering to ask why today, I stayed stood in Brad’s arms. We just starred at each other, until he finally leaned in a kissed me. He ran his hands from my cheeks to the ends of my hair. He pulled me closer. I felt like we were the only ones in the corridor. I knew everybody was staring in our direction but I didn’t care. I was happy. When Brad pulled back we saw Mistress Halsente and Sir Mallot heading in our direction. Both of them smiled as they got closer. When they reached us they stopped but didn’t say anything. Sir Mallot was the first one to break the silence.
“Well, let’s have a look at the ring then” he said lifting my left hand so he could look at the diamond ring. “Beautiful. It suits”
“Thank you. How did you know he had proposed?” I asked him.
“Your giggling friends told us last night” replied Mistress Halsente as she inspected the ring.
“Anyway, good luck in your challenge today to the both of you” commented Sir Mallot “Your teams are waiting in the battle room.”
He didn’t have to say it, both me and Brad got the message. We were to go to them. We had a team of three each. My team, the red team, consisted of me, two Wiccans and one Warlocks. While Brad’s team, the blue team, consisted of two Warlocks and only one Wiccan. The hunters were stood in the corner, having the hunter emblem drawing in black on their cheeks. They decided between themselves to have a emblem on their cheeks to let people know they are the hunters. They can’t stop vampires until after dinner time but they still want the emblem on their cheeks. Each of the four hunters, carried two black pens each – just in case one ran out. The blue team carried two blue pens each. They drew three blue lines on their cheeks, including Brads. It was the same with the red team, except the red lines were slanted in the opposite direction to the blue’s.
I thought the different drawings on the cheeks looked better than I expected. I looked up at the clock. We had five minutes until the different activities would begin. I got my team together for a team meeting.
“Right, we need to beat the blues, anybody got an idea” I said.
“Focus mainly on the younger students, they seemed more keen on taking part. If three of us go to the beginner groups then the other two the intermediate.” Said one of the lads - Sam.
“My little sister is in Intermediate, so I know lots of the intermediate kids, so I’ll take Lucy to the intermediate” said the other lad - Callum.
“Good. So, the rest of us are on the beginners.” I said.
The bell went for first lesson. I walked to Brad and shook his hand while saying “Good luck. Don’t take it personally when we win”
“Don’t worry, I won’t when we win” he replied pulling his hand back.
“We’ll see” I sneered jokingly.
He leaned in close and whispered into my ear “I love it when you’re like this”
“You are so going to die after this” I hissed to him playfully.
“I’m looking forward to it” he laughed.
I leaned in to kiss him. I couldn’t help it, I smiled and then pulled back and shouted to my group “Alright, let’s go and recruit”
“Hey” shouted Brad grabbing me and pulling me towards him, He locked his lips with mine.
“It’s interesting how if I make it look like I’m going to kiss you and then don’t, you kiss me” I laughed as he pulled back reminiscing from the time he had done it to me.
He chuckled and then turned to his group. I rounded my group up and headed out before they could get out the door. We split up. Lucy and Callum headed up to the intermediate classes while me, Sam and Elle headed for the beginner stages.
It wasn’t hard to convince the beginner students. They were buzzing at the chance regardless of what I had told them the day before – to not break too easily. There were four beginner classes. I tackled one – where every single student wanted to join our team – while Elle and Sam tackled two of the others. I then moved onto the final classroom where Brad was trying to convince people to join his. I just walked in as he said “You know you want to join us”
“or you could join us” I said to the class.
He turned to face me. We were both in the potions room. I could see Jeff in the corner trying to suppress a snigger. Trying. Brad and I starred at each other with fake menacing stars. Both of us tried to fight the temptation to break into a smile.
“Ok, simple way to do this. If you wish to join the red team, step over to the left, if you want to join the blue team, step over to the right” Jeff said, unbiased from the back of the class.
The class split into two, uneven groups. There were twice as many on the right hand side as on the left. I tapped Brad on the shoulder in a supportive way and whispered to him playfully “What were you saying about winning”
“Let’s wait and see what the hunters do before you go casting your winners vote.” He laughed back.
We went straight into drawing the lines on the student faces. All the beginners were now Vampires. I had a quick glance around the room to see some else from our year setting up their activity. I walked over to them and asked “What was your underworld creature?”
Brad had followed me and was standing slightly behind me on my left.
“We got the shape shifters so we built these. We saw them on a tour of the human world. You can twist any part of this block and you can create a new creature.” Explained one of them. They were both boys so I was surprised when I saw the different drawings on them.
It was three pillars. But the pillars where split into three different box like things which had the picture of either a head, on the top one; body, the middle; and legs, on the bottom. You spin them around until you find a perfect match or you make up a completely new creature. I had a go.
I gave my creature a pig’s head, a snakes body and then a moneys legs.
“Can shape shifters do that?” asked one of the beginners student.
“They can’t mix different animals, no, but they can changed from one animal...” said the second lad turning the pillar so it was all a monkey. “...Into another” he changed it so it was a full snake.
“So the creature that I just made would never exist?” I asked.
“No” laughed the lad.
“That’s probably a good thing.” commented Brad smirking wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Brad, we’re supposed to be against each other at the moment” I whispered wiggling out of his grip.
“Oh, sorry, I forgot” he whispered back folding his arms over his chest.
I turned to go out but the floor was wet with something. I slipped and fell, hitting my head hard on the floor. I felt like I was about the pass out I had hit my head so hard. I thought somebody would ask how I was but the whole classroom was laughing. My head was thumping. I sat up despite feeling like the room was spinning madly out of control. I felt to the back my head and felt that it was damp. My head hadn’t landed in a damp area. I pulled my hand back and saw blood covering it. I couldn’t believe nobody else noticed it. The whole classroom was still laughing, so I quickly made my way to the door. I could hear Brad shouting after me “Charlie?”
I didn’t even turned to look at him I just carried on walking. I had to sort my head out. I could hear him louder now as he also came into the corridor. “Charlie? Come back”
I turned into the history classroom. It was deadly silent. It was empty. The class that was meant to be in here – my class – were organising and running activities. I sat at my desk feeling my head again. I felt the dampness of the blood.
Brad rushed in his voice warped with anxiety. He quickly rushed to me, but not hug me or to kiss me, he me turned so he could look at the back of my head. He placed his hands on the sides of my head.
“Charlie you have to go to Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente, your bleeding” he said.
“I fine, Brad.” I retorted pulling my head out of his hands.
“I don’t care I’ve called them” He replied turned me to face him. “Charlie, are you ok? You’ve been tripping, slipping and falling like hell recently. Every other day you’ll trip or fall or slip. Your becoming danger prone”
“I’m fine Brad” I realised I had been falling, tripping and slipping a lot but I always put it down to bad luck, after all I didn’t have the best of luck.
Mistress Halsente entered the room alone.
“Sir Mallot is watch over both of our classes. How bad is it bleeding?” she said as he came to our side.
Brad turned me so she could look at the back of my head.
“Oh, that’s easily fixed. How did it happen?” she asked as she started prodding on the back of my head.
“I slipped” I replied quietly.
She didn’t reply she was focussing on the back of my head. He poked me in five different times over and other. If I would have known any better I would have said she was tracing a star out with her finger over and over. It was a typical healing process Wiccans can do for minor injuries like this. I could feel a stinging in the back of my head as it healed.
“Charlie, are you alright? You have been having quiet a lot of accidents recently” Mistress Halsente asked once she had done.
“I’m fine” I replied.
“Maybe, you should rest, you took quite a knock” insisted Mistress Halsente.
“No. I’ve got a game to win” I replied standing.
Brad stood at my side. He wrapped his arms around my waist, ready to support me if I needed it.
“Brad, I’m fine, besides, we’re on different teams” I insisted trying to pull my waist out of his grip.
“And you’re my fiancé. I’m never letting you go.”
The bell for second lesson sounded as I bounded out of the room, closely followed by Brad. It didn’t take long to go around every single class, so we just had to sit and wait until we found out what damage the hunters would do to our numbers. Brad stayed by my side all morning as we visited the different activities.
The werewolves activity focus on the eating habits of werewolf and so they arranged for one student from the class to be blindfolded and let loose in a open area of the classroom. Three students were placed in with him, as friends who tried to direct him to another three who had been placed with him – supposed to be his actual prey or enemies. But of course as a the werewolf student touched the other students they were out, and one particular student touched his three friends before even getting close to his enemies. I had a go and Brad was one of my friends. I – with great difficulty caught all three of my enemies, but not before catching two of my friends. Brad was the only surviving friend.
“Must be a special vibe coming off from me. You never came anywhere near me. You’d come so close and then turn away.” He laughed as I whipped off the blindfold. Of course, Brad had a go. He was hopeless. He caught me first, then another one of his friends. It was only then that he caught one enemy, but then he finished himself off by catching his last friend. I was trying to hold back a giggle through the whole thing.
The Wiccan’s & Warlocks activity was a battle in the magic room – a glass box that you use to practice spells in. It was giving the younger students a change to challenge the students in their final year, of course the younger student never won. Brad challenged our fellow class member to a fight and they both fought gallantly, but unfortunately, Brad was just a little better than him. I challenged his activity partner, which he accepted. Everybody accepted a challenge from a wiccan royal. That was one of the first things I’d learnt. It was like an unstated rule, you always accepted a royal’s challenge if it is presented to you. I won in minutes of starting, but neither of us was expecting any less. I was after all the host of the orb of power.
Finally was the second vampire activity that Gabby and Alison were running. They started theirs with a wall of photos – or should I say paintings – all the Vampire royals to every existed. Vampires where strange creatures when it came to royals. It wasn’t a family or power thing, just a rank. Prince or Princess were of course the highest rank one vampire can achieve on their own. To achieve the rank of King or Queen they have to marry. According to Gabby and Alison’s stall the only current prince in existence was Sir Malice. Then once past the wall of vampire princes and princesses, was a place where you could have your own Vampire royal photo taken. The photo of course had magic on it, so when processed, it looked as though it was a painting. Brad and I had a photo together, dressing up in the royal wear. It was a brilliant photo of the two of us, probably my favourite photo. The detail in it was fantastic, absolutely fantastic.
Lunch was interesting, I couldn’t believe just how many vampire students there were. Practically everybody who could be a vampire, was one. The hunters would have a big afternoon on their hands, but looking over to them I think they relished the challenge.
“They’ll have fun” I commented to Brad as we both looked over to the hunters.
“I wouldn’t doubt that” he laughed.
He lifted a small cheese cube from my plate and said, “Open wide, Mrs Watkins-to-be”
I slowly opened my mouth, he placed the cube in my mouth. I closed my mouth too soon. My lips closing over his finger. He left his finger in my mouth, until I pulled my mouth back.
“Do I taste nice?” he asked chuckling.
I swallowed my cheese cube and replied “Very nice. What about me?”
I lifted my finger and he took it, and placed it into his mouth. It remained in there until I spotted the eyes that were watching us. I took my finger back and whispered “Well?”
“Far too tasty” he smirked.
I could keep myself from giggling, and letting my cheeks blush red.
One o’clock, the hunters were sent lose and the game started to pick up. Several vampires were taken on the way out of lunch – all of them Brad’s blue vampires – as they couldn’t convince the hunters to let them go. I quickly snatched them up and drew on three red lines in the opposite direction, a lot thicker that the blue, to show that they were the fresher ones. These particular students can’t be caught again. The hunters have already put their mark on them. I went around taking in a lot of new vampires. I saw a few go from red to Blue but not as many as were going blue to red. I was pretty sure we had more numbers to begin with, but now I was even more confident.
“I love this day” I smirked as Brad and I headed to the final count.
When we walked into the great hall, I was shocked by how many vampire students there was left. Mostly red – you didn’t need to do a count, the red was the clear winner. There was at least half the student population in the hall.
Sir Mallot, Jeff and Mistress Halsente were there.
“Well, as you can see. The red coven wins” Sir Mallot cheered.
The room erupted into applause. The rest of my red team were high-fiving each other. I turned to Brad and kissed him on the cheek saying “Sorry”
“Fair game. The best man – or woman – won” he replied kissing me fully on the lips.
I gave him my best sympathetic smile and then turned in time for a knock on the door. I was the closest royal to the door so I opened it. One of our guards bounded in, nearly knocking a few students over. Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente, Jeff and I gathered around the guard instinctively .
“We have a visitor” he said almost breathless.
The visitor must be important in case he wouldn’t be out of breathe, but usually important visitors have arranged dates to show up. It is rude to show up without being invited. We weren’t meant to have a visitor, were we? Nobody had told me about it.
“Who?” I asked him.
“His name is Tony Harris. He’s the visit planner...” I couldn’t believe my ears. He was reacting so wildly for a visit planner. We had those visit all the time and we never had this sort of response. Who is the planner a visitor planner for, I wonder. He continued, answering my question “... For Sir Malice. The only current Vampire Prince. The prince wishes to arrange a visit.”
Everybody stood in hearing distance gasped, even Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente. In all the years Sir Mallot had been a Wiccan Royal he had never heard of a Vampire Royal visiting a covert. It was rare, and only happened on special occasions, like a Vampire royal on a search for a King or Queen. It had been over a hundred years since the last Vampire visited a covert and it almost started a war. No matter what the Vampire Prince wants it could be risky. But as everybody knows we wouldn’t be able to refuse him a visit in case war would definitely break out.
“All students are to go either to their rooms or to the cafeteria” shouted Sir Mallot, his voice more stressed than usual. The colour had faded from all the faces in the room, that knew what the outcome could be of this visit.
“Charlie, quickly go and get that off your face, and change into your royal dress. Hazel and I will stall until you return” said Sir Mallot quietly to me.
I nodded and rushed out quickly followed by Brad.

CHAPTER FOUR
THE EVENT PLANNER
I rushed about my room fetching the different royals things; my royal dress, my royal shoes, my royal necklace. I couldn’t tell I was shaking until I stopped to put the necklace around my neck. Brad came up to my and took the necklace out of my fingers and fastened it up himself.
“Calm down. Everything will be alright” he whispered.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t even know Vampires existed for real until a few weeks ago and now one appears at our covert and I have to meet him. What if he’s hungry and decides he wants a snack?” I asked, my breathing raged.
“What’s going on?” Geska asked rushing through the door.
“I’ll explain to her. You’re going to be late. Good luck. And I am sure you’ll be fine” Brad whispered to me.
I leaned up and kissed him, and then legged it out of the door.
I ran all the way back to the grand hall doors. Just outside I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. I opened the doors and walked in as graceful as I could. The vampire was shockingly beautiful. He had long light blond hair – so light it looked almost white –, though he looked only twenty years old. His eyes sparkled a brilliant light blue colour. I stumbled a little as I looked into his eyes. I quickly regained my posture and walked to my chair on the right hand side of Sir Mallot.
“So this is the young Wiccan Royal. My Prince has been more than eager to meet you, ma’am” said the event planner.
“Urm... thank you. What is your name?” I asked.
Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente looked at me dumbstruck. We never asked for the names of the event planners. Ever.
“Tony Harris, Ma’am. Event planner to Sir Malice, the Vampire Prince” he replied with a small bow. “And your name I believe is Miss Charlie Gyid”
All three of us sat up straight in our chairs. How did he know my name? I could understand them know of a very young Wiccan Royal or the host of the orb of power, but we had always tried to keep my actual name a secret for protection of those I used to care about back in England. How was it that the Vampire’s knew my name?
“I am sorry, I thought you knew that our sources are rich with information. My prince has been quite eager to meet you Miss Gyid. We have, of course, heard of your power, he also asked me to compliment you on your beauty” said Tom with a smile on his face.
“Urm... tell him thank you” I replied a little shocked by what had just been said, I could see Mistress Halsente and Sir Mallot were just as shocked.
“Urm... so, shall we arrange Sir Malice’s visit?” Asked Tom.
“Yes” replied Sir Mallot in rather a quiet voice.
“Sir Malice wishes for the visit to be as soon as possible” requested Tom “And his only other request is that Miss Gyid be present for the entire time”
“It is very rare that Charlie should leave the covert. She’ll be here no matter the date, bearing in mind her end of the year exams are in four weeks” spoke up Sir Mallot.
“The date?” Asked Tom shifting his weight from one foot to another, even though I was sure Vampires didn’t have to do that. Perhaps they do it to look less statue like, they could remain very still if they wanted to.
“Is three weeks from now soon enough?” Mistress Halsente asked.
“It would be by the time I get back, it’ll would only be two weeks then” replied Tom.
“Then we shall allow you to have talks with our event planner, Mr Button. He will arrange all the necessary arrangements. In fact, he should be waiting outside. Charlie will you go and let him in”
I followed Sir Mallot’s instructions and allowed Jeff entry to the hall. Jeff almost stood directly next to Tom but then decided not to and left quite a few feet between them. It was impossible to say that being so close to a vampire scared him.
“I would prefer making the arrangements with you, or at least with you present” demanded Tom.
“Very well, I shall remain and so will Hazel, however, Charlie has other things she needs to be doing” said Sir Mallot his voice full of authority.
I looked at him. What exactly was I supposed to be doing? I didn’t question, I decided it was better to just excuse myself. I stood, bowed to the other royals and said, “Then I shall take my leave” I had to start using royal manners when I became a royal, and I was almost an expert at them now. I started to walk towards the door when within seconds Tom was in front of me. I had to blink several times before it clicked that Vampires had super speed. He stared at me and then turned his eyes to Sir Mallot and said, “It was actually to Miss Charlie that I was addressing, Sir. Her other arrangements can surely wait. It will not take too long. I’m sure we will be in agreement for most things”
I turned to look at Sir Mallot also for instructions. He nodded at Tom and I. I walked back to my seat.
“Maybe I shall not take my leave” I mumbled to myself.
“Fine. Shall we start. So his arrival date will be three weeks from today. We will provide food – blood – as long as he resist from feeding off our own people. We shall for one evening, his first evening host a ball in celebration of comradeship between the Vampire and Wiccan race. After that, he may depart when he wishes” explained Sir Mallot.
“That is most grateful of you. The mention of the ball reminds me, my prince, would of course – for the ball – ask for a dance of the most beautiful woman in the covert.” Tom smiled at me.
“I can provide a beautiful girl, but you seem to be hinting towards Charlie. I must disappoint your Prince on that point. I am afraid Charlie is engaged and due to be married to a fellow Warlock” explained Sir Mallot. A smile appeared on my face at the thought of the upcoming wedding. But all of us couldn’t notice the sudden fear on Tom’s. Tom’s eyes had turned a dark black. Tom stood not speaking trying to compose himself for several minutes. He pulled on his clothes and cleared his throat. All of us watched as his eyes slowly returned to his light blue colour.
“Oh, that may be difficult” he finally managed to squeak “My prince was rather firm on that point”
Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente and I shared a glance at each other.
“Will one or two dances suffice?” I asked.
“It could be a good starting place. I am afraid my prince will not be entirely pleased with this development” Tom said, his voice cold.
“Benjamin, may I be excused so I may discuss with Brad?” I asked him.
“I think that will be wise” Sir Mallot replied.
“I will return as quickly as possible” I said standing quickly and briskly walking to the door of the great hall.
I actually walked as slowly as possible, I wasn’t really looking forward to asking this humungous favour of Brad. This would test him, even if he agrees to it. It will probably be one of the hardest things he has had to do, concerning our relationship. I walked into my room, he was inspecting the TV, Geska was sat watching him on the sofa. When Geska saw me she ran to me and hugged my leg.
“You’re ok” she screamed.
“I’m fine Geska, but we’re not done. I just need to quickly talk to Brad and then I have to return. Do you think you could give us a moment alone Geska?”
She nodded, but she wasn’t happy about it. She stomped through the door into her own room. Brad turned to me. He could tell by my tone this was important.
“Why do you need to discuss with me?” he asked.
“Well, as you can probably guess. Sir Malice, the Vampire Prince wishes to visit. Apparently he is has heard of me and seen my apparent “beauty”. And one his terms is that when we hold the celebrating ball, I be his “date”” I explained, using speech brackets with my fingers on the words ‘beauty’ and ‘date’.
“And you want my permission?” asked Brad seeing where I was going with this.
“He demands that it be so, or else he does not visit. You know if this visit doesn’t happen now that his event planner has visited, War could break out between the Wiccans and Vampires, leading to casualties on both sides.” I replied, with pleading eyes. “I don’t want it any more than you, but if that is what it takes then...”
“Please don’t say it” he said scrunching his eyes together and taking my left hand. “You’re right. We can’t risk war breaking out. And I know I’ve got you for life” he said playing with the engagement ring on my finger.
“You know one night won’t mean anything” I whispered into his ear as I drew closer to him. I softly placed my lips on to his. “I need to return. I won’t take too long”
“I’ll be waiting” he said as he walked me to the door. He kissed me on the lips.
I headed out.
I took a slow walk back to the grand hall. I didn’t like this. The Vampires know that we know what would happen if this visit fails now, and they are using it to get to us. I can tell. I felt terrible. I would be attending my first ball as a Wiccan Royal with someone who wasn’t Brad.
As I entered the room, everybody fell silent, so I could tell just by looking at everybody, they had been arguing, the brow on all of their faces showed that.
“Well?” asked Tom.
The other three were obviously just as interested in my response.
I kept them in the silence as I slowly and gracefully walk to my chair. I exaggerated each step making my walk slower and more defined. I could feel the tension in the soon as I continued my slow walk. Everybody was waiting for my answer. Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente were watching me, panic on their face from my long silence. They were sat on the very edge of their seats.
“I will attend the ball with him” I said blandly as I took my seat.
They all sighed a sigh of relief, simultaneously.
“Now, may we continue?” asked Tom.
Sir Mallot narrowed his eyes and plainly nodded.
“Miss Charlie, my Prince will send a dress for you to wear...” I cut him short.
“I would very much like to wear my royal event dress. It was designed for this exact sort of occasion, and it would be rude to my own people to not wear it”
“I’m sorry, but I am afraid that is another one of his conditions”
“And how many conditions exactly does he have?” I asked him, my own temper rising. He was walking all over us, using the threat of a failed meeting.
He sighed. “it could be worse. His only conditions are to do with you Miss Charlie. He merely requests your presence, and for you to accept the gifts he gives you, one of which is the dress for the ball. He would be most offended if you refused one of his gifts”
“Fine, I shall wear this dress that he has proposed. What else is there that needs to be discussed?” I asked. I knew it was safer for me to do the talking. The atmosphere between the other two royals and the vampire was easily irritable. Very easily irritable. That much was extremely clear.
“The schedule for his days here” Tom said.
I nodded for him to continue.
“He will, for the purpose of this visit, sleep at night and awake during the day, of course. He does not wish to be disturbed when he is asleep, unless it is...” he coughed “... a certain someone...” he coughed again. All four of us realised he was on about me once again. I didn’t get this attraction to me. He hardly knew me. How could be so attracted to me when he hasn’t even met me before. You can’t be attracted with the information about someone, only the person itself.
“He also appreciates a cup of blood, once a day. That will keep him sustained enough to resist biting any of your people, but he does insist that he is not left completely alone with anybody, again, unless... it’s a certain someone”
This attraction was really starting to bug me.
“Shall we just say now, that everything you say is twisted, leaving me out?” I asked a little irritated.
“That would be a lot easier, yes” he replied.
I turned myself off if I was no longer needed in the conversation. I didn’t listen to his other requests and rules, but I quickly snapped myself back on when I heard the rest of them gasp. I sat up on my chair looking from face to face. Both Jeff and Sir Mallot had a frustrated expression on their faces, and Mistress Halsente was wearing a expression of disgust. I waited to see if any of them would speak a word about it, without me having to bring it back up. But we sat in silence. I opened my mouth to ask what exactly he had said when Tom asked, “Is that a problem?”
“Of course it is a problem. We never allow one single royal to take a trip on their own” growled Sir Mallot.
“Well, if she was willing...?” Tom started looking over to me.
Oh no. What now?
“I’m sorry I blanked. What are we discussing?” I asked, trying to sound as formal as possible, trying to hide the fear that it was something I should have listened to first time. I looked to Sir Mallot for an answer but he was still sending evil glares to Tom, Jeff was doing the same. Mistress Halsente was pre-occupied with disgust to answer my question. I turned to Tom. He just briefly smiled.
“A suggestion from my Prince. He would of course like you to accompany him back to his coven after his visit, to show real comradeship” Tom explained.
I nodded. I couldn’t tell what was so bad about the proposal. We did that a lot. If royals visited us we normally visited them straight afterwards, in fact, travelling to their home with them. Bu then I remember what Sir Mallot had hissed at the vampire. ‘We never allow one single royal to take a trip on their own’. When Tom had said ‘you’ he didn’t mean the three of us, he meant just me. The prince wanted only me to go back to his coven with him. That was against our rules, for the royals protection. But what I couldn’t understand was why invite me and not the others.
“That can be discussed with him when he arrives” I said, trying to keep the cool between the vampire and my fellow Wiccans. All heads darted in my direction. Tom had a large grin on his face and the others were of shock. I amended my sentence. “I never said I would agree, but it would be better that be discussed when he arrived. To avoid, messy, rumours”
My fellow Wiccan’s and Warlocks straightened their faces, trying to compose themselves. We remained in silence for a while. I hated it when meetings like this fell into silence. It was always an uncomfortable silence, an awkward silence.
“So are we done here?” I asked
“That is all I can think of. If there are any other things I have forgotten I shall send a letter” He said bowing “My Prince will be most happy with these arrangements”
“Our guards will escort you out. Charlie open the door” order Sir Mallot.
I followed his instructions. As Tom passed he took my hand and kissed it. His skin was ice cold and so were his lips. They were so cold goose bumps rose on my arms. He spotted that and chuckled. “My prince will not be able to wait to finally meet you Miss Gyid”
It was only after he kissed my hand again that he took his departure. I turned and took my seat.
“This is not going to turn out well” commented Sir Mallot.
“Benjamin, what do we do?” Asked Mistress Halsente with a stressed tone.
“We allow him to come. We cannot risk a war. But I would suggest we put you under twenty-four hour watch again Charlie, during his stay. I do not like the sound of this attraction to you” instructed Sir Mallot.
“Neither do I” I agreed.
“What shall we tell our people?” asked Mistress Halsente panicking.
“We tell them the truth. We need to be strong, Hazel. We should do at least a week of lessons of Vampires for the students, especially the younger ones. It may give them a little extra protection. Jeff you will send some of our people to the other coverts, telling them about this unexpected visit” instructed Sir Mallot.
“I will go immediately” Jeff said bowing.
“Charlie, I will need you to talk to the older students. Your year and the year below will have to keep them in check during his visit” instructed Sir Mallot “Hazel and I will talk to the adults”
This was the first meeting that we’ve ever had where all of us left the room at different times. I left first accompanied by Jeff. Jeff walked me to my new room, where I knew Brad and Geska would be waiting anxiously. Waiting to find out exactly what is going on.
“Why do you think the prince is so keen on me?” I asked Jeff as we walked.
“Well, beside the obvious, you are host of the orb, a wiccan royal and the youngest wiccan royal” he replied.
“What do you mean ‘besides the obvious’?” I asked stopping just outside my door.
“Well, you are very beautiful, smart, and extremely powerful” he replied. “I must go. If we want these people to return before the Prince arrives I had better send them on their way. Be easy on Brad. I bet this isn’t going to be easy on him”
I nodded as he left.
I took a big breath in. What was I going to say to Brad? Hey, Hunny, guess what? A Vampire Prince is exceptionally interested in me, and he’s visiting in under three weeks. Oh, and I’m attending a ball with him, in a dress he gave me. Love you. He’s not going to like this. He’s going to hate it more than I do. I took another deep breath. I can’t hold it off. I slowly entered the room, as nervous as when I had left the grand hall.

CHAPTER FIVE
PREPORATIONS
Brad was sat on the sofa waiting for me. Stress clear on his face. When he saw he me he jumped to his feet. I practically ran into his arms. Digging my head in shoulder. He wrapped his arms tightly around my back, holding me in place.
“When does he arrive?” he asked, he was no better at hiding his stress as anybody else in the covert.
Can nobody hide their stress, worry and fear in this place?
“Three weeks” I replied briefly.
“And the... ball?”
“The first night”
I wasn’t going to say anymore unless he asks about it. He doesn’t need to worry for another three weeks. I’ll tell him then, save him the worry. I couldn’t help but imagine his pained face at the ball. It stained my head. For my first experience at a proper Royal Ball, and I wouldn’t even be dancing with Brad. I would be with a stranger, a Vampire.
“Anything else?” he asked.
“Nothing for you to worry about, or at least not yet.” I replied a lot quieter than I was going for. He pulled my face out of his shoulder – his hands holding my face in place – so he could look me in the eye.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked scrutinizing my face.
“I mean, if I tell you now, you’ll be worrying unnecessarily. I will tell you, just closer to the time. Maybe the night before” I explained to him.
“Promise?” he asked, still holding my face in his hands.
“Promise” I replied with a small smile.
He said nothing else but leaned in a pressed his lips up against mine.
And just like she was called, Geska came running through the door and broke us up. She squeezed in-between the two of us – facing me. I couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed with Geska at this point. She always comes in at the wrong point. It’s like she has a built in radar for when we don’t want to be disturbed and so she comes in.
“Well?” she asked in her innocent little three year voice.
“Nothing for you to worry about Geska” I said patting her head. She cringed away from my hand, she hated being patted on the head, but I do it anyway.
“Anyway, Charlie, We have some planning to do” said Brad taking both of my hands, gaining my attention. That’s never really very hard for Brad.
“We do?” I asked in shock. How could he already know?
“Well, do you want the wedding to be a Vegas thing?”
He’d was talking about the wedding. I sighed a sigh of relieve, hoping he didn’t notice.
“No. I want it to be beautiful” I said.
“Well, then we have some planning to do” laughed Brad pulling me back into his arms, moving Geska out of the way as he did it. We both looked down to Geska. We didn’t have to say anything, she knew what we wanted.
“I’ll be in my room” she pouted as she stormed out the door. The door slammed shut behind her.
“I’ll read you Cinderella tonight” I shouted, hoping she would hear me.
She quickly poked her head around the door and cheered “Thank you”
She closed the door carefully behind her this time.
“It is so easy to make her happy” laughed Brad.
He lifted me up and placed me in the centre of our bed. He lay on top of me, gently massaging my neck with kisses. He moved from my dress strap to below my ear. My heart beat picked up and my breathing stuttered.
“I... I thought we... we were wedding planning” I blurted out, struggling with my words.
“When do you want it?” he asked, still not relenting on the kissing, that was quickly driving me crazy.
“I... I...” I couldn’t talk, at all.
“Charlie?” his voice rank in my ear.
“July” I decided to stick with the one word.
“Two months? That is brilliant, not too long and not too short” he replied allowing his hand to stroke the side of my arm. A wave of heat flooded through me. “Where do you want it?”
“Here” Again, one word answers. I couldn’t manage anymore than that. His kissing and soft strokes were driving me mad. Tying my tongue into knots like it was a pile of spaghetti.
“What? On this bed?” he asked almost jokingly.
I shook my head, “No”
“Oh, you mean the covert?” he asked, sitting up. His eyes mocking. A huge smile on his lips.
“In the grand hall” I replied. I was glad to finally be able to use a sentence. Or at least to be able to think enough to use a sentence.
“You’ll have to ask Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente for permission”
“No, I’m a royal. I can give permission”
“Of course. I forgot I was marrying the most powerful girl in the entire Underworld” he joked, lifting my hand, so he could press his lips up against it.
“Who will be in invited?”
“The Swiss Covert...” I started.
“Naturally. Including Alison and her parents, I’m guessing” he interrupted.
“Yeh. Elspeth, from the French Covert. I still owe her one. And then Laura Drew.”
“All added to the list” he smiled.
I smiled back. I pulled my legs out from under him as I sat up against the back wall. He crawled to me. Refusing to let me get away. He perched himself on my legs. His fingers stroked my arms as he asked, “Who will be your maid of honour?”
“I’m not sure. I mean, I’ve know Alison longer, but I don’t want to hurt Gabby’s feelings. But if I choose Gabby, I’ll hurt Alison’s feelings.” I said slightly moaning.
“What about Geska?” he asked plainly curious.
“She’s not old enough. Besides I want her to be my flower girl” I could see Geska now in a beautiful flowing dress, flowers in her hair, and holding a bunch of flowers in her hands.
“What about Mistress Halsente?” suggested Brad. “I mean she could be the witness, and then Alison and Gabby could be the bridesmaids”
“That’s a brilliant idea. Hazel as witness and then... Of course. That’s brilliant.” I said.
I took his head in my hands and pulled his lips on to mine. When he pulled back I cheered, “I knew I said yes for a reason”
“I’m here to help” he chuckled.
Prep. Prep. And more prep. Over the week we went out of our way to prep the covert. It was up to me to break the news to the students of the school, and I must admit I had never been more nervous. We gathered them in the food hall, and told them all to take a seat. I was stood at the front. Brad had offered to stand next to me and so he did.
“Right, as you all know yesterday we had a visitor. He was the event planner for the Vampire Prince Sir Malice. As you can guess, Sir Malice will be visiting this covert...” A loud gasp erupted in the room, as well as thunderous whispering. “Quiet” They wouldn’t shut up. “QUIET” They still wouldn’t shut up.
“Frolesca Dracota” I chanted. Out of my right palm came a ball of fire. It shot up and floated mid air. It shifted in on itself until it created the shape of dragons head. Suddenly a loud roar ripped through the grand hall. The room fell silent. The dragon retreated back into my hand.
“Right... as I was saying he will be visiting, and he will be visiting in three weeks...” the room erupted into more whispering.
I sighed. This was going to be a long day. I took a seat and waited. I checked my watch every now and then. When ten minutes had passed my impatience got the better of me. I walked to the closest table and climbed up.
“Momenta noisia” I chanted as I brought my hands up clapping them together. The noise rocketed through the room, along with a large burst of wind. All the papers in the room shot across the room and smashed against the far wall.
“Right, if this room falls into whispers one more time when I am not finished it will be you hitting that back wall” I threatened in my best threatening tone. “Has anybody got anything to say?”
I watched as each person looked around them at the other people. After a few moments nobody had said anything, “Good”
“Now. With this visit brings danger. A threat. Do not worry, he will not harm you. We would never allow that. But for the next three weeks, every year will have extra hours in battle room learning how to defend yourself against vampires.” There was a loud gasp but no whispering so I continued “During his visit, you are to do exactly what you are told. You do not leave your dorms after eight o’clock, anybody caught will be severely punished by either me, or Sri Mallot...”
Mistress Halsente had been excluded from that. Both Sir Mallot and I know of her obsession of keeping the student safe. She is so obsessed she had become more relaxed with punishment, she usually lets them off. But this case, we cannot risk them thinking they can get away with it. It would have to be Sir Mallot and I doing the punishment.
“... You will of course, be one alert when passing through the corridors to your lessons. Also, we do wish for you to remain in either the new common rooms, your dorm rooms, or the training rooms outside of school hours. For your own safety. Closer to the time, we will tell you which corridors you are to avoid, but for now, I wish you good luck in your extra hours. Beginners, first years, you are to go first. Second years, you will go to the training room in exactly one hour. Third years the next hour. And fourth, the next. Intermediate, your extra hours are tomorrow. You will be told during the day when you are to attend. Ok, now you can talk. I am done”
The whole room erupted in a roar of chattering. I climbed down and walked to Brad’s side.
“How did I do? Too much, Too little?” I asked him as he wrapped his arms around me.
“No, I would say just right. I must say, I liked your dragon. Very stylish” he smiled.
“Thank you” I kissed him on the cheek.
Telling the students wasn’t the hardest part, the hardest part was training them. Luckily, as I was still classed as a student I didn’t actually have to train them but I had to sit through the Expert training. We, as the eldest in the school, not only had learn how to protect ourselves we had to learn how to protect others. The two Expert years combined together and spent four hours in a row training.
“Right, Vampire are peculiar creatures...” started Sir Mallot.
Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente and our defence teacher, Mr Carris, were responsible for teaching us.
“They survive off of blood alone, but that you know. For those of you who don’t know, most myths about Vampires in the mortal world are false. They in fact can come out in the day, in bright sunlight. They do have super abilities, like speed and strength. It is true that one bite is all it takes to turn you into one of them, so that will be our first topic. Biting” Continued Sir Mallot.
“Should a vampire approach you, the first thing you need to be sure of is ‘is he going to bite you?’. We have of course arranged for donated blood to be prepared for them, so they shouldn’t bite but we’re not sure about how good their self-control is...” Mr Carries continued. “Because of their speed and agility, running is not the best thing to do. You will have no choice but to use combat. The best thing to use against Vampires is... Can anyone give a guess?”
I looked about. Nobody else raised their hand so I raised mine with a good idea in my head.
“Charlie”
“Fire?” I asked.
“You would think so wouldn’t you?” replied Mr Carris laughed. His face turned serious, “But no, the best thing to use against Vampires is water. Their skin can withstand fire, but unlike every other creature in our underworld, Vampires cannot have water pass through them. It burns them in the way fire burns us. The best place to aim is for the face; their eyes, nose and mouth.”
“Pair up and practice” ordered Sir Mallot.
Sir Mallot was probably the most stressed about the visit. It was when his own grandfather was a Wiccan Royal that the last Vampire visit took place. Not only did it end in war, his grandfather also lost the true love of his life, Sir Mallot’s grandmother. The Vampire that had visit had spotted his grandmother the way – he believes – Sir Malice has spotted me. His grandmother was bitten by the vampire and had no choice but to go with him and live the rest of her existence as his wife. And now, Sir Mallot is worried the same thing will happen to me.
Nobody found it to much surprise when Brad came and took me as his partner. We always pair together. We went to our usual spot in the corner. I could fight a lot better than I did in my first lesson, even though I still kicked his ass then. Now, he doesn’t stand a chance.
“Aqua alota” I chanted.
Three droplets of water – all with a one centimetre radius – shot from my fingers towards Brad. They were deadly accurate and deadly fast. Brad only just moved enough to stop them from blinding him. He moved a second in time. One drop hitting in-between his two eyes and another other hitting just to the right of his right eye. The third hit the right corner of his lips. If he hadn’t of moved, all of them would be perfectly on target.
“Well done Charlie” I heard Mr Carris shouting over to us. “Brilliant”
I went to Brad as he whipped the water off of his face.
“Are you ok?” I asked.
“You worry about me too much” he replied, smiling at me.
I kissed him on the cheek and then went back to my place so he could have a go.
“Aqua alota” he chanted.
Three droplets of water – the same size that mine had been – shot from his fingers towards me. As they got closer I noticed they might not hit me. They seemed to have too much of a gap between them. They were going to pass right past me. I closed my eyes and stood absolutely still. I felt as one of them scraped along the very edge of my right ear. I opened my eyes. Brad’s smile had vanished. He hated it when he couldn’t do something. Especially, when everyone else can. We both looked about to see that everybody else could do it.
He tried again, catching me off guard, but the gap in between me and droplets was even bigger. He tried again. He still couldn’t get them exactly on.
Mr Carris came over.
“Charlie, move over. Brad I want you to aim at me” He said.
“Aqua alota” Brad chanted.
Three droplets of water – the same size – shot from his fingers towards Mr Carris. They were accurate and fast. How come he could it now and not before? The three droplets of water hit Mr Carris exactly where they were supposed to. In both eyes and his mouth. Mr Carris wiped the water from his face and then looked towards Brad.
“Perhaps you two shouldn’t pair together.” He suggested.
“What? Why?” moaned Brad.
“Because you can’t seem to hurt Charlie. I knew you’d be able to do it if it wasn’t Charlie you were doing it to. So, Gabby you’re pairing with Charlie. Brad you’re pairing with Sam” ordered Mr Carris.
“I’ll see you later” I whispered to Brad as I headed to the other side of the room, where Gabby had been training with Sam – another Warlock in his final year.
“What happened?” asked Gabby.
“Brad can’t seem to do it when it’s me he’s supposed to do it to.” I explained.
She nodded, her face full of understanding.
During the four hours we had on that one day, we covered the water, the issue of what to do if a Vampire is about to bite somebody else, what to do if a Vampire challenges you – Vampires are well known for challenges, to refuse one is a huge offense and so the Vampire would fight you anyway –, and finally we were told in what way we were to help controlling the other students. Our year and year below us are going to be given extra responsibilities which including patrolling the student corridors for any students out of their dorms after eight o’clock. We would be taking turns through the evening and night. If we catch somebody we are to take them to either Sir Mallot or myself. The actual rota will be decided closer to the time.
Two weeks until the visit.
The other coverts from around the world have now all been informed about mysterious visit from Sir Malice. The ones who had replied to us, have all promised to send a fee people over to help with protection. No one is looking forward to this visit. If this visit ends in war, it won’t just be a war between the Swiss Vampires and the Swiss Wiccans. It will be all the vampires from around the world and the entire Wiccan community. The Wiccan community is at least ten times the size of the vampires, but the vampire have an advantage of quickly being able to double their forces. They think of themselves and those around them – except the princes – as disposable. However, the Wiccans would morn every Wiccan or Warlock that dies in the war.
Only the covert in Europe have got in touch. Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente believe that the others will get in touch next week. For those who are really far away, like the Australian Covert may not even be heard from until the week of Sir Malice’s arrival. But late is better than never.
The lessons for the Expert students have lead to pure fighting, no more protection stuff, only fighting. If war breaks out, the Expert student may be the first ones that have to fight. The adults of the Swiss Covert would not be able to fight alone, they would need as many numbers as they could and so the Expert students would have to help.
The intermediate lessons will so move onto that as well. As the intermediate years have less experience, they have had to spend longer on defence. They have done what would be a whole year of Expert defence in one week, and they have another year of Expert defence to jam into the second week. On the third week they will be doing nothing but pure fighting.
The beginners are the ones everybody is worried about. In the one week that have had, they have done two years of intermediate, in the second week they will do another two years but they will not be able to finish two years of Expert in that third week. They will be the most vulnerable out of all the students, and so they will be the Expert student’s top priority. Mistress Halsente had even resulted in taking them to the battle room during their spells and enchantments lesson and insisted the battle teacher to carry on the lessons as well.
“The Expert years are ready, the intermediate will be ready on Friday, and the beginners are working hard to learn as much as possible” I summed up to Brad. He hadn’t asked but I needed to get some weight off my shoulders. Mistress Halsente, Sir Mallot and I have been working over board organising different things for the prince to do so then he isn’t tempted to wonder into an area where he may run across a student. “Apart from the ball, we’ve been trying to organise as show of our power for him to see, and putting aside seven hours for him to talk to – with Sir Mallot in the room of course – each year individually. I think the seven hours will be split into two, three one day and four another.”
“You need to relax” said Brad.
We were sat on the bed. He was leaning up against the head board. I was sat cross legged not that far in front of him. His legs were stretched forward but slightly moved to the left so I could sit closer to him. He could lean forward and touch my back, we were sat so close.
“It’s just in two weeks, this whole covert will be in danger. We’ll have a selection of Vampires running around the corridors for god knows how long, and we won’t be able to tell them to leave because that could start a war. And if we start a war, every covert of Wiccans will be fighting every coven of Vampires.” I stressed.
I had my fingers entwined with themselves. I twisted and turned them, watching, as I spoke. I couldn’t seem to focus on anything else but the visit. I hadn’t had a peaceful night since the event planner arrived.
There was a knock on the door.
“Come in” said Brad.
Gabby and Alison poked their heads around the door.
“Can the bridesmaids talk to the bride and groom for a moment?” Gabby asked.
I had asked them just after the conversation I had had with Brad. They fought it was a brilliant idea for Mistress Halsente to be witness, or at least that’s what they said. They seemed perfectly happy to the bridesmaids.
“Sure” I said.
Alison was carrying something behind her back. That made me nervous, what did she have? Gabby came and sat on the end of the bed. Alison followed but stay stood up, not allowing us to see what she had behind her back.
“Ali, what have you got behind your back?” I asked, my nerves showing in my voice.
“Well, you know for my seventeenth birthday, I went and visited my Nan, well, while I was here I went to your old house and picked up a little something that you might want.” She said.
“Oh, just show me what you got” I was anxious.
She brought her right arm around. In it was a beautiful red book. It had been covered in paper flowers. A scribble in black stood out the most. It was my writing from when I was younger. I couldn’t speak. This book was the last thing I expected.
My Wedding Planner
I had made this book when I was little. It was my dream wedding. The flowers, the music, the decorations, the guest list – containing a lot of fictional characters –, the groom, the rings, and the dress. Alison had done one as well, and we shared quite a few things. The guest list was exactly the same for both of us, and so was the perfect husband.
I quickly jumped to take the book.
“Oh my god! You are unbelievable Ali” I screamed.
“I thought you might need it” she replied.
Brad moved to my side.
“My wedding planner?” he asked.
“I made it when I was like six. Both Ali and I made one.” I explained.
I couldn’t wait. I opened to the contents page. I turned to the first page.
The Groom.
My breath caught. I quickly turned the page before Brad could see it. I was too late. He smoothly turned it back to that page. Stuck on the double age were ten photo’s. Two of them were those of lads I knew – one of them being Alison’s older brother. The other eight were celebrities.
Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Leonardo Dicaprio, Tom Hanks, and Brad Pitt where the ones I had first put in, but when I was thirteen I added a few more; Robert Patterson, Daniel Radcliff, and Mark Hamon.
“Ok, I can recognise these...” he said pointing to the actors, but then he moved his hand to the other two and asked, “Who are these?”
“That one’s my older brother Marcus” answered Alison pointing to the older one of the two.
“You have a brother?” asked Brad.
“I used to” she replied.
I gave Brad and Gabby a look, telling them to stop that line of conversation. I knew Alison never wanted to go into that.
“What about that one?” asked Brad pointing at the other.
“Just a lad I sat next to English in my first year at school” I replied turning the page.
The Location – The plaza, in London.
The Flowers. – White lilies and white roses.
The Decorations. – Balloon, flowers and silver ribbons.
The Music. – Westlife and Backstreet Boys, of course.
The Dress. – Designer made. A white strapless dress, with a long train and veil.
The Guest List – Jeff, Santa Clause, The girls from Totally Spies , ect.
I had to admit, some of the things I would still love, like the flowers, the music, the dress, but I knew I would have to change the guest list. And I loved the fact I could finally pick the one groom that I really wanted. I would have to add a picture of Brad onto my Groom page.
“You never told me about this book” commented Brad once Alison and Gabby had vanished.
“I didn’t realise Alison had got it. I thought I’d never see it again” I replied. “You don’t have a picture of you that you’re willing to spare do you?”
He walked to one of his drawers and pulled out one of the both of us together. It was an exact replica to one we had in a frame on the wall. I took it from him. I grabbed a glue stick from in my bedside table drawer. I turned to the next free page and wrote.
THE FINAL GROOM
I then stuck down the photo.
“There we go” I cheered closing the book.
“Do you still want those things, like the flowers, the music, the location?” he asked serious, a smile came onto his face, “And the guest list?”
“The guest list and the location can go, but the music and the flowers I still like” I said.
“Well, that’s them sorted” he smiled.
One week to go.
The visit was getting close. The intermediate students had now joined the Expert students in pure Battle training. Brad and I offered to aid in speeding up the Beginners learning. If the extra people we could teach the student in smaller groups which sped up the process by double. They had entered into the realm of Expert level in defence.
We spent the final week preparing the rooms ready for the Prince and his company. We had no idea how many people exactly he would bring so we assigned fifty rooms to the Vampires with an extra thirty on standby. If we needed extra rooms we could quickly do them up. We decided to combine two rooms so the Prince’s room was twice the usual size. He couldn’t complain about the size that way. We were indecisive of whether to keep the nature theme or to turn it into an ordinary room. We left it. If he had a problem we would change it then.
We had managed to arrange with the event planner the exact day and time he would arrive. Sunday at seven in the evening. We had arranged for the prince and the event planner to be met at the door by Jeff and two guards. Jeff would then ask them to leave their stuff so a collection of people could take the baggage to the assigned rooms. They would be brought up to meet Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente and I. We would greet them together.
Saturday night.
We gathered everybody together. Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente were going to talk to the adults in the battle room. I was to talk to the students in the school cafeteria. Brad was by my side but as I walked down the middle of the cafeteria butterflies started erupting in my stomach. I didn’t start formally. As soon as I go the top of the cafeteria I straight away climbed onto the table.
“To start with, the same rules apply while I’m talking today because to be frank I am really not in the mood to be messed around. Are we clear?”
Everybody nodded but remained silent.
“Good” I continued. “Right, tomorrow at seven clock, Sir Malice will arrive. He will not be attending Dinner, but you are to be on your best behaviour anyway, we need to let the adults know you can behave sensibly. But he will join us for breakfast in the morning. And we ask you not to approach either him or any of his company, for your own safety. Monday’s lessons will run as normal, but be cautious when walking from lesson to lesson. Sir Malice will be watching the Expert lessons and so he will also be moving from lesson to lesson on both Wednesday and Thursday. But all other days he is not permitted in the school corridor. The ball will be Monday night. Lads, I believe all of you have a suit and tie or Warlock black robes. And ladies, I am sure you all have your dresses. The show, that some of you have been roped into performing in will happen on Tuesday after dinner. The performers will, of course, be eating an hour early. Are you following all this?”
They all nodded.
“Good, now on to the gritty stuff. I told you before that we will, for the duration of Sir Malice’s stay, be introducing a new rule. After school you are to be either in the new common rooms, the cafeteria, the food hall or the battle and training rooms. And then everybody must be in their dorm rooms by eight o’clock. You are not to be wondering around the corridors. The two eldest years and the adults will be patrolling day and night through the corridors. Anybody who is caught will be punished by either Sir Mallot or myself. Are we clear on that point?”
They all nodded.
“Now, all of us know the consequence should this visit not be a success. I have been told that it has been explained to you already so I’m not going to go into details but you have been training none stop. Should anything develop you know what to do. But, you must not panic, we must remain strong. The adults – I have to admit – are the ones that seem to do the panicking. Us students need to show them we can have a vampire visitor, we can be brave, we can do as we are told when the covert is in a state like this. The whole covert needs to show the vampires that we are good people, that we can be trusted, that we can get along. Don’t we?”
There was a loud cheer.
I motioned for them to settle down.
“I have spoken enough on the nitty gritty stuff. Yes, be cautious but have fun. Treat these days a privilege. It is after all one of the only of very little visits that have happened between the Wiccans and the Vampires. It doesn’t happen very often. So enjoy the festivities, like the ball and the show and relish it. Good luck, and behave.”
The room erupted into applause and chatting. That had probably been one of the longest speeches I’ve ever had to make, but it was necessary. Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente had the same reception in the adult talk. The only thing to do was to wait. Wait for what could be a great success or a terrible disaster.

CHAPTER SIX
THE VAMPIRE
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
I didn’t really understand why I felt like I had to set my alarm. We had eleven hours until the vampire will arrive. It was only eight o’clock. I didn’t have to get up for breakfast until nine at the earliest. Brad rolled over me to turn off the alarm when I didn’t. He was as panicky about this whole visit as everybody else. I finally told him everything that we discussed with the event planner three weeks ago. He didn’t like one bit of it. He had even went to the extension of saying he wasn’t going to leave me alone for one minute, apart from the ball – he wouldn’t have a choice but leave me then. Also, he had been roped into taking part in the show but as a royal I couldn’t. I have to introduce it and then sit down and watch. So he would have to leave me then as well. I just hope I can bag a seat on the opposite side of the room to Sir Malice, but it sounds unlikely.
For the day we decided to set up the grand hall ready for the ball. We had to decorate it somehow. We set up a little raised area that the band will play on. We then placed charm after charm on the room as the decorations were added. We added decorations up the walls, so people knew where the room ended. That was one of my problems, I used to believe it just went on and on, until I decided to try out how far it actually went. I ran straight into the wall with full force, believing I was still miles away from the end of the room.
We put levitation charms on lanterns that we would light on the night. They raised to at least nine feet. Nobody was that tall, so nobody would knock them. We couldn’t move the grand chairs yet, they would have to be a last minute move. We would need them to meet the Prince. We did, however, bring in a smaller grand chair for the Prince to sit on during our first meeting. This chair we decided to specialise to the stereotypical vampire. We went out and fetched bright royal red pillows to pad it with. We added a few bone like sculptures on the end of the arms and on the very top.
I organised for a cape to be made for him. It would be a roped cape that sat gently on his shoulders. It would have a black, sticking up collar. On the inside – except on the collar – it would be an rainforest green – the Swiss Covert’s colour.
I had it washed and Ironed, ready for him to be presented it on his arrival. I placed it in a dress bag and hung it on the back of my royal chair ready to hand over to him.
Dinner, that day was tense. Brad wouldn’t let go of my hand, and most of the hall was silent. A few of the younger students were talking and few of the Expert students were as well. We had remembered to send any children – and their parents of course – who are under school age – except Geska – to the French Covert for the duration of Sir Malice’s stay, so it was already quieter than usual. The adults where sat in a deadly silence. It was them who this visit was effecting the most. Everybody knew that as soon as the Prince arrives we would have to at least but on a fake facade, but right now we don’t and the stress was showing. Jeff was almost pale white. He would be the first person to meet the Prince, before the royals meet him. I couldn’t imagine how he must be feeling. I had butterflies in my stomach and I wasn’t even going to be the first one to see him. I wondered what he would look like. Would he look like the planner? Would the myth that all Vampires are beautiful be true? Or will he be scared all over from battles that he would have fought in to get the rank of Prince.
“How are you?” Brad asked, in a shaky voice.
“I’m fine” I replied, but my voice squeaked at the end.
Brad let go of my hand and instead put his arm over my shoulder. His other hand took my hand. He looked down at our hands as he said, “I love you, you know that right?”
“Would I be marrying you if I didn’t?” I asked back.
“I suppose you’re right” he agreed, but then a smile came on his face “For once”
“I’m always right” I sneered jokingly. I had put on a fake pout.
He chuckled, but it wasn’t his usual chuckle that I loved. It was strained from the stress of the event. As his chuckled died his face returned to the stressed sombre face.
“It’ll be fine” I reassured him.
“I know, I just worry... about you” he replied kissing the top of my head.
“Let the orb worry about me. You need to focus on you. I’m perfectly safe. The orb isn’t going to let it’s host get hurt” I reassured him, even though I wasn’t sure about it myself. Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente had said they presumed it was true, though nobody would ever know until something bad happened, and nobody wanted that. I hoped our assumption didn’t come out too clear that he worked it out.
He didn’t say anything. He just nodded, leaning his forehead on my shoulder.
I looked over to the table that Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente and Jeff always sat at. Mistress Halsente, Sir Mallot and Jeff all stood up, along with two of the guards. It was nearly time. Sir Mallot looked towards me and motioned it was time to get ready. I nodded in his direction and then turned to Brad.
“Brad, I’ve got to go and get ready” I said.
“Students” barked Sir Mallot. “Cafeteria in five minutes”
Another protection thing for the students. All students were to go to the cafeteria while the first meeting takes place. This was going to be the most risky part of the visit. The first glance. The first talks. The first meeting.
“Be careful” he whispered into my ear as I stood to leave.
“I will” I whispered back kissing him lightly on the lips.
“Good luck, Charlie” said Gabby and Alison as I started to walk away. As per usual they had been sat opposite us, and they had been the loudest in the lunch room. They could always find something cheerful to chat about, on this occasion, they were talking about their bridesmaid duties.
I didn’t go to the grand hall yet, I had to change into one of my royal visit dresses. My royal visit dresses was my favourite out of my three sets of royal dresses. This was to be the dress set that I would be wearing for the duration of his stay, even during school hours – apart from battle. This particular dress was a brilliant green. This green dress features a sweetheart neckline with detachable and adjustable shoulder straps, a four-rose corsage on its top and a net trim under its skirt. I always wore it shoulder less.
I turned to my mirror so I could do my hair. I had my hair pulled back and up with a circular based hair ornament surrounding my cluster of red curls.
At five minutes to eight, I made my way down to the grand hall. I was the last one. Mistress Halsente and Sir Mallot were already in there. Both of them gleamed up. Sir Mallot was wearing one of his best robes, bright green. Mistress Halsente had tied her hair up into a tight and neat bun. Her dress was a long green maxi dress. All of the royal’s dresses were hand made for that particular royal, so it was no surprise that both of them looked amazing. They turned to me as I walked in. I had to leave the door slightly open, so then Jeff would be able to the enter with the prince. I took my seat. We would stand when we hear a knock on the door.
“You look amazing my dear” Said Sir Mallot to me.
“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself. Green defiantly suits you” I replied. I wasn’t lying. He looked a lot better in green than any other colour – hint, that’s why he picked the green robe for this occasion.
I turned to Mistress Halsente who was fiddling with a bow on her dress. “You look nice as well, Hazel”
Mistress Halsente looked at me and gasped. “Not as nice as you my dear. You put me to shame”
I had to admit, I had never had so much compliments on my dresses as I had today.
“Do you want some help?” I asked her.
“That would be nice” she replied going back to fiddling with her bow.
I walked to her side and asked, “What are you trying to do?”
“It’s not attached properly”
I took the bow off and re-attached it. I straightened it and then asked, “Is that better?”
“Yes, much better. Thank you.”
I went back to my seat. I checked my watch. Two minutes to seven
“I think this is one of those occasions where I want to get it over and done with. I hate suspense. It makes me uneasy” I commented.
“You’ve waited a whole two hours in here, waiting to open the box and now your panicking for three minutes of waiting for a Vampire Prince?” joked Sir Mallot, letting out a chuckle that, just like Brad’s, had a hard edge to it.
I laughed as well. “I guess”
“I will never understand you Charlie” he commented.
We waited in silence until the knock came. All of us stood as the door opened. Jeff was the one I saw first. He walked in closely followed Tom, the event planner. Then the Vampire strode in shadowed by our guards. The guards closed the door behind them.
I must admit, I wasn’t disappointed with the Prince. The myth that all Vampires were good looking was defiantly true. He was very Handsome. He was tall in his walking stance. He kept his back straight and his head high. He had long black hair and deep brown eyes. He wore a long black cape and a collection of black clothes including dark black boots. He looked at each of us in turn and bowed. First Mistress Halsente, then Sir Mallot and then myself. He bowed to me longer then he did the other two. Maybe Sir Mallot had reason to worry.
“Welcome, Sir Malice” welcomed Sir Mallot.
“Thank you, Sir Mallot. I am glad to finally be here.” He said. His voice was husky and attracting. Another vampire trait I presume.
“I hope your journey was pleasant” Should I really have expected any more than royal formalities?
“It was... durable. I hadn’t realised that you were up in the mountains. Had I have know I would have brought more suitable clothing. Capes aren’t easy to climb in. Mine – as you can see – has now collected a few holes.”
“Well, would it be a good time to give you our welcoming gift?” I asked him.
He locked his eyes on to mine. They smouldered.
“Any time would be a good time, my dear” he replied.
I walked to the back of my chair, where his new cape was hung up inside the dress bag. I held it in my arms as I walked to him. He smiled a breathtaking smile as I approached him. I couldn’t stop my cheeks from going red.
“I hope you like it, we had it specially ordered” I told him as he took hold of the zip so he could open it. When it was open, he took out the hanger – his cape attached – revealing the beautifulness of cape. He eyed it up and down, and then smiled.
“Thank you” he said “Would you hold it for a second?”
I nodded. He placed it in my open arms. He slowly untied the cape he had on already and pulled it off. He handed that cape to Tom and then took his new one. He placed it on.
“How does it look?” he asked me.
“Perfect” I replied.
His smile widened.
I took the dress bag back to its place on the back of the chair. I walked to the front of mine and sat in sync with Mistress Halsente and Sir Mallot. The two guards brought over the chair for Sir Malice. When his eyes locked on it, he smiled, and I was sure I heard a small chuckle.
“Perfect styling on my chair” he commented as he took his seat, Tom standing beside him.
“Do not thank us. Thank Charlie. She had it decorated.” Mentioned Mistress Halsente.
Sir Malice eyes moved to me.
“Well, thank you Charlie, it is perfect”
“You are more than welcome Sir Malice”
“Shall we get down to business, Sir Malice?” Asked Sir Mallot who had been sat tapping on the arm of his chair impatiently.
“Of course, this visit is purely to establish a good relationship between the Vampire and Wiccan world. I have been keen on the idea of a good relationship for a while, but have been too nervous of the consequences, should it go wrong, to do anything.” Replied Sir Malice.
“Well, you can probably imagine our surprise when your event planner turned up. And of course the anxiety of finding out what this visit is about” said Sir Mallot.
“I apologise, I should have sent a pre-visit planner letter, but I wished for the meeting to happen before my nerves got the better of me.” he said. “However, I am very glad about your arrangements for the ball. Am I right in thinking I will be escorting Charlie?”
“Yes, you are” I said.
“Then it is my pleasure my dear to present you with a gift. My men will bring it to you before the ball. It is a dress, I would very much like you to wear” he replied.
“I am well aware of the dress. And I did send my thanks.” I said.
“I hope you don’t think the Ball will be all the festivities that will be happening?” asked Mistress Halsente with a small cheer in her voice. It had been her idea to do the show, and she was proud with what she had produced in three weeks. That was the one thing that kept her sane during the stressful weeks. “On Tuesday – as is tradition in the Wiccan world when it comes to visits – there will be a show, showcasing some of the amazing students we have at this covert”
“Does that include Charlie?” asked Sir Malice.
“I’m afraid not. I am not the best person when it comes to stage fright” I replied. That sounded better than ‘I’m not allowed to do it’. “I shall be watching”
He nodded but did not say a word.
“Sir Malice, I do not wish to offend, but do you have any clue as to the length of your stay? I ask because we – of course – have had blood delivered, and we will need to know if we need to order some more” asked Sir Mallot.
“I would say three weeks at the maximum. I am not one to intrude” he replied leaning back on his chair. “I presume you have went out of your way to order blood so my men do not feed off of your people?”
“Yes.” Replied Sir Mallot briefly.
“That is absolutely fine, of course. I have set strict order to my men, punishable by death. They will not disobey with that high of a punishment. Though I do ask you to set certain rules with your people. There is only so much I can ask of the self-control of myself and my men.”
“We already have done.” I spoke up. “We have instructed them not to approach unless asked to”
“Thank you” he nodded at me.
I nodded back. Royal formalities.
“Your sleeping quarters have been arranged. You and your men will be on the same corridor or two corridors, depending on how many men you have brought with you. Your men should be being shown to their rooms as we speak. We have asked our people not to wonder onto your corridor and we would be very grateful if you and your men do not wonder into theirs.”
“Of course, Sir Mallot. I wouldn’t dare and neither would my men. We know how powerful Wiccan and Warlocks can be, especially those who are fresh from school”
“Good. We do not want any unnecessary accidents” said Sir Mallot.
“Is there any plans to what I will be doing during the day, or is that for me to decide?” asked Sir Malice.
“Well, Tuesday and Wednesday, we wondered if you would like to sit in on one of the older student’s lessons. The rest is up to you” mentioned Mistress Halsente.
“Then I shall have a careful think about what I wish to do.” He said with a thoughtful face.
“Well, I should think that is all for now. Shall we retire?” Sir Mallot asked.
“I do have one more question. How do I find you should I need something?” Sir Malice asked.
Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente and I shared a look. What do we tell him?
“There will be guard patrolling just outside your corridor to stop any misbehaving students, so ask him to fetch either myself or Hazel” said Sir Mallot.
“Of course” he replied.
We all stood.
The three of us walked to him. Sir Mallot shook his hand, then he kissed Mistress Halsente’s hand. He then turned to me. He took my hand and kissing it, but without looking away from eyes.
“It is so good to finally meet you, Charlie”
“The same to you” I replied. “but I’m afraid I must take my leave now. I have things to attend to.”
I knew I was lying, the only thing I wanted to do was to go to Brad. Go to my room and lie down next to the man I love. Next to the man I plan to marry. I turned to Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente, pulling my hand out of Sir Malice cold gasp.
“If you’d excuse me. I shall see you in the morning. I’ll stop by the canteen to send the students to their rooms” I remembered to do a royal to royal bow and then headed out leaving them behind.
I hadn’t realized that two vampire guards had been stood outside the door. I walked past then, not daring to look them in the eyes. They were as beautiful as the rest of them. I kept walking quickly.
Like I said I stopped at the cafeteria. The students were all waiting anxiously in silence. I walked in and said, “You may back to your rooms”
Each student started to peak up, but the atmosphere was still intense. I waited until the last few people to exit. The very last person was Brad, Geska in his arms. He rushed to me and – with the arm that Geska wasn’t in – pulled me to him.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine”
He pulled back a little so Geska could wrap her tiny arms around me. She was practically asleep. Her eyes were starting to drop. I took her from Brad.
“Shall we go and read Cinderella?” I asked her.
I couldn’t believe her favourite story was still Cinderella. After three years of trying to get her to read another book she still insists on Cinderella every night, every single night. I could tell her the story without even reading it from the book. The book was just like a prop. Her head drooped onto my shoulder. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck.
Brad and I walked to her room. I held her onto my chest, not letting her fall backwards. I placed her down on her bed. She was already asleep so I tucked her in, lightly kissed her on the forehead whispering “Good night, Geska”
On my way out – passing through the side door to my room – I turned out her light. I was about to close the door behind me when I heard her.
“Charlie?”
I turned back to her. I could just see her shadow sitting up in the bed.
“Yes, Geska”
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?” I asked.
“I... I’ve been worried about you. I can feel when your over worked, cause you start drawing off me. And I was starting to get worried”
I walked to her and sat next to her on my bed. I placed my arm over her shoulders in a comforting fashion.
“Don’t worry, once Sir Malice has gone, everything will be perfect. The end of year exams would have gone, we’ll have a wedding to look forward to, and not forgetting you’ll get a chance to pick out your flower girl dress” I talked sweetly to her.
“Okay”
“Do you want a story? I think you’re about ready to drop off” I asked her.
“I’m fine” she yawned and then continued. “I just want to go to sleep”
“Okay, good night Geska”
“Good night Charlie”
I headed to the door. Looked back to make sure she had lay down. I closed it and turned to Brad.
He had climbed into bed, his chest bare. I just froze staring at him. When he saw me he started to chuckle – the chuckle I love.
I quickly changed and had a lady moment – washing – and then headed back out in my new silk pyjamas. I climbed into my side of the bed. He shovelled up to me, and tucked his arms around my waist. He pulled my back into his chest.
“Well, what was Sir Malice like?”
“Um... nothing special” I replied.
“Did he like his chair?”
“Yes”
“Was he nice?” he asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice.
“Sir Mallot told you didn’t he?” I asked him. I knew what he was hinting at. He was thinking about what happened to Sir Mallot’s grandfather.
He nodded against the side of my head.
“Everything will be alright” I hoped I was going to be right.
I couldn’t help but feeling anxious that I was going to be proven wrong, that something was going to go wrong, that war would break out. So many things could spark it off. And so many things – that nobody wants to think about – might happen. We’ve survived the first challenge, but now we another. The Ball.

CHAPTER SEVEN
THE BALL
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
Urh. Monday. The day of the ball. The wretched ball that I have to attend with a wretched vampire. Well, I don’t know if he is wretched but I still do not wish to attend with him. I know for the whole evening I will be preoccupied, watching Brad. The man I wished to go with. The man I love more than anything else in the whole world.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
I could hear a moan next to me. Brad leaned over me again, pressing his chest onto mine. He quickly switched off the alarm and then went to fall back, but I grabbed him, and held him in the spot.
“Charlie, come on, we have to get up” he said wriggling out my grip. He sat up looking over me.
“I don’t want to get up. The sooner I get up the sooner the day will finish the sooner it will be time for the Ball” I moaned.
“See it this way, the sooner the ball starts, the sooner the ball finish’s.” He compromised leaning down to kiss me.
His words spoke the truth, when I saw it that way, all I wanted to do was jump up and get it all finished, but now something else popped into my head, just enjoying the time Brad and I were sharing in the same bed. I placed my hand over his shoulder and pulled him back down.
“You have a point but I’m savouring the moments I can spend with my sexy fiancé” I whispered into his ear, teasingly.
“You are the most dangerous creature in the world.” He laughed. He wiggled free of my grip and climbed out of bed and headed into the bathroom.
I waited. He came out fully dressed into the school uniform that hadn’t changed much in the last three years. It was still the same brown – tight – top and black trousers – for men – and black skirt – for ladies. I frowned.
“What?” he asked.
“You’re dressed” I moaned.
He chuckled. He flipped the bottom on the bed quilt, revealing my feet. He tickled the bottom of my feet, making me kick out. He grabbed my right foot and continued the tickling torture.
“Sleeping beauty needs to wake up” he chuckled as my left foot started to kick at him – knee jerk reaction. He grabbed hold of that one.
“Okay, okay, I’m getting up” I yelped half laughing.
He let my feet go. I sat up. He came and sat next to me, facing me.
“Sleeping beauty?” I asked.
“That’s what you are. Just ask the vampire prince if you don’t believe me” he replied with a mocking smile on his face.
The day passed in almost a blur. The school day was almost back to normal. Every student apart from Brad and myself were buzzing for the Ball. It was the first royal ball in years. The adults weren’t as happy. They were aware of the conditions that have been given, and they were well aware of the consequences should this fail.
War.
My stomach didn’t settle all day. I spent most of the day with my head resting on the tables. Most of the teacher ended up asking whether I was alright. My answer was the same all day.
“Just not looking forward to tonight”
They nodded with understanding and left me to my moaning and moping.
Sir Malice didn’t show for breakfast, he decided to have a lie in after the long journey. But he showed to Lunch. The Vampires were sat in the corner of the room. Sir Malice in the middle of their table. I walked in – hand in hand – with Brad. My eyes swept the hall for him. When my eyes locked with his, he looked angry. Very angry. I gulped and pulled my hand out of Brad’s. Sir Malice’s face seemed to relax.
“Come on. We’ll eat with the younger students in the cafeteria” said Brad. He had been watching Sir Malice as well.
The Expert students normally eat with the adults in the normal dining room, while the younger students eat lunch in the school cafeteria. Brad turned to go but I knew it would only make things worse and then we’d be taking it to the younger students. Without saying anything I walked to our usual place opposite Gabby and Alison. I watched as Brad realised I wasn’t following. He turned and when I wasn’t there his eyes swept around the room. When he spotted me, he sighed and then came and sat next to me.
“Could have let me know you weren’t following” he moaned.
I slapped him around the face, hard.
“Geez, what did I do?” he asked.
I placed my hand on his and sighed. He leaned in and whispered “You’re worried he would follow us?”
I nodded. He nodded in understanding.
“I think he would. I didn’t want to take this into the younger students” I replied.
“Still could have warned me” he muttered.
I slapped him again.
“Ok, I deserved that”
“Yeah, you did”
He placed his hand on my cheek. I didn’t dare say anything but I gave him some warning eyes. He ignored them and leaned in. He kissed me. I knew instantly I need to stop it, it was only a matter of time until Sir Malice looks over and spots us, but I couldn’t. It’s not in my nature to pull away from one of Brad’s kisses. It relaxes me. Everything is gone when he kisses me, it’s just him and me in the room. In fact it’s only me and him in our own private bubble.
We broke off when we heard a distinct loud growl. The whole room turned to where it was coming from, Sir Malice. His eyes had turned black, his nostrils flared. He looked ready to pounce off the table and on top of Brad.
“Brad go.” I whispered to him without looking at him.
“That’s probably for the best. I’ll see you in Battle” he said back stroking the back of my hand that was lay on the table surface.
I nodded.
I watched his retreating figure as he walked out. The whole room were either watching his retreating figure or Sir Malice’s black eyes. I couldn’t look into his black eyes, they were far too familiar. Malietta had the same pitch black eyes, so did Geska, before I saved her. When I looked into his black eyes, all I saw was Malietta. Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente kept their eyes on him for the rest of the lunch. He never really did calm down, his eyes remained black for the entire lunch. As I headed out I suddenly found him walking next to me.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?” I asked him, not planning to stop to talk to him. If wanted to talk to me, he would have to walk.
“You didn’t look happy back there” he commented.
I looked up to his eyes but instantly regretted it – they were still pitch black. I quickly turned away.
“There was nothing wrong, just a misunderstanding” I said.
“Would it be inappropriate to ask you to look me in the eye?” he asked.
“No. But why would you want to ask?”
“You’re eyes are beautiful. I just wish to see them”
“I can’t” I whispered.
“Why not?” he asked almost concerned.
“Your eyes are pitch black. They remind me of... Malietta.” I gulped.
“Malietta?” he asked, his eyes burrowed.
“A wiccan who tried to stop me from opening the box and becoming the host of the orb of power. She killed my parents and tried to kill me several times” I explained to him.
“Will you look me in the eyes when they are there usual colour?” he asked.
“Of course” I replied “But I am afraid I must leave now. I have a lesson. I will see you at Dinner”
“Of course” he bowed to me and I bowed back – stupid royal formalities.
Battle was better than I expect, Brad and I agreed it would be better if we kept the romantic stuff out of Sir Mallot’s eyesight. For the whole of Battle we worked on the stuff ready for out exams next week. All of us had forgotten in the stress of the visit that our exams were next week. The only difference between the final Expert year exams and the ones of the other years, are the others years get three month warning to their topics. We get them the day before. None of us know what we will be getting for any lesson so everybody is supposed to be revising none stop every topic in every subject.
Dinner.
After Dinner I joined Brad back in my room. I wrapped my arms around him. I never wanted to let him go. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. I could feel his lips touch my forehead.
“Remember me while your dancing with the Vampire” he said pulling back, out of my arms. He took my hands in his. He looked generally worried.
“How could I forget you?” I asked, squeezing his hands.
“I won’t be far away from you, if he moves to bite and you don’t see him, I’ll stop him.” He replied encouragingly.
I nodded. This wasn’t really my favourite subject. In fact it was probably my least favourite topic. I frowned.
“What? Don’t you want me to?” he asked confused.
“Brad. I can look after myself, besides I don’t really want to talk about it. It’s bad enough that I actually have to do it, let alone talk about it” I replied.
There was a knock on the door. I walked to it and opened it. On the other side was one of the Vampires. He held in his arms a dress bag – the dress for the ball. I gulped. What is he going to make me wear? Was it going to be nice? Was it going to be far too revealing?
I took it from him and thanked him before Brad closed the door. I placed the bag on the bed so I could open it. I pulled it out. I gasped. It was beautiful. It was a ruby red colour made from Chiffon, Elastic, Satin and sheath. It was one shoulder and reached down to the floor. On the one shoulder it had lots of beading as the fabric draped over. The dread of the evening approaching seemed to fade as I felt over the beading. The one bit of fabric that made the shoulder, started at a beaded area on the left side of the waist, went up a beaded area on the front of the shoulder and then draped over the shoulder and sewn to the back. Another piece of red fabric floated on the top part of my arm, stretching from the front of the beaded bit to the back of the dress.
I couldn’t talk. It was probably one of the most beautiful dresses I’d ever seen. I could feel Brad watching my face, scrutinizing my reaction.
“What do you think?” he asked me.
“I think it’s beautiful” he frowned so I continued “But... The dress for our wedding is so much better”
I knew this would put the smile I loved back on his face. He smirked.
“Do you think the prince will mind me burning this dress after the ball?” he asked.
“He doesn’t have to know that we burnt the dress after the ball” I replied laughing.
I went to get ready with Gabby, Alison and Geska – who came to Gabby and Alison’s room with me.
I showed them the dress and they all gasped, eyes popping at the beauty of it. I tried my best to get in to it without making a fool out of myself but it didn’t work. I toppled over at one point trying to get it on.
Gabby and Alison curled my hair in even tighter curls than my natural curls. They pulled my fringe out of the way. They placed on the front of my hair a large clip that will hold my fringe up. The pulled the fringe over the top of the clip and pulled the ends into the rest of the hair. They pinned the rest of the hair in a messy but sexy bun. I helped them with their hairs before I looked at the time. I was to meet the Vampire Prince outside his room at ten minutes to eight. I hugged Gabby and Alison before I headed out.
“Good luck” they chanted behind me “Have fun”
I shot them warning glances and then headed out.
The walk to his room seemed to last forever. Every two steps I took forward seemed to take me only one step further. I tried to take my mind of the next few hours. It wasn’t going to be fun at all.
As I approached the corridor, more Wiccan guards seemed to appear standing guard. Each of the Wiccan guards took notice of what I was wearing. They followed with their eyes as I passed each one.
Sir Malice’s door opened. My heart stopped. I slapped myself to start it again. I can do this. It’s just for one night. He stepped out. He was wearing a dramatic cloak over a pair of smart trousers and white shirt. The cloak was similar to the one we had given him except on the inside was a deep red, the same colour as my dress. He closed his door. He turned. When he spotted me his face lightened up, trying to hide the obvious admiration in his eyes.
He walked to me and took my right hand. He looked me in the eyes. His deep brown eyes hypnotising. He lifted my hand and kissed it gently, not moving his gaze from my eyes.
“You look amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a beautiful woman”
“Th...Thank you” I stuttered trying to untie my tongue. His eyes had me locked. Speechless. Hypnotised.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
I nodded. I didn’t trust my voice enough.
He turned, not releasing his cold grip on my hand, and lead me down the corridor.
The grand hall was even more decorated than when I last saw it. The lanterns had been lit, the light normally given off the walls had been dimmed, almost all the way down. Balloons and ribbons had been added on the ceiling and the walls.
Everybody stood with their dance partners. Brad was stood off to the side, preparing to see Sir Malice and I walk in through the doors, preparing to feel the jealousy everybody knew would seek through his body at the sight.
Sir Malice and I walked to the grand doors and stopped there. The guest and the guest’s date is always to be announced before they enter. A guard waiting at the door opened it slightly and then closed it again. A signal I presume.
I waited and listened for the announcement. I could hear the music playing. The music went quiet and I heard Sir Mallot. “And let’s give a warm welcome to our very special guest Sir Malice and our own Wiccan Royal Charlie Gyid”
The grand hall doors opened. All eyes were on Sir Malice and I. I couldn’t help but let my cheeks go red, but I kept my head up high. Sir Malice lead me to the centre of the dance floor. Everybody around us. I scanned the room for Brad. When I spotted him I stared at him, desperately wanting to join him off at the side. I wished to do nothing more but wrap my arms around him and press my lips against his.
“Let the ball begin” cheered Sir Mallot.
I didn’t take my eyes off Brad when the music started. And he wouldn’t take his eyes off me. We both wanted the same thing, to be together.
I was suddenly twisted around, so I was face to face with Sir Malice. There was a smile – larger than that of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland – plastered on his face. His eyes sparkled in the light from the lanterns. He looked mesmerizing, I couldn’t deny that. Though I wished I could. It wasn’t helping at all.
His arm found its way around my waist pulling me close to him. He held my hand up ready to dance. I placed my hand on his shoulder. We started to dance among the other couples that included Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente; Gabby and a lad from our class, Alison and a lad in the year below us and many more. I could see Jeff dancing with Elspeth from the French Covert. I didn’t even realise that she had arrived. Nobody had told me.
After a few dances I saw Jeff and Elspeth stop and go to the drink counter. I stopped Sir Malice from dancing and lead him over to them. I wanted to talk to somebody. I managed to get my hand out from Sir Malice’s hand with a bit of force. I rushed to hug Elspeth cheering “Elspeth”
“Hello Charlie”
“When did you get here?” I asked her pulling back.
Sir Malice walked to my side.
“Only just in time for the ball” she replied.
She and Jeff shared a smile.
“Are you enjoying it?” I asked hopeful that somebody was.
“Yes, I love it, it’s brilliant” she said “What about you?”
“I’ve never danced so much in my entire life”
I was glad to avoid that question. I knew I couldn’t lie – I couldn’t lie to save my life – and I knew I couldn’t tell the truth.
“I told you those dance lessons would have come in handy” laughed Jeff.
“You promised you wouldn’t mention that again” I said faking a sneer.
He didn’t fall for it, he laughed a bit more and then made the motion suggesting he zipped up his mouth. I knew that wouldn’t last very long.
“What dance lessons?” asked Elspeth a small smile on her face.
“Dad, took me to dancing lessons when I was about eight” I replied quietly in a moaning voice.
“Yeah, and she threw a temper tantrum every lesson, refusing to dance.” Jeff continued laughing.
I glared at him. He immediately slammed his mouth shut, and re-zipped it, but a smile remained on his face.
“Really?” asked Elspeth trying to hold back a small laugh.
“Definitely. Had she not thrown a fit at home, almost wrecking the whole house, I would have kept taking her” Jeff laughed. A soon as he realised what he done. He slapped himself around the face and then re-zipped up his mouth. “Sorry”
Another song started. Sir Malice turned to me and asked, “Do you want to do some more dancing?”
I didn’t really but my head nodded.
He took me to the centre of the dance floor when we stayed – dancing – for hours. His arm had found his way back to the small of my back. He was holding me even closer this time. Our chests were touching he had that close. There was nothing more I wanted at that moment than to scream and run away, but the consequences weighed heavily in the my throat stopping me.
“Will you join me tomorrow?” he asked me as we danced.
“I have school tomorrow” I replied. Glad that there was a way out.
“Then will you join me for lunch?” he asked.
Dahm! I didn’t have an excuse to avoid that one.
I nodded. “I will head to the cafeteria as soon as the lesson is finished”
A large smile appeared on his lips.
I noticed the music was slowing. It quietened and then stopped completely. As custom, everybody clapped when the music had stopped. I saw Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente on the platform – that the band was on.
“Well, what a wonderful evening. I hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as I enjoyed myself. It was truly something I will never forget, but all good thing come to an end. So, before we all go and snuggle up in a nice warm bed I would like to say thank you to a few people. Firstly to Miss Charlie Gyid, for organising this brilliant evening...” He paused as everybody clapped. “... Next, to the band, who gave up their free time to come and play for us. And they have been truly brilliant...” Another round of applause. “And last but no means least to our very special guest, Sir Malice, the vampire prince.”
The room erupted into a round of applause. I wondered if people had been told to do this before we came into the room. I couldn’t imagine people being this fond of the fact he was here, but, I guess he didn’t have to know that.
Sir Mallot – closely followed by Mistress Halsente – headed to us.
“Thank you for coming, Sir Malice” said Sir Mallot as he approached. He seemed genuinely pleased.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world” replied Sir Malice back. I kept my eyes on Sir Mallot, bit I could tell Sir Malice hadn’t said that looking towards Sir Mallot but looking towards me.
“Did you have a good time Charlie?” asked Sir Mallot.
I don’t think I could give any meaner evils then what I gave him at that point.
“Well, like I already said to Elspeth, I have never dance so much in my life.” I just wished I could use that twice. I knew it wouldn’t fool him but maybe a second lot of evil glances would shut him up.
He didn’t say anything else so either the glances or my answer was good enough.
I swept the room – with my eyes – for Brad. I could see him waiting by the door. He looked as though he could decide whether or not to wait for me or to just go. Mistress Halsente followed my glance.
“May I borrow Charlie for a second?” she asked.
The men nodded. Mistress Halsente placed an arm over my shoulder and took me over to the side.
“Do you want me to pass on a message to Brad?” she asked.
“Can you tell him, I’ll meet him in the room, I won’t be long, and I will join him as soon as I have escaped?” I asked her.
She nodded and smiled.
As I walked back to where Sir Mallot and Sir Malice were now deep in conversation – that I didn’t need to listen too – Mistress Halsente went to Brad and delivered my message. Brad looked to me and nodded. He blew a kiss towards me and then headed out.
Mistress Halsente walked to my side and whispered “He says ‘I love you’”
“Thank you” I mouthed at her.
“No problem”
“May I walk you to your room?” Sir Malice asked me as his conversation with Sir Mallot died.
“I’m afraid Charlie stays in the student corridor, which you promised not to enter” spoke up Jeff walking in my direction. He had been stood close enough to hear but far enough away for it to seem like he wasn’t listening.
“May I walk her to that corridor then?” he persisted.
Jeff looked towards Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente.
None of them could think of reason why he couldn’t so they all just gave a short and small nod. Sir Malice held his hand out for me to take. I took it and he started to lead me out.
We walked in silence to the corridor. It was an awkward silence. It seemed like he wanted to say something but stopped himself before he could. Of course I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to rush to the room and cuddle up next to Brad.
As we reached the corridor I stopped letting him know he could not go any further. He let go of the hand that he hadn’t stopped holding all evening. He lifted up his hand, hesitantly, and stroked my cheek.
“I never asked whether you like the dress” he commented.
“Oh, yes, it’s lovely. It’s beautiful” I replied looking from his face to the dress.
“It’s yours to keep.” He said. “I don’t have much use for it, considering only men stay in my coven.”
“Thank you” I replied quietly.
I could see the door next to my own open, and Geska’s head popped around the door frame.
“Charlie?” she shouted.
“Geska, I’ll be there in a minute.” I replied to her.
She came fully out, in her pyjamas. She had in her arms her favourite Cinderella book.
“I’ll read to you in a minute Geska” I said. But she didn’t move. I sighed and waved for her to come over. She ran to me and lifted her up into my arms.
“Geska, this is Sir Malice. Sir Malice, this is Geska.” I introduced them.
“Hello” said Sir Malice with a sweet smile.
Geska giggled and dug her head into my shoulder. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.
“I better get Geska to bed. I shall see you at lunch” I said to Sir Malice.
“Yes. Good night Charlie.” Sir Malice said.
“Good night” I replied slowly heading – backwards – down the corridor.
He bowed his head.
I turned and walked straight into Geska’s room.
I lay her on her bed. Her cheeks were bright red.
“He’s pretty” she giggled as I tucked her in.
“He’s not as nice as Brad” I disagreed.
“Of course he’s not to you. You’re Brad obsessed.” She giggled.
“Do you want me to read to you or not?” I asked in fake threatening voice.
That just made her laugh even more. She shook her head and then said, “Brad has already read it to me. He missed you.”
“I missed him too” I admitted to her. “More than he could even guess”
“Good night Charlie”
“Good night Geska”
I walked to the side door, that lead to mine and Brad’s room. I turned out the light and left the room.
I shut the door and sighed before I turned. I didn’t even get chance to see his face, my lips were pressed against his as soon as I had turned. His hands were holding the back of my head, slowly removing every little bit of my hair accessory set that my hair had collected. His lips never left mine. His hands moved down to the dress. He turned me around, kissing my neck as he unzipped the dress. My mind had gone cloudy, I couldn’t remember a thing. I couldn’t remember the night, I couldn’t remember where I was and I couldn’t even remember my name. Once the dress had dropped to the floor he turned me back around, but continuing to kiss my neck. He lifted me, his lips not parting from my skin. He carried me over to the bed and lightly placed me in the middle.
I couldn’t breathe, he was intoxicating. I never wished for it to stop. He was the one I wanted and he had no idea how much control he had over me. He didn’t know how much he could make me forget just by kissing the nape of my neck. I loved him and I was sure of that. Nobody was ever going to change that. Nobody. Ever.

CHAPTER EIGHT
VIKTOR MALICE
I never wanted to wake up. The last thing I could remember of last night was Brad. Everything that happened from the moment I walked into the room ran and re-ran through my head. Beginning to end. It was wonderful. It was heaven. I could feel Brad’s breathe on my ear. He kissed the top of it and whispered in a sexy irresistible voice, “Charlie”
“I... I...” He’d done it again. He’d left me tongue-tied.
I could feel him climbing on top of me. Skin on skin. That made me open my eyes. We were skin on skin. Our clothes were scattered around the room. I looked directly above me. Brad had a smile on his face that stretched from ear to ear. His eyes sparkled in excitement.
“Charlie” he chanted.
“I’m awake” I smiled pulling his face to mine.
“Good. Time to get up.”
“I thought we had a lie in?”
“We have had a lie in”
“oh”
He climbed out of my bed. As soon as the quilt fell off him. I giggled and hid my head under the cover.
“Mature Charlie. Truly mature.” Brad moaned.
I should see his shadow through the quilt picking up his clothes and heading into the bathroom.
Again, Sir Malice didn’t show for breakfast, which both Brad and I were thrilled about, it meant we could be ‘Charlie and Brad the couple’ again. I was almost worried that he wouldn’t want that after last night, but last night just spurred him on. Neither of us had never been that bothered about people watching but today, some of the things Brad insisted on doing, left me blushing and looking around to see if anybody had noticed.
Class seemed like normal. Brad asked me to help him with his routine – for the show – in Spells and Enchantments. Mistress Halsente allowed us to go to a training room to practice. Brad was demonstrating defence, and so it was me firing at him. In the show, it will a fourth year Beginner student who will be helping him but we can’t risk taking him out of lessons, this close to exams.
We started with Water, then air, Earth and finally fire.
The fire was going to be his finishing act. The fourth year was to produce a fire dragon. It would be a rather weak dragon, but that’s only because the fourth year is still in beginning level. The dragon will be firing at Brad, and Brad will have to defeat it.
My dragon was a good thing for Brad to practice with. Mine is a lot stronger, and so is more of a challenge. Of course, I didn’t make it too hard for him. I made it like what the fourth year’s dragon will be like. He’s going to be brilliant. I just wished I could be performing now. I didn’t fancy the idea of sitting anywhere near Sir Malice. I am sure he will insist on holding my hand, or holding my gaze.
I explained to Brad that I wouldn’t be able to sit with him at lunch, but he seemed cool. I couldn’t help but be suspicious.
“Why are you so cool?” I asked.
“Because I have a ring on your finger and your flower” he replied with a wicked grin on his face.
I gasped and put on a fake expression of horror.
He just chuckled the amazing chuckle I loved.
After magical creatures I didn’t rush to lunch. I walked slowly – hand in hand – with Brad. Before we entered the cafeteria, Brad pulled me to him and slammed his lips to mine.
“I’ll miss you” Brad said to me as he leaned his forehead against mine, just steps away from the door.
“I’ll miss you more. You have Gabby and Alison” I replied with a small smile.
“Oh, great” he laughed sarcastically.
I gave him one last kiss. We headed in. My eyes swept the room for Sir Malice. He was sat on his own. A tray of food was placed opposite where he was sat. I walked to him. As I approached his head shot up. His eyes sparkled as a beautiful smile came up on his face. I looked at him and then the tray.
“It’s for you” he said.
“Oh” I sat down opposite him. I could feel every pair of eyes in the room on us.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine” I replied a little confused.
“You seem a little upset” he commented staring directly into my eyes.
“No, I’m fine.” I lied. I wasn’t fine. I wanted to go back to Brad. I didn’t mind what he was doing at breakfast now. I’d rather have that again then this.
“Can I ask you a few questions?” he asked.
“Sure” I replied.
“You said that your parents were... well... not here anymore, yet you called that Jeff guy dad” he commented. I knew what he was going to say so I answered before he got chance to actually ask.
“My mom and dad were murdered when I was very little, by...” I gulped “... Malietta. She wanted the orb of power, but my parents, or course, refused to give it to her and so she killed them. She was going to kill me too but she touched the box first. Anybody who isn’t me that touches the box freezes in their tracks. She was frozen until other Wiccans arrive and sent her down to the depths. Anyway, Jeff – bless him – was best friend’s with my dad, and so he took me in and raised me as his own. I had no idea that he wasn’t my dad. He had always been dad to me, until... the day Malietta came back. Jeff recognised the signs and so explained everything to me and brought me here. But to me he’s still dad. Nothing will take that away from him” I explained.
He nodded.
“Where did you live before you came here?”
“Leicestershire in England” I replied.
“Did you like it there?” he asked.
“Yes, but not as much as I like it here.”
“What happened when you first came here, I mean with Malietta?”
I explained to him, in detail, everything that happened. When I was done he sat there expectantly, absorbed in what I had been telling him.
“But enough about me, what about you? What’s your story?” I asked.
“It’s a very long one” he cautioned.
I looked at my watch. My story had only taken ten minutes.
“We still have quite a lot of time to kill” I replied.
“Well, when I was like you, a human. I lived in a small town in the United States of America called ocean shores. I grew up there, with my parents. It was back in the eighteen hundreds, though, so things were a little different. When I was a kid I used to joke with quite a few of the other kids in this little town. I did a lot of dangerous stunts like cliff diving, and free climbing – even when I was in my twenties and a grown adult. I wanted to enjoy life as much as I could, but one day, I was free climbing. I had dared my friend to see who could get up the fastest. Of course, I was so drawn into winning, I forgot all about the weak rock on one particular spot. That spot had the best hand holes but the rock was too weak to hold my weight. I fell. My friends were too frightened to help me so they left me. They didn’t even tell anybody I was hurt, they were too scared of getting in trouble.”
“Anyway, a man – well now I know he wasn’t a man – found me. He took me to his house. I can’t remember much about the transformation but of course he saved my life, well, if you call this saving a life. I always suspected he saved me only because he wanted some company. He said it was rare for him to save somebody like he did me. After a few decades I had gotten used to the whole vampire thing and I started to appreciate what he had done for me. Unfortunately, when you’ve lived as long as he had you grow a lot of enemies. He survived most challenges that come his way but one day he didn’t. His head was cut off and then his whole body was dumped into water.”
“At first I felt lost, didn’t know what to do, or what not to do. I travelled about quite a bit. I visited England, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. After a few decades I made a circle and so I decided to go to Asia. In Asia I found Vampires, but they were different. They believed in live after a vampire life. They believe in Vampire heaven. They showed me how I could be compassionate, caring and have a clean conscience while still being able to survive as a vampire.”
“I spent a whole century with them, but eventually I knew I had to leave. I still use their methods but I knew I didn’t belong in Asia. They taught me other things, they taught me that in China there was a council of Vampires. They would train me. They told me that I had skill and I could make something of myself at the council so that’s where I went. I stayed there, training till my bones cracked. After thirty years the Prince and Princess before me died, so the search for a new prince or princess was sent out. It was to take place as a competition. Of course I entered. The challenge wasn’t that hard, so it wasn’t surprising over ten vampires survived. Us ten had to fight till last man standing to be Prince, and I just so happened to be the last man standing.”
“I have spent the fifty hundred years as Prince. It’s lonely work, being a Vampire Prince. The only company you can have is a wife – that was originally human but changed by the prince into a vampire – and their servants – all men” he continued.
“Have you found a wife?” I asked him, scared to know the real answer.
“I’ve found her, I just need to turn her into a vampire. Only thing is, I am sure she isn’t that keen on the idea. I would change her anyway, but the time I spent in Asia with those vampires has made it impossible. My morals stop me. If I try to break my morals, I get shocked.”
“Shocked?” I asked.
“Like, an electric shock” he clarified.
“Oh”
I checked my watch. I had five minutes until the start of Battle. I looked about the room. Most of the students had gone. Brad was waiting by the door for me.
“I should go. I don’t want to be late for class”
“When can I talk to you again?” he asked standing in sync with me.
“I have some time after battle” I replied.
“Before the show?” he asked.
“Yes” I nodded.
“Will you join me in my room?” he asked.
I nodded, not wanting to trust my voice not to squeak. I headed out, meeting Brad by the door.
We walked out in silence, but as soon as the door had closed behind us, Brad scooped me up into his arms, bridal style. I grabbed his head and pulled his lips onto mine.
He placed me down. We walked hand in hand to battle.
Battle had never seemed more interesting. Brad and I had never laughed so much in one lesson ever before. We were supposed to be fighting but the whole time we were talking or acting far too much like a couple in love – considering we were in a room full of people.
Brad and I walked together to the dining hall. Because Brad was performing, he was having Dinner an hour earlier, and so my time was free, giving the prince a perfect opportunity to steal my attention. I had nothing to use as an excuse to avoid spending time with him.
At the door we stopped. He took my in his arms. He hated having to leave me, again, especially when he found out Sir Malice was expecting me. I took his face in my hands. His eyes were impossible to look at. They showed the extent of his pain. He was torn.
“You have fun” I said, “One of us has to”
A strained chuckle escaped his lips. His face turned sombre. “Nothing’s fun without you”
“I’ll miss you” I whispered into his ear.
“Not as much as I’ll miss you” he replied back before planting my lips with a kiss.
The kiss was like nothing we’d done before. It felt like he thought he’d never get another chance. It was passionate, but a protective passionate. I broke it off.
“You need to eat” I said, giving him a quick peek on the cheek.
“I’ll see you after the show” he replied.
I left as he walked into the food hall.
It was a long walk to his room. Just like the night before, the eyes of every vampire I passed followed me. His door was the last in the corridor.
I took a deep breath and the knocked on the door. The door opened on the first knock, just like he had been stood waiting.
He was smiling from ear to ear as he welcomed me in. His room was nothing like the other Swiss rooms. It was a usual room, a dark red colour wall paper. A double bed was in the centre of the left wall. The bed frame was made out of a white substance that looked scarily like human bones. At the far side an exact replica of the chair he had sat on in the grand room was stood. The only light in the room was from a small fire on the wall opposite the bed.
“How was the rest of your day?” he asked as he shut the door behind me.
“Average” I replied. It had most defiantly been better than average. “What about you?”
“It has been... slow. Typical time, goes slow when you wish it to go fast, and then goes fast when you wish it to go slow.” He explained.
He took my hand and kissed it. He lead me to his grand chair and sat me down. He leaned on the arm of the chair.
“It was like that when I had to wait three weeks to visit”
“Those three weeks weren’t the best.” I agreed.
“I know my reason, what was yours?” he asked looking slightly confused.
“Well, we were trying to make this visit the best it possibly could. We both knew why we might have been anxious about this” I explained. If idled with my fingers as I spoke, so I just watched my hands.
He was also watching my hands. His eyes drifted to a scar on my right forearms. He reached for my arm and took hold of it. He inspected it and then said, “My mother had a scar like that”
“Really?”
“Yes”
“What was your mother like?” I asked as he placed my arm back.
“She was a Wiccan, from the Austrian Covert. She fell in love with a human. But it was because she was a Wiccan that I was much stronger than the others going for prince – I had at one time had Wiccan blood flowing through me. She was a brilliant mother. Her name was Alexia Halos. She cared for me, protected me and mourned for me. When I was first turned, she believed that I had been kidnapped. She refused to admit that I was dead. I heard of her again and again, going from village to village looking for me”
“I knew she wished that she knew. I always said it would have been better – for her – for me to have died and my body taken to her. Then she could live in peace. There had been several times where she thought about doing a forbidden spell to keep me safe. She wanted to. It was called a blood connection. That way when I fell, I could have survived off of her life force. I wouldn’t have died. However, she already had a blood connection with my father. She couldn’t even dream of rising that”
“It is the mark of a blood connection” I explained to him.
“You have a blood connection?” he asked me.
“Yes. To Geska. To save her. She would still be working for Malietta had I not overrode the connection between the two of them” I explained. “And this was the mark that was left behind”
“You must really love her” he said as he placed his hand under my chin. He turned my face to face him so he could look me in the eye.
“I do, she’s like my little sister” I replied.
I had no choice but to look in the eyes. His eyes were impossible to look at while holding on to your sanity.
“Would you say she was the one thing you couldn’t live without?”
“She’s one of the things, yes” I replied to him.
“What else?”
“All of my family and friends – Geska, Alison, Gabby, Jeff, and Brad” I replied turning my head away. “What about you? What couldn’t you live without?”
“A reason” He replied.
I had to look up. He had confused me. He must have seen the confusion plastered on my face because he continued “I couldn’t live without a reason to live.”
“What is your reason?” I asked innocently.
“To find a wife, and then once I’ve found her my reason will be to pleasure her, and spoil her and give her everything that is in my power” he explained.
I turned away feeling slightly awkward. He couldn’t mean me, could he? No. Or could he? I looked at my watch. We still had at least twenty minutes till we’ll have to leave ready for the show.
“What were you like? Before you turned?” I asked him.
“An ordinary lad. I grew up, head strong. I knew what I wanted. I had always said I wanted to be a successful historian. History fascinated me. I did all my studies around history, but when I was old enough to get a job, there were no history jobs available. I got stuck in a pawn shop as an assistant. The pay was okay, and the artefacts were brilliant but the boss was horrid. He kept me so busy I didn’t even get the chance to look for a historian post.”
“When I was twenty-five, I found a job. I went to the interview and I was short listed. At first I didn’t get it, but the person who did, fell ill and passed away, and so they offered me the job. It was my dream job. Good pay. Good hours. Nice Boss. All history. But I only got to do it for two days, Thursday and Friday – It was on the Saturday that I fell.”
I couldn’t believe what I did then. I looked up to his eyes, and took his hand. It was almost his hypnosis. My sympathy gene had kicked in and the natural response was to comfort him.
“That’s terrible” I whispered looking down at our hands.
“Yes, but it was a long time ago. I have grown since then. I have found over things. Things that make my life worth living” he said.
I looked at my watch. I may just be able to pull off leaving now. I needed to if I didn’t want him to draw me in.
“Shall we go, it’s nearly time for the show” I said standing pulling my hand out of his.
“May I walk you there?” he asked offering his arm.
I nodded and slipped my arm through his.
As we walked I could feel a bounce in his step.
“Are you looking forward to the show?” I asked him as we started to draw closer to the training room – where the show was being held.
I had seen during the day what they had done to the room. Stands had been placed on all four walls. On the right wall there is the three royal chairs and then Sir Malice’s grand chair. In the centre of the room there was the glass box – that people use to practice magic in – where the performers will perform.
“Yes. I do of course know the extent of what Wiccan’s are capable of but it will be nice to see it action” he replied.
“Then I hope you enjoy good shows. I’ve been told it’s excellent, especially when you put into account that it has been made in only three weeks around exams and preparations for your visit” I explained.
It should be really good. Brad had leaked to me information on the different acts in the show.
We approached the doors. Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente were stood outside waiting for us.
“Everybody is seated, ready and waiting. So we’re are starting early.” Explained Mistress Halsente.
“Sir Malice, Charlie, has offered to open the show. It is a well honoured tradition – for a royal to open the show. So, if you’d like follow Hazel, and I and we will show you to your seat.
I pulled my hand out of his. He took my right hand, kissed it, and then turned to follow Mistress Halsente and Sir Mallot into the room. I just hoped this show will go smoothly. I hoped for one thing – Sir Malice won’t put Brad off. He had already shown his dislike to the obvious bond between Brad and I, so I hope he lets Brad get on with it. I guess I should have realised that was almost an impossibility. Sir Malice was a ill tempered Vampire. That was clear from his stunt in the food hall that on Monday.

CHAPTER NINE
THE SHOW
I walked further down the corridor to one of the side rooms where the performers were waiting. They all looked nervous, including Brad. Each of one them had been gemmed up, in different costumes and make up. Brad had some face paint on his face. It was a single flame around his right eyes and I must admit it made him look even better – if that is possible.
“You look nice” I commented walking to his side.
He smiled, the tops of his ears going slightly pink.
I turned to the rest of the performers.
“Everybody in the audience are ready. Are you?”
Everybody nodded. Only a few people trusted their voices enough to reply, but even they only replied with a simple “Yes”
“Ok, first act, prepare to go on. If you’re all ready I shall go and open the show” I said.
I turned to Brad kissing him on the lips and whispered, “You’ll be great”
I headed out of the door and back into the training room.
As I entered I saw the glass box had been raised onto a platform so the audience will be able to see the show easier. There was a small platform just outside the door. I walked up the steps to stand on it, with every pair of eyes on me. I turned to facing away from the box – we were classing that as the front, even though half the audience was behind the box.
“Wiccans and Warlocks of the Swiss Covert, Wiccan visitors and out very special guest Sir Malice, I welcome you to enjoy our brilliant showcase of magic. Our students have been working ridiculously hard to produce – to their ability – this show in just three short weeks, and are just as keep to step up here and show you what they can do, so I shall not delay any longer. I welcome to the platform two fifth years students, who today are demonstrating the power of Spells and Enchantments”
There was a round of applause I stepped down and took my seat in between Sir Malice and Sir Mallot.
The first two students entered the room and entered the glass box on the platform. These two have the second hardest job – starting the performance, warming up the audience for the rest of the performances, and getting the audience in a good mood. I must admit if I was performing I would do my best to avoid this spot, but I wouldn’t want to be last to perform either. I believe they have the hardest job. Ending the show. They always have to be the best act. The one everybody leaves talking about. The one that outranks the rest.
“Hello. My name is Sam Tyler, and my partner Alexander Marros. We’re going to show you today the extensive power of Spells and Enchantments.”
These two students are the best Warlocks in their year, so it wasn’t a surprise when Mistress Halsente asked them to represent her subject. They were also asked by Jeff and Sir Mallot to represent potions and History, but they had to refuse as they had already accepted to demonstrate Spells and Enchantments. There – like usual in a school – was a rumour going around that they actually wished to be doing the potions performance but as they had already accepted Spells and Enchantments they couldn’t. They had been trying to convince everybody it wasn’t true but even I knew they did prefer Potions in lesson times, but this didn’t stop them being the best for Spells and Enchantments. This showed in they’re performance. They performed spell after spell, charm after charm, enchantment after enchantment including the levitation charm, the protection bubble spell, and even the extremely tricky transformation enchantment – which is where the prince as a toad story originated from. They pulled it off brilliantly, and with much more style than anyone was imagining. It was up to them to introduce the next act.
“Please give a warm welcome to the Carris sisters who will be showing you the hoys of underworld history”
The Carris sisters were always a sight – a good sight and a half. One was in the year below me and the other was in forth year. They were both wearing flowing white dresses and white high heels. Both of them had stuck silver gems in a decorative fashion around their eyes.
Once they had entered the glass box, they both sat crossed legged in the centre of the box, facing each other.
“Aleska visionia, explainion whatiska mesota seeska” they chanted together as they took each other’s hands.
A white ball of light appeared between them. It raised above their heads and grew until it was just smaller than a cinema screen. I had seen this spell being used in our history lessons. No matter where your sat the screen will look as though you are looking at it straight on.
“A long time ago, when the world had only just been reached a mature enough age to handle the creature of man, the world was plentiful. Life population was small and simple...” started the oldest. As she spoke, the white light turned almost into a screen, showing exactly what she was saying. All of us had seen this happen before, this was Sir Mallot’s favourite way of teaching us.
“...Food was easy to come by and people lived long and happy lives. But these people grew greedy. They took what they had for granted. They wanted what they couldn’t have and they took a grab at it and as a result illness and hunger found them. For centuries, the descendants of these people paid the price. They prayed for a way out. Four couples tried to take – for a second time for their people – what they couldn’t have...”
“As they hunted, all they found was a small bundle. They opened it up. At first they believe they had found what they were looking for. Inside was four crystals; one was a blood red colour, one a dark blue colour – the same colour as the sky that night –, one an amber colour, and the last a violet colour. The couples spent a few hours deliberating what they should do with their newly found treasures. They decided to split up – in their couples – and taking a stone each. They took them to their individual houses in their individual villages.”
“In the house of the red stone, the couple woke thirsting the blood of their own human children. Their thirst got the better of their self control. Their skin had turned a pale white and they could no longer hear their hearts beating. They fled to the northern area of the globe. These were the first Vampires.”
“In the house of the blue stone, the couple woke in the middle of the night, howling in pain. The hair on their body had grown and moved around to cover their whole bodies. They found themselves uncontrollable. They slashed through their local village, with their increased strengthened teeth and claws. After realising what they had done they fled to the eastern area of the globe. They were the first Werewolves.”
“In the house of the amber stone, the couple woke in need of relief. They felt extremely uncomfortable in their own skin. During the next night – even though they tried to resist – they morphed into their favourite animals – deer. The others in their village were suddenly hungry and they hunted the couple in their deer forms. They fled to the southern are of the globe. These were the first shape shifters.”
“In the house of the violet stone, the couple felt themselves strengthen. They became more aware of the world around them; the nature, the animals, and the weather. The power inside of them made them arrogant. They bragged to the others in their village, and their neighbours grew jealous. They wished to end them and so they attacked. The couple had no choice but to flee to the western area of the globe.”
“This was the beginning of the underworld creatures. These four creatures grew in number. The vampires bit person after person, passing on the Vampire venom. The werewolves in their uncontrollable tempers attacked person after person, passing on the Werewolf curse. The shape shifters had children who had children. And finally the Wiccans had children who had children. The individual creatures decided among themselves their power ranking. The Vampire Prince, The Werewolf pack leader, the Shape shifter king and the Wiccan Royals”
“Unavoidably these four different creatures collided violently, forgetting their ancestors and predecessors had once been great friends. The first Underworld War lasted for many years, causing great loses on each side. As more years passed and the numbers of each creature reduced they started to make alliances. The Wiccans and the Shape shifters joined forces and then so did the Vampires and Werewolves.”
“It wasn’t until a Wiccan royal from the Austrian covert – Alexandra Taltuie – and the current Vampire Prince at that time – Sir Alec Tavestest fell in love that peace seemed to be in view. All of their friends believed their love was boomed because of the war, but they refused to accept that and so they fought to bring peace to the world. After years of struggling they finally managed to bring peace. It was on that day that the first Underworld Co-operation day was held between the different creatures. And now hundreds of years later we still celebrate the day of underworld Co-operation and live in peace all thanks to the love of a Wiccan and a Vampire”
The screen ended on a collection of pictures from our last Underworld Co-operation day including a picture of Me and Brad as the two leaders. The screen turned a blank white, and then vanished altogether.
The room erupted into applause. Sir Mallot seemed especially please with the Carris sisters’ performance, after all it is his subject area – History. Sir Malice also seemed pleased. I doubt he’d ever seen history shown that way before. The Carris sisters stood and bowed.
“may we introduce Alice Parrow, Sarah Satchit and Kelly Marrow, from second year, who will be brewing the potion of light” The younger sister said.
Alice Parrow, Sarah Satchit and Kelly Marrow were the youngest performers in the show. The potion of light is something you learn early in your third year of studies. It was one of the things I had to learn in catch up with Jeff, while I was also studying fifth year magic. It was meant to show the different colours in the light spectrum but in a stylish fashion. It was a good thing the glass box didn’t have a hole in the roof in case everybody with sense would be running out of the room. It could spit up and then land on the audience. They didn’t always fire straight up.
They prepared themselves and the ingredients and three adult males brought on a large cauldron that already had a salty water boiling in it. They placed it in the very centre of the glass box and lit an improvised fire beneath it.
“A series of life, light grows within. The seed of life with life in...” Chanted all three of them as they each placed in a seed from an apple tree. “...The light of early man...” They each lit a splinter of wood and dropped it in. “...The light of the sea...” they each dropped in the light that had once belonged to a fish found in the deep sea. “...To have life... light is the key”
The liquid in the cauldron started to glow. Suddenly a streak of white light shot up. It stopped only centimetres away from the glass roof. Two more shot up; a red one and an orange one. Then another three – the next three colours in the rainbow. It started to look like the dancing fountains you can find by the coast. The colours stopped coming in an arranged order. They changed randomly.
When it stopped the room erupted into applause. The three men who had brought the cauldron on and lit the fire, set out the fire and took the cauldron away.
The shortest of the three girls said, “And now you have the brilliant pleasure of having Brad Watkins and his trusted assistant Mark Hames demonstrate defence from fire”
Brad and the fourth year, Mark, came onto the platform as the three girls left. Brad and Mark entered the glass box. Everybody will be glad for the glass box for this act – even more than with the light potion. Had the glass not been there it would get extremely hot in this room.
I felt Sir Malice fidget next to me but I was determined to watch Brad.
“Dragolishtika” Said Mark lifting his hand, palm facing up. A small ball of fire sprouted. It shot into the air leaving behind a trail of fire to Mark’s hand. The ball grew and grew into the size of an average dragon head. The fire slowly changed shape mimicking the shape of a Swiss dragon head.
I felt Sir Malice’s ice-cold finger stroking the back of my hand. What had gotten in to him? Didn’t he understand the idea of a show was to be watched? I looked at him and the answer was clear on his face. Yes, he did know, he just wanted my attention on him and not Brad, just like I feared.
I turned my head back to the fire dragon and Brad.
The dragon shot some fire from his mouth. Using one of the many counter charms Brad stopped it in its tracks. Sir Malice’s hand took mine in a strong, ice-cold, stone, iron grip. I looked towards him trying to control the bitterness in my ears. This was just what he wanted but know he had me locked I couldn’t turn away.
I crushed my eyes shut so I could re-gather my thoughts. I quickly got them back and turned away. I opened my eyes but what my eyes saw made me want to shut them again. Brad was no longer focused on the dragon but was staring intensely in my direction. Worry and sadness in his eyes.
It happened so quickly, one moment he was stood staring at me, the next he had been knocked back by a blast of fire. He hit the glass wall and then fell down landing on the floor with a thud – that was hidden by the loud gasp from the audience.
I quickly pulled my hand from Sir Malice’s grip and ran to the door of the glass box, closely followed by Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente. I ran in and straight to Brad. Mark had beaten me there. He had set out his dragon and was now stammering his apologies “I’m sorry Brad. I didn’t know you weren’t ready. I’m sorry.”
“Brad?” I asked as I rolled him onto his back.
He groaned and placed his hand on his stomach – where the main part of the blast hit him. He had his eyes slammed shut.
“Brad? Talk to me. Are you okay?” I begged.
His eyes shot open. He struggled to sit up.
“I’m fine, Charlie” he whispered.
I wasn’t convinced but I knew it wouldn’t help to argue so I nodded my head anyway. I pulled him to his feet.
Mark was stuttering his apologies. “I’m sorry Brad, I really am... I’m sorry.”
“Mark, it’s not your fault, it’s mine. Don’t stress yourself.” Brad whispered to Mark as I helped him out of the box.
“Mark, introduce the next act. Brad and come and sit with me” I said.
I took Brad up to where we were sat. Sir Malice had a large grin plastered on his face. Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente sat down on their chairs. I help Brad into my seat. There was just enough room on the chair for me to fit in as well. The closeness of me and Brad now annoyed Sir Malice, but I just pretended I didn’t notice his frown.
“Are you sure you are okay?” I asked Brad concerned by fact he still had his hand on his stomach.
“I may have a few bruises in the morning but apart from that I’m fine.” He replied smiling.
“And now onto the next act. I am proud to welcome on to the stage Edward Sarvatti and his amazing Ashid, Richard” Announce Mark as the immediate panic died down.
Edward was a sixth year who owned over ten different magic creatures. An Ashid is a creature that looks similar to a snake, but it is three times the size of the largest snake in existence and it’s skin is a metallic silver. Edward’s Ashid had been nicknamed Richard and had been trained spotlessly. During his performance Edward demonstrated different hunting techniques, and certain traits and skills of an Ashid.
I’d always been a little scared of snakes so it felt comforting when Brad took my hand left hand in his right.
“And now for the final act. I am very lucky to be able to introduce Gabrielle Westwards and Cameron Elliot who are going to be Demonstrating the unique act of Battle.”
Gabby and her usual Battle partner entered the box. Gabby had told me herself how excited she was about this. She had been flattered when Mr Wilson – our Battle teacher – had asked her to showcase Battle with her partner. It was only her and Cameron that was surprised. The rest of us could see it coming. Everybody knew they were the best at battle – even the best out of all the trainee guards.
They performed spotlessly for several minutes. Fulfilling the purpose of a final act. To impress the audience. To have them leave talking only about the final act. Each move that Gabby and Cameron did liked almost sequenced like in a modern action movie. I could see Mr Wilson smirking on the other side of the room. Brad had gathered my other hand in both of his.
“Thank you so much for coming so see the show. I hope you enjoyed it.” Said Gabby just finishing seconds before the room erupted into applause.
As Gabby disappeared, everybody started to leave. I turned my full attention to Brad.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine, Charlie, stop panicking.” He replied pushing a bit of my hair behind my ear. “Are you ready to go?”
I nodded.
“Urm Charlie” Sir Malice interrupted as both Brad and I stood.
Both Brad and I turned to face him.
“I wish to ask you a question, but I don’t want to ask in front of all these people. Perhaps you will join me in my room after school tomorrow?” he asked.
“I looked to Brad. He regrettably nodded. I turned to Sir Malice and nodded.
“I will come as soon as Battle is finished, but right now I’m going to take care of Brad” I said, putting Brad’s right arm over my shoulders and placed my left arm around his waist – for dramatic effect.
Sir Malice frowned and trod out of the room. I turned to lead Brad out but I bumped into Sir Mallot. He had be stood directly behind me. He had listened to what had just been said. Apprehension and worry clear on his face. Did he know what Sir Malice was going to ask me? How did he know? His face worried me. It must be something terrible to make Sir Mallot look that worried. I’d only ever seen him that worried and that was then Malietta managed to take over a Warlock’s body and then kill the Warlock using his own hands. What was Sir Malice going to ask me?

CHAPTER TEN
PROPOSAL
That night from the moment Brad and I left the training room could have been a lot better. Every other second was filled with talk about Sir Malice’s question. As soon as we were out of eye sight Brad moved his arm down my back so he could hold me by the waist. I removed my arm all together. I took his left hand with my left hand. He fiddled with my engagement ring as we walked to our special spot, in the garden. It was still early in the evening so we didn’t want to go to bed yet.
Our usual spot was wonderful – as per usual. We sat in the very spot that Brad proposed to me.
“Are you sure you are okay?” I asked him.
“Charlie!” He moaned. “I’m fine”
“I don’t get it. What happened? You were doing fine when we were practising” I asked.
“I... It’s going to sound stupid, but I got... worried”
“Worried? About what? You knew when the fire was going to fire” I asked.
He took both my hands in his. He looked me in the eye. “Not about me stupid... about you. That bloodsucker...” he sneered the word. “...had your hand in his... and I saw, in my head what happened to my great grandmother... but it wasn’t her marrying the leech... it was you. The thought... of using you, killed me inside.”
“I will never let you lose me” I whispered. I didn’t mean for it to come out whispered but my voice wouldn’t go any louder.
“Not on purpose” he murmured moving a piece of my hair to behind my ear, again.
“No. You will always have my heart, no matter what happens” I said wiggling into his arms. I lay my head on his shoulder. He kissed the side of my forehead. I lifted my head so I could kiss him in the lips. He beat me to the kiss.
...
My eyes fluttered opened. My body was shaking from being so cold. I looked about. The sky above us was dark and clear, so we could see the stars. It was obviously night time. Brad was lay next to me. His clothes were hung up – along with mine – on the closest bush.
I quickly jumped up and rushed to the bush as Brad started to stir. I grabbed his clothes and threw them to him.
“What? It’s still dark” he moaned.
“Yes, and have you seen where we are?” I didn’t give him chance to reply. “We’re still in the garden. If we get caught...”
I didn’t have to say anymore, he shot up and rushed to put on his clothes.
Once dressed, we snuck out into the corridor, snickering like little children who don’t want to be caught. Nobody can ever help but laugh when this much adrenalin his rushing through your veins. We managed to reach out room without being caught but Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente and Jeff were all waiting in our bedroom. As soon as we stepped in –still laughing our heads off – we spotted them. Us and our laughter froze.
The next movement shocked me. I was expecting them to yell, discuss seriously, give us a hard talk or just stare us down. Instead Jeff rushed to me and hugged me tightly, almost suffocating me. I pulled back so I could breathe. “What’s going on?”
Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente and Jeff looked at each other uneasy. I looked at each one in turn. They all looked as worried as each other.
“What’s going on? You’re starting to worry me” I asked taking Brad’s hand. He squeezed it tight.
“We’re worried” started Sir Mallot.
I nodded for him to continue.
He opened his mouth, as if to talk, but nothing came out. The worry in his eyes were distinct.
“Sir Mallot heard Sir Malice ask if he could ask you a question, privately, in his room” continued Mistress Halsente.
I nodded.
“We want you to avoid answering that question until you’ve talked to us about it” finished Jeff.
“Do you know what the question will be?” I asked.
“We have a good guess. But it’s not for us to tell you. But promise us you’ll do what we say” replied Jeff taking hold of my shoulders.
“I promise” I said.
“Now, it’s late. We shall see you two in lessons tomorrow” Said Mistress Halsente fitting her arm in Sir Mallot’s. He still had his eyes filled with worry as Jeff and Mistress Halsente lead him out.
“Whatever he asks, it’s going to be a hard choice isn’t it? I bet that’s why Sir Mallot is so worried.” I grumbled slumping on the bed.
Brad crawled next to me, grabbed me by the waist and pulled my closer to him.
“It’ll be alright. I won’t let anything happen to you” he murmured into my ear as he planted small kisses on the skin behind my ear.
...
BEEP.BEEP.BEEP.
“We really need a new alarm” I grumbled.
Brad leaned over me, pressing his chest on mine, and turned the alarm off as he laughed, “and I need to teach you how to turn it off.”
I laughed. “I do know how to turn it off I just prefer it this way”
“What? Me crushing you every morning?” he asked jokingly.
“No you being this close every morning” I replied giggling. He tired to move back but I grabbed him and held him there.
For once the school day went fast but on a day I wished it wouldn’t. Mistress Halsente and Jeff both tried to make me feel better but they just made me feel worse or took my mind off it completely – which really isn’t what I wanted, I wanted to feel better about it. Mistress Halsente blabbered on about not feeling pressured and they would respect the decision and they would support me through the consequences. I think that was meant to make me feel better about the upcoming decision but it just made me feel even more nervous. Jeff didn’t make me feel any better either. He just directed my worry onto another topic. He decided to go for distracting me and so he did a very fatherly and embarrassing thing.
“Charlie, listen. I wanted to have this talk a few weeks ago, but we never really had the right moment. So... You and Brad, sleeping in the same room, and the same bed...”
This had just gone to the top of my most embarrassing moments list. I had to stop him there. It was bad enough that we were even having this conversation, let alone having it in a classroom, in the middle of class – even if nobody was listening to us.
“Dad! Please don’t do this. Are we really going to have this conversation? I’m nineteen. Had you brought it up three years ago when I first met Brad I probably could understand, but now, I think...no, I know that I am old enough to know what I am doing” I blurted out in a rush.
He nodded, proud about the obvious success of his distraction. He turned and walked off leaving me stood absolutely embarrassed.
I had to admit the distraction worked until lunch time. I had been thinking why Jeff had suddenly started the sex talk when I walked into the food hall, next to Brad. As soon as I saw him – the vampire – the questions in my head – about his question – started swirling about in my head.
Brad and I joined Gabby and Alison, who were – unbelievably – still talking animatedly about the wedding and their Bridesmaids duties. They had split the list into two; one for Gabby, and one for Alison.
“Charlie, which one of us should walk with Brad’s best man and which one should walk with Geska?” Asked Alison.
“Flip a coin” I replied.
“Gabby, you know you absolutely hate Billy. Perhaps you should walk with Geska” suggested Brad.
“Good point” Gabby said scribbling on her notepad.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“My wedding book. Everything is in here; the flower, dress, and decoration receipts and invitation reply list.” She replied.
“Can I have a look?” I asked.
“After the wedding and everything is finished” she replied pulling the notebook off the table so I couldn’t steal it off of her.
The wedding held my attention for the whole of Battle. But as the lesson ended, butterflies started flying about in my stomach. I kissed Brad goodbye and then headed to Sir Malice’s room. The walk had never ever seemed longer. It was only a ten minutes walk but it felt like I was walking for over half an hour.
I paused at the door, trying to decided whether or not to turn and run. From what everybody was hinting at, I should have, but the knowledge of the consequence held me in place.
I knocked once and the door opened.
He was now stood directly in front of me. He took my hand and lead me inside, shutting the door behind me.
“How was your day?” he asked.
“Is that your question?” I asked. I knew it wasn’t but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed when he shook his head “No”
“My day was... good” I said.
“Anything interesting?” he asked leading me to his grand chair. He sat me down.
“Not really. Just getting ready for our exams” I replied. I wanted him to get the question over and done with so the butterflies would leave my stomach so I prompted him. “So... what was this thing you were going to ask me?”
“Well... there was one question that I have wanted to ask you since I arrived. It was the only reason I came. I wanted to ask you at the ball but my nerves got the better of me. And then every other time where I have met up with you, I planned to ask you, but I kept chickening out.” He explained.
I nodded for him to continue. He knelt down in front of me. He took my left hand. It was then that he saw the engagement ring on my finger. He frowned. He looked up at me and asked, “For the purpose of what I’m about to do, can you take off your ring?”
I hesitated but I slipped it off and placed it in my right pocket. He re-took my left hand. He changed his position so he was only knelt on one knee.
“Charlie Gyid, will you do me the amazing honour of becoming my wife?” he asked.
My breath caught. That, I wasn’t expecting. After only meeting me three days again he wanted me to be his wife. Why on earth would I marry a vampire, three days after first meeting him. I was about to rip my hand out of his and slap him when I remembered what would happen if I said no. I was trapped. Either way lead to disaster. If I said ‘no’, War would break out, but if I said ‘yes’ I would have to give up everything and spend eternity with Sir Malice.
“You want me to marry you?” I asked him in less than a whisper.
“Yes, and I can’t wait any longer. I want you and I want you now” he replied.
“But you hardly know me” I argued.
“I know you well enough for this”
“And would I have to become a...” I started but he finished off my question and answered “Vampire? Yes. I wouldn’t want to risk hurting you”
“Don’t you think I’m a little young to end my life?” I asked him, trying to find a loophole somewhere.
“You’re nineteen. You’re a legal adult. And it’s not the end of your life. It’s the beginning of an eternity.” He replied standing so he could look me directly in the eyes.
“And my family and friend?” I asked starting to get desperate.
“Time to say goodbye” he replied.
“Can I have time to think?” I asked as a final resort.
He almost looked confused so I continued, “You’ve asked for a lot. To give up my friends and family, by choice”
He nodded in understanding.
“I’ll be waiting for your answer. Try not to keep me waiting too long.” He nodded.
I walked out of the room in a daze like fashion. How could I make this decision? I walked to Gabby and Alison’s room. I knew Brad, Jeff, Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente would be waiting in mine and Brad’s.
When I entered I broke down on Alison’s shoulder, explaining everything to the pair of them. Neither of them knew what to say so they called the others. I didn’t even know they had done it until the four of them appeared in the door frame. I was sat on Alison’s bed, still crying when they headed in. Brad came and sat on the bed so I could cry on his shoulder.
Gabby repeated my story to them. They must have been expecting this question because they didn’t seem in the slightest surprised.
“What do I do?” I blubbered.
I didn’t have to look up at Brad to know he was in deep pain from this, just the way he was cuddling me to his chest gave it away.
“Say no” answered Gabby.
“And whatever happens happens” continued Mistress Halsente.
“Sir?” I asked towards Sir Mallot.
“I agree with them. We will not let you become a vampire for the sake of avoiding a war” he replied.
“Do you think War will be the outcome?” I asked.
“Undoubtedly” replied Sir Mallot.
That didn’t help at all. In fact it only made the decision harder. How could I let a war happen when I could stop it? If war breaks out so many Wiccan could die. But could I leave Brad? No. But what if Brad got hurt in the war? Would I be able to cope with that? These questions, thoughts and worries loitered in my mind for the rest of the day. I told Brad to go to Dinner without me – I knew Sir Malice would be there – but Brad wouldn’t leave me I our room on my own. I didn’t want to leave me.
For the whole evening Brad was sat on leant up against the back wall, while I was lay in his arms. Lying my head on his chest. His grip around me was tight.
It wasn’t until late at night when we finally spoke.
“Charlie...” Brad started,
“Yes” I whispered.
He loosened his grip and placed his hands on my cheeks. He lifted my head up to look him in the eyes. I couldn’t look directly in his eyes. They were filled with tears that were ready and waiting to pour out at the first sign of weakness.
“Charlie, please don’t leave me” he cried as the first tear broke out. I quickly wiped it away.
“I don’t want to Brad” I whispered. “But I don’t want to start a war either”
“Charlie” he moaned. “For once in your life be selfish. Keep me”
I didn’t know what to say. How can I let him go? I can’t. But how could I let a war start because of me? I can’t. I can’t do either.
Life without Brad. War. Life without Brad. War. Life without war. War.
How could anybody make this decision? I needed to look at it from a different direction. Either way I will be unhappy, but if I say ‘no’ I will be with my friends and family so I would be happier. But I would have started a war that anybody could die in; Brad, Gabby, Alison, Mistress Halsente, Sir Mallot, Jeff or Geska. I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to any of them, especially Geska. Geska was becoming more like a daughter than anything else. But how could I leave her behind if I became a vampire. I couldn’t do it at all. I couldn’t even think about it without being upset.
And then there was the argument of being selfish and unselfish. By being selfish I would be happy but everybody I loved and cared about would be in danger. If I was unselfish they would be safe but I – and possibly them – would be unhappy. But they’d be safe. Isn’t that the most important thing? All of us would be safe.
Should I do that? Say yes? Everybody would be safe and it would most defiantly be the most unselfish and right thing to do.
I looked about. It was night time. Brad was asleep, his back facing me. I was lay facing him, my right arm placed over his body so my fingers could be locked with his. I slowly pried my hand from his. As I sat up I watched for any sign that he had woken up. He hadn’t.
I quickly grabbed a piece of paper, and scribbled – the best I could in the dark –
I’m sorry. I love you brad and I always will. But the thought that any of you – Gabby, Alison, Mistress Halsente, Sir Mallot, Jeff, Geska or you – could get hurt or killed in a war that started because of me outride’s the thought of me being happy. I love you. Charlie. xXx.
I placed the note and my engagement ring on my pillow and headed out of the room, closing the door as quietly as possible.
The work to his door felt like I was walking to the gallows. I suppose, it should feel that way. After all I was – in a way – walking to my death. I was about to become a Vampire. Become one of the undead. I was about to leave everything I loved behind.
I stopped and stood outside the door for a few moments. I took a deep breath and knocked. He opened the door seconds after my hand left the door.
“Have you decided?” he asked shocked.
I nodded.
“Well?” he asked taking my hand.
“I’ll marry you” I whispered.
He pulled me to him and locked his lips with mine. His kiss was nothing like Brad’s. A shiver fell down my spine from the chill of his lips. I pulled back as he pulled me into his room.
“Are you ready to join me?” he asked me.
I nodded not trusting my voice.
He moved closer and moved my hair revealing the left side of my neck.
“Will it hurt?” I asked in a whisper.
“If you move too much, yes. But if you stay as still as possible, no.” He replied as he stroked my neck with his cold fingers.
“Are you scared?” he asked, obviously enjoying himself.
I nodded, again not trusting my voice not to reveal the extent of my fear.
“Don’t be. It’s a simple and painless procedure...” he way he used the word procedure made a another shiver go down my body. “All you will fell is my teeth biting down – two pin pricks – then some of your blood leaving your body and then some venom entering your body.” He explained.
“What happens if I move so much that your teeth are pulled out? Does it stop the transition?” I asked.
“Only if you pull back before any venom gets in, but that would hurt. And, trust me, you won’t want to pull away. You won’t want me to stop” he replied kissing my neck.
My mind wondered to Brad. Has he woken up? Or will he not wake until Sir Malice and I have vanished? I could feel Sir Malice place his hand on the back of my neck, to stop me from pulling away. I wondered what everybody will think and say when they find out what I am about to go through to keep them safe.
Sir Malice leaned in, tightening his grip on my neck. He ran his tongue over my neck.
Two pin pricks.
This was it. I could feel my blood leaving my body slowly. He was right about one thing I didn’t want him to stop. All feeling halted. Pleasure ran through my body, numbing all feeling. It was pure pleasure. It was heaven. I couldn’t help but close my eyes to absorb it all. Suddenly the pleasure stopped and nothing replaced it. I couldn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t speak and I couldn’t hear. Had he finished? I couldn’t tell. Was I a vampire?

CHAPTER ELEVEN
WAR
My eyes fluttered but refused to open.
“Charlie?” the all too familiar voice of Geska rang.
My eyes fluttered again but refused to open.
“She’s waking Brad” she said.
“Good” his voice danced around my ears. “I need my Charlie”
I couldn’t understand this. Hadn’t I become a vampire? Had Sir Malice left me behind? Or had he not in fact finished it? Did he have a change of heart?
My eyes opened.
“She’s awake” Geska screamed throwing her arms around my neck as I sat up.
I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her tight. He hadn’t turned me. He hadn’t finished. I was still a Wiccan. I was still alive. I was still me. She lay her head on my shoulder. Her eyes were wet. I could feel her wet eyelashes on a bare patch neck in between my pyjama top and a plaster patch – placed where Sir Malice bit me.
“You’ve been crying” I commented in less than a whisper.
“You love me, right Charlie?” she asked in her sweet little voice, not moving her head.
“Of course, what would even make you doubt it?” I asked her shocked.
“Because you were going to leave without saying goodbye” She replied.
“I’m sorry. I knew it would be impossible to do the right thing if I saw you. I knew you would convince me not to do it. And then War would have broken out, and anyone of you could have got hurt or killed. I couldn’t live with that” I explained as I pulled her closer. I couldn’t believe I had gotten so close to leaving everyone, so close to leaving her.
“There would have been War anyway” he spoke. He was sat on the sofa. He was looking down at the floor. Not even looking at me to talk to me.
I must have really hurt him by being so stupid. It must have really hurt him to read that note and see the engagement ring left on the pillow. I had no doubt that he officially hated me for hurting him so badly, for leaving him like that.
“You’re mad at me” I said in less than a whisper. He hung his head more. I did the same. I couldn’t take my eye off him though. My head hung in his direction. “I’ll understand if you want me to move back in with Geska”
“No” he said far too fast and to loud. He almost turned his head towards me but stopped himself. “Why would I want that?”
“You won’t look at me” I replied.
“He won’t look this way in case you want to leave him” whispered Geska in my ear.
“Why would I leave you?” I asked him.
“I tried to save you... I got the leech” he sneered the word. “... off you. But he had his daggers in hand. I didn’t move fast enough. Mistress Halsente did what she could but she couldn’t heal them completely.” He explained.
“Heal what?” I asked.
He turned to face me. The right side of his face had three slashes that will undoubtedly turn into three scars. I couldn’t help but gasp. As soon as I did, I regretted it. He turned his head away. I could see the tears in his eyes threatening to break out. To be perfectly honest I didn’t care about the scars at all. He was still my Brad.
“Will my brave, heroic and always hunky fiancée come and sit next to me?” I asked in my sweetest voice.
A smile appeared on his lips as he came and sat next to me and Geska – who was still cuddled to my neck.
“You scared me. I thought I was going to be too late” He whispered.
“What happened?” I asked curious.
“I woke as you shut the door. I quickly got changed. I didn’t need to read your note to know what you were doing. I quickly called the others. I read them the note that you left. They called every single adult in the covert, explained what was going on and sent them to sort out the other vampires. Uncle, Mistress Halsente, Jeff and I came straight to you.”
“According to Mistress Halsente we got to you just in time. He had taken just under a pint was preparing to inject the venom. I pulled him off you. I scared myself then. His teeth literally ripped your neck into two. Mistress Halsente soon sorted you out while I fought with him. What I didn’t realise is that Vampires always have their weapons on them. He got out his daggers and I didn’t move quick enough. Jeff and Sir Mallot took over. They weren’t able to kill him. He escaped, declaring War on his way out. Though the other adults did their job. He left alone. The other vampires are being burnt to ashes as we speak.” Explained Brad.
“Before, you said that there would have been War anyway. What did you mean by that?” I asked him.
“Had he have turned you, we would have declared War to avenge you”
“Well then... you spared me the trouble of living in a hell on earth. Thank you” I replied. I kissed him on the cheek and whispered “My hero”
He chuckled. “Well, you can’t be the hero, all the time”
I unravelled Geska and placed her – sitting down – next to me. I climbed so I was sat on Brad’s knee, facing him. I lightly stroked his three cuts and then looked down.
“Do you know what hurts the most?” I asked.
“What?”
“The fact you thought so little of me, that you thought that I would leave because you have three cuts on your face. Three cuts that you got trying to save me” I said in less than a whisper fiddling – with both hands – with his shirt buttons.
He cupped my hands in his and replied, “I know I was being stupid. I panicked. You know what I’m like, I worry unconditionally. I knew inside that you would never leave me, but there will always be a shred of worry in the back of my mind.”
“You have no reason to worry” I whispered, gently kissing him on the lips. “Never let me do anything so stupid again”
I kissed him again.
“What do I do to deserve you?” He asked. It was obviously a rhetorical question but I answered anyway.
“You were you”
He kissed me.
While I had been sleeping, messages had been sent to the different coverts all over the world, warning them about the war and asking for them to help us, for what we knew would be the first battle. The whole covert knew the very first battle will be Sir Malice taking his revenge on the Swiss Covert. So the battle will be here.
I – as per usual – had the terrible responsibility of telling the student the news and instructing them on what to do.
I stood on my usual table reading – off of a piece of paper – the plan that concerned the students.
“Right before I begin you still know my rule right?”
Every head nodded so I started.
“Right as you have probably guess, Sir Malice has gone. You may cheer here if you like...” I had to allow them that.
The room erupted into a thunderous applause. I motioned for them to quieten down, a lot sooner then they wanted me to, but they did eventually quieten.
“However, it wasn’t the peaceful farewell, we were hoping for. On his way out, he declared war between the Vampires and the Wiccans” I explained. There was a loud gasp as worry and understanding filled every face.
“But you mustn’t worry. Nothing will harm you. We won’t allow it. Now as you know, War means battles. And a war against Vampires means we will need every single Wiccan we can get. We have gotten in contact with other coverts, but there is a good change that some of them will not arrive in time for the very first battle.”
“We are led to believe that the very first battle will be here in this very covert. And so, new ground rules are being lay down. You all know and recognise the danger alarm. Should you hear it you are to go straight to the grand hall. Beginner years and intermediate year one you are to gather in the centre of the room. This is because we are aware that there are several hidden passageways into that room that we may not be able to protect – for some we have no idea where the entrance actually is. Intermediate years two and three, you are you encircle the lower years. Should a vampire get through you will be their only protection. Is that clear?”
Everybody I knew to be in those years nodded.
“Right, Intermediate year four and Expert years we are giving you a choice. You are of course of fighting age and so if you wish to fight, you may. For those of you who do, there shall be a strategy meeting soon in the main training which you will have to attend. You will also have to attend extra Battle sessions. You will not be only ones though. Even the adults will be adding in a few battle sessions. Is that clear?”
The rest of the room nodded.
“Now, this is a dangerous time for us all. The balance of the underworld is about to go off. As soon as the news spreads to the other underworld creatures they would undoubtedly choose side and we may end up with a second Underworld War. In which case we need to remain strong. We mustn’t lose faith. That is the worst thing we can do. I cannot promise you everything will be alright, but the adults in the Wiccan will do their best to keep you out of the conflict until you reach an age where you may wish to join. I don’t want to end a bad note so I am going to wish you all good luck in your exams next week and let’s hope something good can come from this month.”
I stepped down from the table as the whole room erupted in a thunderous mass of chattering.
“That was terrible” I moaned to Brad, later that night. We were lay in bed. He was lay on his back with nothing but his boxers and the quilt cover on. I was lay next to him, my head lay resting on his chest. He had missed the meeting. He hasn’t once stepped outside of our room since he received the cuts to his face. He was too afraid of the coverts stare. All of us had tried to convince him to come out but he refused all of us.
“How did they respond?” he asked.
“Well they didn’t scream if that means anything. They were mature about it but it was easy to see through their calm faces. They were absolutely petrified, even the older students” I replied. “I hate having this responsibility. I always have to give them bad news, never good. Only bad”
“I think they give you that job because you are so good at giving bad news. You give people bad news but you give it in a way where nobody can help but be at least a little bit calm.” He replied.
“Must be an orb thing” I sighed. “I missed you, you know. I wanted you next to me”
“Charlie, don’t start this again.” He moaned making my lift my head so he could look me in the eye. “You know I hate leaving you, but I just can’t go...” He scrunched up his eyes.
“Baby, staying in here... it will just get worse, this fear. You have to get out and face it straight on. How will you come out when the first battle starts?”
He didn’t reply.
“Just try it. Please. For me?” I asked.
I gave him the best pleading look I could. He sighed and then nodded.
“Love you” I whispered into his ear, lightly kissing it.
...
BEEP.BEEP.BEEP.
Friday morning. It couldn’t have worked out better for Brad. If he didn’t like going out, he would have the whole weekend to lock himself in our room, preparing for Monday. I made sure we were running late so then nobody was in the corridors as we headed for breakfast. He took a deep breath at the door. I squeezed his hand tightly. He looked at me a gave me a weak smile and whispered, “For you”
I opened the door and we both took a step in. Everybody in the room turned to face us. They all knew about how he had saved me and so it didn’t surprise me when the whole room erupted into applause, even the adults. I lead him to our usual seats opposite Gabby and Alison. As we walked down in between two tables, everybody we passed within arms reached patted him on the back saying “Good job”
I watched Brad’s expression the whole way. The closer we got to our seats the smile on his face became more apparent.
We all knew that we could possibly have only two weeks until Sir Malice returns with a whole army of vampires. Over the next week we started to prepare for the upcoming battle. We increased the battle hours for all students. Especially those who would be fighting. We practiced in Magical combat as well and physical combat even though we all knew should it come to physical combat the Vampires would win, as they have much more strength and speed.
During the week we got replies from some of the coverts, mostly those in Europe and a few from Asia. The rest of the replies – we guessed – were on their way.
Elspeth who had been planning to leave on Sunday had committed to staying to help fight. She was glad that she had a reason to stay longer but everybody had suspicions she hadn’t been talking about the upcoming battle. We all thought there was another reason – Jeff.
Laura Drew from the German covert – who helped me with Malietta – came to the Swiss Covert to help. She – as we did – guessed the vampires would attack the Swiss Covert first so she had no great moral difficulty leaving her own covert.
We had decided the dates of several War meetings. All the Wiccans that were going to be fighting had to attend including the student fighters. The first one was this Sun day in the training room. That had placed a platform on the far wall with a spell on the wall behind so it will act as a strategy board.
All the fighters flooded into the room. Th students fighters took up the front two rows. The adults filled the rest of them. I could see from the corner of my eye Jeff and Elspeth talking. They were sat close to each other, they were practically touching. I nudged Brad and nodded towards Jeff and Elspeth.
He looked and then nodded in my direction telling me he thought exactly the same as me – something was going on between the two of them. I hoped something was. Jeff had been alone all this time, and Elspeth was perfect for him, and he was perfect for her. Brad looked back to the front of the room to where Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente where stood discussing with our Battle teacher, our defence teacher, our magical creatures teacher, and the head guard.
Jeff suddenly looked in my direction. I quickly averted my gaze going red in the face. Brad took a quick at me and sniggered. I elbowed him in the side, but I couldn’t help letting out a little giggle. Just the Geska headed in the room. As she walked in everybody turned to face her. She walked to Sir Mallot who lifted her up in his arms and talked to her. I watched her carefully. Surely she wasn’t planning on fighting. She may have lived longer then me but she’s still only three years old. Sir Mallot placed her down. She ran to me. She held up her arms for me to pick her.
“What was all that about?” I asked.
“I’m helping” she replied.
“Not fighting?” asked Brad. He was just as close to Geska as I was. Brad and I were old enough now to be her parents. And we practically are her foster parents.
“Yes. I know some of the old dynasty magic that nobody else does. The Vampires stand no chance against any dynasty magic. So I won’t be in any danger. Beside, do you think the vampires will be expecting a three years old to be fighting?” she explained.
I looked towards Brad with worry in my eyes. I knew I wasn’t going to let Geska fight but how was the best way to let her down easily?
“Geska...” I started.
“Don’t start Charlie, I’m helping no matter what you say” she replied.
I closed my eyes trying not imagine Geska against a Vampire. She seemed so small and so young against these. I felt a small hand on my cheek, “Charlie, look at me”
I opened my eyes. Her beady eyes were in my face.
“I have survived a whole decade of working for Malietta. Do you think I didn’t get some experience fighting Vampires during that time. You have no idea how many times Malietta met with vampires” she said.
I nodded. I didn’t like it but she somehow seemed to know what she was doing.
“Ok. But promise me you’ll be careful” I whispered.
She nodded. I lifted her up and placed her in the middle of me and Brad. Brad had pushed the two chairs together so there was enough chair for her to sit on.
Sir Mallot cleared his throat so we all turned to face him.
“Right, we...” he started but somebody rushed in through the open door. It was one of the guards. He held in his hand a letter. He handed it over to Sir Mallot. Sir Mallot and Mistress Halsente read it. Sir Mallot looked over to and motioned for me to come over. I slowly stood and walked over. It note was from a covert in Sweden.
Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente, and Mistress Gyid.
We have just heard from one of our normad Wiccans. They have reported seeing an army of Vampires heading in your direction – from the far side of Sweden. We predict you will have at least two days until they arrive if not longer. We have sent a collection of Wiccans to help you. They shall arrive shortly. They will be able to give you a better estimate to how long you have to prepare. Good luck. We wish you the best.
Sir Lancesta.
“There’re closer to us than we thought” whispered Mistress Halsente.
“What do we do? In two days we can only fit in two meets, and two battle session. I don’t think the student fighters will be very prepared by then” I whispered back.
“We have no choice. We won’t receive much help in those two days. Only the others from Europe will get us to us by then. We will need every Wiccan we can get. The Vampires will most likely outnumber the Swiss Covert. Sir Malice would have thought to increase his numbers until we were at least outnumbered one and a half vampires to every single wiccan.” Whispered Sir Mallot. “Charlie, go and sit down. We will start this meeting and we shall tell them everything we know”
I went and sat down next to Geska. Brad reached over Geska to take my hand and squeeze it tightly.
“I’m fine” I whispered to him letting his hand go. I knew Geska wouldn’t want our hands in her way.
“Right, we ave just had news that the Vampire army is just two days – at the minimum – away from here. They are on the far side of Sweden. At the highest Vampire speed they will reach here in those two days. We don’t have time to waste so we are going to tell you everything right here right now. Over the next two days, school will be cancelled. Students will be training all day, and so will all that are planning on fighting.”
“Mistress Halsente, Mr Walice, Mr Taresca, Mr Tikitska and I have been discussing the best techniques for this battle. As you know, we have split you into eight different groups. Red group, you are defending the grand room where the students and young children will be. We don’t expect the Vampire’s to focus there so don’t be put out by the little number of you. Blue group, entrance three. Yellow group, entrance five and six. Green group, entrance four. Orange group, entrance two. Silver group, entrance four. All of you are there as a precautionary measure. I wouldn’t be surprised if they sent small groups of Vampires up the side routes. Those groups won’t be too large so you should have an easy time.”
“Now we move on to gold group...” this is was mine and Brad’s group. “Gold group you have been split into Gold A, Gold B and Gold C. Gold A and B you will begin by entrance one. Gold C you will be waiting in the five training rooms. Are we all clear as to where you all supposed to be at the beginning of the battle?”
Everybody nodded. Brad and I were in Gold C. We are to be in one of the training rooms. As far as I know, Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente, Jeff and Elspeth are all in Gold C but I doubt we’ll all be in the same room.
“Right, so you know where you are meant to be at the beginning. Red, Blue Green, Yellow, Orange and Silver group, chances are you will remain where you are. But should a vampire slip through your defences you are to follow them. You must not let them anywhere near the training rooms. Green group you need to be extra careful on that point. You are at the closest entrance to the training rooms. It wouldn’t take long for a vampire to get through and set off one of the traps.”
“Gold B, you are to lead the main bulk of the vampires – that will come in the main entrance – to the five training rooms, where of course Gold C will be waiting. Gold A, you are then to get any late entrants or any Vampire trying to escape – though I doubt there will be any.”
Sir Mallot explained to us what our priorities are to be – to protect the students, to help each other and to win this battle with as little casualties as possible. Should we be outnumbered we are to pair up so we can watch each other’s backs. Of course my pair was Brad. He wouldn’t allow me to alone near vampires – especially if Sir Malice is with them. He was afraid that he might grab another try to turn me.
Everybody knew the danger of this battle, and everybody knew blood will be spilt, and possibly life’s will be lost. I just hoped the ones I cared for the most will remain safe – Brad, Geska, Gabby, Alison, Jeff, Mistress Halsente or Sir Mallot. I couldn’t be sure of who will pull through the battle and who won’t, but I was sure of one thing. If anybody I cared for is hurt or killed, Sir Malice will be the one to pay for it.

CHAPTER TWELVE
THE FIGHT
It was hard to believe how quickly the very first battle approached us. Three days later the warning alarm went off. We had spent the last three days, planning and plotting. We were supposed to have our first exam on the third day but it had to be postponed due to the threat. We had done agreements with the other Wiccan Coverts. We had forces from France, England, Germany, Sweden and Belgium arrive to help. They were being slotted into the different groups we had already sorted. We had added most to the training room traps, they were the groups we thought needed the most numbers. We had placed lights on the walls of every corridor that we were going to use and those connected to those. The Vampires won’t have an advantage in well lit corridors. If they find and go into any dark corridors, they would have an advantage. They can see much better than us in the dark. We had to make sure they stayed in the light which wouldn’t be easy.
We had labelled corridors better. Those running from east to west were numbered, those running from north to south were lettered. The junctions were then easier to find. Junction 9B would be the junction between corridor 9 and B.
It was the middle of the night – typical for vampires – that the alarm sounded. Brad and I were sleeping in our room when we were woken by the loud screech. It hurt our ears. We quickly jumped up and switched into our best fighting kit – a black tight top and a pair of black tight shorts.
Geska rushed into our room wearing her fighting kit. I lifted her into my arms as the three of us rushed out.
Our starting place was in the first training room that the Vampires will come across. We headed in. Gabby was waiting in the room. I looked about at who I had in our room. Me, Brad, Geska, Gabby, Laura Drew from the German Covert , a few adults from various different Coverts, and then six expert students – four from the year below and one in our year. We were ready. We had formed an arrow formation for better effect. We had decided on that over the last three days.
We were probably going to be one of the last people to get involved in the fighting. We are the trap, the other Wiccan groups have to lead the Vampires to us.
I stood in the centre at the front of our little group. I was the leader of this room. Each room had a leader – Jeff, Sir Mallot, Mistress Halsente and Mr Wilson were the other leaders. I had Brad stood next to me on my left, Geska was stood in the middle of us. Laura Drew was stood to my right, with Gabby next to her.
“I haven’t had chance to talk to you yet Charlie” Laura said, “I haven’t seen you in the last three years. Apart from this, has much happened?”
“Not much. Brad proposed. And you’re invited to the wedding, by the way” I told her as we stood and waited anxiously for the doors to open and the vampires to come in.
‘They’re in. First door. Gold B has started their run. Good luck Gold C’
We all heard it and looked about anxiously. We knew out of the five trainings room, most of the vampires will be in here, fighting us. We knew we could call for help from the less busy training rooms but the first burst of vampires will be the ones we struggle with.
‘Prepare for the fight. Past checkmark two and three.’
We had set checkpoints all the route that they will be leading the vampires so we – the ones in the training rooms – knew how long we had. There were ten checkpoints.
‘Checkpoint five’
Brad took my hand, over Geska’s head. He squeezed it tight and gave me a weak smile. His eyes showed his fear. But I could guess it wasn’t him he was worried about. It was me. It was odd how me and Bra were so similar. I wasn’t afraid for me, but for him. We were afraid for each other but not ourselves.
‘Checkpoint seven’
I looked back to the rest of my group. They were scared, that much was obvious, but they were putting on a brave face. They were braced ready for the fight.
‘We’ve lost them. All stations prepare for battle, they could be anywhere’
All of us shared worried glances. What did this mean? How did they lose them? The vampires can’t run at top speed down that route very easily, there are too many corners. Where would they go? We’d lost our trap. We had underestimated them.
“What do we do now?” asked Gabby.
“We wait. They must have guessed what we were doing.” I replied.
“How?” asked Brad. “How could they have known?”
“Something must have given it away. Never the less, they have the advantage now” I replied.
We waited patiently for any news. We were waiting for a notice from another Wiccan. The vampires could be anywhere.
‘Everybody check in. Are you fighting?’ It was Sir Mallot. He was as worried as us.
‘Training room1, not fighting’
‘Training room 2, not fighting’
‘Training room 3, not fighting’
‘Training room 4, not fighting’
‘Training room 5, not fighting’
‘Gold A, odd vampires, late stragglers. Just to let you know Sir Malice is among the biggest group of vampires. Watch out, he’s fast and strong. He was with the group that was heading for the traps.’
Everybody shared a worried glance at that news.
‘Gold B, we’re searching for the lost vampires. Be wary, we think they may have gone the long route round to reach the training rooms to surprise you’
‘Red group, not fighting’
‘Blue group, fighting. A small group trying to get the better of the extra entrances’
‘Yellow group, we’re being pummelled, we need extra aid. Three vampires for every one of us’
‘Green group, not fighting, we’ll send a few aids to you yellow group, where are you located?”
‘Entrance 4 is where we need most help. We can handle entrance 5’
‘We’ll be there in a second’
‘Orange group, fighting but not hugely’
It was annoying that all of us had to listen to this. We knew it was necessary but when we wanted to focus on the fighting the inner monologue can get annoying. I wished I could go out and help those who needed the aid. Yellow group seemed to have the worst of the fighting.
‘This is Gold B. We’ve found the vampires. They’ve circled us. We’ve lost numbers, only three of us left. We need help. Sixth corridor’
‘I’ll come and help you. Any Vampires you recognise?’
I knew I would get in trouble for this but I couldn’t stand about any more. I wanted to help them instead of being tied down into this room.
‘No, Charlie, you’re needed where you are’ It was Jeff.
‘I’m putting Brad in charge. I’m going to help them. It’s not up for discussion.’
‘I’ll go with her’ Laura Drew transmitted. I wasn’t going to argue with that. We would be a better help with more than just me going. We headed out quickly, rushing to find these struggling Wiccans that need our help.
We headed out. Brad tried to resist me from going. He didn’t want me to leave his side. I shrugged my hand out of his. “I’ll be fine” I whispered to him.
Laura and I headed to corridor six. It was on the opposite side of the training rooms than what we were hoping for. We looked carefully around the corner at corridor six. We had approached it wrong. The part of the corridor we were entering on was directly in the centre. The Vampires could be one side or the other or both. We had to approach carefully. We looked right. It was clear that way. But then we looked left. The lights we had lit are out.
“We’re too late aren’t we?” I whispered to Laura.
She nodded.
“We should go” I whispered.
She nodded again.
‘Stay away from corridor six. Lights are out. Gold B have fallen’ I sent to the others.
Laura and I turned to leave when something caught my eye. It was a light from a corridor that connected to corridor six further down.
“Wait here. When I say send fire. Call for backup from the training rooms. I’m going to draw them to you and the others.” I whispered to her.
She nodded.
I ran as quickly as I could, stopping at every corner to check for Vampires before proceeding.
‘We have a plan. Can we have all from Training room one at 6E? Do not come from down corridor 6, come down corridor E’ I could hear Laura transmit.
I hoped this worked. It should work, if what we know about Vampires were nothing but more myths.
‘let me know when you have assembled’ I said.
‘We’re ready’
‘Then distract them’
I could hear – even from where I was – the chants of the spells they were using. They were using fire. It was as good as distraction as any.
“Aqua grasha wallos tichat” I chanted as I placed my hand on the wall I was lent on. Water leaked from my hand and travelled across the width of corridor six. It went from roof to ceiling all the way along. There was no avoiding the water.
I slowly expanded it more, travelling up the corridor towards the Vampires.
‘It’s failed Charlie. They have entered a hidden corridor.’
‘That’s impossible’ roared Sir Mallot, he had been listening.
‘How did they know where one was?’ Mistress Halsente asked.
‘They obviously picked to darken this location for a reason’ I replied.
‘Where does that hidden corridor lead?’ asked Jeff.
‘Head back to the training room any way. I’ll meet you there’ I ordered.
‘Be careful Charlie’ Said Brad almost with a desperate tone.
‘I will be’
I turned to head back when the lights in this corridor went out. Wind passed past me. At least I thought it was wind. It was pitch black in this corridor.
“Flamenta” I said. Fire circled my hand, supplying some light.
Another wind swept past me, setting my fire out.
“Good evening Charlie” It was him. Sir Malice. My breathe caught.
Something hit the back of my head hard.
Nothing.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHARLIE VS SIR MALICE
I woke in a room. I looked about the room. It was pitch black so I couldn’t see anything. I had nothing to go on where I was. My breathing started increasing as I started to panic. There was a rope around my waist. I felt around the rope on my waist. It was tied to something. I felt down the rope until I found a bar. I tugged on the rope trying to free myself but it I couldn’t. It was tied too tightly.
“I wouldn’t try if I were you” Sir Malice said.
“Where am I?” I asked.
“Why would I tell you that?” he asked laughing, “So you can tell you boyfriend?”
I felt to the other side of the rope. I tried rolling it down the pipe, until it wouldn’t roll any further. I felt the pipe this time instead of the rope to try and find out why I couldn’t roll it an further. It wasn’t a pipe at all. It was a very cold arm and I had just taken the hand.
“You tied me to you?” I asked shocked.
“yes” he replied briefly.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked the pitch black that surrounded me. I asked it in the direction that I heard his voice come from. But the next time he spoke he was on the other side of me.
“Because your meddling boyfriend stopped me from getting the wife I wanted” he hissed. It sounded as though he was right behind me.
I spun around. I could just see black.
“He wanted me just as much as you did. I’m sure the feeling was mutual” I replied trying to keep my voice calm. I could see nothing.
‘Charlie? Answer me Charlie.’ Brad’s voice rang in my head.
‘I’m in trouble.’
‘Where are you?’ Jeff’s voice rang in my head, stressed and panicked.
‘I don’t know. I’m in complete dark. I can’t see a thing’ I replied.
‘Are you alone?’ asked Sir Mallot, his voice was as panicky as everybody else.
‘No... I’ve been tied to... Sir Malice’ I replied hesitantly.
‘CHARLIE!’ Shouted Brad in my head.
“Tell me where I am” I demanded.
I felt his hand – the one that wasn’t tied to me – grab my arm. He pulled me up on my feet, and held me tight.
“Walk” he demanded.
“I can’t see” I retorted.
He squeezed my arm tight until was painful. I could help but let a groan escape my mouth.
“Walk” he growled.
I let him push me out of a darkened room and into a pitch black corridor. I could hear growls as I passed.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked him.
“Somewhere more private with a little bit of a light” he replied.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because we have some unfinished business” he replied briefly pushing me into another room. There was a small flame in the corner of the room.
He pushed me to the very centre of the room and pushed me on to my knees. He knelt down behind me. I still had the bandage over my neck. He ran his fingers over it. He took hold of one of the corners and pulled it off. I gritted my teeth.
He ran over what is left of the cut from his teeth.
“You heal well” he said.
“Wiccan healing charm” I replied, my voice breaking at the end.
‘I’m in one of the rooms. He’s taken off the bandage on my neck’
‘NO’ Brad shouted in my head again. ‘Don’t let him do it’
‘I’ll see what I can do’
“Do you... love me?” I asked him quietly.
“Would I be doing all this if I wasn’t?” he asked me in response. He ran his hand across my neck.
“If you love me, why do you want me to be unhappy?” I asked him.
“I don’t want you to be unhappy, I want you to be happy.” He replied, his hand freezing in one spot.
“If you turn me into a Vampire, and make me give up my friends and family, there is no way I can be happy. I told you I couldn’t live without my friends and family” I told him.
“You will be happy. You just don’t realise it” he whispered. “You will be happy with me. Trust me”
“Trust you? How can I trust you? You’ve declared war on my people”
“Can you remember the story that your people told us that night of the show? They said that the love of a Vampire and a Wiccan stopped a war. That could be us”
“If you turn me, War will continue. My people would not let you get away with it. The only way to stop the war is for you to leave” I told him honestly.
“And admit defeat? Look weak in front of my people? Never” he hissed.
“Stogment flamenta” I whispered. It was so quiet that even I could barely hear it. The flames rippled around my hand and down the rope, burning it to small pieces. As the flame – that was slowly heading towards Sir Malice’s arm – distracted Sir Malice I got to my feet. I ran for the door, another flame on my hand ready.
I recognised the room I was in from the door. It was the room that Sir Malice had slept in. I stepped out. I faced forward and lifted my arms either side.
“Galesto fortuna” I said. A huge gust of wind blew all the way around me, blowing back every vampire in the corridor. I headed in the only direction I could. Though I had to pass more vampires. I kept the wind blowing.
“Increasium” I said. As I ran the wind increased around me, holding the vampires up on the wall in an unbreakable hold. I ran with what fire I could hold on my right hand. The strong wind made it hard. The bounce back from the walls was sending a weaker wind at me threatening to blow it out any second.
I stopped at the end of the corridor. And turned to face them. I dropped the wind. I crouched down as the Vampire fell off their walls. I lay my hand flat on the floor.
“Aqua grasha flooros tichat”
Water streamed from my hand across the floor. The height raised. As it reached the first vampire it was at knee height. At the sight of it, he struggled to his feet but not quick enough. The floor sloshed around his feet, pulling them out from under him. He fell flat on his face. His face submerged. He squirmed under the water, unable to escape the drift. By the time he was still the water had reached the next vampire. He was more prepared so he jumped up.
“Toranto” I chanted. I shot of water with a diameter of at least five centimetre shot up and hit his face, knocking him back.
‘Charlie?’ Came the worried shout from Brad.
‘Not now, let me concentrate’ I growled back.
As I worked my way down the Vampires I stopped briefly at Sir Malice deciding whether to set it on him yet. I decided against it and so directed the water around him. I raised the water to the ceiling around him, so he could not escape and attack me. I stopped the water at the end of the corridor as the last Vampire went under.
I withdrew the water, letting it dissolve into the vents. When an idea struck me.
‘Where are people fighting?’ I asked.
‘Outside the grand hall’
‘Training room 1’
‘Training room 2’
‘Training room 3’
‘Training room 4’
‘Training room 5’
So all of the training rooms were now engaged in battle. It made me wonder how much I had missed when Sir Malice had knocked me unconscious. How long had I been out for?
‘Entrance one’
‘Entrance two’
‘Entrance four and five’
‘Entrance six’
‘Stay clear of the vents. A lot of water is about to fall out of them’ I warned them.
“Sevesta Aqualota harvesta deska latey diforcium veta alet monaik hespa treska” I chanted. It was a charm only I could hope to do. Only the host of the orb of power could possibly attempt this charm. The water from this corridor flooded up through the closest vent. It realised Sir Malice and revealed the twenty dead vampires.
He looked about shocked at what he saw. He looked towards me and realised that I had saved him for last for a reason. He growled. He took from out of his cape two daggers. Probably the same ones that he used to cut up Brad’s face.
“I enjoyed using these on that boyfriend of yours” he chuckled.
“He was my fiancé actually” I sneered.
He growled again. He darted towards me with his daggers ready. He moved ridiculously quick. He was almost upon me before I had even had chance to realise he had started moving. I was sure he was going to kill me on that moment. But just as he dawned on me, I was pushed aside.
...
As fighting waged on in different area of the Covert, Wiccan after Wiccan fell. The Wiccan’s were at any case loosing. The only Wiccan who went untouched was Geska. She knew the dynasty magic, which harmed Vampires hugely. She took on five Vampires at once, finishing them off in seconds. However the others weren’t having such a good time. Most of those who had fallen were injured but there was still a few who were never going to be getting back up.
The vampires seemed bemused by the sudden moves by the Wiccan’s they were giving group in some places and foolishly taking some in others. The Vampires used this move striking at the Wiccan’s but the Wiccan’s took their stance and held up.
Suddenly a rumbling noise shook through the Covert, distracting the attention of every Vampire. However the Wiccan’s didn’t use this distraction to launch another attack. But the Vampires took this sudden pause as weakness and so took another strike. Then as most Vampire had started to ignore the increasing rumbling noise, Water pounded down from the vents. It was almost like standing under a water fall if anybody was within a three foot radius. For the Wiccan’s it was a cooling break but the Vampire squirmed and screamed under it.
As the water slowed, the Wiccan’s took about finishing off those who had withstood the flow of the water, tripping them. The Wiccan’s made easy work of the last remaining vampires. The water being the winning bid. Before they could celebrate their victory they pulled those injured above the water level. They didn’t want any more lives lost.
As the water drained away, they saw the damage done. The Vampires were sprawled across the floor of every room. They started to do a check on the Wiccans. They saw who was injured, who were dead and were still stood. They checked a second time, and then a third time, just to be safe. They then counted the numbed of vampires to see if there should be need of a search. To them everything was in check but everybody failed to notice the disappearance of a German Wiccan named Laura Drew.
...
“No” I screamed.
I was about to meet my death at the hands of Sir Malice – he had been too quick – but I was pushed aside. The daggers in Sir Malice’s hand was now lodged into the stomach of one of my closest friends – Laura Drew. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Laura Drew had been the first German Wiccan to pledge her loyalty to us when War was announced. She had arrived before any other. She had been not just my friend but my mother’s best friend as well. This was one of the reason I had sent myself to Sir Malice in the first place, to stop something like this happening. To save my friends and family. I could easy lay the blame of this on me, but right now, I can’t afford that. It wasn’t necessary for him to kill any of my friend or family. He has chosen too. It was his fault that this has happened and no others. At least that is how I will see it for now.
Sir Malice withdrew his dagger and Laura Drew fell to the floor. I saw red. Anger boiled inside of me. I wanted so badly to kill the Vampire that was stood in front of me. I wanted to kill the vampire that had just struck both mine and my mother’s friend in the stomach.
I stood, my hands burning.
“Alecta flamenta” I shouted. A flame shot from my hand in his direction. He quickly moved out of the way but I was expecting that. I had shot another just seconds late on both sides. He was hit on his hand, knocking the dagger from out of it.
“Reachium” I shouted. The dagger from the floor into my hand. I threw it behind me. “Propellium”
Sir Malice was sent flying back down the corridor. I rushed to Laura. She was still alive.
“Hang on, Laura, it’s going to be okay” I said to her trying to sit her up.
Sir Mallot quickly sped up to come back.
I repeated myself, “Propellium increasium”
He was sent even further back.
“Charlie... finished him before you get... killed” She whispered. I pulled up her up against the wall so she could sit.
‘Hazel, I need your help. Laura Drew is here. She is seriously injured. We still have Sir Malice here so I can’t heal her. We’re at the end of corridor 21.’
‘I’ll be there as soon as I can’
I turned to Sir Malice, who was standing back up from the last blast.
“You will die for that” I sneered at him pointing towards Laura.
“Will I?” he chuckled.
“That is no joke.” I growled.
“You won’t kill me Charlie. I know who you are inside. You wouldn’t kill a fly if it annoyed you.”
“I would kill anybody who has killed or threatened anybody who I care about” I sneered.
“Don’t forget, I was the one who killed Malietta”
“Aqua grasha flooros tichat” I chanted.
Water shot from my hand. Directly at Sir Malice. He moved to the side quickly. So I shot again. Again I missed. I shot one final time. Thankfully I hit the hand with his only dagger in. I still held his first dagger. I knocked it right back behind him. He knew that if he turned to pick it up I would shoot again, taking him on the back. I dared him to do it. I dared him. I just wanted to make this quick now. I had had enough. He had stabbed one of my friends. God knows what his men have done to the others that I cared for. My mind refused to ignore that nagging thought. Was anybody else hurt? Sir Mallot? Mistress Halsente? Jeff? Elspeth? Gabby? Brad? Geska?
I could only hope that they were all okay. I had to hope that is was only one that was down. But my mind snagged on the fact the final Wiccan death total wouldn’t be just one.
“Aqua alota rapida”
Three drops of water shot from my fingers. Each one had a diameter of at least ten centimetres. I spread them so at least one would hit him. And I was luck, two did. One hit his face and another his right hand.
He raised his hands to his face and screeched.
“Aqua grasha flooros tichat” I chanted.
At the sight of it, he struggled to his feet but not quick enough. The floor sloshed around his feet, pulling them out from under him. He fell flat on his face. His face submerged. He squirmed under the water, unable to escape the drift. He fell still but I left the water there for a few moments longer just to be sure.
Mistress Halsente, Sir Mallot, Jeff and Brad approached from behind. Brad picked up the dagger and ran towards Sir Malice. Brad sloshed through the water and he struck Sir Malice where the heart should been. If the water hadn’t killed him, the dagger through his heart had. I withdrew the water. Sir Malice was dead.
I turned my attention to Laura who was sat against the wall. Mistress Halsente was desperately trying to heal her. I came to her side and took her hand.
“Laura... I’m sorry” I said as my eyes weld up.
“Don’t be... I’d rather... die saving... the life... of my best... friends daughter... than die naturally.” She wheezed.
“Hazel?” I asked, looking up to Mistress Halsente.
“I’m working on it Charlie. It will only heal so fast” replied Mistress Halsente.
Laura squeezed my hand one more time. She smiled at me but then her eyes closed. Her spirit left her body. I took her head in my hands without thinking. I leant my forehead against hers as the tears came quick and fast.
“Brad, take Charlie to your room. We’ll tidy up.” Commented Sir Mallot.
A few hours later, we disposed of the bodies of the Vampires. They had no special ceremonies, they were just chucked on a fire and burnt to pieces. We didn’t think they deserved any special favours after death from us.
But then it came to cremating the Wiccan’s that died. Laura Drew was to be the last one to be created as she was the last one to die. We had a cremation room, though it hadn’t been used since the first Wiccan War. The cremation room was a large dome room, three stone sets of chairs surrounded it. Each Wiccan was wrapped in the good luck sheets – tradition – to be burnt in, that was supposed to give them good luck in their next lives.
People came and witnessed the cremation for who they wanted. Usually it was the rest of that person’s Covert. However when it came to Laura Drew, most of the people who were still in the Covert turned up. Most people were grateful for her saving the host of the Orb of Power.
Brad and I sat on the front row. Brad had his arm wrapped his arm around me. My ears started pouring. The tears came freely out of my eyes. I knew crying wouldn’t bring her back , but I couldn’t help but blame myself. Was it really my fault. This war was my fault.
The second Underworld War has started.

....

Keep an eye out for
Charlie Gyid
The Underworld War

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 10.07.2011

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