Sacrum

Sacrum

Chapter Two

The dreary sound of the alarm woke me. I lay on the bed for a long while, rubbing my eyes and mentally preparing for another day at Baritone High School. I had stayed up late last night, finishing my paper for Maratoni. I didn't want to guess the type of wrath that would fall upon me if I didn't hand in one of his assignments on time. Thankfully, because I was a Special, I had my own room and plenty of privacy.

I tried to convey everything that Vinicius had taught me about the gift, and how I was supposed to use it. Despite the fact that I didn't feel comfortable with Maratoni as my mentor, and despite the fact that I didn't want him to have any information about me whatsoever, I really didn't have a choice in the matter. He was my mentor, my teacher, and my superior. This wasn't a battle I could win.

Angelo and Kyle's dorm room was close by, and I met them on our way to class. We had Math in the morning, followed by Biology, and then to my horror Vampire History, meaning I would need to see Maratoni for two hours instead of one. As if one wasn't bad enough already. I still hadn't forgotten the bizarre image of him biting into the human female. That was the first time I had ever witnessed a vampire drinking from a human.

"Humans are not our toys, Dani. We must never use them as such," Vinicius told me once. I wondered what he would have thought of his mentor colleague participating in such an act. Everything felt so confusing now with him being gone.

I struggled my way through the first two classes, trying to keep my mind focused. But all the recent changes happening in my life were taking their toll. I was tired and frazzled. My mind was all over the place. It was hard to focus on something as mundane as numbers or cell mutations.

The only excitement came during Vampire History, when I realized that Vincent was in my class. I tried not to stare in his direction, but it was a difficult task. Vincent was like a magnet; I felt a strong and constant pull toward him. Luckily, every time my eyes wandered in his direction; he was looking right back at me. Maybe, just maybe, he also felt a pull towards me. Unfortunately, I got so lost in Vincent's brown eyes that I didn't even notice when Maratoni started speaking to me.

"Maybe Specials don't need to be in school, seeing as you already seem to know everything and have no desire to listen," he commented in an icy tone, waking me up from my daydreams.

"I'm sorry sir," I replied.

"What can you tell us about the Rebellion of The Clans War?" He asked, and my mind went blank. Angelo looked at me impatiently, as if the answer was obvious.

"I don'tÉI don't remember sir," I stammered out.

"No? How long were vampires ruled by the monarchy, and what year did that come to an end?" Again, I didn't know. Angelo's hand shot up next to me, but Maratoni didn't even glace in his direction.

"What exactly did Vinicius teach you all those years, I wonder. Perhaps it would serve you well to pay more attention to me," he stated, in that agitated tone of voice he used with such pleasure. It was one thing to insult me, but it was another thing altogether to insult Vinicius. I had made up my mind, I hated Maratoni, and I would do whatever was necessary to get another mentor.

"That was brutal," Angelo whispered in my direction at the end of class. I nodded. And I still had another whole hour with the man.

"Tell me about it."

"We'll see you laterÉif you make it out," he said, giving me a squeeze on the shoulder. From the corner of my eye I could see Vincent shooting daggers in Angelo's direction. He approached me right after Angelo left, as students were still clearing out of the classroom.

"Ready for another adventure tonight?" He asked, piquing my interest.

"What kind of adventure?"

"Meet me by the storage closet when Maratoni is done torturing you," he said and winked, and I nodded smiling. If I still had a heartbeat, it would have been beating wildly for Vincent.

"Paper," Maratoni commanded, holding out his impatient hand and staring at me with distaste. I pulled out the 10 pages and handed it over.

"No cover," he critiqued instantly.

"I didn't know I needed one," I replied.

"Really? You're turning in a 10-page essay regarding your gift, something you're supposed to guard and not let anyone know a peep about, and you think it's a good idea not to have a cover on it?" He asked sarcastically, then added, "Vinicius really did you a disservice." The statement made me boil with rage.

"Vinicius was a great mentor, and a great man," I said, not caring about the consequences. Maratoni stared at me for a moment.

"Well maybe you weren't so great of a student, seeing as he had no qualms about leaving you behind." The sentence stung me to my very core. He could see the hurt in my eyes, and he almost seemedÉsatisfied. He went back to his desk and sat down, then grabbed a red pen and started reading the paper and giving me nothing else to do. This was a waste of time. There was no way this man would help me explore and harness my gift. If anything, he would probably do the opposite. I felt the panic spread through me like fire. Vinicius had taught me a lot, but I still needed more information and guidance. The last year before turning 18 was a crucial age for Specials. At 18 we were expected to know exactly how to utilize our gift and feel confident in doing so. I was nowhere near that stage. I needed to do something and do it quickly. So I decided I would speak with the headmaster and ask for another mentor. It was a long shot. A very long shot. But I had to take it.

After an hour Maratoni handed me back the paper which he had mutilated with his red pen.

"Well, writer you are not," he stated, and I took a breath, trying to keep it together. "And your pitiful knowledge of your own gift isÉfrighteningly sad. But I won't put the full blame for that on you. Vinicius and his way of `teaching' clearly didn't pan out well. Of course I'll try to remedy the situation, but there's only so much I can do in this amount of time," he said, making me feel like the most useless vampire that had ever lived. "I want you to rewrite this paper with my comments in mind, this time with an additional 5 pages, plus a cover page." My jaw hit the floor.

"For tomorrow?" I asked in disbelief. He just nodded his head smiling, as if he was waiting for me to complain. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction. I grabbed the paper and my backpack, and walked out of the classroom as fast as I could, almost forgetting about my meeting with Vincent. He was standing by the storage closet, leaning on the wall.

"What's wrong?" He asked when he saw the angry look on my face.

"Maratoni, he is the biggest jerk. Where is the headmistress' office? I need a new mentor," I stated, and Vincent quickly glanced around, making sure nobody heard me say that.

"Calm down Dani," he replied.

"You don't understand how awful he is!"

"Trust me, I do. But there is absolutely no way in hell that Boeriella Trusting is going to give you a new mentor. You know that already."

"No, I don't, there's a possibility. Maybe she'll take pity on me," I replied.

"Even if she was completely on your side, she still wouldn't be able to conjure you up a new

mentor. Maratoni is the closest one, and the only one that can take the time away from his own Special." Suddenly my anger was replaced by apprehension. How did Vincent know so much about the mentors? And in my own selfishness, I had completely forgotten that Maratoni had a Special before I came along.

"Is he hereÉin this school?" I asked, curious. Vincent shook his head.

"No, Demetrius graduated early. He studies with Maratoni in a private setting outside of school. He doesn't need that much guidance anymore." I was speechless. If I didn't think I could feel any worse after my conversation with Maratoni, I was wrong. It was mind-blowing to find out that his Special had not only graduated a year early, but also didn't need that much guidance in his gift. So, he wasn't lying when he said that other Specials were way ahead of me. Suddenly I felt overwhelmed with how unprepared for everything I was. And how the hell did Vincent know so much about it all?

"How do you know all this?"

"I have myÉsources," he said mysteriously. "But neverminded about that. Let's go on our adventure." I was not in an adventurous type of mood. The new information had brought down my mood a couple thousand pegs, and the new paper I had due for Maratoni the next day loomed over my head like a dark cloud. But I couldn't say no to Vincent for some reason. He was too irresistible.

We walked down the hallway until we reached a side exit.

"Remember, don't tell anyone," Vincent said before opening the door. More and more it had started to become obvious to me that my relationship with Vincent was full of secrets. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. On one hand, I liked feeling as if we had our own little world that only we knew about. On the other hand, I could remember Vinicius' words as clear as night, "Secrets are the threads of desolation. If you have enough of them, you will quilt a blanket of sorrow, which will cover and separate you from everyone around." Were me and Vincent separating ourselves from the world with the secrets we held? And more importantly, if he told me these, what other secrets of his own did he hold?

We walked through another door until we were outside in the dark. I faltered, we weren't

supposed to go outside without supervision. Well, I certainly wasn't, as a Special.

"Do you trust me?" He asked, his brown eyes probing into my blue ones. I thought about it for a moment. Vincent was full of secrets, but somehow, I felt safe in his presence.

"Yes," I replied truthfully. Suddenly he grabbed me by the hand and took me in the direction of the forest in the back of the school. His hand was large and cool. We walked silently for about ten minutes, until we reached a little wooden shack. He opened the door and I followed him inside.

It was a tiny little place, with a table, two chairs, and a little cot on the floor.

"What is this place?" I asked.

"An abandoned hunting lodge," he replied. "It can be our secret meeting place." More secrets, I thought.

"If we get caught outsideÉ" I mused.

"We won't," he replied with confidence. Suddenly I felt nervous. We were all alone, in the middle of the woods, in a rustic hut. This was exactly the type of situation Vinicius would have asked me to avoid.

"You know, I don't usually try to get close to people," he said, studying my face.

"Should I be flattered?" I asked, and he chuckled.

"I'm actually surprised that you're interested in being friends with me," he stated, making me confused.

"Why wouldn't I want to be friends with you?" I asked. He looked at me carefully, as if judging whether I knew something I wasn't sharing. I didn't.

"Maratoni was right about one thing. You really are bad at History," he said and laughed. I didn't understand the joke. Suddenly, his cell phone started vibrating in his pocket. He took it out and glanced at it quickly. "Sorry, we gotta go back. I have something to attend to," he said apologetically. I was sad to be leaving him so soon.

Back inside of the building I met up with Angelo, Laura, and Kyle for a brief break before we headed to the library to work on my homework. They finished much faster, seeing as the school year had just started and teachers weren't giving out too much work yet. I was the only one struggling with a 15-page paper.

"Maratoni is such an ass," Laura commented in solidarity with my pain after I had filled them in on my unpleasant private lessons with the bald man.

"Tell me about it," I replied. "Where is the headmistress' office, by the way?" I asked, since Vincent failed to inform me.

"Uh oh," Angelo butted in, "Are you going to try to get switched out of Maratoni's class?" He asked.

"I might," I replied. Laura looked on concerned.

"I'm not sure that's a great idea," she said. "Boeriella Trusting is unlikely to let you transfer Dani, and if word reaches Maratoni that you tried, he might become even more unbearable." Angelo and I exchanged looks.

"Is that even possible?" I asked sarcastically and Angelo and Kyle laughed. Laura chuckled with empathy.

"Well, if you want to give it a try, I'll take you. I meet with Mrs. Trusting almost daily for my prefect briefings," Angelo announced proudly. Kyle and Laura rolled their eyes.

"Great!" I replied with enthusiasm. I wasn't sure what I wanted to accomplish by speaking to the headmistress, but I knew that Maratoni as my mentor was an equation that would never work. After I finished my paper, Angelo marched me over to her office, which was located all the way on the other end of the school. He left me at the door and wished me good luck.

I knocked and right away heard a voice telling me to enter.

"Ah, my stunning new Special," she announced, almost as if she was expecting me. "I was wondering when you'd make an appearance." Boeriella Trusting was a beautiful woman. Probably the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She had long blonde hair and was wearing a fitting white suit and gold jewelry. "Take a seat, please," she kindly offered. Her office was enormous, and brightly lit, the complete opposite of Maratoni's painful dungeon.

"How are you settling in, my dear?" She asked warmly.

"Good, thank you," I replied, suddenly feeling shy in her stunning presence.

"I am happy to hear that. I know the students of Baritone are thrilled to have you here.

Despite the sad circumstances that surround your departure from your previous school. I know it couldn't have been easy to lose your mentor so abruptly," she empathized.

"That's why I'm here, Mrs. Trusting," I replied. She listened intently. "I was wonderingÉI

know it's a long shot but is there anywayÉI could have a different mentor?" I asked.

"AhÉof course. I take it Professor Maratoni and you didn't get off to a good start," she

replied sympathetically.

"Not exactly," I said.

"I'm sorry to hear that Dani. I can't imagine the stress of coming here and having to meet a new mentor. And I understand your reluctance at having to be taught by Professor Maratoni. But I don't want to give you any false hopes. He is going to stay your mentor for the reminder of the year. There is no other possible option. First of all, he is the only mentor in the country. Normani is in France, De Rossi is in Italy, and Altieri is in Austria. He also has the ability to give you the necessary time, seeing as his own Special doesn't need as much supervision," she replied, and I felt embarrassed. "And Dani, as great as the other ones areÉlet there be no doubt between you and I, having known him for many centuries, nobody will ever be able to replace Vinicius," she stated. If either one of us was capable of crying, we would have been tearing up at that exact moment.

"I understand. It was silly of me to ask," I stated.

"No, not silly at all. Know that you can always walk through these doors and talk to me about anything and everything. I am here for you," she stated. I thanked her and was ready to leave, when she stopped me.

"There's two other matters," she said. "The first, is that starting tomorrow you will begin to visit Nurse Midler's office twice a week. It's nothing serious, she will only be making notes for the Special program," she added, seeing the apprehension on my face. Vinicius never made me do any type of medical exams. I mean, there wasn't much to check. It's not like vampires were prone to any physical ailments. But I simply nodded my head in agreement.

"Now, the second, and more delicate matter. How should I say this? I know I have no right to butt into your personal life. But I have to say this." I listened carefully. "I've heard about you making some new friends, and I am happy that you're fitting into our ecosystem with ease. But, if I may advise, it would be prudent for you to cut off any contact with a boy by the name of Vincent." I sat there with my mouth open, completely taken back by her comment.

"Why?" I asked simply.

"Let's just say, you two come from very, very different worlds. It's difficult to explain butÉa lot of people would not appreciate the two of you being friends. And personally, I don't think it will be beneficial to your growth Dani," she added. I still didn't understand.

"But," I started to say when she shook her head kindly.

"I am sorry, but it's time for me to hop on an important conference call. We will talk more soon, I promise," she said, then picked up the phone and turned her chair away from me. I reluctantly made my way out.

Things were getting more complicated by the second. Why would the headmistress have any interest in who I was friends with? Why would anyone care about Vincent and I? It made absolutely no sense. Even if we were worlds apart, like she had stated, what did it matter?

"Everyone deserves a chance," Vinicius had told me a long time ago.

"Everyone?" I asked in disbelief.

"Oh yes," he replied.

"What if they're evil."

"What if?"

"Why should they be given a chance?" Vinicius smiled.

"Because if you look hard enough, you will find some good in them," he replied.

"What if I can't, what if they're all bad, every inch of them?" I probed in my childish way of thinking.

"Would you write them off Dani, and cast them aside, instead of waiting to see if maybe one day, an inch of them could turn good once again?"

"That seems like a tiresome task," I announced, and he burst out in good natured laughter.

"Yes, yes it does. That is the price of patience. It can be quite tiresome at times," he said.

Why shouldn't I give Vincent a chance? I wondered. And just as if he heard his name summoned, he bumped right into me as I turned the corner.

"You talked to her, didn't you?" He asked, and I could sense a slight tone of irritation in his voice.

"I had to at least ask," I replied truthfully. He shook his head, disappointed.

"It didn't work, though, did it? Just like I said," he replied.

"It was worth the try," I said.

"Was it?" He asked agitated. "You could have just listened to me. I thought you trusted my judgement." His voice was angry. This was a different side of Vincent. A side I wasn't used to. He could see the surprise in my eyes. "I didn't mean toÉsound like that," he said as a way of apologizing.

"Well, while I was in there the headmistress told me to stay away from you. Care to clear that up for me?" I asked. He seemed offended.

"She did?" I nodded.

"She said we were from two different worlds, and that people wouldn't like us being friends. What did she mean?" Vincent ground his jaw in frustration. His brown eyes turned dark. He thought about what I said for a moment before answering.

"You don't have to be friends with me if you don't want to, Dani," he said. "If that's your choice, I will accept it." I felt panicked all of a sudden.

"No, that's not what I meant. I want us to be friends. It just seems like everyone is going out of their way not to tell me something," I replied, frustrated. Vincent appeared torn for a moment. But whatever he wanted to tell me, he decided against it.

"Wanna sneak away to the woods for a little bit?" He asked, and despite the conversation I just had with Boeriella Trusting, I still couldn't say no to him.

We quietly made our way back to the abandoned hut in the woods, which I noted had a new comforter on top of the old cot. As well as some books and a set of cards.

"It's in case one of us has to wait for the other. A way to pass time," he explained as he saw me stare at the new additions. I nodded. We played cards for a bit and he asked me about my past and about my relationship with Vinicius. For some reason I felt like I could speak freely with him. I told him about how much the old man had meant to me. How wonderful he had been. And I told him about my old school, and the few friends I had left behind. He listened carefully.

"What about you?" I asked, curious about where the handsome dark-haired boy came from. His brown eyes flickered with some type of emotion.

"It's just me and my mom," he stated simply. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to ask more, as he seemed uncomfortable with the subject.

"What happened to your dad?" I asked carefully. I had always been curious about family dynamics, having never experienced one. I wondered what it would be like to have a father and a mother who loved me.

"He died when I was a baby," he replied, looking at the cards instead of my eyes.

"I'm sorry," I replied. I could definitely relate to experiencing the loss of a father figure.

"It's okay, everyone dies eventually, even vampires," he replied looking up into my eyes with an oppressive sadness. I just wanted to hold him and make him feel better. I reached out for his hand, and he took it. I could feel the immense and overwhelming sadness spreading into my very bones. I had never felt anything like it. Vincent exhaled a shaky breath, his hand gripping mine tighter. My body felt tired, my vision blurring slightly but I still kept a steady eye contact with his brown eyes. We intertwined our fingers and suddenly the room felt light again, and Vincent's sadness was gone. It was replaced by something that felt like a power surge. His eyes lit up in excitement, and so did mine. We were both feeling something larger than either one of us. Suddenly he broke the hand contact.

"You look faint," he said, worried. And soon after his hand left mine, I felt my upper half fold back onto the cot, and everything went dark.

"Dani," I felt something cool on my face. "Dani, wake up," a gentle voice said. I fluttered my eyelids open. The brown eyes were staring at me with an unusual gentleness.

"What happened?" I asked, slowly coming to.

"You fainted and were out for a few minutes," he explained. He continued to wipe my forehead with a wet cloth.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Exhausted," I replied.

"Let's get you back to your room so you can get some rest," he said and helped me up to my feet. Our faces were inches apart and I just wanted to lean in and kiss him. But my exhaustion was overwhelming. I had to get some sleep. Vincent walked me back to my room, and I leaned on him for most of the way. He gently stroked my hair as we said goodbye.

"Get some sleep," he said, and I nodded then made my way into my room where I proceeded to immediately pass out on the bed. I dreamt of my old school and Vinicius, and then of Boeriella Trusting telling me not to be friends with Vincent, and Sebastiano Maratoni yelling at me and saying I was behind all the other Specials, and then I dreamt of Vincent. Except, he wasn't Vincent anymore. His face was stone cold, and his eyesÉhis eyes were blood red.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.