Chapter 10-Against her

Chapter 10: 10-Against her

Sunrise settled over Veris Academy like a silent decree. Behind enchanted curtains and sealed stone walls, thousands of redblood vampires surrendered themselves to sleep.

The lively chatter that had filled the corridors only an hour ago had faded into complete silence until their part of the academy resembled an abandoned castle.

Moonlit classrooms stood empty, libraries closed their towering doors, and only the occasional servant crossed the halls before disappearing into the shadows.

However, one vampire couldn’t sleep. Addessa Challan stood before the enormous arched window of the blackblood residence with her arms folded behind her back.

The first rays of sunlight painted the distant mountains in gold, but her eyes were fixed elsewhere. It was on the redblood dormitory.

It sat near the academy gates, separated from the other residences by wide courtyards and carefully maintained gardens, almost as though the academy itself wished to remind everyone of the distance between bloodlines.

Her jaw tightened. She imagined that somewhere inside that insignificant building slept the reason her dead heart had awakened. The thought alone disgusted her.

Her fingers unconsciously brushed against the mark near her waist beneath her uniform. Even now, the mark was still warm. She could still feel the faint heartbeat connected to it. The bond refused to let her forget.

"I should end this now..." The words escaped her lips in a quiet murmur. Her crimson eyes narrowed toward the distant building.

She could march there, drag the vampire out, and force answers out of her. Force her to swear, silence as Varitreya wanted or force her to disappear.

Her foot moved forward before she stopped herself. It was sunrise, Maisa had only been turned into a vampire. Unlike natural-born vampires, turned redbloods suffered greatly under daylight.

Maisa would be asleep, locked behind heavy curtains. Besides, Addessa’s expression darkened. When it came to the redblood residence, she couldn’t bring herself to step inside it.

It wasn’t because she feared its occupants but because it was beneath her to be in their presence and honour their dorm with hers.

A Challan had never entered a redblood dormitory. Her mother would sooner disown her than allow such humiliation. Especially since she stood so openly against their existence.

She clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Tch."

The bond had already begun inconveniencing her life. She couldn’t imagine how horrible it would be in the days to come.

"Lady Addessa?"

A timid voice interrupted her thoughts. Addessa didn’t bother turning around. She already recognized it. That voice could only belong to Kriza.

One of the academy’s lower-ranked blackblood students. A vampire that’s both reliable and forgettable, the perfect background decoration.

"What?"

Kriza approached cautiously, stopping several steps behind her. "I noticed you were looking toward the redblood residence."

Addessa didn’t dignify her curiosity with her response. She kept her poise and kept glaring at the distant building.

"I was wondering if..."

"Since when..." Addessa interrupted without looking back. "Did I start answering to a lowborn blackblood like yourself?"

The words struck like a slap across Kriza’s face. Kriza visibly stiffened. Her hopeful expression faltered before she quickly lowered her head.

"I... I was just..." She swallowed. "Forgive me, Addessa," she quickly apologized.

She instinctively stepped backwards. Keeping the proper distance between them.

Addessa finally glanced over one shoulder. Her cold eyes were expressionless. "You’ve become bold," she accused.

"I only wished to help," Kriza bowed lower. "If there is anything I can do for you..."

Addessa stared at her for a long moment. The desperation was obvious. She understood that Kriza wasn’t speaking out of kindness. She wanted recognition, favor, and protection.

Every lower-ranking noble dreamed of standing beside the Challan family. Securing Addessa’s acknowledgement could change someone’s entire future.

Unfortunately for Kriza, Addessa had never cared about dreams. "If I require assistance..." Her voice was sharp enough to cut. "I’ll ask someone competent."

Kriza flinched. The insult landed exactly where intended. It was like a bucket of ice-cold water being poured on her.

"I understand."

"You clearly don’t, or you wouldn’t have come here," Addessa said and turned away. "Know your place."

Without waiting for another reply, she walked away. Kriza remained standing there long after Addessa disappeared from sight.

Her hands slowly curled into fists. The humiliation stung, but beneath the sting, her determination remained. One day, she vowed, Addessa Challan would acknowledge her. Even if it took years, she would wait for that day to come.

The halls were quiet as most students had already retired to their rooms. Only a handful remained awake, natural-born high-ranking vampires aren’t affected by the sun.

With the exceptions of mixbloods since they were part human, but for them, the sun just irritates their skin, it doesn’t burn them as it does with redbloods.

One of the students still awake leaned casually against a stone pillar, flipping absentmindedly through a thick textbook.

Luan Ashbourne, the class heartthrob, looked up the moment he heard approaching footsteps. A bright smile immediately spread across his handsome face.

"Lady Addessa," he called out.

She barely slowed down or paused. "Luan," she acknowledged.

He pushed himself off the pillar. "That’s quite the expression on your face." He studied her carefully. "You look troubled."

"I’m not."

"You always say that when you are."

She sighed. Among bluebloods, Luan was perhaps the only one she tolerated. It was not because they were close but because unlike most scholars, he knew when to stop talking, and he was related to Lumi, who wasn’t so bad either.

"What happened?"

She remained silent for several moments before answering. "A new redblood arrived at the academy today."

Recognition crossed his face. "The transfer student?" He chuckled. "The whole academy already knows. They are speculating what her connections are. She’s the first student to arrive weeks after classes started, and every vampire is curious about wbat powerful strings she pulled to get that done."

Luan added, "The rumours spread quickly."

Addessa’s expression remained cold. "Her name is Maisa."

Luan nodded. "I’ve heard. So what about her?"

Addessa looked him directly in the eyes. "She’s going to ruin everything."

The smile vanished from Luan’s face. "Everything?"

"She’s going to ruin my life," Addessa ran a hand over her hair. Her rage was getting worse.

Luan’s brows furrowed.

"And Lumi’s life too. She won’t spare any of us."

The instant his sister’s name entered the conversation, something inside him shifted. His relaxed posture disappeared.

"What do you mean..." His voice had become noticeably colder. "She’ll ruin Lumi’s life?"

Luan had spent his entire life protecting his twin. Anyone threatening Lumi immediately became his enemy.

Addessa folded her arms. "I can’t explain further than this," she said, "Not yet at least, but that redblood..." Her eyes darkened. "...is trouble, trust me."

Luan looked toward the distant redblood residence. His jaw tightened. A stranger, a late arrival at the academy, was already causing Addessa problems and threatening Lumi.

His dislike formed instantly. He had noticed something else, Addessa looked genuinely frustrated, and that alone was rare. A slow smile spread across his lips.

"Leave it to me."

She looked back at him. "What do you mean?"

He slipped his hands into his pockets confidently. "Tonight will be her first night in class and at the academy. When Professor Primrose begins class," He chuckled. "I’ll make sure your little redblood has the worst first day of her life."

Addessa studied him silently.

"You’ll regret underestimating our class, Addie," He smirked. "And if she survives, at least she’ll know exactly where she belongs."

Silence followed before something unexpected happened. Addessa stepped closer to him. Close enough that Luan forgot how to breathe.

She lifted one hand. Her cool fingers rested beneath his chin gently. She tilted his face upward until their eyes met.

His heartbeat thundered inside his chest, not in the way that felt alive as a heart reaching for a mate but just loud as he registered the once in a lifetime moment. He had admired Addessa for years, from afar and quietly.

Never expecting even the smallest acknowledgement from his devotion. However, now, she was touching him.

Her crimson eyes locked onto his. "If..." Her voice was smooth and soft to the ears. " If you make her regret ever stepping into this academy..." She paused deliberately to create tension.

Luan could barely think.

"I’ll consider..." A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Going on a date with you."

Time stopped, and Luan stared at her in stunned silence. ’Did she really just say that?’ He thought, unable to believe his ears.

She withdrew her hand before he could answer. His face remained tilted upward exactly where she’d left it, frozen.

Hope exploded inside his chest. His entire world suddenly had one purpose. ’Maisa, the new redblood.’

To him, Maisa had just become the obstacle standing between him and the woman he’d admired for years. His golden eyes gleamed with determination.

"You have my word, Addessa," His voice carried absolute confidence. "By this night, she’ll wish she’d never enrolled at Veris Academy."

Addessa gave a single approving nod before walking away without another word. She never saw the victorious grin spreading across Luan’s face.

Nor did she realize that she had just created another enemy for the frightened redblood girl sleeping peacefully behind closed curtains, completely unaware that before she had attended even a single class, the academy had already begun plotting against her.

Addessa walked away. She didn’t take Luan’s words seriously because she herself was only venting her frustrations.

"I must find a way to get rid of the fated mark before anyone finds out, most especially, my mother," Addessa whispered. She could already hear her mother’s disappointment in her ears. "I can’t let a redblood ruin my life. It can’t happen.