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Blaire rushed across the drive and up the marble steps into the building. She couldn’t make out details in the dark hallway, only that it had a rich, woodsy scent and the carpet she walked across felt plush as her shoes sank into the fibers. The professor led her to another door, opening it and motioning for Blaire to enter ahead of her.

“Please sit. We have much to discuss.”

Inside the professor’s office, the sounds from the outside completely died out, like she had walked into a soundproof booth.

The smell of old books filled the air from the massive floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that lined three walls. A large window draped in burgundy curtains tied off with black rope, centered behind the professor’s desk, allowed natural light to enter. This light reflected from the chandelier in the center of the office, casting the entire room in a warm, amber glow. The professor’s massive desk had ornate carvings of thorn-covered vines along the front. A pair of plush, black leather chairs faced the desk.

The professor moved around her desk to sit in her high-back leather chair, folding her arms across her stomach. “We need to discuss why you’re here and what the expectations of the academy are of you. Honestly, I don’t know how to approach this with you, as I have never in all my years had to explain any of this to an outsider before.”

Blaire frowned at her strange choice of words.

The professor didn’t look any older than her early thirties, but she spoke as if she had been at this job for decades, like an old woman would. “I feel it best I just say it like it is and we deal with the fallout as it happens.”

Blaire took a deep breath and slowly sank down into one of the chairs in front of the professor’s desk. The bad feeling from earlier returned in full force.

“Now.” The professor sat up in her chair and placed her elbows on her desk, resting her chin on her clasped hands. “What you believe about Blackthorn Academy is true. The students here are all from wealthy families and all start as children at our branch locations. They pass through the same education levels as other students with elementary, middle school, and high school. Some even begin their upbringing with us as babies while their parents oversee affairs outside in the world at large.”

She stood and moved to the large window, watching the courtyard, as she let Blaire absorb what she said before continuing. “Blackthorn Academy has been around for centuries in some capacity, and much of the staff has been here since the founding. However, this school differs greatly from conventional Ivy League universities.”

Blaire raised her eyebrow, not sure she heard that correctly.

“This is all made possible due to an aspect of the world many humans are unaware of, or at least have little understanding of.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Books, movies, and the like, are exaggerations of unexplained encounters humans have had, which they label supernatural.”

She turned from the window to study Blaire’s face. “Yes, this school is like many other Ivy League colleges in shaping the elite to rule nations, but the similarities stop there.”

“Wait… what? I’m not sure I follow or am even hearing you correctly.” Blaire drew her brows together.

The professor continued, ignoring Blaire’s confusion. “Humans have little understanding that much of their ruling government is heavily influenced by ‘supernatural’ entities from various academies such as this one.” Taking her seat once more, the professor leaned forward and laced her long slender fingers, meeting Blaire with a sharp gaze. “Here at Blackthorn Academy, we raise, and send elite Vasirian out into the world. You are the first human to ever be enrolled here.”

“Vass—who? First human?”

The professor let out a scant breath of exasperation. “This is rather difficult to explain. To put it in terms you can understand… You know of the vampire myth, yes?”

Blaire nodded quietly, the hair prickling on her scalp.

“We Vasirian are similar in that we must consume blood to survive. While not human, and we never have been, we are not undead monsters of myth. We are our own species.”

Blaire’s pulse raced, and her breathing quickened. This couldn’t be real. She expected Caleb to come through the door any minute to punish her for thinking she could get away from him. As her anxiety spiked, she wrapped her arms around her waist. She should have known it was too good to be true. “What? You can’t be serious right now. I’m being pranked, aren’t I?”

The professor shook her head solemnly. “No, Miss Wilcox. No one is playing a joke on you. This is real, and you need to listen and take it seriously. Your family’s influence on this town cannot reach these walls, so you need not worry about that.”

“They aren’t my family,” Blaire said firmly.

“Right. Nevertheless, you need to listen to what I’m explaining to you.” The professor leaned forward and pressed on. “The reason you find yourself here is because, as fate would have it, through blessing or curse, you possess a Korrena mark, an ancient mark that Vasirian until now only saw in their fated pair, their life mate.”

“Wait… you’re serious?” Blaire croaked, swallowing the lump in her throat, her mouth bone dry.

“Quite.”

“Hold on. Wait a minute. So, you’re telling me you’re not human, but something like a vampire… am I even safe here? Don’t vampires eat humans?” Blaire’s voice rose at the end with a near-hysterical laugh. She couldn’t believe her ears.

Professor Velastra released a long-suffering sigh. “First, we’re not vampires. Second, no one is going to ‘eat’ you, Miss Wilcox. You are safe within these walls.”

Blaire took a deep breath and let it out slowly, her posture wilting.

“As I was saying… Outside these walls, one of my students saw you and claimed to have seen his specific Korrena mark appear briefly on your skin, then disappear.” The professor shook her head. “Normally, I would think something this peculiar could only be a mistake, but we all have our own unique mark that is only shared by our Korrena. This mark presents itself once we either find the one, or make a specific connection with them.

“It’s not easy to mistake or brush off; it is in our nature to seek out our pair. This particular student is late in finding his pair compared to when most of our kind typically discover their other half. Despite our education system providing opportunity for all Vasirian youth to interact with one another, a sad few are forced to wait their entire lives without finding their pair. That said, if his pair is human, it is perfectly logical why he’s yet to find her.”