Staring at the moon as though it were an illusion, I wished it was. I broke out of my skin as I

became something I didn’t want to be. My fangs grew in and I could feel the pupils in my eyes

grow smaller. My roots tingled as I could feel my hair break through.

“You’re back” I heard a voice say and I didn’t want to look. I stood there, practically trembling in

 

the cold.

 

      “Don’t be that way, come” He said again with his thick French accent. 

 

I turned, seeing the others behind him and cracked a smile.

 

“You found me, again. How much longer should we play this game?” I asked with him knowing

 

the answer. In an instant, his mouth was by my ear, his hot breath tickled my skin and I wanted to

 

move away, I did, but he grabbed my arm and said, “Come now and you won’t get hurt”

 

“You talk like them...” I said trying to move away, but his hold was strong. My eyes sauntered

 

towards his and even though I was angry, my features softened and I could not deny the way I felt

 

about him. He knew it too, staring back at me in such a way I believed, he didn’t realize. He let go

 

of my arm and slowly stepped away but still stared.

 

“Do the right thing, Anya, don’t be stupid.” He spat, breaking away from me and before I could

 

move, I felt the Rykors arms tie me down. I wanted to scream, but what good would it be to

 

make noise? They vigorously held me down, making sure that I had no where to run before I heard

 

a voice.

 

    “I’ll take her” Said Nazar, his deep thick accent echoed as the Rykors stepped aside to let Nazar,

 

pick me up and hold me in his arms. It wouldn’t have been the first time either. I closed my eyes,

 

for the pain of going back to the Institute of Arli. It was a place that I did not want to be. All

 

Vampires and other creatures who were nineteen or younger had to go there and I despised it. Arli,

 

was no longer safe, our walls had been breeched time and time again and I was convinced that

 

someone was after me, watching my every move; so when I could escape, I would. 

 

    I smelled fresh blood near by and knew that we had to be either close, I looked up from Nazar’s

 

arms and saw the castle’s and tall wired gates. To humans, our world was an illusion, so we kept

 

our security tight and hidden in between mansions. A human who would walk pass our Kingdom,

 

would see it as another large house, but to us, it was much more, they couldn’t see the gates or the

 

castles, nor could they see the guards surrounding it. From out of the forest we came, Nazar put

 

me down and gave me a sharp look before untying me, although he still held onto  my arm.

 

“Don’t try anything... Anya, no games” He didn’t look at me, but I knew he could tell that I was

 

looking at him. I let him and the other Rykors lead the way through the gates. I tried my best to

 

not look at anyone I knew, but I knew they were all watching me. Of course they were, ‘Ms.

 

Rebellion’, some said. Whispers spread like wild fire and I was pretty sure, it was not from the lack

 

of color in my skin. Inside, the corridors were brick walls and statutes of our four fathers and

 

knights all around, waiting, watching, for anything- something. It was dark in the castle, but just

 

enough to our liking, there were floating candles, around to give us just enough light for our

 

sensitive eyes. While walking through double doors, I believed I would faint when I saw our head

 

master. Mrs. Rokretov. She was tall and pale, hardly ever any expression bore upon her face, so I

 

couldn’t tell if she were tired or just angry. She stood in front of her desk with her hair pulled

 

tightly back, dressed in an all black robe. Her eyes were red and fixed upon me once I entered with

 

Nazar holding me close to him.

 

  “Leave us” Mrs. Rokretov said at once. All of the Rykors left. Nazar let go of my arm and gave me

 

a quick glance before brushing past me. I swallowed. Not knowing what to expect this time.

 

“What you do... what you continue to do is put our race in danger.” She spoke firmly. 

 

“I don’t get it Anya, we give you a home, we give you everything that a creature like you should be

 

grateful for, but... we have no choice. We’re putting you in solitary confinement. The humans

 

around here are getting suspicious; talk is about. More killings have been on the news and we can

 

not risk our lives for your games!” She was right, but I didn’t want to admit it. How could I? 

 

“It’s not enough.” I surprisingly said, wanting to swallow my words, but I bit down my lower lip

 

instead.

 

     The head master straightened her back. “It’s not enough, Anya? Well, I’ll make sure its more

 

than you can handle! Is that clear!”

 

“Yes.” 

 

“Get out of my sight.”

 

I wasted no time, pivoting on my heels and practically running out the door, but to no avail, Nazar

 

stood right outside the door. He and the Rykors guided me down the corridors and into a dark

 

tunnel that was guarded and encrypted, so no one could easily get in or come out. When the doors

 

opened, my heart leaped. Nazar pushed me forward, but stopped when one of the guards came out

 

and held out chains.

 

“May I?” The guard asked Nazar.

 

He looked down at me and shook his head. Before I knew it, he handed me over to be chained

 

from neck to my ankles.

 

“Wait.” I struggled with the guard who tugged on my chains. “Nazar!”

 

He turned. “Whatever you must say, I’m sure it is of no importance. You’ve caused us all enough

 

grief and burdens.” 

 

He briskly walk away. I watched him while I continued to struggle to be taken into solitary, but

 

when he vanished out of sight; I surrendered and was finally pulled into the dark. My fight was

 

lost.