“Hey.” I smiled the first real smile in two years and dusted off my manners. “How’s it going?”
Declan’s chocolate brown eyes slowly glanced up at me as if he had just woken up. He was definitely surprised that I was speaking to him.
When he didn’t reply, I continued on. “What are you drawing?” I pointed at the etching he was carving into the desk with his claw.
He raised his eyebrow and stared at me. “This. This represents how much I hate this place.”
Looking down again, I realized that he was drawing a noose. I wasn’t sure who it was for, him or the Headmistress, but I liked his way of thinking.
“Have you ever considered getting out of this place?” Again, I tried sounding casual since everyone who had ever been trapped here had thought of escaping, though not many had tried.
Once more, he looked at me as if I was a foreign object.
I sat back in my chair and sighed. I needed a better plan and a better list of people. Maybe I needed a speech or mantra, something to inspire people to join me. If necessary, I could offer sexual favors to gain loyalty, but only if I hit bottom.
“We need to set boundaries for ourselves; otherwise, we end up committing immoral acts. Without boundaries, each of us would fall into moral ambiguity. That’s why each of you is here. You crossed a line and committed an act that is unacceptable by our governing bodies. You went too far and are now paying the price. Let’s discuss some of the reasons why you crossed the line.” Professor Behlen tapped his chalk against the board, waiting to write down our list.
“We hate the Mielcarek Coven.” Jorgen laughed while the rest of the class clapped and cheered.
Behlen shook his head. “No, that’s not why you ended up here. That was a motivating factor in your decision to commit the act, but not the actual reason. Give me another example.”
“Someone disrespected us.” Myerson blurted out his justification, which I personally hated. It bothered me that the students here thought that a lack of respect was a good reason to attack someone. No one respected me, yet I’d never ripped off someone’s arm.
I shook my head. No one respected me, which was the problem. It was one thing to be a woman ignored by stupid men because we couldn’t rip things apart with our bare hands, but it was another to be disrespected because the governing body told everyone we were worthless. It burned me that I couldn’t earn respect simply because my family had lost their lives to the Mielcareks.
Being nice or charming wouldn’t get me anywhere. To earn respect in this place, I would need to prove that I was willing to do whatever it took to break out. That meant I would have to be the craziest bitch anyone here had ever seen.
Behlen wrote something on the board and turned to look at us. “What are other reasons for being here?”
Without raising my hand, I laughed. “Some of us are here because the Mielcarek’s crushed our coven and declared us enemies even though we had done nothing wrong.” I stood up and looked around at everyone. “We were born enemies and we continue to be enemies because we are too afraid to fight back. Well, I’m done with being afraid. I’m reinstating the Sabourin Coven for anyone who is tired of being labeled a criminal. If the Mielcareks think we’re enemies, then we will act like enemies.”
Stunned silence met my declaration, but I didn’t let it bother me. I understood the punishment for reviving a coven, so the others might not publically jump at the chance to switch loyalties, but I could see that I had their interest.
“That’s against the law, Ceyla. I will give you one chance to retract your statement and sit down.” Behlen had his stun baton in his hand to prove that he wasn’t joking. He was more sympathetic than the other professors, but he would drag my unconscious body to the Headmistress’ office if I didn’t comply.
I hopped on top of my desk and smiled at him. “Come and get me.” I blew him a kiss as I jumped over to Declan’s desk, unconcerned about Declan looking up my skirt.
“Don’t do this, Ceyla.” Behlen cautiously walked closer.
“I’ve always wondered why someone like you would teach Ethics in this dump, Behlen. I thought it was because you were crazy or needed the money, but the more I understand this place, I realize that no one is here of their own free will. You’re working off a debt to the Mielcareks. You’re trying to prove your loyalty and absolve yourself, just like everyone else. I wonder. What did you do to get thrown in here with us?” I was taking a wild guess, but it made sense. Most of the teachers had less morals than the students and many of them had the cold, detached personality of an assassin.
“Get down, Ceyla.” Behlen’s voice dropped an octave, as if his sudden alpha male voice would make me comply.
With everyone raptly staring at me, I leapt into the air and kicked Behlen in the face. I landed next to him and sprinted to the front of the room. I jumped on his desk and threw my hands out. “We will no longer be the forgotten vampires forced into subjugation by a coven who doesn’t give a shit about us. Join me, and we will forge our own place in history!”
All eyes were on me, though there was a mix of
