30Sophia’s POVI turned around on my bed, hugging the duvet to my body. As I expected, Sarah had turned my room to hers but she had moved back to she and Simon’s shared room till I leave again. Simon and I were discharged yesterday night and I had been sleeping ever since.I opened my eyes and yawned, then stretched. I picked up my phone and checked the time. It was Sunday. Almost one pm. I picked up my phone and decided to call Ian first. I was supposed to call him since yesterday yet I had failed to do that. At least Jenny had spoken to him and assured him that I was okay.I ran my hands through my hair as I dialed his number and I waited for him to pick up his call. He picked up on the second ring.“Who am I speaking with?” He asked flatly and I frowned. Didn’t he have my number again? Or did I dial someone else?I removed the phone from my ear. It was his name. It was his voice. My frown deepened as I put the phone to my ear once again. “Did you delete my number or something?”“I
31Sophia’s POVSettling into my seat on the plane next to Jenny, I couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement. The familiar hum of the engines signaled that we were finally on our way back to university. That meant one thing. I could finally see Ian. I glanced at Jenny, her hair which I had curled yesterday was bouncing as she adjusted her seatbelt. She caught my eye and grinned.“Can you believe the weekend’s over already?” she said, her voice tinged with annoyance. “It feels like we just got here.”“I know,” I replied, turning to face her fully. “But I’m kind of glad. I missed campus. And our friends. And, weirdly enough, even the library.”Jenny laughed, shaking her head. “Of course you missed the Campus. Only because you get to see Ian and go to his house. You practically live there.”“Guilty as charged,” I said, grinning. “But seriously, I’m looking forward to being back in campus. I signed up for that creative writing class we talked about yesterday.”Jenny’s eyes lit up. “Oh,
32Ian’s POVThe flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows across the walls of my study, illuminating the books that were on the shelves. Sophia sat across from me at the heavy oak table, her brow furrowed in concentration as she pored over her history textbook. She was beautiful, her fiery red hair catching the light in a way that seemed almost out of this world.I had told her to come here so we could revise together for the upcoming history exams.“Alright, let’s go over the causes of the French Revolution again,” I said, my voice smooth and calm, even though all I wanted to do right now was to bend her over the table and fuck her hard.Sophia sighed, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Okay, so there were social, economic, and political causes, right? The society was divided into three estates, with the commoners, or the Third Estate, bearing the brunt of taxes and having the least power.”I nodded, watching her intently. “That’s correct. And what about the economic fa
33Sophia’s POVExam days always brought a sense of anxiety mixed with a peculiar thrill. This morning, the air was thick with anticipation, and the corridors of the university was bustling with students clutching notes, their faces masked with various degrees of nervousness and determination. As I walked to the exam hall, I felt the familiar fluttering in my stomach, a blend of excitement and nervousness. Today was my first exam, and it just happened to be history.Entering the vast hall, the atmosphere was charged. The silence was heavy, punctuated only by the rustling of paper and the occasional cough. I found my seat, third row from the front, and settled in, trying to calm my racing heart. The invigilator, a stern-faced professor with a reputation for no-nonsense, handed out the exam papers.I looked around, wondering where Ian was. Seeing him here right now would at least give me a bit of confidence but he wasn’t here. I sighed. Maybe his absence was what I needed right now. So
34Sophia’s POVMy last anthropology exam ended with a flourish of relief and satisfaction. The three hours had felt like an eternity, but as I handed in my paper and walked out of the hall, a wave of accomplishment washed over me. I had done it. The first ever college exams was behind me and it had gone well. I pulled out my phone to call my parents, eager to share the news and make plans to go home for the weekend holidays.“Hey, Mom,” I said when she answered. “The history exam went really well! I’m thinking of coming home.”There was a brief pause on the other end before my mom’s voice came through, but there was an hint of regret I didn’t understand. “Oh, Sophia, I’m so proud of you! But we’re not home right now. We decided to visit Grandma with your siblings for the holidays. The house is empty.”My heart sank. I had been looking forward to some home-cooked meals and the comfort of my own bed. “Oh, I see. Well, maybe when you guys are back then.”“Definitely, sweetie,” she repli
35Sophia’s POVI laid on my bed, staring up at the ceiling and feeling bored. It felt weird, being in the dorm with Jenny alone and not having anything to do. The exams had finished and the dorm was mostly empty, making it quiet unlike other times when it was always noisy, especially on Mondays when all of us were awake like at the same time and struggling to be quick to meet tuo with our classes.It felt weird not having to worry about my usual history tests on Monday morning.What felt even weird was the fact that I wasn’t going to be at home for the holidays this year since my parents and siblings weren’t at home. It was just Jenny and I together this time and as much as I loved the idea, it still delt weird. I turned around on my bed with a sign and picked up my phone. It was done charging so I unplugged it from the charger and then unlocked my phone. I already had a series of messages from Sarah, most of which were photos on how much she was enjoying her time at our grandparents
36Jenny’s POVMy life has never been something I was proud of. From being the weird kid that people barely liked ever since I started school, to my parents always moving around and leaving me alone with a nanny who barely ever cared about me.Then there was going through puberty without my parents…without my mom to walk me through it. Moving through stages of classes without my parents being there to support me with it.And when I had my first kiss…my mother wasn’t there to share the excitement with me. When I had sex for the first time…there was no one to talk to about it. It has always been me and myself alone with no parental figure with me. The only bright light in my life was Sophia.I never expected us to be friends. When I first met her, I instantly took her as a competition but she didn’t even mind. She took me as a friend and she wouldn’t stop following me around until I eventually grew on her and we became best friends.Her family became my own family too. But it was never
37Jacob’s POVThe ancient library’s dim light barely illuminated the scattered scrolls and tomes in front of me. The words blurred together, and the intricate symbols seemed to mock my attempts to understand them. I leaned back in the leather chair, closing my eyes for a moment, trying to block out the overwhelming sense of responsibility that weighed on me.I hated ruling. Every day was like a battle against my own nature. This was never meant for me. It was meant for Ian. Ian, with his calm demeanor, his unerring sense of justice, and his unshakable resolve. I’ve always admired my elder brother, even envied him. Now, I’d give anything to have him back, to see him stride through the grand doors of the palace and reclaim his rightful place on the throne.I can still remember the day everything changed. Ian disappeared without a trace, leaving the vampire realm in chaos. Father, already weakened by centuries of rule, deteriorated rapidly, the burden of the lost heir crushing him. And