Chapter 03

"And welcome to detention!" Alisha pronounced in a grand gesture amidst themselves in the class. 

Bella sighed, choosing to delve into her history journals. This was the only way to save herself from Alisha's rants and Arthur's hostility. They were only four that breathed in the class. Her, Alisha, Joe and Arthur. No matter how hard she tried, She couldn't focus. Jeremy's constant worries and Arthur's lukewarm nature was enough to burden her. She thought of his words about her mother. What he meant by a Supernatural species Hunter. Her mother was only a Sheriff and imagining her hunting beasts like Jeremy and Arthur was virtually impossible. On the other hand, Arthur didn't strike her as a liar.

  Arthur smiled from the back end chair he was seated. His eyes reviewing the Cheerleader of Belgrave high. Dashing gold coloured hair, small and pointed nose, enticing pink lips, nice cleavage and a fairly manageable hip. His smile deepened appreciating her work of art. He had two thoughts scaling his mind. One, he should compel her for a one night stand where he would drink massively from her blood or he should simply play gentle till she takes the shot. Either ways, he knew he was game point with Alisha. 

"Someone's getting naughty." Alisha pitched mindlessly as she eyed Arthur like a seductress, placing her left index finger on her lips and the other hand on her waist.

Bella glanced at both of them, unsurprised. She knew Alisha to be be a fanatic of handsomeness and Arthur could easily pass on as a flirt. Her major concern was Alisha and her obliviousness of Arthur's true nature.

"You caught me, milady. I find Belgrave High cheerleader irresistible." He responded huskily with a wink.

"Of course." Alisha's cheeks turned pink.

Bella already distracted, continued to watch in dismay. 

"I know what I want and I always get it." His right hand played with his lower jaw and a grin that lifted from the corner of his lips.

"And what do you want?" Alisha asked gently touring towards him.

"This is not going to end so well."  Bella whispered to herself, frowning whilst. Her mind raced several sinister thoughts Arthur could be planning for ignorant Alisha. She turned to both of them again but found Arthur glaring at her. His dangerous expression defined something; as if he had heard her whispers. He arose to his tall height and walked past her to reach Alisha.

"I want you." Arthur gazed into Alisha's eyes pulling her by the waist, close enough to to bask in her scent. She held his gaze, daring him to do more. "I happen to have a Lamborghini and I was wondering, if we could tour around town." He smiled. She inched her head closer.

"You'll have to do just more than that to get me." She winked. A cunning grin briskly played on his lips. 

"Oh I can do more than you'll ever imagine." His devilish thoughts voiced out his words in a whispery manner. His left hand slowly caressed her cheek. 

"Interesting. I hope you all know this is detention." Mr. Alrik interjected as he emerged into the class. Alisha wriggled away from his touch. Gingerly returning to her seat. Arthur eyed his history teacher in response. His hands slipping into his pockets and posing defiantly in his stance. There was this aura his teacher possessed that Arthur didn't fancy. 

"I must say Arthur, your first day at school is quite a diary I'll never forget." Mr. Alrik uttered while Bella studied Arthur's reaction carefully. She wondered what response he would give her favorite teacher. "First you wreck the school's property, then you scampered off with Bella to goodness knows where and now, you're openly flirting with our 'dear' Alisha."  Silence reigned in the room for minutes. "Don't let my likening towards you be a mistake, young man. Now return to your seat.". Mr. Alrik ordered in a stern tone yet his face were inscribed with an harmless grin.

  Bella watched Arthur growl and his palms curl as he returned to the back seat. Mr. Alrik toured around them, studying their expression. "Have any of you heard about Princess Elizabeth Denver?" Alrik asked in a grand gesture. 

"What now? Mr. Alrik. Are you going to lecture us about history?" Joe voiced in a sarcastic manner. Bella peered at him disapprovingly before facing Mr. Alrik.

"Very little is known about her." She calmly stated. A grin appeared on Alrik's face and a smirk on Alisha's. 

"As usual Bella, you never cease to impress me." Alrik stopped by her table. "So tell us, what do you know about her?" 

Bella heaved a light sigh. "Well, I know for a fact that she was a princess of a very small kingdom back in the late 1800s. She's mostly recognized about her bravery and efforts in uniting her Kingdom and of course taking it to greater heights."  

"Interesting!" Mr. Alrik appraised. "Unfortunately, little is known about her sudden demise." 

He walked towards the board,facing everyone. "Hence,I'll be splitting the four of you into pairs. I want you to research and report as an assignment, the circumstances surrounding the death of Princess Elizabeth Denver." 

"Mr. Alrik this is supposed to be detention and not a class." Alisha smugly replied. 

"I know. I'm giving the four of you this assignment in exchange for your one week detention. Isn't that merciful?"

"It's heartlessness! How should we research on 1800s history of a small kingdom." The boy grumbled. 

"You have Google." Mr. Alrik adjusted his recommended glasses briefly. "Alisha, you'll be pairing with Joe. Bella, you're pairing with Arthur." 

Bella's eyes widened as Alrik finished his statement. She glanced between the blank face of Arthur and the smiley Alrik. 

"I'm sorry Mr. Alrik but can you pair with someone else?. Joe would make an excellent partner." 

She quickly offered but her teacher seemed firmly resolved in his decision.

"I don't think so. I want this report submitted before the week ends. Have a lovely day." Bella watched in horrific awe as her teacher exited the class. Her eyes flowed to the mark on her wrists then to Arthur who passed beside her without a glance.

"Alisha, shall we?" She watched him say to the Cheerleader. They both intertwined their arms as they exited the class.  Bella understood clearly that this was Arthur's way of saying. He didn't care! 

###########

  The evening clouds were clear and the atmosphere carried solemnity. Unfortunately, the same fate couldn't be said for Bella. As she resigned into her couch, all she could think of was Jeremy's wellbeing and how to get rid of Arthur. From the meetings they've shared, it's a clear mutual feeling they loathed each other. Except for his charms she could hardly resist. She didn't understand why life would put such a devilish life into an innocently charming body.  She was also in oblivion what Arthur was, if he h

is a Werewolf just like Jeremy or not. There were other puzzling facts she needed to worry about too but the door which clicked open, tousled her thoughts. She looked to the doorway. Her mother decorated in a dirty brown police uniform. Her eyes appeared tiredly and her body expressed how much stress she had worked through over the course of the day.

"Hi mum." Bella chirped in her accustomed greetings. She was struck in a limbo; if it was safe to tell her mother about her day's ordeal or not.

"You're back early." Sheriff Cosgrove answered. She lifted her police cap off her head and tossed it lazily to the dining table. It revealed her messy red hair she had packed into a bun.

"And you look like a mess." Bella retorted.

"There's this mysterious murder case ongoing. You can't blame me. Have you had your Garlic?" She asked as she strolled in her boots into the kitchen.  

Bella hesitated for minutes; waiting patiently for her mother to return from the Kitchen.  

"Mum, why is it mandatory to have Garlic literally every day?" Bella asked her mother who gulped her cup of milk. She recalled Arthur talking about Garlic and compulsion. 

"Well," her mother's gentle voice jerked her back to reality. "When you were young, you used to have this strange illness only Garlic can cure. Which is why it's mandatory you take it. I can't risk my beautiful daughter slipping into that pain again."  Bella nodded slowly as her mother explained. For the first time, she didn't want to believe the entirety of her mother's story. 

"Why are you asking all of a sudden?" 

"You know," Bella cocked her head to the side with a superficial sheepish grin. "Curiosity." Her mother nodded, taking the route to her bedroom. Bella briskly followed suit. 

"Have you found Jeremy?" She asked in an overly concerned voice. Her mother's boot halted in it's march against the wooden floor once they emerged into her room. 

"Not yet honey." Her mother answered too in the same mannerism. "Trust me, the entirety of CPD are trying their best. I promise you, we'll find him."  

Bella's countenance lowered while her mother unbuttoned her shirt.

"Mum, do you by chance know any Arthur Middleton?" Bella asked with heavy dose of uncertainties booming in her voice. She noticed her mother paused abruptly and then stared at her. 

"There's only one Arthur I know. I've never met him but I've heard his tales." Her mother grimaced a tiny smile that faded the next second.

"Tales like what?" Bella furrowed her  gaze. 

"You know, stuffs. Nothing intriguing." Her mother shrugged. 

"Mum, there's something you need to know." Bella gulped down the fear that started to dominate her tone. 

"What is it, honey? I've got tons of work to tend." 

  Bella heaved a sigh unsure of how her Mother would react. 

"I lied about Jeremy's abduction." Her Mother halted in her doings, glaring in disbelief.

"Three days ago, Jeremy and I were walking down a forest path. Suddenly he," Bella pursed her lips as she noted her Mother's stern focus. "He transformed into a Wolf, like those kind of Werewolves movies we watch. He went into a bizarre state and almost killed me until one man showed up to save me. Arthur Middleton." 

The fright in Sheriff Cosgrove's eyes was unquantifiable. She stared at her daughter in disbelief and horrific awe as words rolled out her mouth. She had tried severally and effortlessly to keep her daughter away from the Supernatural Saga of this town. But now, her beloved daughter was living right in the middle of it. 

"Sweet Jesus! You went through all these and you didn't tell me. I'm your Mother! Bella." She yelled from anxiety that ruled her insides.

"I-I was scared! I didn't know how to tell you." Bella retorted, concerned at this evident fright lurking in her eyes. She swore she had never seen her mother this uneasy before. 

"This town is in deep trouble. Jeremy is a Werewolf and Arthur is in town. I have to notify the others." Bella watched her mother button her dirty shirt in haste. 

"What do you mean deep trouble? Is it true you're an Hunter?" Bella wore a confused expression while her mother stormed out. She hurriedly trailed after her mother. 

"Who told you that?" Her mother halted abruptly in the parlour. 

"Arthur." 

"Did he harm you?" Her mother Immediately asked.  Approaching her within a second and checking her body for marks. Most precisely her neck. Bella thought of the Janitor's closet but decided against it. Her mother was already stressed and telling her would only worsen the situation. 

"No, mum what's wrong. Who is he?" 

"Arthur is a Vampire! And not just any Vampire. He his half a century year old. Vampires of that age possesses special abilities that even special hunters like us find hard to overcome."  

Bella squinted her eyes as her mother vomited fast paced words she couldn't comprehend.  Dark revelations that gripped her mercilessly. 

"So you knew all these and you didn't think to tell me! The Garlic tea, this Hunter prodigy and whatever secrets you've been hiding from me." Bella pitched vehemently against her mother's tone. Arthur was right all along and the fact her mother hid this much, broke her. 

"There are things you aren't ready for or should even know." Her mother responded  sternly but Bella wriggled away from her touch.  "The only thing you should know, is this town is not safe with Arthur in it. Hell, he might be responsible for this recent deaths springing all over town. Stay away from Arthur!" 

"I don't think that's possible." Bella stared about the room aimlessly. Trying to absorb the fact her mother had hid so much and Arthur was a murderer. "We attend the same school."