comment, Ari followed as the coven continued exploring the campus, a little more enthusiastically now that it was established they were safer at the Pasteur Institute, than anywhere else.
Ari couldn’t help but grin as they walked past the Arts and History buildings, breaking into a toothy smile as they passed the Science faculty. She hadn’t realised it until now, what with falling in love with Ragon and being hunted by vampires, but she desperately missed university. The student lifestyle, cramming for exams, not to mention the all-nighters in the library hurriedly trying to finish assignments, these were all fond memories that she had from her bachelor of veterinary science and indeed her previous life. She had worked so hard to get into this course; it felt wonderful that she would be once again working towards her dream of becoming a vet, this time with Ragon by her side.
Ever since she had been an orphan, Ari had wanted to look after animals. She wasn’t sure why but she guessed her deep mistrust of humans, spurn from several years of being returned by foster families, explained this desire. Animals were innocent, they were loyal and they loved unconditionally. It made her sick to think about animal abuse, or abandoned animals, and this longing to make a difference was where her dream to become a vet had been born from. The fact therefore that Ari was now walking through her new campus, about to re-commence her studies with the man she loved, was downright thrilling.
The buildings, while clearly being very old, were magnificently rendered, with giant sculptures of famous academics etched into the stone-face of the roofs. There were three main libraries, though they were only able to inspect two of them. The Art and History Library and the Science Library; both were piled high with books and journal articles, along with lines of computers where eager students sat studying in silence. When the group reached the front of the third library, they discovered that they needed an ID swipe card to access it.
“That’s where the vampire chronicles are kept,” Thomas whispered to Ari. “Only vampires have access.”
“But we’ll be able to get inside once we get our ID card?” she asked, looking eagerly up at the large frosty glass doors, which completely blocked the inside of the library from sight.
“All of us,” said Sandra, indicating the coven, “will be able to get in, but seeing as you’re mortal, you won’t.”
At these words Ari’s head had fallen, not just from the realisation that she would not be able to inspect the books which might hold the key to the mystery of her life, but also because of the way that Sandra had spoken to her. The way she had said ‘mortal’ left a foul taste in Ari’s mouth, as if Sandra had just insulted her.
“Look at this,” said Clyde, dragging Ari from her doldrums.
He was pointing to a notice pinned on a cork board outside one of the lecture theatres.
“ Traffic lights dance, tonight, 7pm at the campus club. Red- you’re taken; orange- you’re not sure; green- good to go ,” Ari read.
“Sounds like fun,” said Sandra, her eyes gleaming as she read the notice.
Thomas cocked an eyebrow but nodded, and Ragon looked over to Ari who was smiling; it was comforting to see Sandra so pleased with a social event. Ari pictured the two of them getting ready for the dance, Sandra doing her makeup as she always did and picking out an appropriate outfit for Ari to wear, probably from Sandra’s own wardrobe. Maybe tonight would be the perfect chance for Ari to talk to Sandra, really talk to her, perhaps even to dissolve the wedge that had formed between them since Larissa’s death. The thought of spending one ordinary night with Sandra was wonderful. She couldn’t remember the last time that she had acted like a normal girl and just had fun.
“Can we go?” asked Ari, batting her eyelashes as fast as she
Ari couldn’t help but grin as they walked past the Arts and History buildings, breaking into a toothy smile as they passed the Science faculty. She hadn’t realised it until now, what with falling in love with Ragon and being hunted by vampires, but she desperately missed university. The student lifestyle, cramming for exams, not to mention the all-nighters in the library hurriedly trying to finish assignments, these were all fond memories that she had from her bachelor of veterinary science and indeed her previous life. She had worked so hard to get into this course; it felt wonderful that she would be once again working towards her dream of becoming a vet, this time with Ragon by her side.
Ever since she had been an orphan, Ari had wanted to look after animals. She wasn’t sure why but she guessed her deep mistrust of humans, spurn from several years of being returned by foster families, explained this desire. Animals were innocent, they were loyal and they loved unconditionally. It made her sick to think about animal abuse, or abandoned animals, and this longing to make a difference was where her dream to become a vet had been born from. The fact therefore that Ari was now walking through her new campus, about to re-commence her studies with the man she loved, was downright thrilling.
The buildings, while clearly being very old, were magnificently rendered, with giant sculptures of famous academics etched into the stone-face of the roofs. There were three main libraries, though they were only able to inspect two of them. The Art and History Library and the Science Library; both were piled high with books and journal articles, along with lines of computers where eager students sat studying in silence. When the group reached the front of the third library, they discovered that they needed an ID swipe card to access it.
“That’s where the vampire chronicles are kept,” Thomas whispered to Ari. “Only vampires have access.”
“But we’ll be able to get inside once we get our ID card?” she asked, looking eagerly up at the large frosty glass doors, which completely blocked the inside of the library from sight.
“All of us,” said Sandra, indicating the coven, “will be able to get in, but seeing as you’re mortal, you won’t.”
At these words Ari’s head had fallen, not just from the realisation that she would not be able to inspect the books which might hold the key to the mystery of her life, but also because of the way that Sandra had spoken to her. The way she had said ‘mortal’ left a foul taste in Ari’s mouth, as if Sandra had just insulted her.
“Look at this,” said Clyde, dragging Ari from her doldrums.
He was pointing to a notice pinned on a cork board outside one of the lecture theatres.
“ Traffic lights dance, tonight, 7pm at the campus club. Red- you’re taken; orange- you’re not sure; green- good to go ,” Ari read.
“Sounds like fun,” said Sandra, her eyes gleaming as she read the notice.
Thomas cocked an eyebrow but nodded, and Ragon looked over to Ari who was smiling; it was comforting to see Sandra so pleased with a social event. Ari pictured the two of them getting ready for the dance, Sandra doing her makeup as she always did and picking out an appropriate outfit for Ari to wear, probably from Sandra’s own wardrobe. Maybe tonight would be the perfect chance for Ari to talk to Sandra, really talk to her, perhaps even to dissolve the wedge that had formed between them since Larissa’s death. The thought of spending one ordinary night with Sandra was wonderful. She couldn’t remember the last time that she had acted like a normal girl and just had fun.
“Can we go?” asked Ari, batting her eyelashes as fast as she
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