The Hunger of Wolves Read online

  Every once in a while, Victoria would catch Blair eying her. Why, Victoria couldn't understand, but it took great effort to not snarl at the girl every time she noticed.

  "Can I help you?" Victoria asked as the girls prepped for bed the morning before the first day of school. Raduta looked back and forth between them nervously.

  "Is it true that you're a cripple?" Blair asked her. It was the most words she'd ever heard the girl direct at her.

  With eyes of steel, Victoria glared at her before replying, "It is."

  Blair chuckled. "I thought so. I haven't been able to sense any power coming off from you." With that final statement, Blair turned away closing her eyes to go to sleep.

  Victoria took a deep breath, counting to ten in her mind to keep from strangling the girl. As Victoria grew older, she could feel herself becoming more hostile. She didn't know why, but it probably had something to do with being bullied by an entire kingdom for her whole life.

  Catching Raduta's gaze, Victoria gave her new friend a sad smile before turning in herself.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Dreamers in Starlight

  It was around six o'clock in the evening and Victoria was imagining the sunshine through black-out curtains. After several hours of pretending to sleep, she decided to get up and walk around. The fact that it was going to be the first day of school had Victoria on edge. She had been walking through the halls for only a few minutes though when she couldn't stand it anymore.

  "If you're going to hang around, you might as well make yourself visible."

  "I was trying to give you the illusion of privacy, at least," Alex said approaching her.

  "I'm sorry to tell you that I've trained nearly my whole life in the name of paranoia. Not even a well-trained guard such as yourself could sneak around me."

  The two continued walking in silence. The tall, Gothic windows were covered in those same black-out curtains that hung just around everywhere in Sangera. The price of sunlight was too much to risk anything less.

  "So why walk around the hallways of an empty school all by yourself?"

  "Sometimes you need to be alone to think the hard stuff out," she told him. "Don't you ever need to be alone?"

  Alex thought for a moment before saying, "No. I've always worked things out better when I talk it through with a friend."

  "I've never had many friends. I remember having a lot before when I was still in the Academy."

  Alex stopped in his tracks, stunned for a moment. "I never realized you went to the Academy."

  Victoria nodded. "I was there for two years before I left. After that, the only people I had were my bodyguard and Albert."

  "Is that why you and Albert are so close?"

  "I suppose," Victoria replied. "Also knowing you're going to marry someone someday helps you really get to know them." There was a sense of sadness in her voice.

  "And I'm guessing you're not all too thrilled about it. Especially with the way he acts."

  "I couldn't care less how Albert acts. He is his own person, as am I. He is closer to me than anyone else, but anything more is merely a transaction. That has always been the way of nobles."

  "What a dismal way of thinking. Are you really telling me that not one royal couple has started out loving one another?"

  Victoria gave a small smile. "Well, there is one. My parents really do love each other, at least they did once, I'm not sure about it anymore. They said it was love at first sight." Victoria shook her head. "I find such a notion rather hard to believe."

  "I could believe it," Alex added.

  Victoria shot him a surprised look. "Really? Then, I believe you are far more optimistic than me." Alex just gave her a smile. "We can be friends, right? You and me, a gargoyle and a vampire. It is possible. After all, my father and the king of Piatra are good friends."

  Alex gave out a sigh. "I've always hated vampires."

  Victoria was stunned. "Ouch."

  "You've never hated gargoyles? Despite out kingdoms alliance, our way of living is completely different. Vampires have always been flashy and sophisticated, while I've seen many of your kind write me off as little more than a savage."

  "So, you believe that differences make friendliness and cooperation impossible?" Alex thought for a moment before nodding. Victoria couldn't help but let out an astonished laugh. "That's absurd. I've always thought that it was the differences among a people that helped us to better understand each other. I've spent many moments staring out my castle window and I have seen the love that can be shared between people who are total opposites of each other." Victoria let out a sigh. "Although, what would I know, since I've only allowed myself to be an observer in all of this, because I'm afraid of…"

  "Afraid of what?"

  Images of blood-soaked pavement and screaming children creeped into Victoria's mind. Ridding herself of those memories, she shook her head. "It doesn't matter. All I do is dream."

  "Dreaming is good. It gives us the hope to create a better world."

  Victoria sighed. "I don't know what kind of a world I'll help shape once I'm on the throne. I'd certainly like to think that it will be a better one." She looked all around herself at her luxurious and ornate living. The velvet curtains and tiled floors, golden chandeliers, and beautiful clothes. Then she looked over at Alex, a simple boy who had come from a tribe, not a city. He may not believe that they could be friends, but they had made it through an entire conversation without any arguments. Victoria gave Alex a wry smile as she said, "Look at us. We are friends."

  Rolling his eyes, Alex heaved a half-hearted laugh. "I guess we are."

  Turning a corner, the two walked into a hallway where on one side was made from polished onyx walls embedded with shining white gemstones. On the other side were large windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. During the night when the drapes were open, they showcased beautiful Batara. The entire hallway was dark save for whenever those city lights and stars shown in reflecting off of the crystals scattered about.

  Victoria looked over at Alex who looked at the hallway in awe.

  "It's beautiful," he said.

  "They call this place the Hall of Starlight."

  "It's very fitting."

  "I haven't seen this place since I was a little girl."

  "You haven't done a lot of things since you were younger," he said. "Is it because of—"

  His words were cut off by a female voice at the far end of the hall.

  "Yikes, why is it always so dark in this place?" A female gargoyle came sauntering towards them as she flipped her wild, dark red hair across one shoulder. "Just because you're nocturnal, doesn't mean that you have to constantly live in the dark. I mean, gargoyles don't live like this."

  "What a fascinating observation," Victoria replied instantly putting on her usual mask of indifference. Alex exchanged glances with Victoria, and she realized that she sounded a lot like her mother.

  Settling her nerves, she spoke a bit more softly. "Batara is actually a city revered for its beauty. All five capitals of Sangera are. We're considered to be a people among the stars."

  "Whatever you say." She actually had the audacity to look around with disgust.

  Victoria looked over expecting to see Alex holding his own look of distaste for this girl, but he was only friendly smiles.

  "It's nice for some people," he said. "But I know what you mean, Charlize. It's certainly not home."

  Victoria had no control over her face twisting into a frown. Had the last few minutes all been some figment of Victoria's imagination?

  "Charlize and I grew up in the same village along with another friend of ours from the Academy," he explained. Turning back to Charlize, he asked, "Have you seen Dmitri around here, yet? He was supposed to intern here, too, but I haven't seen him."

  Charlize nodded. "While you've been busy with your job," She flicked a rather hostile glance at Victoria as if she were some revolting creature. "We've all been getting situated in the barracks. Wher
e are you staying?"

  "Freshman Tower staff housing. I get an entire room to myself. The job at least has some perks."

  Victoria tried not to be too offended by Alex's statement, but she also felt like splitting open his ribcage and ripping out his heart for such a slight. After reminding herself that violence might be a bit of an overreaction in this kind of situation, she realized the two gargoyles had begun carrying on as if she weren't there at all.

  Victoria suddenly felt like an intruder on Alex and Charlize's friendship, but she didn't have the confidence to leave or say anything about it. For the first time, she found herself wishing for Albert's company instead of Alex's. Actually, what she wanted more than anything was to be back home at Castle Speranta. She looked at Alex and Charlize who were in the middle of a normal conversation exchanging laughter and inwardly sighed. So much for being friends. Moving over to one of the windows, she peeked out at her city under the setting sun. She was now far enough away from the two that they believed their hushed tones to be out of her earshot. They were wrong.

  "…crippled," she heard Charlize whisper in disbelief. There was no question as to who she was talking about. "No one associates the Speranta family with power and strength anymore."

  Victoria felt her blood turn to ice in her veins. Is that what people were saying?

  Alex huffed out a laugh. "I can hardly believe it. They're supposed to be the wolves of Sangera, fierce creatures of the night, but her energy just feels so…regular. I thought the royals were supposed to be of a superior bloodline."

  They were silent before changing the subject.

  So, the belief that she was an incompetent being had spread to other kingdoms. All of those years of training to become stronger hadn't changed the fact that others still looked down on her. Victoria immediately felt her heart drop as she realized the true extent at how unfit she was to be queen.

  After enduring Alex's uncomfortable conversation with Charlize, Victoria made the excuse that she had to go back to her room to get ready for breakfast. Alex nodded, completely unaware of what he just put her through. Victoria decided that maybe Alex wasn't really a friend worth having, not if he treated everyone the way he just treated her. While their initial walk was filled with good conversation, this time, she was quiet. While Alex was completely clueless as to the why of Victoria's silence, he was not totally unaware of it.

  "Are you alright?" he asked her as they returned to her dorm.

  "I'm fine," Victoria commanded. "See you later."

  She felt a certain kind of solace as she didn't hesitate to close the door in his face.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Anxieties of the Social Kind

  "Is this your first class with other people?" Blair asked Victoria. Since their mild confrontation the other morning, Blair hadn't been acting as hostile towards Victoria as she had been. Maybe it was just the girl's unusual way of getting to know people. Victoria found herself yet again unsettled by the unpredictability of the people around her.

  It was the second day of school and Blair, Raduta, and Victoria stood in their school's workout uniforms on the ground floor of a building a short walk from the main castle. Defense and Retaliation Class was mandatory for every vampire to take throughout their four years of high school.

  Apparently, it was a dangerous world out there. This was a fact Victoria was all too familiar with. Alex sat on a bench on the side of the room visibly bored.

  "Yes." Victoria would be participating in academic classes with her peers, but the first day had all been about ability classes, so Victoria had just sat alone in her room sensing Alex's tense presence outside of her door.

  "Hmm, should be interesting then."

  "Interesting indeed," she replied as she watched the rest of the students file in. Alex watched with similar intensity. She knew their reasons were likely the same.

  Victoria thought she was beginning to know what kind of person Alex Lupe was, but since the Hall of Starlight, she suddenly wasn't so sure. He had acted so kind to her in the beginning, she had even called him friend, but now, it was almost like he was ashamed of them. Could it all have been an act? Whatever it was, Victoria found herself reminded of why she'd always been so cautious of others in the first place. People's loyalties were like the weather, always changing.

  "Victoria," Raduta called out to her. "Why are you staring at Alex like that?"

  "Like what?"

  "Like you're debating on whether or not you should strangle him with a shoelace."

  "Just… observing." Victoria looked back over at him with narrowed eyes. "I'm not completely certain of whether or not I trust him."

  Alex noticed them watching him and smiled at them with a wave.

  "Oh, yes, so untrustworthy."

  "Look," Victoria began. "Due to my position and title, I'm not as inclined to trust others as you are, and Alex seems to have a nasty habit of changing his degrees of kindness depending on who he's with."

  "I've noticed that," Blair added. "Whenever he's with his little gargoyle buddies, he has the tendency to become instant enemies with every vampire nearby."

  "Really?" Raduta asked warily. She seemed uncomfortable talking about somebody unkindly behind their backs.

  "You said that when you met him, he said he didn't like vampires. It wouldn't be the worst idea to doubt his actions. Especially for someone in your position, Victoria."

  She resisted the urge to bare her fangs at him and instead turned back to where Blair and Raduta stood.

  Only to see Blair staring at her with the same intensity as when the two girls had first met.

  "What?" she asked.

  "I can't tell if you actually believe yourself to be incompetent or are just hiding your strength from everybody."

  Victoria was stunned by her question. "I don't know what you mean. I don't have any natural abilities."

  She just shrugged clearly unwilling to elaborate on her statement.

  "Your highness," her instructor suddenly appeared bowing a little at the waist. "I understand that you were tutored at home up until now, is that correct?" Victoria nodded, slightly alarmed by this man's sudden appearance. "And you were trained in combat?" Again, she nodded. "Which weapon would you say you are most comfortable with, then?"

  "All."

  He stepped back a bit in surprise to her response. "A-all?"

  "Yes, all. Spears, swords, bows, battle axes, knives. Everything. However, if you want me to be more specific, swords are my favorite."

  "If that's the case," he laughed rather nervously. "Then I'm afraid you might be quite a lot farther ahead than the rest of your class. How about you start by training with your favorite weapon, then."

  Victoria nodded and continued to browse through the arsenal of weapons available for training, eying a pair of similar looking black broadswords.

  It seemed rather ridiculous that she should have to remain in this class. When she had brought this subject up to her mother, she had merely told her that it was important that she learn how to fight against other fighting techniques. It was true that she had only ever fought against Maria until now. She knew her movements as well as her own. Therefore, she did agree with her on the idea that more fighting partners would make her a better fighter. It was the second part of her argument that Victoria disliked.

  "It is important that you learn how to live amongst others, Victoria. Your father and I have allowed you to seal yourself away in this castle for seven years for your protection and peace of mind. Not anymore. This class, much like your whole experience at Viata Academy, is all in the effort to teach you how to live amongst your own people again." She thought it was ironic of her mother to say that as it was she and her father's idea to lock her up in the castle for the initial years after her brother's murder.

  Victoria released a heavy sigh. Couldn't she learn about her people without having to live with them?

  "Well, you're physically very strong, I'll give you that," Alex said appearing beside her. "I
t's not every day that you meet someone who's been trained in all forms of weaponry." When she didn't reply, he asked. "What are you thinking?"

  She began to wonder why Alex would ask her such a stupid question when he motioned his head towards the rack of weapons she had been examining. Right, the weapons. She needed to remind herself to not be so aggressive all the time.

  "I'm most familiar with a sword and I've mastered most of those skills at this point." She considered for a moment. "And in battle I prefer to use the weapon that'll be at the most advantage against my opponent depending on their body type and fighting style. However, I would very much like to practice dual-wielding."

  "How ambitious."

  She shrugged and left him behind to go talk to Raduta.

  "Ooh!" she cried picking out a long, slender blade. Her level of enthusiasm was akin to that of someone finding a pair of shoes they really liked, not a weapon. She held the blade in her dainty hands feeling the weight of it. "I like this one."

  "As pretty as you may find it, Miss Anghelescue, those who wish to learn how to wield swords begin with those." They looked over to where he was pointing to. Several wooden swords were propped up against the far wall. Raduta frowned.

  "That's boring," she complained.

  "Maybe so," our teacher retorted. "But it is far safer. Especially since it would appear that tonight is the first night you've ever held a sword in your hand."

  "I suggest you save that blood lust for your first fight," Victoria told her as she begrudgingly replaced the sword to the wall mount from which it came.

  "Victoria Speranta, did you just make a joke to me?" she laughed.

  She thought for a moment. "Hmm, I guess I did. I'm not completely robotic, you know."

  "I think I might be starting to believe that."

  Out of the corner of her eye, a commotion caught her attention. To the side of the room, far away from anyone else, she noticed a boy standing by himself. He seemed a little awkward and unsure of himself. Instinctively acting upon the laws of nature, there were several students looking to assert their superiority on him. Victoria frowned. No matter where you went, there was always the predator and the prey.