Chapter 267 - The End Of The Year

When the exams for the students at Veteris University finished, they let out a large sigh of relief that they were done with it. Most of the students had either started or were done packing their bags in the dorm, ready to go back to their home and spend a two-month vacation with their families or with their friends. 

And while most of the students did that, Julie sat in her dorm, with her clothes still in the closet and her things still on the table, where she hadn't gotten ready, unlike the other students. 

She sat at her study table, staring at the picture frame of her mother and her in it. Her surrogate mother... Natalie. Even though most of her life she had despised Natalie, after knowing the pain and anxiety the person had gone through before her death had made Julie forgive the woman. And even though the situation was twisted, she was glad to have Natalie as her mother, who loved and cared for her. 

"Julie?" came a voice behind her, and she turned to look at the door and noticed Melanie, who had packed her bags and wore a backpack. "Are you sure you don't want to come with me?"

Julie smiled at Melanie. Getting up from the chair, she placed the picture frame back on the table, which Melanie noticed. "You go ahead, I think I will stay here with Rome," replied Julie, and then she said, "You have your own thing to do, and I am sure it will be difficult if I end up eating something I am not supposed to there..."

Melanie had a look of guilt on her face, and she awkwardly smiled. She didn't take offence from Julie's words because her parents were hunters, who had also tested their Silverwater on Simon. 

"I just hope everything is okay, and maybe one day they will come to realize that being a vampire isn't that bad. At least not everyone is all bad, also witches," sighed Melanie, and Julie stepped forward, putting her arms around her friend and hugging her. "I will miss you, Julie." 

"I will miss you too. I hope you are safe, and maybe not get attacked by anyone," said Julie as they pulled back. "Let me see you on the bus."

"Mm," Melanie nodded, they stepped out of the dorm, and  Julie locked her dorm and walked with her friend. "For some strange reason, it feels like things are calm and nothing bad is going to happen. But at the same time it only makes one feel if its the storm before the calm. Did you figure out how you would be lifting this dark magic that is on these lands?" 

"I tried doing it similar to how I put the souls of the dead in the vial, but it doesn't seem to work," answered Julie, as they stepped out of the girl's Dormitorium. Julie noticed Eleanor hurriedly pulling her suitcase towards the bus while talking to her friends as if excited to go back to her home. 

Home. 

The word sounded distant in Julie's life, as the only place she could remotely call home was this place. Her dorm belonged to Roman. She didn't have any other place to go, with her father, who had let her know that he was hunting her and her uncle, who had not been compelled. She had no relatives to go to from her past. 

She wondered if life would have been different if Aunt Sarah had not been killed. The woman would have accepted her and Roman to come home and spend time with Uncle Thomas and her cousin Joel. 

"...maybe I can go at night because I feel morning is going to be more unnerving than when the lights are off," Melanie was talking about her plan on how she planned to get the glass vial from her parent's collection when it came to killing the vampires. "I kept wondering how I never found out about this secret door in the basement until now, but now that I do, I see how they tried to hide it from me or anyone."

"Don't worry. You will be fine. Worse case, you just say that you were sleepwalking and didn't know how you ended up there if they catch you,"  Julie suggested, and Melanie nodded before shrugging her shoulders with worry. Seeing how Melanie looked slightly worried, Julie asked, "How are things going on with Conner and Simon?"

"Oh, that..." Melanie drawled. "I think it is fine, just messy in my head."

"You want to talk about it?" asked Julie while they headed towards the bus. Conner, who was supposed to be riding the bus with Melanie, wasn't nowhere in sight yet. 

Melanie looked a little gloomy, as there were some things going on in her mind, and as much as she tried to get rid of it, she wasn't able to do it. 

"Conner and Simon told they would be taking me out on a date, so that I can decide whom I like better, or if I still have feelings for Conner the way it used to be before, and Simon wants to woo me," explained Melanie, before she shook her head. "I don't even know why Simon is trying to woo me, I mean, we are different. I come from a hunter's background, and I am supposed to hunt down vampires." 

"But you don't," replied Julie, "You are not like the others, not like your parents, Mel." 

From what Julie could see, Melanie had spoken more about Simon than she had spoken about Conner. But she decided to continue to listen. 

Melanie said, "I know... I wonder if it was because I visited the past with you, which is why I know about it a little more than Conner can relate to it. But," she paused for a moment, "I told Conner that I didn't feel the same way, and how things are now. When he told me he wanted to take me out, I should have been excited, but I don't know why... I was more worried about what Simon was thinking at that time." 

"Do you like Simon, Mel?" Julie hit right on the nail with the question.

Melanie pursed her lips before she said, "He annoys me to no end. And likes to embarrass me, how could I like someone like that? Not to mention, he's a vampire."

Julie knew Melanie loved her parents dearly, and she would never do anything to upset them. If they were to find out that their only daughter was dating a vampire, God only knew how things would take a turn from there. Somewhere, Mr. and Mrs. Davis had given her an impression that they would stake Simon right in front of Melanie's eyes to prove their point. 

"For a moment, forget that he's a vampire, a kind your family would be against," said Julie, looking at Melanie, slightly frowned. "I think you already have an answer, and somewhere... The two must know it too, and are still trying their luck. Maybe you will know your answer better by going back home. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder." 

"Shit," cursed Melanie, touching her hair. It wasn't that she didn't realize it, but it coming out from someone else just cemented her feelings. 

When they reached the bus, Conner appeared from inside the bus, where he had already saved himself and Melanie seats. 

"Let me get that," said Conner to Melanie, taking her bag and helping her. Once he returned, he asked Julie, "Let us know if you want to come stay with us, we will be happy to host you." 

"I am good, thanks, Conner," Julie smiled at his words. 

At least now, Conner was not carrying wooden stakes, ready to stake her or throw holy water on her or other vampires. He appeared to be in a much calmer state compared to the day when he had found out. 

"Make sure not to get caught and message me," she advised her friends. 

Melanie and Conner nodded, and Conner said, "Once Melanie gets the glass vial with the essence, one of us will contact you. And if possible come sneak away from there to get here. It is going to be simple. All we need to do is ask Mel's mom to give us the vial, as we want to go hunting and try it out." 

"Do you think it is going to be that simple?" Melanie questioned in a doubtful tone. 

"Of course!" Conner replied in confidence, "I mean we are part of the group, and we should be allowed to get it. It is much better than sneaking in and out."

When the bus started, Julie stepped away from the bus and waved at her friends, who waved back at her. 

With most of the students, who had left in the bus, leaving Veteris behind, the university turned quieter and deserted. Julie stood there watching until the very last bus left from there, and when she turned around, she noticed Roman sitting on one of the benches and now looking at her. She started to walk towards him, noticing him smoking, and she asked, 

"When did you come here?" 

"A while ago. Do you want to sit?" and though Roman asked her, he stretched his hand towards her. 

Julie placed her hand in his hand, and she felt the slight tug from him before she sat down next to him. 

She shivered when a strong breeze passed by the place where they sat. The next second, she found her shoulders draped around by Roman's jacket. She slipped her hands into the leather jacket sleeves before comfortably sitting. 

"Do you miss home?" asked Roman, and Julie gave it a thought before she replied to him, 

"Just a little. But not as much as I thought. What do you do often when everyone has gone home?" 

"Sometimes go on long rides or sleep. Lots of sleep, I think that's what most of the vampires do to rest their bodies, instead of making time to spend time in the coffins," replied Roman, bringing the cigarette bud near his lips and taking a large puff. He turned his head in the other direction, blowing the smoke. 

"In the future, will you need to go back into the coffin one day?" asked Julie, something that was on her mind. 

Roman hummed for an answer, "It is an inevitable thing that most of us go through. Not that a vampire won't survive, but they might not function right for some time, before a vampire turns weak." 

Julie knew witches couldn't live forever, at least not like the vampires. Their lives were long but not long enough to avoid death. She turned to Roman, who was already looking at her. 

"Thinking about your death?" questioned Roman, and a soft smile came to appear on her lips. 

"I was wondering what you would do once I am gone," replied Julie, and Roman took another drag from the bud before he put it down and trampled it. 

"When you are gone, huh," he thought about it, "Let us hope that day never comes. You are a witch and Corvin's daughter."

"I might come as a Corvin," replied Julie. But not all witches reborn into a raven and a Corvin later. There were only a few cases where witches continued their afterlife in the land of the living. 

"If it doesn't work... I will follow you. Wherever you go, Winters. I will be there," promised Roman, and the corner of Julie's pulled up. He put his arm around her shoulder as they stared at the trees in front of them. 

They stayed there for a few more minutes in bliss until Roman turned his head to the side as if he was listening to something. 

Sensing it, Julie asked him, "What is it?" 

"The ever noisy Elders," muttered Roman under his breath. "Come," and they headed towards the inside of the forest. On reaching the edge of the cemetery, Julie caught sight of Elder Luciano, who looked livid. With him was Elder Donovan, Elder Castiel and Cillian. 

"What's going on?" Roman asked his father, who was trying hard not to laugh and keep a straight face. 

"What is going on?" Luciano repeated the words in a mocking tone. He then turned to look at Julie and said. "Your little pet friend told us where Griffin and the others are."

Julie's eyes met Cillian's, and he said, "The boy needed to learn some discipline, and I thought having him in the coffin would give him and the others some time to reflect about their lives."

Roman snorted hearing this, and Luciano's head snapped to look at him with a glare. But then Roman wasn't laughing because of the state Griffin was in, but because he had done something similar to another student. 

Luciano turned to look at Cillian and demanded, "Where is he?" 

"Right next to you," replied Cillian with a blank expression. 

Luciano sent a quiet glare at the Corvin, and he then pushed the coffin's lid, and on opening it, they found a pale-looking Griffin there.