Midnight at 12pm

~Pens&Keys


Leaning back in my chair, I am once again back in class. Sitting in a circle of my peers. All eyes locked on my face. With everything else that is more important than this debate. I of course forgot about it.


Clarissa or the cloned Clarissa started the debate by saying,


“You would waste time caring for something that you do not love?”


Today her glasses are the color of copper. Her red hair neatly tucked into a braid crowing her head. She is definitely the type to frock through mellow gardens. This Clarissa resembled the caged Clarissa without error. From the heart shape of her upper lip to the hues of orange in her hair.

This Clarissa spoke like the original so much so that bellow tones in her voice sounded the exact same. Words that I remember Clarissa saying in a dark tone this Clarissa would also say in dark tones. Who created her? This is no mimicking magic. There is always some sort of flaw with mimicking magic if you know what you are looking for. This magic is different. Even with my perfect vision, this Clarissa appears to be the real version.


I wonder if this Clarissa is an original creation directly from The Angel of Death. Not just some creature that is working with or for someone.


Standing up I replied,


“I would waste time because its mines to waste. If you do not care for it, how do you intend to love it? Would you love it because you like it?”


“You know if you want to love something before wasting your time caring for it. The same way you know if someone is lying you to before they finish a sentence St. Vincent.”


“Are you implying that because we are supernatural our emotions develop and flow differently than those of non-supernatural’s?"


“Duh. Non-supernatural’s do not use time like we do. Your species alongside a few others are the only ones that are immortal. Of course, wasting a century or two wouldn’t mean anything. To the rest of us, that’s a lifetime. And you are saying we should waste what little time we do have trying to care for something that we do not love to figure out if we love it? Spoken like a true vampire.”


Rolling my neck in a circle, I am growing tired of this debate. For something that is a reproduction of someone else’s life. This Clarissa passion feels real. There is something more to this creature. I need to figure out a way to know it without it knowing I know its not the real Clarissa. Best to not give her comment “You know if someone is lying you to before they finish a sentence St. Vincent.” A response.


Sitting back down in my chair, because what I am about to say next would be the last thing I say regarding this debate that I did not want to have in the first place. Leaning over, Elloren said,


“What are you doing. You are going to lose points by breaking the rules of the debate Alucard. Stand back up.”


Stretching out my legs and crossing them by my ankles. I whispered the very few words I knew Elloren knows in French. Advanced hearing maybe something Mr. Davis has. However, no werewolf understands French. Their language is German.


“Godric et moi avons couché ensemble.” Elloren’s tea green eyes widen with the knowledge that Godric and I spent the night together. Nothing but sleep transpired, however at this moment she does not require that bit of information.


Clearing her throat and clapping her hands. Clarissa straighten her red and gold plaid floor length skirt. Her white button up with exaggerated long collars and a black vest stamped with a butterfly broach. Almost made one think a long plaid skirt should be worn.


“Like I stated once before Clarissa. Love is not an action, it’s a word. The actions of intention build out the word love and give it sometimes false meaning. You believing your time will not be wasted on things you do not love is a fable. You are suggesting you love something first to determine if you love it? All to save time? That sounds like to me, you are making decisions based on impulse. Which by your own standards is not love.”


Pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, Clarissa asked.


"Are those your closing remarks Alucard?”


Nodding my head once. Clarissa did something unexpected. She also sat down. Is she challenging me?


“Alucard, it must be nice to dwell in a world filled with time and care. Tell us what does a vampire know about love and care? What do you know about time and how it affects most of us in a shorter span compared to you? Sure, you can change physically, but at your core you are a vampire. For those of us without unlimited time we are careful how we spend it. I am suggesting if something grasps your attention long enough to think about caring for it. Then love it with everything you have. Time is a friend of no one, not even the immortal.”


Rolling my eyes, I glanced over at Elloren. Giving me the thumbs up, she mouthed.


“How was it?”


“Later.” I said mouthing back.


“Very nice ladies. I am glad to see that considering the extracurricular activities that have transpired over the last few days. You two have not lost your warrior sprits. Although Alucard I am a little disappointing that you did not present any new information. Please explain why.” Mr. Davis asked leaning against the center of his desk.


Mr. Davis, no one gives a shit about this debate. I have real problems to debate and swap theories about. Besides, that is not the real Clarissa. The real one is caged in my home. Was what I wanted to say.


“Mr. Davis what Clarissa is suggesting revolves around loving something with everything you have on day one because it grasps your attention? Going all in because you are afraid time is personally out to get you? Does that sound like something a sane creature would suggest? Is that not the very definition of false meaning? You are only doing everything because you are afraid of..”


“As a vampire Alucard you are going to sit there and inform everyone that if something grasps your attention you are going to not give it everything you have? If that is the case. Why does a necromancer dwell in the home of The Royal Vampire family as if one of their own?”


Clarissa asked cutting me off and pushing her glasses, once again up the bridge of her nose. I will not forget this.

Beside me Elloren let out a sharp whistle. One that told me I am better off not responding and letting Clarissa win. Just then the bell rang. Watching Clarissa pack her things away, I noticed she dropped things on purpose. Making her way to the exit, I stopped her just outside the doorway.


One thing I did take from the debate is that time is a friend of no one. However, that doesn’t make him an enemy either. Three years will feel like standing still to me. However, to Elloren the days must be passing her by with advance speed. Bad things tend to move with a greater purpose and speed then most things.


“Clarissa. Can you stop by my room tonight I need to speak with you regarding something I love.”


“No.”


“Why not? You held no issues running to my room when you needed help.”


“First thing. The last time I came to your room you and that necromancer attempted to kill me.”


“That was a misunderstanding. Emotions and danger levels were exceedingly high.”


“Second. I will not come to your room. However, you can come to mines. I also need to speak with you about something I love.”


From behind Clarissa Elloren approached. I could see the irritation dulling her green eyes.


“If this something you love revolves around your parents. We are still killing them.” Elloren stated, walking past Clarissa and me.


“Does she always smell of graveyard dirt?” Clarissa asked holding her finger underneath her nose.


“Oui, I suppose. She is a necromancer.” Pushing past me. Clarissa called out “9:30pm”.


Making my way to where Elloren waited for me by the second level staircase. Irritation cleared from her eyes. In that short period of time, she has forgotten all about Clarissa and her graveyard dirt comment. Which I know she heard. What lurked in her eyes now are questions.


“SPILL IT NOW… FUCKING GODRIC?”


While her words are capitalized her voice was barely above a whisper. I would sale a piece of my unlimited time to know how Elloren could shout so quietly. Biting her bottom lip. I could sense she held no capacity to wait until we were at least outside to speak about it.


“Wait.” Elloren said. Walking around me. Examining me.


“When you have a night with Ethan. You look better. Today you look the same. No feeding?”


Placing the back of her right hand underneath her chin and resting her right elbow on top of the back of her left hand. Elloren studied me in the middle of the hallway. Her pink tulle skirt exposing the top of her yellow wool tights. As her blue hair swayed underneath the heat pouring down from vent above.


“You didn’t or he wouldn’t.” Elloren asked.


“I didn’t.”


“Poison?”


“I don’t know.”


“What do you mean you don’t know?”


“Like I said Elloren I don’t know.”


Turning on my heels, I headed toward the front door. Walking down the stairs from the second floor would cool Elloren off on the questions. At least until we reached the bottom. Walking down from six-hundred floating individual steps requires concentration. No powers can be used on the second floor or on its steps.


Making it to the bottom too quickly for my liking. Elloren asked.


“Did you at least sleep in the same room together Alucard?”


“Oui.”


“Yes and? Come on stop giving me bread crumbs. You told me the news first.”


“News? Elloren this is hardly news. Everything else that has happened is news. This is gossip.”


“Gossip is news. Now report it.”


Crossing over to the other side of the campus through the rose garden. Elloren and I seated ourselves on a white stone bench. Treading against the snow and ice was fine for me. However, Elloren required a break. Eight inches of snow and ice would have most mortals in the same state. The rose garden is the only place on campus outside that never allowed snow to touch it. The barrier spell around it keeping all harmful weather away. The HeadMaster said, “We deserve beautiful things all the time.”


“Sleeping next to Godric was different. In his sleep nothing about him changes. There is still this air of charming prominence about him. He sleeps on his back with his hands behind his head. Long breaths pausing in his chest between their movements. He likes head rubs and choking.”


Choking on air herself. Elloren choked out.


“Choking?”


“It’s a theory. Ethan advised me that Godric likes to give pain. You should have seen the bruises that remained on Ethan’s skin after they played together. Godric is a sadist.”


“Woah. Aren’t you a sadist? How does that work?”


“Non, Elloren I am not a sadist. At least not the variant that Godric is.”


“You let him choke you?”


“Not like the image in your head of me choking Ethan. Godric’s choke was a test. To capture limits.”


“Well fuck, that’s one way to test the boundaries. Start off strong work your way to the bottom.”


Nodding my head. I placed a section of my hair behind my ears.


“Are you going to let him. You know..Sadist you?”


Glaring at Elloren from the corner of my eyes. I wanted to ask her what the hell does “Sadist you” mean. However, I opted for a shoulder shrug. Not even I knew the answer to that yet. I like Godric. I knew that from the moment he entered my orbit on the rooftop. The question is do I like him enough to submit. The future queen of the underground on her knees in submission? My father could not hand the throne over to me wondering if I would surrender it to Godric.


Standing up I moved in front of Elloren. For the remainder of our day we would not see each other. She would go off to train. Fuck train. I completely forgot to inform her of everything Godric told me last night. Minus her being cursed. How could I inform her that her accession was assisted without informing her how? If I tell her, would she stop training as hard?


Bending down in front of her. Elloren knew what to do. Bluntly using your powers on school grounds is prohibited. However, walking at a human’s pace with ice and snow as obstacles is not reasonable. I would simply move a little faster than human, slower than vampire. Once I felt the weight of Elloren on my back. I carried her to the third level of the school.

The third level is where the training takes place. Each one of the hundred rooms on this floor represents at least one student’s personal hell. For Elloren the room hidden behind this gold door in front us, is an exact replica of her childhood home.


As for me. The Princess of Hell did not have a Hell that could be recreated. There is no level of Hell I haven’t seen. All Hells belonged to me. No Hell could bring me to my knees. Every room on this floor I could match with the student it is designed for.


“Meet me inside The Graveyard Library tonight 8pm.” I said, as Elloren slid off my back.


Behind me, I felt an energy I recently encountered. Turning around I received a glimpse of Abegal. Elloren must have read the question in my eyes because without asking she said.


“She is a psycho. She started training yesterday on this floor.”


“Abegal is a psycho? I thought she just created coffee?” I replied.


“Nope, that psycho is the real deal. You couldn’t tell in the coffee shop?”


“No, but then again, I was not looking.”


“Are you not able to tell what someone is just by looking at them?”


“Sometimes. The more powerful or rare I need to invest energy into looking. The more common or familiar. I know without investing.”


“Gotcha. Graveyard library tonight at eight. Then off to that bitch Clarissa’s.” Elloren said as she opened the door to her training room. Waving her hand, she shooed me away.


Turning to walk away, my instincts stopped me mid step. Turning my head to face the training room that belonged to Abegal. Using “Devil’s Search”, I could see Abegal inside the room. She appeared to be alone. However, her lips moved as if she is speaking to someone. Since my power is underdeveloped. I am unable to hear her words or see anyone else in the room. Shifting her weight from one leg to another, I noticed something.


Abegal is no psycho. In shifting her weight, I could see underneath her pants leg. A tail. Not a werewolf's tail or a siren's tail. But a pink low glowing spiked tail. One that could extend, shrink, and in special fairies. The source of their Metamorphosis. Fuck, a real fairy. Alive in this dimension. How did she get here?


Blinking away Devil’s Search and making my way off the third floor. My thoughts spiraling in my head. The Graveyard library would see me now. I could afford to skip the rest of my classes. Vampires are unable to use spells or cast magic. My father thought it best for me to take these classes because we do own witches. Knowing the baseline of any spell can be good for your health. Also knowing what certain spells smell like. My mother agrees of course. “One day ma fille, they will fight to end eternity.” Is what my mother believes.


While lost in my thoughts, I made my way The Graveyard Library in less time than I accounted for. The Crypt Keeper greeted me with a smile. She is beautiful. Covered in tribal markings there is no naked skin on her. With her long earrings hanging to the tops of her breast and a black almost sheer robe covering her body. The Crypt Keeper extended her left hand to me, since her right hand is never without her portal stick. Traveling through The Graveyard Library without The Crypt Keeper and her portal stick is not recommended. One could find themselves in The Void. The space of nothing.


Leaning down from her height of 7'7. The Crypt Keeper placed her full studded ear in front my lips. The scent of time itself surrounding her body. Her scent could only be experienced when she decided to come close. Unlike any other creature or person. The Crypt Keeper's smell did not leave her body. It did not linger. Instead, it surrounded her and her alone.


“Bonjour. I am needing to find all that you know regarding Fairies, The Holy Trinities, The Bluestones, and The Angel of Death.”


Turning her head to face me without pulling back. Mrs. Inkwood used three of her long fingers to make the universal sign of the number 4. That means she wants to know more regarding my interest in The Angel of Death.


Honesty would get you everywhere with The Crypt Keeper. If I were here to assassinate The Headmaster and I was honest about it. The Crypt Keeper would guide me to whatever information about The Headmaster. If I lied, then she would close the gate and banish me.


“Godric Victorian advised me that The Angel of Death’s power or whatever you want to call it, is imbedded in Elloren’s DNA.”The Crypt Keeper adored Elloren. Somewhere down Elloren’s bloodline I am sure they are related.


Tapping her portal stick twice on the fog infested ground. The earth beneath us trembled as The Graveyard Library rose from its resting place. Once the building fully rose from its grave. Red neon lights flickered on. The Library is how they read. Four black stone pillars lodging themselves into the ground alongside four massive candles being lit outside the library. First the top candle, then the left candle, followed by the bottom candle, finally the right candle.


These candles floated counterclockwise. Once they all burned out The Graveyard Library would be closed. More importantly if the candle you are using to travel burns out and you are still in that space. You are transported to The Void.

The Crypt Keeper up her hand. No numbers present. She is waiting for me to tell her where I would like to travel to first. Figuring I am going to spend the most time on The Angel of Death. I held up the number four. Turing her hand over palm up. A small red candle broke through the skin of her hand. The mini version of the bigger candle floating over to me. This is my time candle. If it runs out before I come back. Off to The Void I go.


Turning to walk inside, I followed The Crypt keeper. Inside The Graveyard Library all powers besides hers becomes useless.