Adeline had been at Vampire de Witch for exactly forty-three minutes when she decided she hated it.
Not the school itself.
The school was beautiful.
Beautiful in the way a graveyard could be beautiful under a full moon.
Black stone towers stretched toward the violet sky, their pointed roofs disappearing into a thick layer of silver mist. Gargoyles perched along the walls, some frozen in stone and others very much alive. Enchanted lanterns floated above the pathways, their purple flames flickering without heat.
Beyond the enormous iron gates, students wandered across the courtyard.
Some had glowing eyes.
Some had horns.
One girl walked past with a pair of delicate wings folded against her back.
Adeline had even seen a boy whose shadow moved several seconds after he did.
Yes.
Definitely not a normal school.
And definitely not somewhere she wanted to attract attention.
Unfortunately, Adeline had already attracted plenty.
She stood in the middle of the crowded courtyard, holding the strap of her bag while several students openly stared at her.
She stared back.
One boy immediately looked away.
Adeline smirked.
Good.
She turned toward the massive school building.
"New?"
Adeline glanced to her left.
Three girls were standing a few feet away.
The one in front had long silver hair braided down one shoulder and pale violet eyes. She looked Adeline up and down as though she were inspecting something she'd found beneath her shoe.
Beside her stood a petite girl with curly black hair and golden eyes. The third had bright red hair, small horns, and an expression that suggested she was already bored.
Silver-hair smiled.
"You're the new student."
Adeline looked behind herself.
There was no one there.
She looked back at the girl.
"That's unfortunate."
The red-haired girl snorted.
Silver-hair's smile disappeared.
"What?"
"I was hoping you were talking to someone else."
The curly-haired girl covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Adeline adjusted her bag.
"I'm Adeline."
"We know," Silver-hair replied. "Everyone knows."
"Congratulations."
"What?"
"You've successfully learned my name. Do you want a certificate?"
The curly-haired girl burst out laughing.
The redhead grinned.
Silver-hair looked offended.
"I was only trying to welcome you."
"That was welcoming?"
Adeline raised an eyebrow.
"Where I come from, people usually say hello before examining someone like they're choosing meat at a market."
The redhead laughed again.
"Okay. I like her."
Silver-hair shot her a look.
"Nobody asked you, Mara."
Mara shrugged.
"Still like her."
The curly-haired girl stepped forward.
"I'm Liana."
She pointed toward the silver-haired girl.
"That's Celeste."
Then she pointed toward the redhead.
"And that's Mara. Ignore Celeste. She thinks being born into an old vampire family makes her royalty."
Celeste folded her arms.
"It does."
Adeline blinked.
"Wow."
"What?"
"Nothing. I just didn't realize arrogance was hereditary."
Mara nearly choked.
Liana's eyes widened before she started laughing.
Celeste stared at Adeline.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Celeste smiled.
It wasn't a friendly smile.
"You'll learn quickly that Vampire de Witch isn't a place for ordinary creatures."
Adeline's stomach tightened.
She kept her expression blank.
"Good thing I'm not ordinary."
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Celeste's eyes narrowed.
Adeline cursed silently.
Too much.
She had spent years perfecting the art of appearing ordinary.
She couldn't afford to slip now.
Especially not here.
Especially not when the reason she had been sent to Vampire de Witch was still unclear.
Her guardian had given her only three instructions before leaving.
Keep your identity hidden.
Do not use your vampire abilities.
And—
Find out why they wanted you here.
Adeline still didn't understand the last one.
Her admission papers said she had been accepted because of her magical potential.
But something about that explanation had always felt wrong.
Why would a school filled with powerful supernatural beings care about a girl who had spent most of her life pretending she had no powers at all?
"What's your species?" Liana asked.
Adeline looked at her.
"What?"
"Your species."
"Oh."
Adeline forced a small smile.
"Witch."
The lie came easily.
Too easily.
Liana nodded.
"Thought so. You don't look like a vampire."
Adeline's fingers tightened around her bag.
Mara tilted her head.
"Definitely not."
Celeste studied her.
"No."
Adeline kept her face calm.
Don't react.
She had heard those words her entire life.
You don't look like a vampire.
Because she had learned how to make sure she didn't.
She didn't show her fangs.
She kept her eyes hidden whenever her pupils changed.
She avoided blood.
She avoided moonlit transformations.
She avoided everything that could expose the monster beneath her skin.
But lately, controlling it had become harder.
Much harder.
A strange hunger had been growing inside her for weeks.
A hunger that ordinary food couldn't satisfy.
Adeline pushed the thought away.
"So," she said, changing the subject, "is everyone here this friendly?"
Mara laughed.
"No."
"Good."
Adeline started walking toward the school entrance.
Liana hurried after her.
"Wait."
Adeline stopped.
Liana smiled.
"Your first class is with us."
Adeline sighed.
"Of course it is."
Mara came up beside them.
"Don't worry. You'll survive."
Adeline glanced at her.
"That's what everyone keeps saying."
She didn't tell them that surviving was something she was already very good at.
She had survived hunters.
She had survived hiding.
She had survived the hunger.
And she had survived being alone.
Vampire de Witch couldn't possibly be worse.
Could it?
As the enormous doors opened before them, Adeline stepped inside.
The moment she crossed the threshold, something strange happened.
The candles lining the hallway went out.
One after another.
Darkness swept through the corridor.
Students stopped talking.
A cold shiver traveled down Adeline's spine.
Then—
A single candle near the far end of the hallway burst into deep violet flame.
Everyone stared.
Adeline stared too.
She had no idea what it meant.
But somewhere deep inside her blood, something stirred.
Something ancient.
Something that felt like it had been waiting for her.
Adeline swallowed.
For the first time since arriving at Vampire de Witch, she wasn't annoyed.
She was afraid.
And she had a terrible feeling that the school already knew exactly what she was.
Even if nobody else did.