"I hate to break it to you girl, but you were never on the 'Most loved' list. However, you do share the top spot on the 'Hot and unapproachable' list, along with your prom date," Alex, my best friend explains, when I ask her about the strange looks I was getting from the kids in the hallway.

"Moreover, they are jealous that without even trying, you have managed to secure a prom date with none other than Donnie, the unofficial Tsundere of our school." She adds.

"How is that my fault? I just accepted his invite." I shrug. I want to say more, but just then, the bell goes off.

Alex holds my wrist and winks, "I am letting you off the hook for now, but I want all the deets later, okay?"

I nod, but I didn't know what more I was going to tell her when we would sit down for a heart to heart. Cause truth be told, there was nothing more to it. Donnie had asked, and for some unexplainable reason, I had agreed. I still haven't figured out why I had agreed though. Neither was I interested in Donnie, nor was I interested in being the most popular girl in school.

All I crave for, is normalcy. 

Over the next few days, we, as in Donnie and I, become a hot topic of discussion around the school. I hate it, but take it in my stride. I never lose focus of things that are important, things that matter. Teacher has made sure of it. And I don't. Ever. 

I am aware that things like proms are unimportant, but I am a teen, and I have feelings. And for once, I do what my heart desires.

I let Alex drag me to all clothing and accessorize shops that exist in our town, and by the end of the day, she has made sure that I have a frilly dress and matching knick-knacks to go with it. The only thing that don't go with my ensemble, are my shoes. Not for lack of trying on Alex's part though. She had pushed me hard to go in for a pair of magenta heels.

"OMG, those shoes are crazy awesome." She had gushed excitedly. But I had refused. Strongly. And she had eventually given up. "You are so boring sometimes." She had cribbed and pouted.

I love Alex. She is the light of my otherwise unexciting life. Actually, the fact that I was allowed to make a friend, that too someone like Alex, was a luxury that Teacher had allowed.

The night before the prom, as I am returning from my evening shift at the nearby book store, I get the eerie feeling of being followed. But when I look around, I see no one. I could have sworn that someone was following me though. I pick up my pace and almost run back home. It's only after I have locked the door behind me, that I breathe a sigh of relief.

Today is the big day. I had got a text from Donnie mentioning that he would pick me up by 7, as soon as I had reached home from school.

Teacher had generously given me a day off, and I was extremely grateful for it. After all, I had to get all decked up for my date.

Punctual as always, I was ready by 6.50 and was thinking of calling Alex when I get a call from Teacher.

He asks me if I had taken my meds, and cautions me to be careful, for the hundredth time.

Having lost my father at a young age, Teacher was the one I had turned to. Through the years, he has fulfilled many roles. He has been my friend, philosopher, and guide.

As I am about to end the call, I hear him sigh. "Lisa... " He whispers. He sounds worried.

"What is it, Teacher?" 

"I trust you," He states, and I get the feeling that he is hiding something from me.

"Aaaand?" I urge, and he sighs again, "Just be careful, alright."

"Okkkayy." I drag, and he cuts the call.

Feeling apprehensive, I am about to give him a callback, but just then, the bell rings and I hear mom open the door.

"Please come inside. You must be Donnie." My mother's voice floats over to me, and I run downstairs forgetting all that Alex had taught me, on how to act ladylike.

"Hi, Donnie." I chirp coming face to face with him, and mom leaves us alone, but not before winking at me and wiggling her brows.

Like a gentleman, Donnie bows and hands me a box.

"What is this?" I enquire, and he shrugs, "Open it."

I unceremoniously tear open the tacky wrapping paper to get to the good part and gasp when my eyes fall on a beautiful silver bracelet, placed elegantly in a velvet box.

"It's lovely." I pick up the item, and had it over to Donnie, "Put it on me." I gush excitedly, offering him my right hand.

As he takes my hand in his, I notice for the first time that he is wearing gloves, "Why are you wearing these?" I question, and he shrugs again, "I was told that it would complete my look. Why? Is it too tacky?" He asks, fixing the bracelet's latch.

For the first time, I look at his attire, "No. Leave it be. It looks good." I reply, and he gives me a nod and loops my arm around his.

Mom arrives with a camera and embarrasses me like always, before finally letting us leave.

As soon as we are out of mom's earshot, I apologize, "I am sorry for, you know." I beg him to understand me, and he nods, "Don't be. She can't help it. She loves you."

With that, he helps me into the car and starts driving towards 'the venue', our school. He switches on the radio, and I feel my eyelids grow heavy.

A voice in my head begs me to stay awake, but I ignore it. A little eye shut never hurt anyone, right?

When I open my eyes next, I find myself lying in a small, dark, closed space. 'The trunk of the car.' The voice in my head informs, and panic grips me.

I am claustrophobic.

I start banging on its roof and start yelling for help. I bang my head on the roof of the trunk and realize that the car is moving.

No one can hear me. Just Great!

I fall silent and recall Teacher's words. I concentrate on calming my mind, body, and heart, and start contemplating my next move. When I have calmed down enough, I check myself for injuries, and thank God, when I find none.

A few suffocating minutes later, the car stops moving, and I hear the front door open and then close.

This is it, I think to myself, as I prepare to face whatever is waiting for me outside this confinement.

A few minutes pass, yet nothing happens, and I start feeling restless. Was I being pranked? Was I being left to suffocate and die in this tiny space?

Donnie you ass! How could you!?

Bile rises in my throat, and once again, I start banging on the roof of the trunk.

"Heyyyy. Can anyone hear meeee?" I start yelling in the earnest.

"Shut up or else I will have to gag you." My captor yells, banging on the trunk, and I wince, closing my ears.

It's a voice I have never heard before.

I try to calm down and reason with him. "Listen, mister, you got the wrong kid. I can assure you. My family is poor as fuck. I am not worth your time or effort."

"I don't want your money." The man states.

"Then... wh...what do you want?" I stutter.

"You will know soon enough. Now, stay still, and cooperate, if you want to live." He suggests, and I can almost feel him snicker menacingly.

A second later, the trunk door opens to reveal Donnie's doppelganger. The man in front of me looks almost exactly like my date with a few minor differences.

Taking advantage of my shocked silence, the man manhandles me outside the trunk, and bangs it shut.

I look around and find myself next to a graveyard. I gulp, "Mister," I open my mouth to voice my displeasure when I hear the car door open once again and turn to look.

It's Donnie. Smiling, he walks towards me and caresses my cheek, "I hope you like surprises, Lisa."

I flinch at the touch of his cold, bare fingers, "Donnie, what the hell are you doing? You could go to prison for this." I state, putting two and two together.

"Not if you don't remember, darling." He replies casually.

"What are you planning to do to me? " I ask, trying to keep my voice calm and my breathing even.

"Just do as you are told, and maybe, you will come out of this alive." He suggests and steps away.

"I didn't think you could do it, little bro." The older compliments and a restrained smile appears on Donnie's lips.

Suddenly, the boys turn with me in tow, and I wince at the pain that creeps up my forearm.

"Boys." The man heading the approaching crowd of strangely dressed people acknowledges, and the siblings fall to their knees, "Your Majesty." They say in unison.

The man looks enchantingly beautiful, and I cry internally, for had the circumstances been different, I would have made a move on him already.

He gives me a once over, and smiles, "Donnie was right. You smell wonderful." He walks close and extends his hand, gesturing me to take it, and I do.

"So, I am your type, ha?" He asks, undoubtedly reading my thoughts and pulls me in his arms. And before I know it, he leans in and sinks his teeth into my neck.

I struggle, but the more I resist, the worse it hurts. Being smart, I let the man have his fill.

As soon as I stop struggling, he lets go and wipes his lips with an old-fashioned hanky. "Thank you for the drink, love." He says, eyeing a stream of blood that oozes out of my wound and soaks into my brand new dress.

"Fuck! Now I won't be able to return it." I observe, and the man in front of me corks his brow. He opens his mouth, but no words leave his parted lips.

"What's wrong, Majesty?" I ask, faking a concerned tone and smile.
He grabs his throat, and a look of unadulterated fear crosses his features, before he falls to his knees.

The boys who had kidnapped me, and those who had accompanied the Vampire king to me, rush to his side.

With all their attention and eyes on the fallen King, no one notices me as I slip away. 

I cross the road and enter the graveyard, "Hey lover boy!" I yell, and all eyes turn towards me.

"You bitch!" Older Donnie yells back, "What did you do to him!?" He demands, and I look up at the moon that is hidden behind the clouds.

"Get back here." He older boy orders, whilst Donnie's eyes widen at the movement behind me.

I laugh and look over my shoulder.
"Thank you for coming, Teacher," I say, looking at my guide and all the men that had accompanied him.

"Thank you, Donnie." I chirp and watch as our mortal enemies hide, their incapacitated King.

"Impossible!" Donnie exclaims and takes a few steps towards me, "You can't be a wolf. I put silver on you. I... I have seen you for months,  I couldn't smell the wolf on you." He rambles.

"We have grown, evolved, and invented things to protect our identity, just like you have," I reply, and he shakes his head in disbelief.

"No... " He whispers into the night.

I look at the sky and smile, as the clouds part, and the glow of the full moon bathes me in light. I pull the bracelet off of my wrist and crumble it in my fist before dusting my hands on my ruined prom dress.

As more of my brethren join me and strategically palace themselves around me, I remove a locket from around my neck and pocket it.

I watch as Donnie and his people stand up and position themselves in front of their King before fanging out.

This is the moment I have been waiting for, training for, for all these years. I look at my clan and nod. And all around me, men start transforming. Their bodies stretch and limbs elongate. Thick fur grows and covers the face and limbs and human jaw rearranges itself to look like a fierce predator with sharp protruding canines.

The transformed men bow to me before exiting the graveyard, and a fierce fight breaks out between the two races.

The vampires have always been stronger and faster. But, with the drug that enabled them to walk in daylight, they had started to break the treaty. Killing humans and wolves alike, for pleasure. They had started thinking that they were invincible.

They were not. They had one weakness. They shared the blood of their King. The ancient one.
'His Majesty,' They called him.

We knew that going against them would be futile. That we would be killed if we tried. So we devised a plan. We started searching for a drug that would weaken them. At least temporarily. And we created it.
And I grew up drinking it every day. I, the future queen of our race, was born to avenge the hundreds that were killed by them, just for sport and to show us, our place.

I trained relentlessly, so that when the time came, I would be able to spot a vampire and keep my identity a secret. And that is exactly what I had done.

Now, as I look at my people having a fighting chance for the first time in centuries, my heart fills with joy. I watch as one by one, their heads get ripped off and roll to the floor and their bodies burst into flames. And I smile, as the one responsible for my father's death sits on the cold hard ground and watches the ruin of his race, trembling from head to toe.

As minutes roll by, I see their numbers dwindle, till only the King remains.

He has been left alive, for me.

I finally leave the consecrated ground and walk over to the defenseless King.

He doesn't beg for mercy. He knows he will receive none. Instead, he closes his eyes and waits for the inevitable: The eternal death.

And I gift it to him, gladly.

*****

{Note :- Word Count 2473}