Unpromised

prolouge

Awe as the woman was thrown aside as easily as one would dispose of a sack of feathers. Disgust as her head hit the concrete wall with a terrible Crack, leaving a terrible indenture, blood splatter running in whimsical patterns down its surface. Horror as the realization hit. She was not coming back.

And just like that, her personal space was violated, a face so near her own, she would have thought the man was coming in for a kiss... if not for the fact he had skin like death and eyes as red as putrid roses. Instinct caused her to recoil, to scurry back by the palms of her hands, and as she readied herself to do just this, an arm lashed out quick as a whip, a hand clasping around her upper-arm and pulling her forward, untill he was nearly on top of her.
An ominous chuckle sounded right beside her left ear, his lips uncomfortably close. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Tatiana Ivashkov, the declared Queen of Moroi, managed a small scream before elongated fangs ripped into her neck, blood spewing from the wound like a firehose. Endorphine flooded her system, and her lips clasped shut as her senses soared, the pain of her broken leg was practically nonexistent. Needless to say, she felt no pain as she died.

one

A faint beeping aroused me from my troubled dreams, and I knew it to be well past my usual waking time from the parted curtains, which betrayed no sign of sunlight. Venturing with my hand, my fingers curled around my cell phone, a small thing, nearly prehistoric next to the new technology released seemingly each hour of each day. The light from the small front screen warned I had a text message, the dial tone going off seconds after I pick it up. I quickly press 'Read,' and a note from my friend, Daniella, lights the dark room.

Eliza,
Something has happened. I'm not sure what, exactly, but the teachers are frantic and parents have come to pick up their kids. From the way everyone's acting, you would think a horde of Strigoi were to fall on the Academy at a moment's notice, even with the wards in full effect and Guardians stationed at every corner. They announced over the intercom classes were cancelled, and we have been ordered to stay in our dorms. I'm getting kinda scared. Drop by my room?

I didn't need to see my face to know my brows were furrowed in confusion, my eyes holding the telltale glint of curiousity. Burrowing through the dark recesses of my mind, I could think of only one other time St. Vlad's had ever gone into lockdown, had ever had such a panic attack as Daniella was describing. A couple Winter's ago, when Strigoi had banded together to pick off the Royal Moroi. I had been in the eigth grade, still a youngling in the Guardian's eyes, so I hadn't learned much, but rumors had spread fast, and it hadn't been long before the truth was found amongst the lies. Could whatever had recently happened compare to that?

Only after running a brush through my tangled curls, and brushing my teeth twice, did I leave my room, taking the familiar path down to Daniella's, being careful to avoid heavily guarded areas, just in case they wouldn't permit me past.