Crystalbringer

After a sleepless night of doubts and questions, I spent the morning staring out the classroom window, watching cars drift by below. A part of me is excited; finally, I will have the answers to all the questions I have been asking myself for years. But I'm also scared. If I am not a vampire, what am I then? And what's this crystal embedded in my chest that Brianne mentioned? I couldn't find anything about it online...

«Today, you seem even more absent-minded than usual. Are you OK?» Eirik Noviel asks, breaking me from my thoughts.

Eirik is my desk neighbour and best friend. A good guy, though a bit obsessed with girls, especially Brianne and Clare - Brianne's classmate. I can't help but wonder how he'd react if I told him that last night, his precious Brianne stripped down in a secluded alley and let me touch her. He probably wouldn't believe me.

After class, I make my way to the student council room, as Brianne had instructed. I walk at a quick pace, and my nerves make my hands shake. When I reach the door, I knock.

«Come in» Brianne's voice comes from inside.

This is the first time I've ever stepped into the council chamber, and I have no idea what to expect. A torture chamber? Or some ultra-luxurious room with robot butlers? Turns out, it's just a normal classroom with a big square table in the middle and two chairs on each side. Sitting at that table are Brianne, two girls, and a guy. I recognize them immediately.

Clare Azuralis: Brianne's inseparable friend and Eirik's second crush. The rumors about her and Brianne are the stuff of legend. She is dressed to accentuate every curve, her hair is short and red and her eyes are an intense blue and frankly somewhat intimidating.

Elaine Everglade, my classmate and the girl I have been madly in love with since the first day of school. Not as grown as Brianne or Clare, but I think she's just as beautiful. Those long, light brown curls, those warm hazel eyes... are etched in my heart. Sure, she can be grumpy, but I know there is a soft, golden-hearted girl behind all that cynicism. Never would I have thought Brianne was talking about her last night.

And last, Gin LeBlanche. Third year student. Your typical bully. All in black—hair,clothes, even shoes—a stark contrast against his pale skin. This dark and menacing look gives him an "bad boy" charm that has made him very popular with girls.

Each of them reacts to me differently upon my entry. Clare beams at me with a big smile on her face, Elaine sighs and rolls her eyes around - I did ask her out not a long time ago, and rather rudely got turned down - and Gin acts just like I didn't even go in.

Brianne mi invita a sedermi accanto a lei. «We welcome Ren Volkom, the new member of the student council»

Huh? New member? I came here just to get some answers, not to join the student council! «There's been a misunderstanding» I murmur, embarrassed. «I just wanted to talk to you about... that thing.»

Clare walks over to the door, checks the hall, and locks it from the inside. «The area's clear, Bry. We can begin»

My heart skips a beat. What's going on?

Brianne takes the floor, her voice calm but authoritarian. «As I told you last night, there's a fragment of the Blood Crystal in your heart. Like the four of us, you've had this since birth, though it starts showing its effects during development, giving those who possess it special abilities. We're called Crystalbringers»

That's why, for the last couple of years, I have been feeling this bloodlust.

«The study of these crystals is classified as top secret» she adds. «The Secret Service has been researching them for years to understand their origins and effects. The leading theory is that they represent a new evolutionary stage for humanity. But for now, it's just a theory»

«Since it is top secret information, how do you know these things?» I ask, trying to wrap my head around it.

«Fearing our power, the Secret Service has made arrangements with all known Crystalbringers. They let us live normal lives, not seeing us as threats, and in return, we help them monitor things. We track other Crystalbringers and the suspicious activities that involve them. For that to be easier, the secret services inform us about every new thing being discovered about us. The student council is nothing more than a cover; it allows us to spend extra time organising this work».

I thought the whole vampire story was crazy, but this one is even more absurd! «I bet at the end of all this, you're gonna ask me to join you» I interrupt her. «I'm not going to play policeman with you»

Brianne unbuttons her shirt, showing a bite mark on her neck. «Over the past few years, several people came into the hospital with wounds like this and mild anemia. It was clear it was the work of a Blood Crystalbringer. We spent two years looking for you, and I was thrilled when Elaine told me about her suspicions. Once I knew, it was easy to find you»

That's why she had cotton and disinfectant with her. She knew if I happened to see her alone, I would attack her. A perfect trap, and I just walked right into it.

«For a Crystalbringer like you, there are two options. Join us. If you do, I'll even let you drink my blood whenever you need it» She stops, staring into my eyes. Alternatively, you have the option to continue your current lifestyle. But in that case, the Secret Service will view you as a threat, and I will be forced to eliminate you. Your choice»

This seems to me more like blackmail than a choice. Still, with Brianne's blood, I wouldn't have to hunt for it anymore, and I could spend time with Elaine. It's a perilous path, but I have no alternative. «Alright, I accept.»

«Starting tonight, you'll join us in our patrol work. We'll teach you everything you need to know so that you are not a burden to us. We'll meet at the same time and place as last night. Did you understand?» Brianne asks me with a firm tone.

This is insane. I feel like I'm trapped in a nightmare! But maybe I'll wake up soon, and none of this will have really happened. But no, this is real. How am I going to explain all this to my dad? If I'd just stayed home and slept, none of this would've happened. I could've gone on with my normal life. But no, here I am, stuck in this mess. I nod. I wouldn't want to do this, but being killed by Brianne is certainly worse.

«Welcome to the student council, Ren Volkom»