Chapter 1

The sun had set a long time ago as the clouds gathered to form an image I couldn't figure out. I drove home in dad's Toyota Camry, watching as the street's lights flash every minute I passed by them. I bobbed my head to the beat as "shake it off" by Taylor Swift blasted through my speaker. 

It was my first time in the human world and gosh, it's a lot different from the Shadow world: a place where not only bloodsuckers live but other supernatural beings. My family came to this city just last week but I didn't go with them because I wasn't done with my mission, mastering how to control my fangs from coming out anytime I smell blood. 

I'm different from other bloodsuckers. I haven't had my first blood or had my first bite. I'm just like a full mortal, I eat cheese and burgers and they are my best combo. 

Two years ago, on my sixteenth birthday, my older brother Arden had his first kill and got bitten by a bloodsucker. He became a full-bloodsucker. I was terrified because he couldn't control it. Dhampirs become full bloodsuckers when they kill or get bitten by one and become a hybrid when being bitten by a werewolf or taste a witch's blood.' said the council. 'We don't kill, we protect those we love.' Dad added.

My thoughts wandered as I mindlessly looked out at the lights in the distance. I looked in my rearview mirror as a car suddenly passed mine at full speed, going at least 30 mph faster. 

"Whoa, come on!" I yelled in the direction of the car riding in front of me. I opened the map dad had left for me before I left for the academy last week. It was complicated because I couldn't figure out how the human world works, so instead I turned on the GPS to direct me home. I know you all will be wondering how I got to know how to drive, well first, I took a few classes from dad and I'm not fully a bloodsucker so I can't do stuff like flying or shapeshifting, but I can hypnotise and the colour of my eyes glow anytime someone I'm bonded with is in trouble or when they want me to read to their minds. 

I slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel facing the opposite direction as the car stopped in front of a grey house. My chest pushed against my seat belt, throwing me back against the seat. I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the door, stepping out into the warm night air. I shut the door and stood in front of the house. 

"She found it," Mom said as she hugged me. "I'm glad you completed your training." She rubbed my back and I smiled. "Come on." She rubbed my arms and we walked towards the house and she led me to the porch. 

She opened the door and we stepped into the house. The house was Elizabethan, with wooden panels along the corridors and ornate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The stairs lead down into a tall galleried room with a rug spread out over flagstones and a fireplace big enough. A long polished wooden table has been set for the whole family. it was beautiful.

"You will get used to it," Dad said as he came to hug me. I smiled as I leaned on him. "How was your training?" he added.

I opened my teeth and my fangs came out slowly but it was painful so I stopped. "Dad, I thought you wanted us to live a normal life." 

"I do and now that you are here, why don't you join us for dinner? ...you must be very tired."

"You could have let me come pick you up, instead of coming yourself." Arden interrupted as he removed the sunglasses he was wearing. His eyes were red, I'm sure they haven't fed him blood since they entered the human world. 

"Aww bro, you look scary, how are you coping without taking a sip of blood?" I teased him.

He opened his teeth and his fangs came out. He wanted to attack me with it but mom stopped him immediately. I would have turned into a full-bloodsucker, just like him in minutes if she hadn't. 

"Enough... come Inez__ I will show you your room." She said excitedly, heading up the staircase. I walked behind her but stopped on the landing, a few steps up still looking around the house. 

She opened the door, and I stepped into the room. The room had a rectangular silhouette with edges that had been smoothed so that it gave them that modern design look as well as making the walls look as single, one that encircles the room. 

The colour of the walls is light blue; similarly, the colour of the wall is blue. 

There were six light bulbs inserted inside the empty corresponding cavities, all of them rotated and focused at different points.

The floor was wooden and the colour was golden brown. The bed's longest side was sided by the right wall of my room, while the computer and peripherals were on the other side of the room. The writing desk was equipped with a lamp as well as a laptop. It was made of stainless steel while the legs are in powder-coated steel. The stool was silver-colored which goes well with the colour of the table and also that of the laptops. In the centre of the room, there was a red seating combination sofa; its legs were in nickel-plated steel.

"So, how is Arden coping?" I asked mom as we both sat on the sofa.

She sighed. "You saw the way he is; we are trying to make him eat normal food again." She stood up and turned to look at me. "School is tomorrow, how excited?" she asked.

"Is anyone ever? What do you think?" I replied with a question and gave a small smile.

"Come and join us when you are done." She left the room and closed the door behind her. 

~~~

That night after dinner, I took a hot bath. I walked over to the dresser and dried my wet hair. I wore my blue robe and checked the time. It was eleven O'Clock. I walked over to the bed and the next thing I know, I fell into a heavy dreamy sleep.