Page 10 of Crimson Shadows
The idea is both thrilling and terrifying. All my life, I’ve felt like an outsider, never quite fitting in, and now I’m heading to a place where I might finally belong. But it also means leaving behind everything I’ve ever known.
I lean back in my seat, letting out a long breath. “This is a lot to take in.”
Randall’s nod is bordering on sympathetic, but I doubt he has that emotion after so long. “I know. I’m sorry it’s all happening so fast. But after what you saw tonight with Wesley, we don’t have the luxury of time. I’m glad you have taken this in your stride, Adelaide. It shows me your fortitude.”
I think back to the morgue, to Wesley staking that vampire. A shudder runs through me. “Staking, beheading, fire? All these things can kill you?”
“Me? No. You? Yes.”
“Am I immortal?”
“Yes and no. With your human side in control, you will age.”
“And if my vampire side is in control?” My voice is hushed as I didn’t even realise this was an option.
“Then you will be like me.”
I swallow back the whimper that nearly escaped.Be like him. Ancient, jaded, a bit frightening. Is that what I want for my life?
“So, what can kill you?” I venture.
“Not much.”
“But something?” He is being too evasive for my liking now. I want answers.
He sighs. “I’m not being deliberately obtuse, Adelaide. It’s unknown.”
“Untested?”
He smirks. “You could say that.”
“Is that why Wesley didn’t stop earlier?”
“It’s likely,” Randall says grimly. “But Hunters are relentless once they’ve identified a target. But don’t worry, you’ll be safe at MistHallow.”
We lapse into silence again as the car speeds through the night. I watch as the landscape changes, becoming wilder and more rugged. We’re heading deep into Northumberland National Park now, the roads becoming narrower and more winding.
I sink back into the leather seat, my mind whirling with everything I’ve learned. The countryside whizzes by outside, dark and unfamiliar.
“So, tell me more about MistHallow,” I say, breaking the silence that’s fallen between us. “What’s it like?”
“It’s quite unlike anywhere else you’ve ever been. The campus itself is hidden deep in Kielder Forest, cloaked by powerful magick that keeps it invisible to human eyes. The buildings are a mix of ancient stone structures and more modern facilities.”
“And the students?” I ask, curious about who I’ll be studying alongside.
“A diverse group,” Randall replies. “Vampires, fae, elementals, shifters and other supernatural beings you’ve probably never even heard of.”
I try to imagine a school filled with creatures I’ve only read about in books or seen in movies. It seems surreal.
“What about the professors?” I ask.
Randall’s expression grows serious. “Some of the most knowledgeable and powerful supernatural beings in the world. Many of them have been teaching at MistHallow for centuries.”
Centuries. The word still sends a jolt through me. I’m still struggling to understand the idea of such long lifetimes.
After what feels like hours, Randall turns off the road onto a dirt track that leads into a dense forest. The trees loom over us, their branches creating a canopy that blocks out what little moonlight there was.
“Uhm,” I murmur.
