Page 33 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 1

“But it doesn’t worry you that a human has these powers?” Grayson pressed.

“You’re the only one we’ve ever found so it’s not like there’s an army of you out there,” Balthazar said with another rather gallic shrug.

“One of me is not much against all of you?” Grayson gave a small smile.

“No, which is why you’re safe here. We do not see you as a threat,” Balthazar answered.

“But if you did…” Grayson let the statement stand.

“We don’t and that’s all we need to discuss on this matter,” Balthazar cut off the conversation. He flashed another smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He brought his hands together underneath his chin. “Now, you will take your place among the students. But, as I’m sure you know, you should say nothing of Gregory Starn, the Vampires who hunted you, the Sect of Dawn… or your powers.”

“I didn’t intend to talk about any of that,” Grayson answered a little mulishly. “I’m not stupid.”

“No, no, of course not.” Another smile.

“So am I going to class or something? Vampire Biology 101? Vampire History 102?” Grayson asked.

Balthazar laughed, but then seeing he was seriously said, “Oh, there will be some of that. But we’re trying to find out what kind of person the students really are. What makes them tick. What Bloodline they’d be most useful to and fit in with. All of that.”

Grayson frowned. “But you just read their minds during interviews to get into this place, can’t you just tell from that? Why do you need a year to watch them?”

Balthazar stared at him with barely concealed amusement. “I only wish it was so easy! But, the truth is, that… well, the other Vampires likely wouldn’t take my word for it that someone would be perfect for them and vice versa.”

“Why not?” Grayson’s frown deepened.

“People need to learn things for themselves. Merely telling them--even if you have facts, logic and all that on your side--doesn’t really convince them. Truth is something that is felt much more than known,” Balthazar explained as he leaned one shoulder against the door jam.

“I guess I see that. Plus someone liking someone else enough to want them with them forever… well, no amount of reading minds probably can determine that definitively,” Grayson said.

“True, unless, of course, you can simply make the person like you,” Balthazar said.

Grayson remembered then that Eyros Vampires didn’t just read minds, but could control them. That’s why he wasn’t in pain after all. He felt no different. He was not aware of the command in his mind. It was incredible and terrible at the same time. He wondered if humanity really understood the power of these Vampires. He somehow doubted it.

“Is that why the other Vampires don’t trust you? Because you could make them do things?” Grayson guessed.

“Yes, and that none of their secrets are safe.” Balthazar picked a piece of lint off his impeccable clothing. “Eyros don’t have the flashy powers like controlling the weather or changing into animals or raising the dead.”

“That last one…” Grayson couldn’t help but shiver.

“Indeed! The Kaly are even less trusted than the Eyros, which is why… Well, now we stick together. Eyros and Kaly, the best of friends.” A real, fond smile crossed Balthazar’s face. “But what the Eyros can do… well, we can control all those other Vampires and through them all of their gifts so that makes us possibly the most powerful after Daemon.”

“Yeah, I can see why they’d be nervous around you,” Grayson said.

Balthazar nodded. “Exactly.” Looking Grayson over. “You appear ready to go.”

“I still don’t understand what I’m to do here.”

“Just act like you belong.”

Grayson stared at him. “You’ve read my mind. You know I’ve never belonged anywhere.”

“But you will belong here,” Balthazar assured him even as he stepped aside to let Grayson walk out the door before him. “You finally have people who know what you can do and are not afraid of you. And you can relax a little, because there are more powerful people here that can keep you safe.”

“Yeah, but there are also people after me… people like you--”

“Not quite like me.” Balthazar tipped his head up. Proud as a peacock.

“Okay, but Vampires after me and I got the impression from Gregory and the woman that he wasn’t the only one that got into the academy on behalf of the Sect,” he pointed out.

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