“It’s the middle of the night.”

It’s JB’s idea to wake Nelly. He says out of everyone she knows her stuff. It’s been a week since my first dream. Every night I go to sleep and wake up…I see her. I see a bald headed woman. JB says to keep it to ourselves. He doesn’t want to let people know that I’m dreaming. This night is different though.

JB has Nelly and I walking down to the library with him.

“We need to know everything about the Darkest,” he explains to Nelly, “I don’t know who else would be able to know where to find that kind of information.”

Nelly shrugs, “Can’t we look up the Darkest in the afternoon.”

“It’s safer now when everyone’s asleep.”

I hear Nelly’s complaining but I haven’t been getting much sleep at all and since I sleep with JB he hasn’t been able to get much sleep either. We are in our pajamas. For me that consists of some boxers and a t-shirt. For JB it consists only of some boxers. I have to admit it’s kind of y seeing him stroll through the hallway of Eden High with nothing else but boxers on. Nelly doesn’t seem to mind either even though as the days pass she makes even more clear that she is in love with Jackson.

We get to the library and Nelly doesn’t waste any time. She knows exactly where to go. JB and I watch her from the middle of the library. The library is old. It looks like something ancient really. It’s clear that not that many people spend time in here…probably except Nelly who clearly seems like she is some sort of nerd.

“You think we can trust her?” I whisper to JB.

He nods at that moment, “Nelly’s family served my father for years as scholars. She is the first in the bloodline to be a type O. She is literally one of the most trustworthy people I know.”

I sigh, “I thought that about Roman Tuan.”

“Wait what?”

. I almost forgot that JB doesn’t know about Roman. JB takes a step closer to me. He looks like he’s about to ask more about Roman but luckily we are interrupted by Nelly coming back with a book. Her long hair covers her almost her entire body. Usually it is neatly brushed but today it is like she is carrying around a wild bush around with her. When she places the book on the table and blows dust of it, I swear she is some mad cat lady or something.

“You want to know about the darkest,” she explains, “This is the best place.”

“What is it?” I ask her.

“It’s the Alphabet of Ben Sira. It dates back between the 8th and 10th century. The Darkest vampire’s name is Lilith. She was the first wife of Adam.”

“Who the hell is Adam?” I ask.

JB laughs, “Like Adam and Eve, smart ---“

He says this like it’s common language, “No. So Adam had a wife before Eve and she was a vampire?”

Nelly has the book open at that moment, “It didn’t start out that way. Lilith was equal to Adam, in every way. It says here: she came to bicker with Adam. She felt since they were equal, she need not submit to him. When they bickered she fled the Garden of Eden. She went to the red sea and mated with the demons she found there. In the red sea she gave birth to the first vampires. It’s the origin of our kind.”

JB looks over at me and crosses his arms, “Lilith became upset with vampires because they did not destroy the sons of Adam in the way that she wanted. She felt like they were weak and so she decided to rid the world of her own children. Out of fear my father led the other vampires to Eden. The children of Adam weren’t able to enter Eden but we were the children of Lilith. Lilith and her followers attempt to destroy humans in every way possible. Like the Blood Holocaust. King Ecbert was able to stop her each time. You see if humans die…vampires die. We can’t have that happen. King Ecbert doesn’t let us kill humans. We use blood banks to gather the blood we need from humans to survive. In this way we can live with humans peacefully. Lilith and her followers…they don’t want peace. They want nothing else but death and destruction.”

“If they find their way to Eden…they’ll kill us. There will be no one left to protect humans from Lilith’s wrath.”

“There’s a picture of her Jr. Look.”’

He grabs the book from Nelly and shows it to me.

It's definitely the woman from my dreams. I don't get it. What does me seeing her mean?

***

Combat training is taught by a muscular white vampire by the name of Mantissa. He has the body of a body builder but JB makes sure to let me know that the physical appearance of a vampire isn't really a good representation of their strength. He's probably telling me this because I'm the skinniest guy in Class Zero and Mantissa has all the guys training with no shirts on.

We spend most of the first couple of days in class with Mantissa demonstrating different fighting techniques. I'm not surprised to learn that vampires have their own form of kick boxing. I am also not surprised that Mino picks up on the faster than everyone. After a while Mantissa actually has Mino go up there and help him demonstrate different techniques to us.

All my insecurities are popping up out of nowhere as Mantissa pairs us up and all of a sudden I'm paired up with Roman.

“You should pay attention,” Roman tells me.

My legs are stiff. We are on floor mat and I'm shirtless next to my ex. What's even worse is that across the room I am seeing Candy tumble around the floor with JB. It also doesn't help that Mino is such a natural fighter either. He's paired with big Ronny and he's wiping the floor with the big guy back and forth.

“ you,” I respond.

Just at that moment Roman delivers a sweeping kick to the back of my legs taking me clean off of the floor. I turn to my right to see that JB and Candy have noticed it. I have no doubt they have them two sparring because they are afraid JB is going to get hurt. He is the heir after all and I guess they assume Candy would take it easy on him. Candy is letting out a snickering laugh at me. I know it's not my imagination when a minute later she jumps on JB in a straddling position. I can't help to feel jealousy run up through my body.

I'm pretty sure her hoe moves weren't part of the kickboxing class.

What part of the game was that?

Roman looks down at me, “I told you that you are easily distracted. You've always been easily distracted. Focus.”

Roman is right. I have a lot on my mind especially with the dreams I've been having recently. Then there is him and Mino. Then there is JB. Yes. JB is the one who has been the hardest to cope with. A part of me knows Roman is right about all of this but I don't give it to him. I get back to my feet quickly and put my guard up.

“I don't need your help,” I tell him.

“You're not an O. Naturally O type blood are superior especially at combat. I'm just trying to help you out.”

“I told you I don't need your help.”

I charge at him with kicking and punching. I look ing ridiculous and I know it. Luckily no one but Roman is paying attention. Needless to say Roman blocks every single attempt that I make at him and sweeps me off my feet. The loud thud as I hit the floor yet again causes Mantissa to shout out a “good Roman” from the other side of the classroom. At this point Ronny and I are clearly doing the worst at this. At least Mino is trying to beat Ronny. Roman isn't even trying. I'm just the worst.

Roman smirks a little bit, “Oh that's right. You got your prince to protect you.”

“ you.”

My face is red with anger. Why do I let him get to me like this? It's clear that's what he wants.

“I just want to make sure you're safe,” he tells me, “When the rogues find Eden, you know who the first ones they will attack is? The royal family and everyone close to them. Not to say that you really are close to him.”

I put down my guard at that moment, “What's that supposed to mean?”

“You think JB cares about you?” he asks me at that moment.

This dude had a nerve.

“Like you cared about me right?” I ask.

“I did care about you,” Roman states at that moment taking a step back, “I still do.”

I know it's cheap but I don't give a . I take a cheap shot punching Roman right in the face. He his head back not expecting it. Mantissa walks past and shouts out a “Good Jr” loud enough for JB and Candy to hear it. I can't help but to smile even if my shot is cheap.

“You better keep your guard up,” I tell him.

Roman doesn't put his guard up though. He's slim like me but his body is a lot more toned. He's dripping with sweat. I have to admit there is something that I still find so appealing about him.

His glistening caramel skin tone is ing appetizing. He always knew he had that effect on me when he would dome over me showing just how much taller than me he was. His tall, thin body seems to make his abs pop out even more. He isn't a muscular dude like Bambam or JB. His slimness makes him look cool though...like this is the body type of a classic vampire.

I'm so mesmerized by his body that I don't expect him to walk over at that moment and pin me. He pins my legs over my head and bear locks me on the mat.

“I still love you,” he whispers to me.

“This is kickboxing. This isn't wrestling,” I respond to him.

“Did you hear what I said to you?” he responds to me.

He is continuously pinning me. Either the teacher doesn't give a or he's probably too busy making sure that Prince JB doesn't get hurt. I struggle to get out of his hold. Mostly its because of how awkward things have gotten within a matter of seconds.

“Your boyfriend is right over there,” I tell him.

“I'm sorry that it happened how it happened,” he explained.

“How long did it happen for?” I ask.

Roman looks down and finally releases me from the hold. All of a sudden he is fine with escaping. I approach him aggressively though and wrap him in a choke hold from behind. I literally am standing on my tippy toes to get so ing high behind Roman.

“Don't get hard,” Roman laughs grinding his up into me in a way that is so ual that I have no choice but to let go of him.

“Stop ignoring my question. How long were you cheating on me?”

Roman's face gets serious again and his laugh dies down. I can tell he doesn't want to talk about this and honestly neither do I but there is no closure here. My best friend played the out of me and Roman basically cheated on me. I needed some type of answers.

“It happened twice before I left,” Roman explained.

“Is that why you left?”

He shakes his head, “No. It’s a long story why I left. But I didn't want it to happen again. I swear. It just happened.”

“With me asleep in the next room?”

“I was never perfect. I never told you I was.”

“Roman...don't you get it? I lived for you. I would have died for you. Man---I literally did die for you. And honestly I think it's all a ing joke to you.”

“I'm not laughing.”

“You might as well be. You took me for granted. I used to think Mino hated you because he knew you were no good. But really he didn't hate you. He just hated the fact that we were together because he wanted you for himself.”

Roman nods, “And I was dumb. It was all my fault. But I'm admitting to that now. People make mistakes. I'm here telling you that I can give you forever now. Now I see what I'm missing...”

“Because you see me with someone else.”

Little did Roman know my relationship with JB was fake. I could only imagine how embarrassed I would be if he found it. Now he was actually seeming to try and I just wondered if it was too little too late.

“What do you want me to do?” Roman asks me, “You want me to break up with him?”

I roll my eyes, “You wouldn't break up with him.”

“The Halloween party. This weekend. I'll have a heart to heart with Mino. I'll break up with him before I show up at the Halloween party. And then me and you can have that forever. We can have that forever together. Say that's what you want.”

“Roman...”

“Say it.”

Before I can push back at him Roman steals a kiss. It's the swiftest kiss in the world and I tumble back so hard trying to avoid it that I bust my on the mat one last time.

I hear the teacher shout, “Good Job, Roman.” one last time.

***

The dreams don't stop and neither does the attention. Dating JB is something that I wasn't sure was my lifestyle. Walking around the school was like walking down a runway. There were stares everywhere. The other students never really spoke. They just whispered amongst themselves speaking about me. Sooner or later I started asking teachers to leave class a little earlier so there would be less students in the hallways before our classroom exchange.

The Eden school's Halloween party was coming up and it was the talk of the town. According to Nelly, Halloween was like the human version of Christmas. People went all out...especially at school. Luckily JB had his servants come help me plan for it. Their planning included buying me my own outfit which JB said he would gladly pay for...because I was his “boyfriend” or whatever. The party was being held at a big court down the street from the school. It seemed to be a big deal and when I arrived there I could see why.

The decorations seemed to be worth more than I could imagine. Huge statues filled the area. The food was catered and then there was the music. It was live and the performers seemed legit. I saw the lights stream with flashing purple and blue.

“Shots?”

I'm not surprised that the first people to come up to me are Bambam and Satyr. They had asked to head down the street with me as though they needed people to know we arrived together. What I am surprised about is the fact they have my same costume on.

“Yeah...I'll take a shot,” I stated realizing I needed one after seeing them too.

Bambam and Satyr are both wearing old school vampire outfits