“But it’s not all about me, as I often forget,” Polly said in a rush. “There are dozens of us here, and I love them all—bratty and unruly as all of them are. We all belong to the same coven, the Pollepel Coven. One, big happy family, as they say—although we’re not that big, and most of the times, we’re not that happy with each other. That’s what living on an island will do to you. Especially when you’re all stuck in your teenage years for the rest of your lives.”
Caitlin looked down, and could see all of the teenage vampires spread out below. They were in small groups, all over the courtyards. Most of them were engaged in some sort of training—some were fighting with mock, wooden swords, others were throwing spears, pole vaulting. It almost felt like a military camp, but more relaxed.
“We are a coven of misfits,” Polly continued. “There are just 23 of us—actually, 24 now, with you here. We’re a pretty select group, I’d say. We’re all here because no one else will have us.”
“What do you mean?” Caitlin asked, finally able to get a word in. The more she talked, the more Caitlin felt at home with Polly. But it was really hard to get a word in with her. She spoke so fast, and barely took a breath.
“We’re all vampire misfits,” Polly said, matter-of-factly. “You don’t get dropped off here unless you’ve done something wrong, or are a huge pain in the ass. Unless someone, somewhere, doesn’t want you. Unless you’re on the run from something. Ours is the coven that takes you in when no one else will.
“I, for example, was dropped here as an orphan; others were dropped here because they’re half-breeds, or products of a forbidden relationship. Still others were left here because they have special powers, powers that others in the vampire world don’t understand, and won’t accept. It makes for quite fun dinner conversation, I’d say,” Rose said with another wink.
So that’s why Caleb dropped me here, Caitlin thought. No other coven would take me in. Certainly, his wouldn’t. And he didn’t know where else to bring me.
It all made sense to Caitlin now. Once again, she was the outcast. But strangely enough, this time she felt as if she fit in, as if she weren’t the only one who was odd. Maybe she could make friends here, find the community she never really had. The island was certainly beautiful enough, and she could already see herself feeling at home here. Maybe even, over time, she might stop thinking about Caleb. After all, what other choice did she have?
They entered the courtyard of the huge castle, and Polly led her through the training grounds, past several vampires. Caitlin fell a familiar nervousness in her stomach, as if she were showing up at her first day at a new school. She realized she was nervous to meet these people; she hoped that they liked her.
“This is Tyler and Taylor,” Polly said, gesturing. “Vampire twins. You don’t see that often. Their coven didn’t want them, so they ended up here. Good for us. They are some fighters. And while we always know what each other is thinking, those two really know what each other are thinking.”
Caitlin watched them. The identical brother and sister were startlingly attractive, maybe 16, and the two of them sparred against each other with bamboo swords, going blow for blow, parrying each other’s every move. They were each worked up in a sweat.
As Caitlin passed, Taylor, the girl, turned and smiled, and waved at her. Her brother, Tyler, used the opportunity to lunge in and whack his sister on the leg with his bamboo sword.
Taylor turned and screamed at him, indignant. “Not fair! That was cheap.”
Tyler just laughed.
“Will you two quit it and come over here and give our new sister a proper hello?” Polly chided.
Sister. Caitlin liked the sound of that term. She’d always wanted a sister.
Taylor and Tyler came jogging over.
Rose ran up to greet them, and Taylor’s eyes opened wide in delight. “Oh my God! She’s beautiful!” she exclaimed, kneeling down and hugging the excited Rose.
Rose licked her face.
Tyler then stood and embraced Caitlin in a big hug.
Caitlin was taken aback, and tentatively hugged her back.
“I feel like I’ve known you forever,” Taylor said, as she leaned back and studied Caitlin’s face.
“My turn,” Tyler said, prodding Taylor to the side, stepping in and hugging Caitlin, too.
Caitlin was once again surprised, and didn’t quite know how to react. She was about to hug Tyler back, but suddenly, with her newfound vampire senses, she felt an electric chill run through her. She could actually, truly, feel what this vampire was feeling. And it scared her. She knew that he was attracted to her.
Caitlin quickly withdrew from his embrace, feeling as if she had somehow just been disloyal to Caleb. Tyler stared at her, and she could feel his attraction as if it were a tangible thing.
“OW!” Tyler screamed.
He turned and saw that Taylor had whacked him hard in the back with her bamboo sword.
“That’s what you get!” Taylor said. “Leave the new girl alone.”
Caitlin smiled and waved, as Polly took her arm and continued to lead her through the battlements. Soon they were on another path, and in another courtyard.
“Most of us are sleeping now,” Polly said. “We can come out in the light, of course, but most of us still don’t want to. The only ones usually up at this time are the ones doing guard duty, or the ones training because Aiden forced them to.”
“Aiden?” Caitlin asked.
“He’s our coven leader. Like a trainer and mentor and school principal all rolled into one. He’s ancient. He’s been here forever, probably longer than the island itself. No one knows exactly when he came here, but he’s thousands and thousands of years old. A real sweetheart, as long as you’re on his good side. He’s the one that will set your course. He keeps things in shape around here, keeps us all on track. We all answer to him—that is, if we want to stay here. But he’s more like a father figure than anything else. And he’s one of the best vampire trainers around.
“Anyway, as I said, most of us are sleeping. They’ll be out in force tonight. See over there—
that’s where we sleep.”
Caitlin looked, and as they walked through another stone archway, she saw, off to the side, several arched doorways leading into the castle.