The Haven High Book Series (Wattys2017)

Chapter 10

So I hope you don't mind I decided to upload an extra chapter today, because this is part of the previous chapter and I didn't know how to break it up properly. Can you tell I need the firm hand of an editor? Oh well. I hope you like it.

Zach head swiveled to the left when he heard Marley scream from across the gym, "Get off of me you blood sucking leech!" as she tried to throw Mr Rothe off of her.

Mr. Rothe looking hurt, stood up graceful from the crouch he was in as Marley shot up faster than a human bullet, and stalked off towards the corner of the gym.

Zach watched as Liv broke from her group and ran over to comfort her and turned to ask Lauren, "What's her deal?"

She just shook her head mournfully and said, "Marley hates Vampires with a passion," and sighed looking sorrowfully at Rothe.

"So Rothe's a vampire?"

"Did you ever see the movie Bram Stoker or read the book Dracula by the guy with the same name."

"Yeah why?"

"Because there's more fact than fiction in that tale I even suspect that Stoker may have been enlightened."

"Zach, Mr. Abe Rothe is Professor Abraham Van Helsing, but instead of dying at the end he was actually turned."

Wow! Zach couldn't believe that his geeky science teacher was actually a cool vampire.

"Wait a minute," Zach blurted out, "If he's a vampire what's he doing up in a sunlit gym?

"Oh that's nothing. Most of us can fashion amulets or charms that ward off ill effects and if we can't there's an entire underground market to obtain them in. He's probably wearing a protection charm."

"Ok, he said. "So why does Marley have a hate on for vampires?"

"She a dhampir. That's a child born of a human and a vampire

"Like Blade in the Blade Series?" he interjected.

"Yeah just like that, but her mother didn't survive. None of them do. The dhampir kills the mother at birth. She blames her vampire father for that. She has a huge mistrust of all vampires. And she's pissed that the council has paired her up with Van Helsing as her trainer and mentor. She spent all last year refusing to train because of it. Somehow Helsing convinced her to train with him this year, but as you can see it usually end's like this."

Lauren just sighed, "It's just so sad. He's got the kindest soul and you can see that it eats him up inside that Marley feels this way about him."

"But if Marley could just think about it for a second, "Lauren continued,  "she would see they had no choice. Marley's wicked fast and strong. She has all of the strengths of a vampire and none of their weaknesses. She has to train with him, but her judgment is too clouded by the hate she feels towards him."

Zach thought that explained a lot. Marley stalked around like she had a chip on her shoulder the size of Texas. She always looked like she had a well of anger just seething under the surface. She could put off an aura of don't touch like nobody's business. Liv always seemed to have to sooth her. What could he say she was as prickly af. She actually looked prickly. Hell Zach didn't have anything against piercings, it wasn't his bag, but the occasional one could be cool, she however had them all over her face. Add the tattoos, partially shaved head, crazy color hair, and punk goth style and she fairly broadcast on all frequencies stay tf out of my way. He had to admit though it didn't make her any less attractive, but it was off putting.

Speaking of attractive, Zach smacked his head.

"Lauren there aren't any unattractive people in this school!"