Paulina's pov :-
I can't believe my cousin is going to go to Rachoel University. The top 1st ivy league school. I mean, with her intelligence, she will even be the valedictorian of her batch.
Oh! I remember. I still need to tell her the family secret. The family secret is revealed to every child the moment they graduate high-school.
But no one was able to tell Carolyn because of her preparations for Rachoel.
The secret is meant to be told by only one person to a child privately, with no-one in the room with them.
Even though the whole family knows about the secret, the secret is not supposed to be talked about in a family dinner. There are specific meetings to talk about it - The Meeting of the Vrykolakas.
Since none of the family found the time to talk with Carol about it, I was supposed to tell her about it. I mean, how were they supposed to find time.
She spent every single bit of her time, studying to get into Rachoel University.
Now that she got in, I hope she will be able to enjoy her time before she starts Rachoel.
And also before she founds out the family secret.
___________________________
"Hey. Carol, open the door. Open the door girl. Do you want me to kick this door open?
CAROL." I shouted from outside the house.
The door wouldn't open.
"Hello Polly. Sorry, I was baking cookies for the family dinner tomorrow." She said and turned around to go inside the house.
How am I supposed to tell her about the family secret. If I dont tell her and don't get her to the training centre of the Ross-Kennedy family, she would be walking around the university thinking she looks normal, while everyone is looking at her in a strange way thinking-
"You coming inside or not. Better yet, do you want me to punch you or not. She asked in her usual teasing tone, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I'll tell her later.
Her house looked different from before. It wasn't in its usual tidy form. The house was completely messed up probably because of the moving. There were clothes lying on the couch, there were big boxes and inside them were here belongings which she planned to bring to Houston with her.
"So, when are you gonna come back from Houston?" I asked because there was a subtle awkwardness in the air.
"I haven't even left yet and you're already asking when Im coming back? Aww! Poor baby is gonna miss me." She said making me frown.
"Idiot! Im just looking out for you. Dont go out partying out till 1 am." I gave her a bit of advice.
"Oh! No way. Never till 1. Probably till 2 or 3."
She said earning a smack from me.
"Oww. What the heck was that for?."
"You asked for it". I replied giggling.
"Uhmm. Carolyn.....I think you should know something." I started making her nervous.
Worry was written all over her face.
"I'll tell you later, take the cookies out." I said
when I saw the opportunity to put an end to this dreadful confession.
God , I'm not experienced for these type of secret revealing. I only know to spill tea. 🍵
"Polly, I know your hiding something from me. You know you can tell me abything, right?"
She said taking out her cookies from the oven.
"Its- uhh- its not about me..." I said trying to keep my cool.
"Huh? When haven't you told me something thats not about you." She said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"Its about you..." I said and my heart started beating unusually fast.
"What is it? Tell me. You know I dont mind whatever it is." She said, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Carolyn's pov :-
What is it. Im getting curious, just say what is it already. IM DYING TO HEAR IT. I thought to myself.
Polly was just making me more curious, and too much curiosity is definitely not good.
She was just staring at me and pity and fear was written in her eyes.
"Carol, you are a vampire." She said then took a heavy breath like she had just lifted off a weight from her heart.
However- I burst out laughing.
Vampire? Seriously? Couldn't she find something believable to prank me with?.
"Carol. This is not a joke, you are gonna have to report to the Ross-Kennedy training centre in exacty 60 minutes." She said seriously.
I stopped laughing and looked at her.
"Polly, cut it out. You are scaring me." I said trying to sound calm.
She didn't say anything anymore and pulled me out of the house. She put a helmet on my head and made me sit on the motorbike seat.
I didn't question it and ket her be. She suddenly went into the woods and parked the motorbike under a tree. And to my surprise she made me put my thumb on the golden colored bark of the tree. Suddenly a keypad came. She told me to enter 'Vrykolakas'. I remember, I read in a book that Vrykolakas meant vampire.....
"Is it true?. Am I a vampire, are all of us a vampire?" I asked and she nodded.
I typed 'Vrykolakas' onto the keypad and Polly told me to follow her. I did as I was told.
But I became hesitant when she went through that tree. But whatever, I followed her in.
"The Meeting of the Vrykolakas. Thats what they call it. When you get into the woods, you'll see a tree with gold colored bark on it,
if you are a Ross-Kennedy vampire, you just have to put your thumb on the gold bark and type the passcode. The tree with the gold bark can be seen in every woods around the world. Every kid is told this family secret when they graduate high-school. One of them takes the kid into a room and tells them about this- alone. Everyone tried to tell you, but you were busy with your Rachoel University preparations." She explained.
My mouth hung open while I listened to her explain that secret about our family.
"And also, the family told to bring you here so you can have your training and complete your tasks to become a certified vampire."
She added making my forehead crease.
"What kind of tasks?"
"Well, you see. You just need to finish-off some bad people." She said casually making me shocked.
"W-what do you mean by "finish-off", like kill them?" I asked shivering.
"Yeah, but they are bad people and we are vampires that are supposed to finish off bad people. Remember, there is no room for kindness for outsiders in our family." She explained.
I didn't say anything more.
When we reached the training centre, she went to the front desk and took 2 V-necked black dresses with red jewels embedded on the neckpart and handed one to me and told me to change.
She pushed me inside one of the cubicles in the ladies room and said- "Good luck for tonight".
Good luck? For what? Is there a competitionor something?
I changed into the dress and got out of the cubicle. Polly was standing in front of the mirror, arms crossed looking serious. She motioned me to follow her and I did. When we reached the top floor, it was packed with family members of over the age 17 or 18.
When their eyes landed on us, they immediately applaused and Nicholas Kennedy, a cousin of minewas standing on the stage with a mic.
"Okay, ladies and gentlemen, lets give it up for Paulina R. Kennedy and Carolyn Ross Janon, the newest members of the Ross-Kennedy Vrykolakas clan." He roared through the mic.
"But-" he went on.
"To be an official and certified vampire, they need to finish their tasks. So tonight we gathered here to choose our dear Paulina's and Carolyn's tasks." He finished and once again the people started applausing.
We both walked to the stage and 2 chairsmagically appeared in front of us.
We both each took a seat and everyone started chanting. I wasn't able to make out what they were saying but I was sure that it was Greek - ancient Greek.