Diplomats’ children tended to attract a great deal of attention at any school they attended; even the most unattractive of them had an exotic allure that drew flocks of followers. Nathan Thaziazhsta was hardly unattractive, but “striking” was a better description for him than “handsome”; in fact, with more ordinary coloring, he’d be considered just a little good-looking.

Predictably, he had a following. It didn’t help that he was as much a diplomat as his mother (moreso, if rumors were true); he was too polite to drive off any of his admirers.

He was canny enough to stay away from everyone, too. Until Ekion.

No one ever learned Ekion’s last name – not even the administrators. For all anyone knew, he wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t have one. He was almost certainly not lying when he said he hadn’t even wanted to attend this school, but his claims that he was actually forced to attend were too far out to be believed.

White skin, white hair – “ghostly” might have been a good description for Ekion, except that he was far too solid to be a ghost, in body and in presence. Nathan, for all his striking looks, could be quiet and overlooked when he wished. Ekion, for all his soft-spoken nature, was so focused that his mere presence sent prickles down the spine of everyone else in the room. Except Nathan.

Everyone was surprised when the two of them became friends – and yet somehow, no one was.

Plenty of people were angry, though.

***
“No one knows why the Howlers hate the Librarians so much.” Nathan rested his chin on his hand, staring out over the field.

Ekion blinked and adjusted his dark glasses. “So…a group of vampires with motorcycles routinely attack members of the most bookish club in the school?”

Nathan nodded slightly. Ekion stared at him.

“You know why, don’t you?”

Nathan glanced sidelong at his friend, then looked away again. “I have some idea.”

***
“You’re kidding.”

“You didn’t think it strange that a librarian club would be able to hold its own against vampires?”

“Psychic powers?!”

“According to some of the Howlers, the blood of psychics tastes the best. I wouldn’t know.”

“Let me get this straight. A group of vampires is targeting a group of psychic librarian wannabes because their blood tastes better than normal blood, and the librarians are holding their own against the vampires. In other words, there’s some major vampire-psychic war going on in our school.”

“Yes.”

Even sunglasses couldn’t hide Ekion’s shock. “And no one’s doing anything to stop this?”

Nathan’s cool gaze settled on Ekion. “Better them than me. For all concerned.”

***
The Howlers had always steered clear of Nathan, for one very good reason: his mother. The lure of a psychometric’s blood, however, proved irresistable.

Nathan didn’t show up for days after the attack. No one at school knew what had happened. Rumors flew. By the end of the first day, half the student body was convinced that Nathan was dead. The other half was equally certain that he’d been bitten and was now the newest member of the Howlers. By the end of the first week, half the students were convinced that the Thaziazhstai had been sent packing after Nathan’s mother killed half the Howlers. The rest of the students were sure that Ambassador Thaziazhsta was just refusing to let her son come back to school, for fear of the Howlers attacking again.

Ekion was simply frantic. He’d almost worked up the nerve to face Nathan’s fearsome mother when Nathan returned to school.

The first indication that something was wrong came when his flock rushed out to see him. Ekion, who’d long since learned to stay back or be crushed, saw the crowd halt and heard a shocked silence fall. Nathan just kept walking, ignoring everyone.

The second indication that something was wrong came when Nathan came into view. Nathan was walking with his head down and a book raised in front of his face. Nathan never hid his face.

The third indication that something was wrong came when Nathan kept walking right past Ekion, without even acknowledging his presence. Slightly hurt, Ekion followed.

“Nathan?”

Book still held in front of his face, Nathan turned. Ekion tried to tug the book down, but Nathan was stronger than he looked, and the book didn’t move.

“Nathan…”

The book wavered, and this time, when Ekion tugged at the book, Nathan released it.

The scar ran right below Nathan’s eyes.

A red haze fell across Ekion’s vision, and he turned, snarling. If any Howler’d had the misfortune to run across him, the vampire would be dead.

Nathan’s grip on Ekion’s wrist snapped Ekion out of his killer trance as it pulled him into Nathan’s mind.

***
It was a little after midnight when Teleika woke him. “Is not right outside.”

Nathan sat up. “What’s not right, imp?”

Teleika wrinkled her nose, but didn’t respond to the nickname otherwise. “Is not same-same.”

“Same-same?”

“Same as other nights.”

“Someone’s outside.” Liamariye Thaziazhsta stood just outside her son’s open door, naked sword in hand. “Several people. Not human – the tread is off. Vampires, I think. I’m going outside to take care of them. Watch your sister.” She disappeared down the hall.

Wild howls – the gang’s trademark cry – sounded outside … only to become screams of pain and rage moments later. Ambassador Thaziazhsta was on the warpath.

On instinct, Nathan grabbed his own sword – and the window crashed in behind him. Teleika shrieked. Nathan swung his sword at the same time the Howler swung his knife. Both dodged; neither dodged enough.

Sharp pain seared across Nathan’s face. The vampire, screaming, fell with Nathan’s sword in his gut and Teleika beating him about the head with her tiny fists.

Outside, vampires died or ran. Inside, Nathan tried to staunch the bleeding from his face. Teleika kicked the corpse of the one Howler who’d made it inside the house, fuming.

***
Ekion floated out of Nathan’s memories. Disoriented, he found himself being held up by Nathan. A crowd was beginning to gather – and whisper.

Nathan grimaced, though only Ekion noticed, probably. The last thing he needed were more rumors surrounding him, but at least this scene could still be steered into a better direction. No one would believe that nothing had happened here, so Ekion gave them the first plausible explanation he could think of.

As their minds meshed again, Ekion found himself swept up in mental laughter. Never tell my mother you saved my reputation by kissing me in the hallway. I’ll never live it down.

Their schoolmates were gaping; neither Ekion nor Nathan cared.