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Eddie Munson's been different her whole life. Once it was clear she wouldn’t fit in, she leaned into it hard, proudly declaring herself a freak of nature. The universe seemed to agree as a week after her eighteenth birthday she was marked as a fledgling vampyre: two years after the average teen.
Even that wasn't enough apparently since she's been chosen by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx, to save the world; and to top it off, every time she stops an enemy of the Goddess, her mark gets more elaborate, the design going down her neck and arms. Now, even on a campus full of premature vampyres, she’s a freak. The only place she feels normal is here, in the stable, among the horses.
Eddie runs a brush along Persephone's back. The mare chuffs in appreciation when she scratches behind her ear. Although she doesn't have an affinity for horses like the Equestrian professor Joyce, Eddie can guess what the mare is thinking.
“Even horses like being scratched here huh?” Eddie whispers.
As dawn approaches, Eddie begins the process of cleaning up her tools. It's not like the sun will burn her or anything crazy, she's just exhausted. As she exchanges her work boots for her Reeboks, a noise from the archery field catches her attention. Quiet as a mouse, Eddie tip toes over to see the new guy practicing.
Steve Harrington
The “twins” Max and Eleven heard a rumor that Nyx gave him an affinity for fighting, though Eddie could have sworn they said it was melee combat.
She sneaks onto the field and watches him let loose arrow after arrow, missing the target stands entirely. Without her permission, a snort of disbelief rings through the arena.
“Something funny?” Steve asks raising a bitchy eyebrow.
“A little. I've just, never seen anyone do that badly before.” She holds out a hand for the bow and Steve hands it over without fuss.
Eddie notches an arrow, lines up her shot, and lets it fly, hitting the target dead center.
“Lucky shot.” Steve mumbles. With a haughty flip of her hair, Eddie splits the arrow three times, successfully hitting the bullseye four times in a row.
“You were saying?” She smiles sweetly as she hands back the bow. “I heard your affinity was for combat. Is that not true?” Steve sighs and glances away.
“It’s true but it’s hand to hand and only if my intent is to kill.” Steve murmurs. “I don't exactly go around showing that off, you know?” He shrugs. Eddie could understand that. “Is it true you have an affinity for all five of the elements?” Steve asks in return.
Eddie's just grateful he didn't ask her about being born a guy. There's been more than a few fledglings and even fully changed vampyres that made a comment on it.
“I guess Nyx saw something in me.” Eddie shrugs, what the Goddess could have seen, she has no idea.
Steve's smile fades as a wet cough escapes his lungs. The first is followed quickly by another then another, blood pours out of his mouth between coughs.
He's rejecting the change.
Eddie helps Steve lay on his back, his head resting in her lap. Running her hands through his hair, she yells into the barn for someone to get the headmistress, even though Eddie suspects she's behind this somehow.
“It would be right when I meet you that this happens.” Steve chuckles.
“What do you mean?” Eddie asks as she swallows her urge to bury her nose in the blood around them. This blood lust thing was annoying as hell.
“When they transferred me here the thing I was looking forward to the most was meeting Nyx’s chosen fledgling. But you're even prettier than I thought you'd be.” Steve admits. In a desperate attempt to make the boy’s passing easier, Eddie presses her lips to his, making sure his last sensation is gentle.
The breath leaves his body and Eddie cradles him gently until the headmistress appears.
“I'll take it from here, Eddie.” Professor Henrietta says. She scoots Eddie away into the arms of Will, one of Eddie's friends.
“You have blood on your mouth.” He whispers handing her a napkin. She gratefully wipes it off and allows herself to be led from the room, throwing one last suspicious glance at Henrietta, her eyes narrowing at the vampyre’s small smile.
A quick shower followed by some dinner, and she's laying down staring at her old roommate Chrissy's empty bed. It hadn't been that long after the girl passed that she came back with a completed red mark. Eddie closes her eyes and quietly asks Nyx to make the same thing happen to Steve.
It's two days later that Eddie sees Steve again.
Will, Max, Eleven, and Robin form a circle around Eddie, who’s leading the school in a full moon ritual. As soon as she begins, an arrow shoots through the air. Chrissy, who’d been hiding nearby, shoves Robin out of the way but the arrow sails past Chrissy missing her by an inch.
Professor Henrietta stands with her hand on Steve's shoulder; his mark no longer blue and unfinished but, red and complete, marking him as changed. Vines sprout from the filled crescent and twist around clubs that frame the side of his face.
“You missed!” Henrietta screams as she smacks Steve.
Steve stumbles forward, breaking the circle and takes a protective stance in front of Eddie.
“I don't want to hurt them.” Steve cries.
“Steve, you're back!” Eddie exclaims. Confusion and fear rip through the crowd as two dead fledglings stand before them; very much alive with completed red marks.
“Look! Nyx’s chosen creates abominations.” Henrietta cries.
“What?!” Eddie yells. “He shot on your order!”
“Yet you are the one he protects.” Henrietta shrugs. “Get them.” Several security guards appear and surround the group, but Eddie had a feeling Henrietta would pull something like this and is prepared.
“Come on.” Eddie whispers to Steve and grabs him around the wrist. The seven fledglings disappear through a gap in the wall and head to a collection of underground tunnels that house several red mark fledglings.
Once everyone is safe, Eddie turns to Steve pulling him into her arms.
“I'm so glad you're okay.” She murmurs. “Now tell us everything!” She demands. If they're going to stop Henrietta once and for all, Eddie's going to need as much information as possible.