A SIGH ESCAPED Sophie's mother. "Let's all just sit down," she suggested, gesturing to a set of lounge chairs. "I'll explain everything and then we can brainstorm up a plan to rescue them. It won't be easy. Knowing my brother, it will be even harder to sneak into the castle now that you've managed to escape."

Sophie reluctantly walked toward one of the chairs, following Aubrey. Both sat and turned toward Sophie's mother. The woman cocked her head. "Can I offer you girls a drink?"

"No, thank you...um," Aubrey trailed off.

"Just call me Aelia," Sophie's mother said, and smiled at the two warmly, like an actual mother would. It made Sophie's hand clench into a tight fist atop her thigh.

Aubrey nodded. She glanced at Sophie, who shifted around in her chair uncomfortably. It had been a long time since she'd heard her mother's unusual name said aloud. It felt strange to hear it again.

Aelia ran a hand through her hair and let out another sigh. Her gaze flickered toward the ground. "I suppose it would be best if I were to start from the very beginning, and explain why this war was started."

"We already know that," Sophie said. "Vampires thought that they were better than everybody else. And after so many years of oppression, the other races started to fight back."

A pinch of sadness seemed to swim within Aeila's eyes. "Not all vampires."

Sophie pursed her lips. A part of her still wanted to snap, to scream and curse out her mother. But the calm and rational side of her knew that she needed to focus on rescuing Eli and Wolfe. And hearing Aelia's story would definitely help them understand things a bit better.

"It started with the original vampires," Aelia started to explain. "If you paid attention in your history classes while you attended the academy, you should know that there were two main vampire clans, or families. The ancient world started out with two different clans of each race, and we all had to work together in order to survive. My brother and I were part of the oldest clan, and were the youngest of six children. It was our duty to hunt and gather the food; while we drank the blood, the others ate the body. It was a simple system, and we worked closely with the werewolves in particular. They were our closest ally."

Aelia pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled loudly. "When I was sixteen and my brother ten, our clan was attacked. I survived because I was away, hunting. My brother survived because he avoided detection. He witnessed the massacre and blamed the werewolves. Then the other vampire clan was killed, and we were the last vampires in existence."

Aubrey's eyebrows crinkled. Sophie glanced at her, and the two shared a confused look. "But there is a whole school full of vampires several miles from here," Aubrey said.

A wary smile tugged at Aelia's lips. "You're exactly right. Years ago, I got the idea to create the academy. It was designed to recreate the vampire race and hopefully reduce conflict between the races. Humans were invited to join and, if the right tests were passed, given the choice to become somewhat immortal. It was originally an innocent idea. Humans had the right to choose whether they wanted to be changed and it was an opportunity to teach them supernatural knowledge. And since the courses would be taught positively, the new vampires would think highly of the other races. It would ensure that most would treat others with respect."

"It's definitely not like that anymore," Sophie grunted.

"I know," Aelia said, her eyes darkening. "The day that my family was murdered, my brother changed. He despised the other creatures –werewolves especially. He developed a vendetta against them and, unbeknownst to me, plotted to destroy them all. After we created the academy, it didn't take long before I realized that my brother had other plans for the humans that joined. He was turning them against their will and then brainwashing them, teaching them to despise the other races. He taught them that vampires were the superior race, and that they always had been. I found it disgusting and tried to stop it. Then I was banned from the school, driven out by his little army of vampires. By the time I was able to recoup, I had already fallen in love with your father. I decided then that I wanted nothing to do with the school."

Then she scowled. "I learned of the rebellion shortly after you were born, Sophie. Most of the original families had already been picked out by my brother's army of vampires. The few survivors banned together and wanted my help. And at first, I declined. I just had my darling little baby girl and was perfectly content with my life."

Sophie laced her fingers together. Aelia glanced at her and smiled slightly. "I had no intentions of leaving. But then the letters started coming."

"What do you mean?" Sophie furrowed her eyebrows. "What letters?"

"The academy usually sends out a letter, or invitation, once it catches wind of a possible future vampire. Those standardized tests that you took in elementary school brought you to his attention and, after realizing that you were my daughter, the letters came in bundles. So did the threats."

"Threats?"

Aelia closed her eyes and tilted her head back. "Threats. All sorts of them. The worst were the pictures; pictures of your father at work, or you at school. I couldn't be at both places at once. It was impossible to protect you both alone. Then I was attacked. Several fledgling vampires –I had to kill them all. I realized that it wasn't safe for either of you to be around me. The rebellion begged for my help again and I realized that I could use them to watch over you both from afar. If they were trained to combat a vampire, it would be harder for my brother to hurt either of you.

"So I left. I thought you would be protected. I warned your father not to let you go to the academy before I left, but I suppose he didn't listen. By the time my hunters were able to report the situation to me, you'd already been carted off." She paused and ducked her head, expression twisted with pain. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop it in time," she said.

Sophie remained silent. Her thoughts spun inside her head. "But why didn't you just tell us?" she asked. "You could have told us. I could have been homeschooled or something. Dad could have quit his job. I don't know. We could have made it work."

"I was being attacked, Sophie," Aelia said softly. "It wasn't just the one attack. It was several. I could hardly defend myself –it would have been impossible if either of you had been present. The longer I stayed, the easier it would be for them to get to you both."

A quiet settled over them all. Sophie stared at her hands, clenched into tight fists in her lap. Aelia watched her carefully and then said, "Tell me about your time at the academy. I need to know just how much it has changed."

Sophie wasn't sure that she was ready to open up to her mother. Not yet, anyways. Aubrey seemed to realize that and started to explain her story. She told Aelia about when Sophie first arrived, and about how she was immediately invited to join the Night Class. She told her about Eli, how he was assigned to convince Sophie to participate in the games, and how the games had been rigged so Sophie would win. Aubrey told her everything –including how Eli gave his life to protect Sophie.

At the end of the story, Aelia looked sad. "I'm sorry about your friends," she said, voice soft. "When my hunters infiltrate the castle, it is mandatory that they leave behind no witnesses. If they feel threatened, they are supposed to attack. You were never supposed to be attacked. And Eli...he was my brother's assistant, was he not?"

Aubrey and Sophie shared a look, and then nodded.

Aelia frowned. "I feared as much. Because he was so close to my brother, he was specifically targeted. It was essential that he be removed from the castle, either alive or dead."

Sophie clenched her jaw. "You ordered him to be killed?"

"I had to. It was a very strategical move. My brother would have been powerless without him. That fledgling of his kept the school running; he kept the students from questioning too much." She paused, and then added, "If he is alive, as you have said, then there is a possibility that he can be turned against my brother. He would be a great help if he were to join the rebellion."

The idea of Eli being used like that angered Sophie. She glowered at the ground and tried her best to calm down again.

A knock sounded against the door then. Aelia's head twisted toward it, cocked slightly to the side, and said, "You may enter."

The door opened. A trio of masked hunters entered the room, eyes hard. The centermost stepped forward and bowed his head. "We have returned from our mission and have news to report."

Aelia nodded. "Continue," she said.

"The Headmaster's second in command has returned," the hunter said. "Eli Jane is back from the dead."