CHAPTER 1

Welcome to St. Vlad's.

No, not St. Vladimir, patron saint of Russia.

St. Vlad, as in Vlad Tepes, aka Vlad the Impaler, aka Dracula.

I think it unfair that the school is named after a vampire. Sure, vampires attend here, but so do Lycanthrope.

There are the Moroi, vampires, and the Dhampir, half-vampire half-human hybrid. There are, also, the Lycanthrope, half-human half-wolf hybrid.

But then there's me. I'm what you would call a True Hybrid: half-vampire half-werewolf.

Since I am welcoming you to St. Vlad's, I'm going to give you a little crash-course on all things supernatural – well, at least for the species represented here and those we have to fear.

Moroi, commonly known as the living vampire, can walk in the sun, though it does sting. They have a long list of abilities: superhuman senses, agility, speed, quick to heal, perfect night vision, and most control an elemental magic – including the magic of the spirit. Some Moroi have the bat shapeshifting ability that vampires are known for while others can simply fly wherever, some don't have either gift. Their bite is euphoric for all except the lycanthrope and the True Hybrid.

The Moroi have a royal system, complete with royal families. The Dhampir are shuffled into that group since they are half-Moroi. The Lycanthrope are free to do as they choose as long as it's not harmful to the Moroi way of life.

Dhampir, the half-vampire-human hybrid, possess superhuman abilities, also: agility, speed, strength, endurance, and senses. They, too, are quick to heal, but not as fast at Moroi, and have slightly-less-than-perfect night vision. They can't shapeshift or fly. They don't possess fangs but sunlight don't affect them, but they seem to enjoy it. If you ask me, they really got the short end of the stick, especially when you take into account that they spend most of their lives protecting the Moroi, but they choose to.

Lycanthrope, commonly known as werewolves, are both nocturnal and diurnal, though they prefer the night because it's easier to hide. They possess all the superhuman abilities that Dhampir do along with perfect night vision, quick healing (faster than the Moroi), lie detection, and telepathy with other Lycanthrope. Seems a little redundant to say so, but they can shapeshift into wolves. Most have control of it, but newly turned lycanthrope still shift on a full moon or when provoked, mostly in anger. Their bite is infectious except for the Moroi and Dhampir. There aren't very many Lycanthrope here, but those that are chose to train alongside Dhampir, though their regimen is must more physical.

So, that's that on the decent creatures of the world, now on to the undead.

Strigoi are the undead vampires; Pricolici are the undead lycanthrope. You arrive at the same conclusion with either species. They either take a life or are turned. Pricolici are much more dangerous than Strigoi, in the similar fashion that Lycanthrope are much more dangerous than Moroi. Pricolici are forced to change back to their human forms during a full moon, leaving that the best time to hunt them. Both are blood-thirsty, killing machines and both crave vampire blood because it makes them stronger.

Technically, vampire blood also makes Lycanthrope stronger but it is considered taboo take blood from a Moroi.

Oh, I forgot! There's me. I'm the only True Hybrid, that they know of, in the world right now. I possess all the same attributes as both Lycanthrope and Moroi. I can shapeshift into either a bat or a wolf. My bite is both infectious and euphoric. My magic, however, is not as strong as a Moroi's magic, though I'm sure I could work on it. And unlike Moroi, I control more than one elemental power.

My mother is Lycanthrope and my father is Moroi, an odd pairing considering most Moroi think us nothing more than dogs. While Moroi and Dhampir require a human amount of sleep, Lycanthrope need more, but I need less. I can function fully on four hours of sleep and rarely sleep more than seven. This is helpful. I spend my extra time training. I'm going to become a Guardian for my best friend, she's a royal Moroi: Lissa Dragomir.

I'm seventeen and a senior so the world doesn't have to worry about us for another year, but I'm looking forward to getting out of here and I know she's eager to take on the world.

I'm Rose Hathaway, The True Hybrid. Enjoy your time at St. Vlad's.