25. Violet

25

VIOLET

"Flint! Wait!"

You see, little flower. They don't love you, not like I do.

"Ah!" I scream and slam my hands to my head. "Why are you doing this?"

Because you are mine, and I'm coming for you, and I will rip anyone to shreds who has touched you or hurt you since you left me.

"No! Flint!"

He doesn't stop. He holds his hand up, warning me not to follow, but I can't let him think this was anything other than what it was.

I surge forward, tripping over my feet in my haste to reach him. I catch up to him with my vampire speed and grab his arm. He hisses and spins around, yanking it out of my grip. "Not now, Violet."

"It isn't what you think!" I practically screech at him, terror gripping my heart as I see the dead look in his eyes .

"No? So, it wasn't you using him as an offensive weapon against the Academy bully?"

I close my eyes as his words rattle around my brain, needing a second to get my thoughts in order. Now that he is close to me, everything is better and calmer. Nathaniel is gone. When I open my eyes, Flint is turning to leave again, and this time, I know I won't catch him.

"It was him," I blurt out. "He made me say that."

He pauses mid-turn and then faces me with a hard stare. "Made you?"

I nod. "You don't understand this hold he has on me, and when I am away from you, it worsens. I don't feel him when I'm with you. I need you, Flint. Please don't take what I said as me using him to fight my battles. I don't need him. I need you."

His gaze softens, and I gulp as he takes a hesitant step forward. "Violet," he murmurs, cupping my face. "You're right. I don't understand. None of us do. If he is that connected to you…" He trails off with a sad expression.

"Don't," I say, shaking my head and drowning in his bold blue eyes. "Don't leave me."

"Fuck." He crushes me to him, wrapping his arms around me, and I melt against him. "Fuck, Violet. This is bigger than I could've imagined."

"I know, and I'm sorry."

He tightens his hold, practically squeezing my lungs out with this strength. "No, don't be sorry, Violet. You have nothing to be sorry for. "

"But what I said was unforgivable."

"It hurt, yes. But I get it. I do." He sighs. "I forgive you, Violet."

"Thank you," I murmur into his shirt. "I need you with me to help fight him, Flint."

"I understand, and I promise you, baby girl. We won't leave you to do this on your own. Not ever again. We will not lose you to him. I promise."

"I need Thorne to hurry up with that ritual," I say urgently, looking up at him.

"I know, and he's working on it. He has gone back to the library now, but we can't rush this. As much as I want to rip you from him right this second, we won't risk your life or your sanity."

"I don't deserve you."

"Shut up," he growls. "Don't ever downplay your worth, Violet. You have been through hell, and this is a learning curve for all of us."

I search his eyes, utterly and completely head over heels in love with this Snow Dragon who has shown me such kindness and understood my darkest secrets. How? How did I get so lucky to have him land on Nathaniel's doorstep when he did?

"What is it?" he mutters.

"You are not like other guys," I croak. "I mean, the ones I used to know."

He chuckles. "Well, unless you knew some Snow Dragons before, then, no, I'm not like other guys."

We share a soft smile, and I snuggle against him. " I'm sorry, Flint. I hate that you had to see the control he has over me."

"Hey," he says, pulling back slightly and lifting my chin so I can look at him. "Stop apologising. This isn't your fault. It lies firmly with that arsehole who did this to you."

"Part of me wishes he had never turned me, but then if he hadn't, I wouldn't know you, or Caine or Thorne, or be here. It's confusing to know that."

"I can only imagine." He brushes his lips over mine. "And as selfish as this sounds, I'm glad he turned you. I'm glad you were there when you were. I won't apologise for that, Violet, even though I know you have been through hell. It all led to you being here with me."

I blink back the tears, wanting so badly to tell him I love him, but I don't think now is the right time. He will think I'm crazy and needy and obsessed with him.

Okay, I am all three. But I know that is how it works now in this world. This is it. Fate. Destiny. Bonds. Connections. Soulmates. Whatever the fuck you want to call it? It doesn't work the same as with humans. You don't need to ‘get to know' someone to know them here.

So, yeah, I am crazy, needy and obsessed, but I'm also a fucking vampire now, and I need to remember being human, and all those complicated emotions are a thing of the past. Again, I think about my parents and how I'm not grieving them the way I should be. But I can't. I'm not capable of that kind of emotion. Not anymore.

Nathaniel took that away from me, and in a way, I suppose I should be grateful. The pain and suffering I would be enduring right now is unfathomable if I were still human. But part of me hates him for taking that away from me.

"What are you thinking?" Flint asks, tilting his head to the side. "Do you hate me for what I said?"

"What? God, no. I was thinking that?—"

A bloodcurdling scream cuts me off, and we stare at each other for a second before turning to the doors that lead outside. Flint grabs my hand, and we rush forward, bursting out into the night to see a crowd gathering. Flint pushes our way forward, and I gasp when I see the sight in front of us.

A woman has been mauled to death on campus grounds, her throat ripped out and her insides removed.

"Fuck," I croak and turn into Flint, burying my head against his chest.

Flint wraps his arm around me protectively, shielding me from the gruesome sight. The scent of blood hangs heavy in the air, making my newly heightened senses reel. My mouth waters, and I feel disgusted at myself.

The frantic whispers and gasps of the other students swim around me as I try to hold on to every last ounce of control I have.

"Everyone, step back!" Professor Blackthorne's authoritative voice cuts through the chaos. "Converge in the Great Hall. Go now!"

I peek out from Flint's embrace to see Blackthorne and several other professors converging on the scene. Their faces are grim as they stare down at the dead girl.

"Come on," Flint murmurs, gently guiding me away.

As we turn to leave, Thorne and Caine push through the dispersing crowd.

"What the fuck?" Caine growls, staring down at the body. "Are you okay?" He turns to me, his eyes scanning me for any sign of distress.

I nod shakily. "I'm fine. Just shocked." The memory of my parents lying dead in front of me flashes through my mind, and I choke on the stench of the blood.

"Let's get to the Great Hall," Thorne says, placing his hand on my lower back.

I nod and keep my hold on Flint as if my life depends on it.

Well, it kind of does. I'm pretty sure if I went and buried my face in all that blood, I would be staked on the spot.

Staked. Hmm. Is that a myth or what? I realise that I don't even know what is real and what I know from Buffy.

As we make our way to the Great Hall, my mind races with questions. Who was that girl? What could have done something so brutal? And why here, on campus grounds?

The Hall is already packed when we arrive, students huddled in groups, whispering frantically. The air is thick with fear and confusion. We find a spot near the back, and I'm grateful for the guys forming a protective circle around me. Their presence helps keep the bloodlust at bay, but I can still feel it simmering beneath the surface.

Professor Blackthorne strides to the front of the Hall, his face grave. The room falls silent as he begins to speak.

"Students of MistHallow, I regret to inform you that one of our own has been brutally murdered on campus grounds." A collective gasp ripples through the crowd. "The victim has been identified as Melody Starling, a third-year student from Athens House."

"What?" The loud voice comes from the side, and I see Briar shaking as she walks forward. "Melody?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Frostwick. I know you were close."

Briar gasps and turns to her friends, putting her head in her hands as they comfort each other. I feel bad for her. This is a shock for everyone, but more so for those who knew her.

"You!"

A girl peels off from the crowd and marches up to me. She tries to slam her fist into my face, but Caine stops her, raising his cane so that her hand slams into it. She howls with pain, but her incensed gaze is fixed on me. "You did this!"

"Don't be absurd!" I snap at her, suddenly aware of everyone's eyes on us. "I didn't do this."

"Miss Cliffwood!" Blackthorne's boom echoes around the hall. "Step back. We do not threaten or accuse fellow students at this Academy. Go to my office, now."

She growls at me and gives me a death stare before she storms off, ice forming under her feet.

I look up to see Briar glaring at me with such severe hatred, I gulp and move closer to Flint. "I didn't do this!" I say, knowing how ridiculous it sounds.

"Protest too much?" another girl says, and I turn, mouth open, in shock to see the vampire who bumped into me after my first class, sneering at me.

"Enough!" Blackthorne shouts and claps his hands, causing the hall as a whole to shut their mouths. "Everyone, back to your rooms and do not leave them again until you are given the go-ahead."

Shaking, I look up at Flint. "I can't be alone."

"Don't worry," he murmurs. "We'll stay with you."

"Let me get the books from the library, and then I'll join you," Thorne murmurs, and vanishes in a cloud of writhing black shadows.

Flint wraps his arms around me and does that thing where he transports himself in a flurry of snow, arriving in my room with me wet and shivering, with Caine close behind.