3. Violet

3

VIOLET

My name slips out before I can stop it. Something about thisstrangeman with hisice-blue eyes and shock of blond hair makes me want totrusthim, even though every instinct screams at me to be cautious.

"Violet,"Flintrepeats softly, as if tasting the name."It suits you."

I feel a blush creep up mycheeks,warmthflooding my cool skin.

"Please,"Iwhisper, glancing nervously at the door."You have to help me. I can't stay here.Nathaniel, he..."I trail off, unsure how to explain the horror of my situation. How do you tell someone you've just met that you've been turned into avampireagainst your will, that you're being held captive by a monster who murdered your parents?

Flint takes a step closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "What has he done to you, Violet?" he asks, his voice low and urgent .

I open my mouth to respond, but before I can, the sound offootstepsin the hallway makes my bloodruncold.Nathanieland Flint's father are returning.

Panic rises in mychest, threatening to choke me."You have to go,"I hiss atFlint, my eyes wide withfear."IfNathanielfinds you here with me..."

Flintsmiles. It's friendly, warm, and a little bit arrogant, but in a cute way."Don't worry about me,"he says."We need to get you out of here,"he says, his voicelowand urgent."Now, beforeNathanieland my father return."

"But to where?"I ask, hating that now faced with a chance toescape, I'm frozen withfearbecause I don't know where to go or where I would fit in."I can't go home, not like this, not after what he did.Nathaniel, he'll come after me. He says I belong to him."

Flint's jaw clenches at my words, a flash of anger crossing his face."You belong to no one but yourself,Violet. I know a place where you might besafe.MistHallowUniversity. It's an Academy for supernatural beings, a sanctuary of sorts. They'll be able to help you, to protect you fromNathaniel."

Hope slams into mychest, fragile but undeniable, even though I don't know what he is talking about."You really think they could help me?"

Flintnods."Yes. But we need to move quickly. Can yourun?"

Inod, remembering theunnaturalspeed I now possess, but the clawinghungeroffers doubt to match the growing hope that I might get out of here."Yes."

"Good. Here's what we're going to do. I'll create a distraction, something to keepNathanieland my father occupied. Yourun. Don't stop, don't look back. Head north.MistHallowis about fifty miles from here. I'llcatchup with you as soon as I can."

"But what about you?"I ask, suddenly worried for this stranger who's risking so much to help me."Won't you get in trouble?"

Flint's smile widens, a mischievous glint in his eye."Don't worry about me. I canhandlemyself. Just focus on getting out."

Inod, nervous. I don't know if I shouldtrustFlint, but every instinct tells me that I can. Ipushaside theburningthoughts that this could be a test fromNathaniel, and if Irunand fail, things will get much, much worse. But if it's not, ifFlintis genuinely trying to help me, I have to take the risk.

I have to.

Don't I?

Flintreaches out, hesitates for a moment, and then gently squeezes my hand. Thetouchsends a jolt through me, warm and electric."Besafe,Violet. You're stronger than you know."

With that, he turns and strides out of thelibrary. I hear hisfootstepsreceding down thehall, then a crash and the sound of breaking glass. Flint's voice rings out,loudand panicked, calling forNathanieland his father .

This is it. My chance.

I don't allow myself to hesitate. I bolt from thelibrary, mybarefeet silent on the coldmarblefloor. I race through the entrancehall, my hand closing around the doorhandleagain. For a heart-stopping moment, I think it might be locked. But it turns easily under my grasp, and then I'm outside.

The night air hits me like a physicalforce, bitingly cold against myexposedskin. The old-fashioneddressNathanielforced me to wear offers little protection against the elements, but I can't stop to worry about that now.

I run.

Now that I'm outside, I can see the estate is a sprawling expanse of manicured lawns and dense trees. I head for the gates at the end of the long, straight driveway that my eyes can seeclearlyin the moonlight. My newvampirespeed propels me forward at a pace that would have been impossible for myhumanself. The world blurs around me, trees andshadowsmelding into a dizzying kaleidoscope.

I can feel thepulltoNathanielin my soul, an insistent tug that tries to draw me back to themansion. But Ipushagainst it, forcing myself to keep moving forward. I won't be his prisoner anymore. I won't let him control me.

As the gates loom closer, I leap, clutching at the iron as I land awkwardly near the top.

"Oww,"I grunt as I hear my wrist snap, but in the next second, thesharppainis dulled to a hum. I might have the strength and speed to do these things but fucked if I know how to actually use that for my gain.

Hauling myself over, Idropdown over the other side and bolt. I don't give myself time to check if anyone is following me. I can't.

As Irun, I becomeawareof a growing anger. It's notmine—it'sNathaniel's, bleeding through whatever twisted connection binds us. He knows I've escaped. He's coming for me.

Feargives my feet wings. Ipushmyself harder, faster, my musclesburningwith the effort. I'mexposed, vulnerable, as I tear down a country road, but I can't slow down. I have to keep going. The rough surface digs into the soles of my feet, but I barely feel it. I stub my toe on a half-buried rock, but I keep going, ignoring myhunger, ignoring everything except getting away.

I don't know how long I've been running when I hear a sound like thunder, but sharper, more rhythmic. Somethingmassivepasses overhead, momentarily blocking out the moon, and I whimper, knowing somehowNathanielhas found me.

I look up, my steps faltering. What I see steals the breath from my lungs.

ADragon. Enormous, serpentine, with scales that gleam like freshly fallensnowin the moonlight. It rushes through the sky above me, gracefuldespiteits size.

Flint ?

Before I can decide whether to keep running or try to hide, theDragonswoops down.Massivetalons close around me, surprisingly gentledespitetheir size and the sharpness I can feel rasping against my skin through the dress. The ground falls away as theDragonlifts me into the sky.

A scream tears from my throat.

The wind whips at my hair and dress as we soar higher and higher. Tears stream from my eyes from the overwhelming fear and uncertainty.

I curl into myself as much as I can in the Dragon'sgrip, shivering violently. What'shappening? Did I make a mistake? Was trustingFlintthe wrong move? Have I escaped one prison only to find myself trapped in another?

The landscape rushes by below us, a patchwork of fields and forests and tiny, twinkling lights that must be towns or villages. I've never seen the world from this perspective before. It's beautiful at the same time as scary asfuck. I decide right there that I'm afraid of heights, and I don't ever want to be up this high again. My stomach churns, and I hold on to the urge to retch.

As we fly, I becomeawareof a change in the air. Something snaps around us, like we burst through a layer of clingfilm. It's colder, the kind of deep, penetrating chill that seeps into your bones. The mist begins to gather around us, thick and ghostly in the moonlight.

The Dragon descends. We sweep in low over a castle, and I catch glimpses of courtyards and gardens, all blanketed in snow.

Then, he drops me.

The Dragon's talons release me, and I plummet to the ground, screaming my head off, landing on thesnow-covered ground with a thud that takes my breath away.