8. Violet

8

VIOLET

I run until I can't anymore, collapsing against a stone wall in some secluded corner of the castle. My sluggish heart is pounding, though I'm not sure if it's from exertion or from the encounter I just had.

Those three men, creatures, I've never seen anything like them. Inhumanly beautiful.

Flint, of course, I knew—my saviour, the one who gave me a chance at freedom. Seeing him again had overwhelmed me with gratitude. The kiss had been impulsive, a way to show my thanks when words failed me. But the other two are enticing on levels I shouldn't even be thinking about.

The dark-haired one, his cologne still lingering in my nostrils, was the one who had his arms around me earlier. His features were sharp and perfect, like a statue come to life. There was a darkness in his eyes that thrills and scares me.

Then there was Caine. Just thinking his name sends goosebumps over my skin. He had appeared out of nowhere in a swirl of snow and ice, towering over me with those piercing green eyes. The way he looked at me was like I was something to be devoured, and when he said I was his...

I groan and wrap my arms around myself, trying to stop the trembling. I'm not anyone's. Not anymore. Never again.

But a small part of me, a part I try desperately to ignore, wonders what it would be like to belong to someone like that. Someone powerful enough to protect me from Nathaniel. I know he could. The sheer amount of power that I felt coming from him was staggering. I don't even know how I recognise it for what it is, but fuck. I know.

My stomach rumbles, and I straighten up quickly. I need to find the dining hall Blackthorne spoke of before I go feral again.

I wander the hallways, trying to find my way to the dining hall. The castle is a maze of corridors and staircases that I swear move before I can get a fix on them. Either that, or I'm losing my fucking mind, and I'm hopelessly lost. My hunger is growing by the minute, making it hard to focus.

As I turn another corner, I nearly collide with someone. "Oh! I'm so sorry," I stammer, stepping back.

"No worries," a friendly voice replies. I look up to see a tall, lanky guy with shaggy brown hair and warm hazel eyes. He's wearing jeans and a MistHallow University hoodie. "You look a bit lost. Can I help you find something?"

"Um, yes, actually," I say, relieved. "I'm trying to find the dining hall. I'm new here, and I'm a bit turned around."

He grins. "No problem. I'm headed there myself. I'm Liam, by the way."

"Violet," I reply, falling into step beside him as he leads the way, not trusting him but not fearing him either.

Baby steps.

"Nice to meet you, Violet. We rarely get new starters in the second term. You're an anomaly. What's your specialty?" He wiggles his eyebrows comically at the last word.

I can't help but laugh. "Vampire, apparently. Though I'm still getting used to it."

His eyes widen slightly at my implication. "Wow, newly turned? That must be intense. Well, don't worry. MistHallow is a great place to figure things out."

"Are you a vampire?" I ask cautiously.

Liam shakes his head. "No, werewolf, but also newly turned. Well, three years ago. It was an adjustment."

I know I'm staring rudely at him, but werewolf? You know about these things from the movies and books, but it's different talking to one, knowing he was once human, like me, and was thrust into this new world. "Wow," I say when he raises an eyebrow at me. "I'm sorry. I'm still very new. Three weeks, and for all of that time, I wasn't taught much about this world."

"Three weeks?" Liam echoes. "Oh, you are a baby, aren't you? Well, don't worry, Violet. Stick with me, I've got your back here."

I smile up at him, a smidgen of trust creeping in despite my caution. It just feels right. But then I jump back when a figure appears, and a familiar-looking cane drops down between us and shoves Liam back roughly.

"Too fucking close," Caine murmurs, keeping the cane raised as Liam narrows his eyes. The silver eagle head of his cane glints menacingly under the bright hallway light.

"What the hell, man?" Liam protests, his friendliness replaced by wariness. "We were just talking."

Caine's green eyes flash dangerously. "She's off limits. Find someone else to chat with."

I feel a flare of indignation at being spoken about like I'm not even there. "Excuse me," I snap. "You don't get to swoop in here and scare people away from me!"

Caine turns to me, his expression wildly intense. "Of course, I can snowdrop. Anyone touches you, they die."

"What?" I splutter, utterly gobsmacked by this show of arrogance and aggression. "Liam was helping me find the dining hall. "

Liam nods, eyeing Caine warily. "I didn't mean any harm."

Caine's lip curls slightly. "Didn't you? Or are you just saying that because you were rumbled?"

"Fuck you," Liam spits out, his eyes flashing amber as his temper rises up.

Feeling the desperate need to intervene before this escalates into something that will get us all expelled, which, for me, is a non-option, I step between them, my hands raised. "Stop it, both of you! Caine, Liam was just being friendly. There's no need for this alpha male bullshit."

Caine's eyes narrow, but he lowers his cane slightly. "You don't understand the dangers here, snowdrop. Not everyone is as benevolent as they seem."

"And you are?" I challenge, meeting his gaze defiantly.

A slow, predatory smile spreads across his face. "Oh, I never claimed to be benevolent. But I am honest about what I want."

His words send a shiver down my spine, but I stand my ground. "And what exactly is it that you want?"

His green eyes glitter like emeralds as he steps closer, he grips my chin, making me gasp before he lowers his mouth to mine, sweeping his tongue over my lips before plunging it into my mouth to kiss me so fucking possessively, I freeze like a statue under the intensity of it before I'm lost in the sensation, my body responding instinctively to his touch.

But then reality crashes back in. I push against his chest, breaking the kiss and stumbling backwards. "What the hell?" I gasp, my voice shaky.

Caine looks entirely too pleased with himself, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction. "That," he says smoothly, "is what I want."

I'm trembling, torn between anger and a confusing rush of desire. "You can't just kiss me like that!"

"I think I just did, snowdrop."

Liam, who I'd almost forgotten was there, growls low in his throat. "Back off, man. She clearly doesn't want your attention."

Caine's expression darkens as he turns to Liam. "I thought I told you to leave."

The tension in the hallway ratchets up several notches. I can feel the power bouncing off both of them, making the air thick and heavy. This is going to get ugly fast if I don't do something.

"That's enough. Caine, I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself, and Liam, thank you for your help, but I think I can find the dining hall by myself."

Caine's gaze flickers between Liam and me, his jaw clenched. For a moment, I think he's going to argue, but then he steps back, twirling his cane. "As you wish, snowdrop. But I will never be far away." He turns on his heel and stalks away, his gorgeous, expensive black coat swirling behind him dramatically.

"Look," Liam says, hands up and backing away from me. "The dining hall is just down this corridor and to the left. See you around, Violet."

He saunters off, and I sigh.

Who does Caine think he is? Arsehole of the century, that's who.

I bring my fingers to my lips and press them down, savouring the kiss that took my breath away and made my pussy go damp for him, but no. This is not happening. Not now, not ever. Forcing myself to move, I follow Liam's directions and soon find myself in the brightly lit cafeteria, aiming straight for the blood dispenser, which caught my attention the second I walked in. Grabbing a large to-go cup, I shove it under the dispenser and wait, feeling curious eyes on me. It makes my skin crawl, but I try to ignore it, picking up the cup and placing a lid on it. Shoving a straw into the top, thinking a bit of decorum wouldn't go amiss, I turn, only to be slammed into by a woman about my age with ice-white hair and blue eyes as she passes by.

"Nice sweatshirt," she spits out. "Caine acts fast, as usual."

Her sneer is vicious as her friends giggle at her words, and I draw in a deep breath, my fangs extending instinctively at the threat. But I force myself to stay calm. Getting into a fight on my first day here would not be a good look .

I turn away, determined to rise above this girl's bullying tactics.

"Listen carefully, new girl," she hisses after me. "Caine is off limits. He may be slumming it with you for now, but he'll get bored soon enough. Don't get any ideas."

Slumming it? I bristle at her words, anger flaring hot in my chest. Who does this girl think she is? But I keep walking, my head held high. The laughter from her and her friends at my retreating back is something that, less than a month ago, I wouldn't have stood for, but now? I don't know my place or who I am anymore.

Sipping frantically on the blood in my cup, I feel tears prick my eyes, and I hurry my pace, wanting to get back to my room where I'm safe and I can drink my blood in peace while I try to come to terms with this new world, and the new me.