Chapter 13

13

GRAYSON

Holly's disappearance put a wedge between me and Violet just when things between us improved. I can't forget her words the night we fought Viktor— if Holly dies, you're dead to me . We've spoken since, but never alone, and the edge remains between us. I'd argue she's unfair to me since Rowan also stopped her from attacking Viktor but I understand her ‘Violet logic': I stopped her from delivering the killing blow.

I hope Holly doesn't die. If I even shared those words, I'd infuriate Violet because she refuses to accept that Holly might. And, surely, she's considered the worse-than-death possibility? Viktor's a freaking necromancer. He created constructs and splintered Leif's mind; there's no guarantee Holly will return intact.

Man, I hate thinking along these lines, but I'm a realist. Violet's family may've sheltered her, but she's learning how this world works. I want to be there for Violet if something happens to Holly but avoiding her might be less painful if that situation arises.

Dorian may not want to say so, but he knows that I did the right thing in keeping Viktor alive. The bastard can still get what he deserves when caught, and if his crimes include harming Holly, Viktor will get double what Violet wanted to do to him that night.

Viktor had to live. He's a link in the chain between Dorian and those plotting to usurp him and bring back the old ways. The ones that bide their time, waiting for the right moment to step in. Have Josef and his associates waited too long for Dorian to cause his own downfall, and are now creating their own for him? Or has someone broken ranks?

I'm filled with dread for all of us.

As Leif is resting after Eloise screwed with his mind, Violet met up with Rowan alone this evening. I decided to leave them to their fun—or not-fun for Rowan if she's in a bossy, investigative mood. She'll probably drag him wolf-hunting around campus; at least I have an excuse to avoid that.

I spend time in the Sheridan common room, something rare enough that another vamp comments when I sit in the armchair eating. I ignore him, caught up in wondering if the instant ramen noodles became more flavorless, or if I'm denying the hemia shift towards blood as my main diet.

No. Not yet.

I'm making my way along the vacant hallway to my room when an alert sounds on my phone.

Keep away from Violet

I pause and frown at Rowan's message. I would've expected an aggressive message like this a few weeks ago, before all our relationships changed, but not now. Continuing to my room, I type a reply.

why?

The door to my room has barely clicked closed behind me when the reply appears.

We found Holly. Attacked by a shifter. I'm on my way to the hospital with her but Violet left. I don't know where she went

The bedroom becomes a black hole, sucking air and color away, and something slams into me from the side. I fall, skidding across the carpet and reaching behind myself to stop hitting my head on the wall.

I should've picked up Violet's scent the moment I reached my door, but she's always with me, and seeing or hearing Violet's name brings her fragrance from my memories. Violet, who's here, throws me onto my back as she straddles my hips, pinning me down.

Hybrid Violet.

Not this again .

I stare back into her blackened eyes, preparing to counter Violet's next move, but she's taken on the preternatural stillness vampires have when weighing up our next move. I should be bloody thankful she's weighing up what to do—unless it's how to inflict the most pain.

Violet's hybrid transformation isn't the greatest shock—it's how Violet's pure ebony eyes are rimmed with scarlet, and the blood red tears staining her cheeks. Has a new emotion taken hold of this once emotionless hybrid, or are they tears of fury?

Violet leans down, and I wince as her sharp nails dig into my shoulders, through the shirt to my skin. She bares her impressively sharp teeth.

"Rowan told me." I wave a hand at where my phone landed across the room.

The blood-filled eyes don't leave mine.

"Do you know what happened?" I continue.

"What happened?" she mimics, and her voice runs a finger of fear along my spine. " What happened is Holly nearly died, and it's your fault."

I close my eyes and take a steady breath. "Because I stopped you from killing Viktor?"

"Yes."

"And how will attacking me change anything, Violet?" I open them again. "You can't blame me for this chain of events. Otherwise, where do you start? With Dorian for sending you to Thornwood? Mrs. Lorcan for deciding you should room with Holly? Yourself for becoming her friend? The only way Holly would be safe is if she'd never met you."

My voice rises with every word, and my skin splits beneath Violet's nails as they dig deeper.

"Violet," I say calmly. "I'm at full strength. I can fight back. You know that."

Violet is lost somewhere else, immobilizing and gripping me, silently planning that next move. I stare back at the scarlet continuing to well in her pitch-black eyes. I've encountered blood on Violet's face and skin before, but this is charged with something more. The sweetness of the scent drew me to her from the start, but that's nothing compared to this. The hybrid-fueled blood pulses in Violet's veins with an energy that captivates a different part of my mind.

I take a sharp breath. The craving isn't only the physical ache for Violet's blood that I deny, but also a hunger for the power that blood contains.

I swallow down the want, on alert to move Violet if her attack starts again. I already could've thrown her from me, but I don't want to fight, because if I do, I'll lose the control slipping from my mind.

"How badly is Holly hurt?" I ask.

Violet blinks back to me. "She's alive, luckily for you."

"I don't believe you'd kill me, but direct your anger my way, if you want."

The weight of her on me, the blood trickling from her eyes, and magic in her veins screaming out to me. I close my eyes, not against what she might do next, but hating she's prompting the truth I've denied.

Dorian is correct. I'm Petrescu. However much I deny my heritage, desire for powerful witch blood is woven into my soul.

Violet's nails leave my shoulders, and she drags hands through her hair. "What you just said." Her voice cracks. I've never heard Violet's voice weaken or seen the hybrid in control of herself like this. "I'm to blame. Not you."

"No." I reach out to Violet, but she slaps my hand away. "You didn't put Holly in danger. You wanted to protect her."

"But I can't!" she shouts, and I wince at the volume. "I should never have allowed myself to get close to her. To anybody. I don't understand this world, and I don't belong here."

Violet's weight lifts from me as she stands, and I pull in a breath, watching as she stares at the window. Surely Violet isn't about to jump out? I spring to my feet, and this time when I reach out, I hold Violet's wrist tightly.

Then yelp and let go as her magic burns my skin.

"Shit, Violet." I rub at my palm.

"Leave me alone. Be grateful I found my better side before I tore into you." She pulls the pendant she wears from beneath her sweater.

A short, sharp blade appears from inside the silver casing, and Violet strides into the bathroom then drops to her knees on the tiles. As I try to follow, the door slams, just as I glimpse the blood welling from her fingertips.

What the…? Shit. Runes.

"Violet!" I shout. "You can't leave." Silence. "Don't run away! You always worry you'll be implicated, and that'll happen again if you run."

How long does it take to paint the runes?

"Open the door!" I yell.

As if she would.

Without considering the vandalism charge heading my way, I kick at the door, splintering the lock. The door slams open to reveal Violet, and half the runes needed to leave daubed around her on the gray tiles.

The world lurches for a moment, and I grip the frame. Anybody looking at me, not knowing I'm hemia, would see a guy disgusted by blood. Instead, the need roars through my mind, emotions heightening the dark thoughts.

Stop her.

Taste the blood.

Violet begins to paint faster, and I muster my strength, darting forward to snatch both of Violet's arms, and lift her from the floor. She screams at me, and as Violet flings me backwards with a spell, I grab the blade from her hand. The knife cuts into my palm, and I hit my head on the windowsill.

But a Petrescu fueled by any type of lust won't be stopped by any magic—not unless Violet brings out the shadows.

Her blood-streaked face and bleeding hand.

The blood on the floor from her half-performed spell.

I've a crazed mind to crawl across the floor and consume what I can.

Rowan used Violet's shadows to bind Josef and stop him attacking, and I eye her fingers for any emerging wisps. Nothing. Her hands tremble, and she stares at my bleeding hand too.

"Let me leave," Violet says, hoarsely, and stands.

Taking advantage of her hesitation, I fully launch myself at Violet. She stumbles back as I seize her hand and lift the palm to my mouth. Seal the cut. Stop Violet from finishing the rune spell.

Sure, Grayson. That's what you're doing .

Violet's blood hits my tongue, an electrifying energy that strikes my mind and seizes my thoughts. I lose any worry that I'll find myself assaulted and bound by shadows, air hissing through my teeth as I press my lips to seal the cut. Violet's blood races close to the surface in her wrist, intensifying the desire, and my teeth sharpen.

Violet doesn't move, and I lift my eyes to hers. A deep part of me recognizes that the hybrid won't attack; she's locked in this blood-filled world with me.

Releasing Violet's hand before temptation to slash her wrist with my teeth becomes too much, I take her face. The Petrescu possesses me, and I lean closer and drag my tongue along Violet's stained cheeks, taking the tiny amounts of that forbidden energy. Blood from my cut palm covers Violet's face as I do, and her breathing shallows at the scent.

Is this what worries Dorian? That I can disarm his untouchable hybrid daughter with our blood connection?

"What are you doing?" Violet pulls my hands away. Her eyes zone in on the bloodied palm, and she inhales sharply. "Grayson. I'm leaving."

"No."

"You think you can stop me?"

"I stopped you from bleeding," I whisper.

Violet curls her fingers hard around my palm, obscuring the scent from herself. "You lied. You do want my blood."

"I can taste everything mingling inside you. The darkness from your father. The purest magic from your mother." I touch my lips. "Myself. I'm in your blood, Violet, and I want you in mine. We finish this dance."

Violet's eyes grow wider, and I move my mouth closer to hers, stupidly believing the taste of Violet's kiss would distract me.

"No." She yanks at my hair to pull my head back. "That can't happen."

"Because you don't want me to take your blood?"

She says nothing, but there's no hiding the mutual desire as she clings to my hair, holding onto herself. I can't move my head, and my throat's exposed. Violet darts a look to the pulsing vein and then releases my hair, stumbling back.

"Dorian," she whispers. "What he said."

"I don't give a crap about his opinion."

But I keep my distance, mentally shouting at myself to hold back because assaulting Violet would end everything, including my life.

"Dorian said my blood will kill you, Grayson. Why ignore that?"

"Why haven't you bound me with shadows and already run?" I whisper back, taking a step closer. "Why did your heart beat faster when your blood touched my mouth?"

No response. I know the answer. Because this isn't the Violet she presents to the world, or even the hybrid Violet who waited for me in my room. This is the Violet that we created, the Violet only I see.

"Did you not understand what would happen when you took my blood at the warehouse?" I ask. "We've had half a blood bond since that night."

"I never thought at the time. You were attacking me. I lost control."

I trail a finger along her heating cheek. "And what do you think would happen next if you started spreading your blood around my room?"

"I was leaving!" she shouts and shoves me in the chest. "Before I hurt you or anybody else."

But denial trembles through a vulnerable Violet, like the girl I confronted in her room after the attack at the warehouse. Violet lifts her hand, mouth parting at my blood on her hand.

"Violet. You have all of me. Literally. Not only my blood, but ever since that kiss, I've lost myself to you further. Buried myself in pretense that I can hold back." She stares at me open mouthed. "I want you, Violet. Every part of you. Blood. Body. Heart, because you're firmly lodged in mine."

"I can't do this," she stammers out. "Not tonight."

I swallow. Hard. Then turn away from Violet and the primal need threatening to end us. This has to stop.

She doesn't move.

"Don't cut yourself again and overwhelm us both." I turn back, and my look travels to the painted runes on the bathroom floor.

Violet stares at my lips a moment. "I need to wash my hands before I leave."

I can't help but laugh as she walks stiffly to the sink and holds her hands beneath the running faucet, rubbing at her palm and sending pink water mingled with both our bloods down the sink.

Blinking away the image this prompts, I sit on the bed, fighting the physical desire for Violet that knots tightly with the blood lust. Is this as overpowering for her? Violet hinted at how much changed between us since the night at the warehouse, and she's already shown me once that she can't keep the distance she'd like. Only that tentative connection tore when Viktor escaped due to my actions, and I lost her.

Will there ever be a chance I could get as close to Violet as Rowan has?