Chapter 2 Hunger
1527 Words
A crush can happen in a second.
So can disgust.
I froze when I realized the guy behind me—Adrian Vale—was actually leaning closer.
And… opening his mouth.
Wait.
What is he doing?
Is he seriously about to—what, lick me?
What the hell?!
I don’t care how good-looking you are. That does not give you the right to act like a creep in public.
Who even says “you smell good” the first time they meet someone?
What am I, food?
My face stayed calm, but I raised my hand, ready to shove that perfect face of his away before he did something completely insane—
The classroom door swung open.
Sharp heels clicked against the floor.
Our homeroom teacher walked in.
Adrian paused. Like he’d just realized he’d crossed a line. Slowly, he leaned back and returned to his seat.
I let out a quiet breath and lowered my hand.
There were still four or five empty seats in the classroom.
Only twenty students total—and a 25% absence rate?
…That’s wild.
The teacher glanced toward our corner and tapped on the desk.
“I’m your homeroom teacher. Ms. Kira Lane.”
Her voice was cool. No nonsense.
“The forest to the southeast, the Old Castle Ruins to the west, and the Council Chamber are all restricted areas. Stay out unless you want disciplinary action.”
“Everything else is in your student handbook. Read it yourselves.”
Her sharp, phoenix-like eyes swept across the room. She didn’t seem to care about the missing students at all.
“Since your dormitory zones are… special, there are a few more things you need to pay attention to.”
The screen lit up.
Four emblems appeared.
A wild rose. A nightingale. A scepter. A blade.
Even through the screen, they felt… heavy. Ancient. Like they carried history in them.
Ms. Lane crossed her arms.
“If you see students wearing these crests, show respect. Prioritize them. Always.”
She meant that literally.
Like if you’re lining up for food and they show up—you step aside.
Not that they needed to. They had their own dining halls.
This was a noble academy.
Of course everything revolved around them.
I pressed my lips together and forced myself to accept the new rules.
Then I flipped to the “Restricted Areas” section in the handbook.
My gaze lingered.
The southeastern forest.
It wasn’t fully mapped.
No indication of what lay beyond.
…That was exactly where I needed to go.
I’d check it out when I got the chance.
Night classes were worse than morning ones.
I could stay up till 2 or 3 a.m. scrolling on my phone without a problem.
But sitting in a classroom?
I was dying.
Thankfully, the first day was light. Just introductions. Teachers. Classmates. Basic info.
Then we were free.
My internal clock was completely messed up. By the end, I barely remembered anyone.
Class III was a Hybrid Class.
Four or five students clearly belonged to the privileged tier.
Adrian Vale—my weird, unsettling deskmate—was one of them.
On the way to the dorms, I stopped by the restroom.
The hallway was crowded. Students moved in small groups, chatting.
The uniforms at Elaris Academy were… well-designed.
Comfortable.
And very easy on the eyes.
I splashed water on my face.
In the mirror, a girl stared back at me.
High ponytail. Bright eyes. Slightly upturned at the corners.
Energetic.
…Or at least, that’s how I usually looked.
Right now?
The exhaustion was obvious.
I rubbed my eyes.
Then—
I noticed two girls on the other side of the mirror, whispering.
“That’s someone from Class III, right?”
“…Yeah. I saw her come from there.”
“Poor thing. She probably has no idea what’s coming…”
“Let’s go. She’ll notice us.”
If you’re going to whisper, at least lower your volume.
I turned my head.
“Excuse me. Are you talking about me?”
They froze. Exchanged a look. Then hurried out like I was contagious.
“…?”
Okay.
What is wrong with this school?
When I stepped out, I saw Adrian.
He was leaning against the wall, surrounded by two or three girls.
His hair—soft champagne gold—caught the light like something holy.
His eyes were narrow, distant. That cold, untouchable aura softened just enough to make him… irresistible.
The girls in front of him were blushing.
One of them held paper and a pen.
Phones were confiscated. So… asking for contact info?
Adrian didn’t look interested.
At all.
Then—
He started to lift his gaze.
Toward me.
Every alarm in my head went off.
Nope.
Bad idea.
If he sees me now, I’m in trouble.
I turned immediately and walked off—fast.
3 a.m.
A time when even ghosts should be asleep.
The path was dimly lit. Barely.
For a noble academy, Elaris was weirdly stingy with lights.
The road was uneven. Bats flitted through the darkness.
Walking alone?
Yeah. Creepy as hell.
Then—
I noticed it.
Footsteps behind me.
Light.
Almost perfectly matching mine.
I sped up.
They sped up.
I slowed down.
They slowed down.
I turned around.
“The boys’ dorms aren’t this way.”
Adrian stood there.
Calm. Like he’d always been there.
“I know.”
I walked forward again.
He followed.
I stopped.
“So why are you following me?”
He looked at me.
Those red eyes fixed on mine.
“You smell good.”
Again.
That made two.
I instinctively lifted my hand and sniffed.
Nothing.
No perfume. No scent. I didn’t even use fragranced products.
No one had ever said that before.
With him following me, there was no way I could go where I wanted tonight.
The forest would have to wait.
The path was uneven. My attention slipped for just a second—
A branch scraped against my arm.
A sharp sting.
I looked down.
Blood.
Just a little.
I reached to wipe it away—
A hand suddenly grabbed my wrist.
Cold.
So cold it made my skin prickle.
Adrian.
He’d closed the distance without a sound.
His chest pressed against my back.
Caging me in.
I’m 5’7”.
He’s… what, over 6’2”?
The pressure was overwhelming.
His breathing was heavy. Uneven.
His fingers pressed against my wound.
Hard.
More blood welled up.
“—Ah!”
Before I could react—
The world spun.
My back slammed against a tree.
His grip tightened.
One hand pinned my wrist.
The other locked around my waist.
Stronger.
Tighter.
It hurt.
…What the hell is this? Stalker turned psycho?
I tried to pry his hands off.
Didn’t budge.
Not even a little.
He lowered his head.
His lips—
Soft.
Pressed against my wound.
My brain short-circuited.
“Are you insane? I’m reporting you for harassment!”
He lifted his head.
Breathing hard.
His bangs couldn’t hide the redness in his eyes.
It was strange.
He was the one attacking—
But he looked like the one being pushed to the edge.
My heart pounded.
Loud.
Too loud.
He leaned closer again.
His breath brushed my neck.
His hair grazed my skin.
Soft lips traced along my throat—
Searching.
Like he was looking for a place to break through.
My pulse went wild.
Was this attraction—
Or danger?
Something inside my blood stirred.
Restless.
Violent.
I lifted my hand.
Placed it against his neck.
Felt the rhythm of his pulse.
Alive.
Warm.
I traced upward. To his ear. Through his hair.
His whole body trembled.
He’d found it.
The artery.
Right there.
Beating.
Calling him.
Telling him to bite.
Then—
Rustling above.
A shadow dropped from the tree.
Fast.
Sharp.
A kick slammed into Adrian, sending him flying back.
No restraint.
The newcomer landed lightly. Like a cat.
Adrian hit the tree hard enough to make it shake.
The boy stepped forward and pressed his foot onto Adrian’s back.
His voice was cold. Mocking.
“Couldn’t even last one day, huh?”
“Half-bloods really are inferior.”
He turned his head toward me.
His features were flawless.
But his eyes—
Darker.
Deeper red.
More dangerous.
My heartbeat spiked again.
On his chest—
A crest.
A scepter wrapped in vines. Two small figures on either side, hands clasped like they were praying.
Scepter House.
Top of the hierarchy.
Great.
The elite of the elite.
From his tone, the two of them clearly had history.
I stepped back quietly, trying to slip away.
But—
He noticed.
Of course he did.
His gaze slid toward me.
Disdain flickered in his eyes.
To him, I was nothing.
Just prey.
Something a lesser creature had taken interest in.
“Hey, you—”
He stopped mid-sentence.
His eyes dropped.
Locked onto my neck.
The smear of blood.
The mark of lips.
Messy. Intimate.
The scent—
Sweet.
Thick in the air.
I stood there.
Frozen.
Like prey that didn’t realize the predator was already right in front of it.
He was thirsty.
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