Chapter 6 | Essence of the Forbidden
1066 Words
Seraphine’s POV
I slid into my seat with all the subtlety of a shadow and a smirk tugging at my lips. Victory. I’d ditched Vesperus and gotten here unnoticed—an accomplishment worthy of celebration. Anyone paying close enough attention would’ve caught the glint of mischief in my eyes, that spark that came only when I got exactly what I wanted. And today, I did.
Even better? First class wasn’t math. Which meant: no Lucian. At least not yet. That alone gave me breathing room.
The football guys were already front and center, laughing too loud and plotting their next big prank like the dim-witted ringleaders of a circus they didn’t know they were starring in. My lips twitched. Part of me was tempted to interfere—just for fun. The chaos would be delicious. But another part of me? That part loved watching their plans unravel all on their own.
And then, like clockwork, one of them strutted over. The one Vesperus had warned me about, full of swagger and curiosity and probably too many energy drinks.
“What’s in your cup?” he asked, eyebrows raised, voice dripping with fake innocence.
I tilted my head, red nails catching the light as I crooked my finger at him. He leaned closer, clearly thinking this would be his moment. Oh, sweet summer child.
With my lips grazing his ear, I whispered, “The blood of those who dare to deem themselves clever.”
He pulled back like I’d slapped him. “What?”
I laughed, full and light, and waved it off. “Kidding.”
Kind of.
But the unease didn’t leave his face. He glanced at his friends, silently asking if they were still behind him. Poor thing didn’t realize the real danger wasn’t in the cup—it was me.
“I’m parched,” he declared suddenly, louder this time. “You wouldn’t mind if I took a sip, would you?”
The room went still. Every eye turned to us, waiting for my response. And oh, how I lived for this.
I stared at him. Hard. Just for a moment, I imagined ripping out his throat. A bit dramatic? Maybe. But satisfying? Absolutely.
Instead, I smiled. Slow. Dangerous.
“Be my guest,” I said.
He raised the cup. The blood shimmered under the fluorescent lights, rich and thick like melted rubies. My breath caught. He was seconds away from making a very, very bad decision.
But before the rim touched his lips, two hands shot out.
Lucian and Vesperus.
Both of them gripped the cup. The tension crackled, practically humming through the air. Vesperus held his grip just a second longer before releasing it to Lucian, that familiar smirk tugging at his lips like he was daring Lucian to do something with it.
Lucian turned to Jeff, calm and terrifying. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Jeff shrugged, trying for casual but missing by a mile. “I was just thirsty.”
“You don’t steal from people,” Lucian said, his voice ice-smooth. “You ask.”
“I did. She said yes,” Jeff replied smugly, as if that settled it.
Technically, I had. But it was more of a dare than permission. They wanted to rattle me. Too bad for them—I don’t rattle easily.
Lucian’s gaze slid to me. “Did you?”
The silence in the room grew teeth. Every pair of eyes landed on me. Even Vesperus leaned forward slightly, clearly enjoying the drama.
“I did tell him it was blood,” I murmured, barely loud enough for anyone but the supernatural to hear.
Vesperus chuckled, soft and infuriating.
I shot him a look sharp enough to draw blood, but my smile still tugged at the corners of my mouth. Lucian, on the other hand, blinked—stunned. Like it never occurred to him that I’d just…say it.
Before he could process it, the other jock nudged Jeff. It was part of the plan, that much was obvious. Jeff lunged for the cup again, and Lucian, without missing a beat, snatched it back like it was second nature.
And that’s when everything changed.
Lucian’s fingers brushed the rim. Just barely. But that was all it took. The scent of the blood—my blood—lingered, clinging to the air like a whisper. I saw the moment it hit him. His eyes glazed over for a fraction of a second, something primal rising beneath the surface.
I inhaled slowly, feeling my own hunger stir, curling inside me like smoke.
Lucian’s blood was tangled in the air now, mingling with mine. I could taste it. Feel it. It sang to me.
And then, like a thunderclap, Lucian turned and strode out of the room without a word.
Vesperus followed.
And I… well, I didn’t even hesitate.
I slipped from the classroom like a shadow sliding across the floor. Not a sound. No one even noticed me go.
I followed the scent. It was wild, electric—pulling me down the hall and straight into the bathroom.
The door closed behind me with a soft click.
Lucian stood at the sink, staring at his reflection like it held all the answers. Blood still painted his lips, faint and shimmering. He hadn’t noticed me yet. His hand moved slowly to wipe it away.
I didn’t let him finish.
I was already there, my steps silent, my body moving on instinct. I leaned in, inhaling deeply, my lips near the curve of his neck. His scent. His blood. It clouded everything else. I felt his pulse beating through his skin, steady and strong and maddeningly inviting.
I didn’t bite. Not yet.
I just stood there, breathing him in.
The air between us crackled with something dangerous and unspoken. My hand ghosted along the edge of his collarbone. The room felt warmer now, smaller. Like the walls were closing in.
He stiffened, but didn’t pull away.
We stood like that, suspended in time, two creatures on the edge of something neither of us could name. My hunger burned. My control slipped. But still—I didn’t act. Not yet.
Because despite everything I was, and everything I craved… there was still a war raging inside me.
A war between the monster I was born to be—
And the girl trying to pretend she wasn’t already lost.
- Writer
