Blood for the Immortals

The First Night

I shot him a look, but I think he’s not wrong.

The doors to the dormitories opened with a groan, the chatters dying the moment they spotted us, as it was replaced with whispers.

“Is that her?”

“Half-blood.”

“Smells wrong.”

My stomach twisted.

I clenched my fists. “You’d think they’ve never seen a new student before.”

“They haven’t seen you before,” Davorin murmured, his hand brushing mine, grounding me. “Keep walking.”

I kept my chin high, but every one of their stares burned.

At the end of the hall, a woman in dark robes waited. She looked carved from her very sharp cheekbones, gray eyes that were pinned on me like a bug.

“Neemah,” she said. “I am Headmistress Varrow. I’m in charge of the dormitories. You will be placed in the west wing. Special quarters.”

“Special?” I asked.

Her mouth twitched like she wanted to smile but thought better of it. “For your… unique situation.”

Translation: isolation.

We followed her through stone corridors that felt like they swallowed sound. The candles flickered in the iron brackets, shadows following us down every corner.

Finally, she stopped at a heavy oak door and pushed it open. Inside, the walls were bare, two single beds, a desk, two wardrobes. I have a roommate.

Lucky me.

“This will be your room,” she said.

“That’s it?” I asked.

“You’ll find Ravenhill spares no comforts.” She replied with a raised angry brow. “Your roommate is not in school yet, you will meet her when she returns”

She turned her gaze on Davorin. “You may keep her company for tonight. Tomorrow she will report for orientation.”

Davorin gave a stiff nod. “Understood.”

The headmistress left, the door clicking shut behind her.

I let out a breath. “So this is it. My cozy prison.”

Davorin leaned against the wall, arms crossed. “It could be worse you know.”

“Really? How?”

He shrugged. “Could’ve tossed you in the dungeons.”

“Ahahaha……. That’s very comforting,” I muttered, dropping onto the bed. The mattress was harder than the stone floor I just came from.

The room became quiet, as the silence stretched, I picked at the blanket. “They all hate me already.”

“They fear you,” he corrected softly.

“It feels the same to me.”

His eyes softened. “Neemah, you’ve survived worse than whispers.”

I wanted to believe him, but the truth clawed at me. “I don’t even know what I am, Davorin. They say dhampir like it’s a curse. What if they’re right?”

He pushed off the wall and crouched in front of me. “You’re not a curse. You’re my mate.”

My throat tightened. “Your father doesn’t see me that way.”

His jaw ticked. “My father doesn’t see a lot of things the way they are.”

A sudden knock rattled the door, interrupting us.

We both froze.

The knock came again, harder this time.

Davorin moved first, putting himself between me and the door. “Stay behind me.” He said with a protective voice.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not a puppy.”

“I never said you were,” he muttered, then opened the door.

Two girls stood there. Same uniform, black tunic, silver trim, but that was where the similarity ended.

The taller one had wild curls bouncing around her face, eyes bright like she was waiting for something exciting to happen.

The other? Straight dark hair, lips pressed into a thin line, gaze sharp and cold as ice.

The girl with curly hair grinned. “You must be the infamous new girl.”

I blinked twice. “Infamous? Already?”

She leaned on the doorframe. “Word travels fast in Ravenhill. Especially when it’s about something… unusual.”

The cold one crossed her arms. “Half-blood.” She said it like it tasted bad.

I felt my jaw clench. “I’ve got a name, or do you just spit insults at people you don’t know for fun?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Sera.”

The curly-haired girl elbowed her. “Don’t mind her. I’m Lyra. And honestly? You’ve got the whole place buzzing. Nobody’s ever seen your typ……. someone like you before.”

“Lucky me,” I muttered.

Davorin shifted beside me, clearly not impressed. “What do you want?”

Lyra’s grin didn’t falter. “We thought we’d welcome your friend…... She’s going to need friends.”

“Mate, she’s my mate.” Davorin said.

Sera snorted. “If she lasts long enough to make them.”

I stepped forward before Davorin could stop me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Sera gave a little shrug, but her voice dripped with poison. “What do you think? Ravenhill chews up the weak.And you……” she looked me up and down like she was measuring me for a coffin “you already look half-dead.”

My vision went red. “I dare you to say that again…….”

“Neemah.” Davorin’s voice cut sharp, his hand catching my wrist. “Don’t.”

I tore my gaze from Sera’s smirk to him.

His eyes weren’t mocking. They were steady, calm. A reminder. Don’t give them more reason to talk about me.

Lyra cleared her throat, clearly trying to break the tension. “Anyway. Just thought we’d pop in. See for ourselves. You’ll probably hear all kinds of rumors tomorrow, but don’t worry, half of them are lies. The other half… depends.”

“Depends on what?” I asked.

She winked. “On whether you survive the first week.”

And with that, she grabbed Sera’s sleeve and tugged her down the hall, their voices fading.

The silence that followed was thick.

I pressed my fists into the blanket. “I hate this place.”

“You’ve barely been here an hour.”

“Exactly. And I already hate it.”

Davorin sat on the edge of the bed, facing me. His weight dipped the mattress. “You’re letting them get to you.”

“Easy for you to say,” I snapped. “You’re not the freak that everyone has whispering about. You’re not the one they think smells wrong.”

His hand brushed mine again, gentler this time. “You’re not a freak. You’re mine. My mate.”

My chest squeezed tight, and I hated how much I needed those words right then.

I looked at him, really looked. His dark hair falling into his eyes, his jaw set like he’d fight the whole Academy if it meant keeping me safe. He wasn’t saying it just to comfort me. He believed it.

And part of me wanted to believe it too.

I flopped onto my bed, pulling the scratchy blanket over my face. “I’m not sleeping tonight.”

Davorin stretched himself beside me on the bed, removed the blanket and puts his arms behind his head like this was just another night for him. “Then I’m not sleeping either.”

I peeked at him. “You know you don't have to……..”

“Yes, I do and you’re not going to argue that.”

Silence again, but this time it wasn’t uncomfortable.

After a while, I whispered, “Davorin… what if I’m not strong enough for this place?”

He turns and looks deep into my eyes. “Then I’ll be strong enough for both of us.”

The words lodged deep in my chest.

“Thank you Dav.” I said and truly meant it.

Davorin pulls me into his arms, slowly tracing my lips with his thumb before pressing a kiss on my lips.

Taking a sharp breath, I closed my eyes and kissed him back.

He nipped my lips, his fangs drawing blood.

But I welcomed the taste. Even welcomed the slight sting that came with the pleasure of his fingers brushes my folds.

He was tempted, and I wanted him to give in. I didn’t care if we were allowed or not.

If I was giving him my body, giving him my sacred virginity.

“Are you sure?” He rasped.

“Please. I need it.” I pleaded.

His responding growl shook me, vibrating in my core before he kissed down my body, over my n*****s that fell out of the gown I wore.

I arched my body into him, his tongue claiming my peak, shooting pleasures straight to my core.

I panted, consumed by the feeling as he gave me what I needed.

His fingertip pressed against my entrance. Then paused.

“I’m not claiming you tonight,” he says as his eyes searched mine

I rolled my eyes. He’d already made me promise him that. I sat up on my elbows.

“Your father will kill you if you do.”

He smirked, lowering himself to my thighs, licking it slowly. I shivered, goosebumps forming over my skin as I pulled in a breath between my teeth.

So f*****g sensitive, that thing.

Davorin licked it again and I gasped, my jaw falling open as it stoked the flames inside me.

He slid up my body again, his fingers still teasing my entrance. I looked up to his eyes, still fading between red and

green, like he was forcing the better half of himself to stay in control.

He kissed me. “My fingers,” he stroked along my p***y, pleasure building inside me, desperate for more “is going to enter you now.”

He slipped the finger in and I cried out, arching into the feeling. I needed him to move, but he kept his finger still inside me, his breathing just as harsh as mine as he leaned in.

“Do you like that?”

I whimpered as his finger curled in, sending a shooting spark of pleasure through every bone in my body.

“If you don’t move that f*****g finger, I will scream it from the rooftops,” I threatened.

His eyes narrowed, his thumb pressing against my throbbing nub. My fists clenched in the blankets.

I didn’t want him to stop, I wanted more, I wanted everything. I was greedy when it came to the feeling pulsing through me.

“Davorin, for f**k’s sake move that finger.”

His finger thrust inside me, his thumb rubbed over my c**t as his mouth closed over my n****e. I cried out, as his rough tongue stroking my sensitive peak.