Chapter 8

8 | Absence

The mess hall was too quiet for how loud my stomach growled.

I sat alone, tucked at the far end of the Demon-class table, poking at a bowl of watery porridge that looked like it had been boiled sadness. The juice was worse—metallic and sour, like someone dropped pennies in it. And the apple? It had a bruise on the side, just like me.

I kept thinking about his breath.

His teeth.
His hands, barely touching my face.

Aro Lucien almost fed on me last night.

But he didn't.

Instead, he looked at me like I disgusted him and told me to go eat. So here I was—starving, humiliated, and trying not to flinch every time the Demon class walked in like they owned the air I breathed.

And then I saw Victoria. Gliding in like a black widow, all silk and venom. Her eyes landed on me immediately, and she smiled—fake and sweet like spoiled sugar. I didn't smile back.

Rico walked in behind her, one arm draped across her shoulders. His eyes scanned the room, too long on me, like he was trying to peel something back.

I went back to stabbing the apple with my fork.

He didn't take the hint.

"Looking pale, Solei," Rico said, stopping by my table. "Rough night? Or did Aro leave you hungry?"

"Remind me why your talking to me again." I sighed.

"Because it's fucking entertainment."

"Look, I don't want to be here any more than you all want me here," I said, standing my ground. "I just want him to figure out why the compulsion didn't work—so he can brainwash me and I can leave."

Rico leaned in with that same irritating smirk on his mouth, like he knew something I didn't. "Yeah... you're definitely not leaving."

"What?" My stomach dropped.

Victoria slid in beside him like a storm. "Aro fed on you. Not once—but twice. You really think he's gonna let you go?"

I stood up so fast my chair scraped across the floor. "No—he said once he figured it out, I could go. That's what he told me."

Rico didn't flinch. Victoria just tilted her head, eyes glittering with cruel amusement.

They exchanged a glance. A quiet grin passed between them.

"Sweetheart," Victoria said with a laugh, "we're fucking vampires. We lie."

My heart sank.

No. No, he's not serious. He can't be.

I felt that familiar pressure building behind my eyes, that awful sting that meant I was seconds away from crying—but I refused to break in front of them. Not in front of her. Not in front of him.

This wasn't fair. None of it was.

The first thing my mind reached for—my mother.

She sent me here. She dumped me into this nightmare like I was some problem she didn't want to deal with. I wasn't some broken toy you could just ship off and forget about. How dare she?

I clenched my fists and blinked hard, willing the tears away.

But i  started to cry—just the thought of my little sister, Kala, all alone at home, made everything hit me like a punch to the chest.

A sharp, mocking voice cut through my fog.

"Ew—are you actually crying?" Victoria says.

I wiped my tears away and stood up, glaring straight at Victoria.
"If red isn't your color, I don't know what else is."

I turned on my heel and walked away, hearing a frustrated grunt slip out from her mouth behind me.

---

I made my way upstairs, my fingers trembling as I raised my hand to knock on Aro's door.

The door creaked open at my touch, but the room inside was empty. No sign of him.

Instead, my eyes landed on the huge bed dominating the space—draped in red and black sheets that looked like they belonged in a nightmare or a dream I wasn't ready to have.

I looked around at the portraits hanging on the walls—old, faded drawings that looked like they belonged in the 1800s. Faces frozen in time, staring down at me with hollow eyes.

I moved over to the window and stared out at the Living class school below.

There, just beyond the courtyard, I spotted Vicky and James—laughing and smoking like nothing was wrong.

Did they even notice my absence?

Or did I just not matter enough for them to care?

"Some people just don't care, Solei." A familiar voice whispered behind me.

I spun around, heart pounding, to find Aro Lucien standing just inches from my face—so tall it was like looking up at a shadow made flesh. His breath brushed my skin, cool and dangerous.

I instinctively took a step back.

"You lied to me," I said, voice barely above a whisper.

He sighed, then turned and walked toward the window, standing beside me as he looked out.

"Look at them," he said quietly. "Why would you want to leave when they don't give a single crap about you?"

I clenched my fists. "Is that what you think? That I only think about them? I have a mother. And a little sister at home."

He turned to me, his eyes sharp and unyielding.
"Your mother must not care either—if she sent you here."

"Don't talk about my mother." I pointed a finger at him, my voice trembling but fierce.

Aro chuckled softly, low and amused, before gently moving my hand down.

"She has her reasons," I said, swallowing hard.

"I can read you. See right through you," he said, glaring me up and down.

I swallowed hard, the tension knotting in my throat.

"You're upset with yourself. Mad at your mother. You hate her for what she did," he said, voice firm as he paced slowly around me.

"You don't believe she loves you the way she loves your little sister."

"You don't know anything about me!" I spat

"I can read your thoughts, Kaia," Aro said, his voice low and steady, eyes locked onto mine.

"You're hurt," he said softly.

"Stop! Get out of my head!" I snapped, voice shaking.

"You hate yourself," he continued, relentless.

"No," I whispered, but tears spilled down my cheeks.

"And you want to die?" Aro asked, confusion flickering in his eyes as he read my thoughts.

I sank to my knees, overwhelmed, sobbing uncontrollably. He saw right through me—felt my fear, my pain laid bare.

"Get up!" he demanded

I stood, my knees trembling beneath me, waiting for what felt like a sentence—judgment, punishment, something.

Aro's eyes didn't soften. If anything, they grew colder, sharper.

"I don't have time for weakness," he said flatly, his gaze boring into mine like he was trying to unravel every secret I had.

But then... he lingered longer than necessary, as if studying me—measuring me.

I caught the faintest flicker of something behind those steely eyes. Curiosity? Interest?

He took a slow step forward, then stopped.

"You want to kill yourself? Why?" he asked, his voice low but sharp.

I gulped, the question catching me off guard.

No words came.

The silence between us was heavy—thick with everything I couldn't say.

"I feel unworthy." I admitted, voice barely steady.

Aro's eyes narrowed. "And that makes you look weak."

He pulled a cup of water from the side table and held it out to me.

I glared at the unexpected gesture.

"No, I didn't do anything to it," he said firmly. "Now drink."

His tone brooked no argument.

He shook his head, sighing softly.
"You humans are really emotional."

I met his gaze, biting back the urge to snap back.

"Are you not?" I shot back, refusing to back down.

He narrowed his eyes. "Showing emotion makes you fragile and gullible."

"Your mindset is very questionable," I said, meeting his cold stare.

Aro stepped forward, his presence overwhelming as he reached out and lifted my chin.

"My mindset should be yours."

He gently turned my neck to the side, forcing me to look away.

I sighed and closed my eyes, surrendering to the moment.

"Maybe one day, someone will bring that emotion out of you." i softly let out.

He paused, the weight of those words hanging in the air.

Then, without warning, he leaned in and pierced his fangs into my neck.

A sharp, stinging sensation exploded through me—pain mixed with something electric, almost intoxicating.

I clenched my fists, trying to stay still as the world narrowed to just the throb where his bite broke my skin.