Being a Ventura was all Mathew knew. It never occurred to him he could belong to anyone else. The time he spent before he was adopted felt wasted until Dante, his oldest brother, rescued him from the darkness. Mathew believed in destiny and if two people were supposed to meet, they would. That was how he felt about Dante.

He was meant to meet Dante.

And going behind his back would be Mathew's greatest betrayal.

"Thank you," Mathew told the Uber driver as he climbed out of the car. The man happily got out and helped Mathew take out his suitcase from the trunk. The administrative office warned Mathew to expect chaos on move-in day and advised him to be prepared, but two days later, there were no signs of disorder. Only wet sidewalks and sticks ripped from branches. Soggy leaves littered the campus. Puddles of murky water crowded the edges of the sidewalk and the wet, earthy smell caused Mathew's stomach to roll.

Mathew had meant to move in with everyone else but couldn't.

Not when the storms were merciless and every time it thundered, Mathew felt like that kidnapped eight-year-old running from strangers with sharp teeth. He couldn't think about that now, though. If he spent too much time dwelling on the past, he would become trapped there.

Pushing himself, Mathew grabbed his backpack, taking out the gray leather pouch he received from the bank and checked inside. There were ten thousand dollars inside separated by five hundred bundles that were each wrapped in a tan rubber band. Mathew wasn't sure how much money he needed. Whenever he wanted something, one of his older siblings would descend with their black cards. Throughout his second life, Mathew had very little to worry about it.

As the baby in the family, Mathew loved his parents dearly, but his older siblings - Dante, Bianca, Nino, and Anthony - also raised him.

Grabbing a few hundred dollars, Mathew approached the driver with a smile. "Here, I really appreciate your help." Guiltily, Mathew's eyes darted to the puncture wound in this man's neck. He was never good at cleaning up after himself.

The stress of starting school obliterated Mathew's thirst but being surrounded by humans in a dorm pulled Mathew back to reality. He needed to be careful, and he needed to feed. The only thing that curbed Mathew's remorse was knowing this man never had to see Mathew again. Hopefully, this man never met another vampire.

"Oh, I can't—" the driver said, his eyes widening at the sight of the money. He had his hands up to reject the tip, but Mathew shook his head.

The magic inside of Mathew crackled, and his eyes flashed a bright, rosy red. Magic was one of the few things that warmed Mathew's blood and made his slow, icy heart beat faster. He compelled this human, mesmerizing him, "You'll happily take the money, and you'll quickly forget all about me. I was just another passenger."

In order to mesmerize a human, the victim had to be willing, and the request had to be something the human would actually do. Accepting the money without a problem, the driver smiled. "Have a nice day." Like that, he climbed back into his car and drove off.

Mathew's smile dropped as he looked around, surrounded by emptiness. Away from home, it would not be easy finding a reliable source of blood. Mathew knew he'd need to stay away from the sun. Thankfully, the sky should be gray and speckled for a while during the fall semester. Mathew didn't think he'd be here long enough to worry about the summer.

Usually, Mathew would call Dante as soon as he arrived at his destination, and he felt a little aimless, unable to do it. Mathew gathered up his bags and started his trek into the heart of Black Hawthorne University. The school itself stood on hills and uneven ground, offering a view of mountains in the distance. Everywhere Mathew turned, he saw stairs, hills, and old brick buildings. The construction of this place took the earth into consideration, not working against it.

Mathew began the trek to his dorm, pretending to struggle a little with his bags whenever he passed a human. He chose a modest option. The goal was to avoid standing out and quietly disappearing when he had everything he needed. No matter where he looked, he couldn't get over the fact his parents walked the same sidewalks. They drove the same road to get here over five years ago.

Briggs dorm wasn't a modern example of grand architecture like the more expensive option at Black Hawthorne, but it had two stories of beautiful red brick and large windows. Mathew could spy plants in windows, lights, and bodies passing. Mathew took a breath. He wasn't good with strangers or crowds. The combination of the two was a powerful cocktail for his anxiety to get drunk off.

Standing by the big wooden door, a tall, gangly guy fixed his black tight curls and button-up shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles. A few guys walked out of the dorms, waving to him as they passed. This guy stood at attention, watching them go, and called out, "Hey! Stay safe! Don't drink on campus!"

The guys leaving chorused non-committed agreements, laughing to themselves when they turned around. Mathew approached the door and this guy, noticing he was taller than Mathew expected. This guy was all limbs, cool black skin, and big doe eyes.

"Um, hi," Mathew said.

This guy's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, uh hi."

He blinked and tried to process Mathew's existence. Mathew just stood there, but by his expression, Mathew should grow a second head or turn into a bat. Mathew's stomach twisted. He didn't think he looked strange. None of the clothes he brought were designer. He wasn't extravagant with his hairstyling.

"Are you lost?" This guy asked, combing through his hair. "Um, Augustine dorm is back that way. All the dorms are like a compass, with the school in the center. This is the south side. You want to head north."

Mathew already knew that. He recognized that dorm name, too. It was the most expensive option.

"But I'm Noah," the guy said, holding out his hand. "Normally, I'd walk you there, but I'm waiting for someone."

"Right," Mathew said and accepted the handshake. "I'm here looking for you."

Noah straightened out again. "You were looking for me?" His voice cracked, forcing him to clear his throat. Mathew could hear the flutter of his heart. Humans were cute without even trying.

"I'm Mathew Darling." He stumbled over the fake name, not used to the sound of it. It didn't roll off the tongue like Ventura and he knew he'd never stop struggling with that. The only person who could help him was Phoebe, a friend of his older brother Anthony, who would keep quiet if she was paid well enough. She sent him off with a fake file, fake transcripts, and a name that she thought was cute enough to suit him. Beggars can't be choosers, so Mathew accepted it without argument.

"You must be the resident advisor. I know I'm late but—"

"Oh!" Noah's eyebrows shut up his forehead, and he held up his hands. "Oh, my god, that's embarrassing. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed. You just look like you're in the wrong place."

Mathew cocked his head, unsure what he could mean, and Noah must've heard himself quickly back peddling his statement. "Sorry. That sounds weird. You just look outside this tax bracket and it's nice."

"Are people here not nice?"

"Let's start over." Noah turned fully around and revealed his hand once again. "Hello, my name is Noah and I'm the resident advisor, but you'll hear everyone call me dorm mom."

"Mathew," he said with a smile, and accepted the handshake.

"Do you go by a nickname, or is it, Mathew?"

"Uh, I usually get called Matty," he said, and it dawned on Mathew that this was the first new person he had met in a long time. His bubble consisted almost exclusively of his family and the people they trusted. Mathew received friends like any other hand-me-down.

"Matty it is." With a smile, Noah reached down and grabbed one of Mathew's bags. He motioned Mathew to follow him inside, instantly overwhelming Mathew with all the pictures on the walls, posters, corkboards, chore wheel, and the gaudy floral wallpaper. The foyer was tight, shrunk by storage and coat racks.

"Hey, mom," another guy said, appearing from an opened side door and hanging off the threshold. Shoeless, he had old ratty sweatpants hanging off his hip bone and Mathew didn't know where to look besides his six-pack. "Where do we keep the batteries...?" As he was asking, his eyes drifted from Noah to Mathew and his brows raised. "Never mind. I wanna know who this is. What's up?" He nodded with a grin.

"This is Matty," Noah said.

"Matty," the hot guy tested the name on his tongue. "You live here?"

"If you guys will have me," Mathew tried to joke, but he didn't like how this guy smiled or how he glanced at his friends with a sneaky look. Anthony would make the same look right before making a snide comment.

"I'll have you," he said.

"Okay!" Noah raised his voice and grabbed Mathew's arm, pulling him towards the staircase. "Nice to meet you."

"The name's Grant!" The guy called. "Hit me up if you need anything."

"Don't go to him," Noah whispered and led Mathew to the stairs. Unable to help himself, Mathew looked back. Grant had a sideways grin and a laugh that rivaled any school yard bully. He had the eyes of a strange dog, and Mathew couldn't predict his next move.

Mathew didn't understand what part of his powers did this, but it always happened. Other vampires have mentioned it. His siblings have backed it too, but he apparently smelled as good as the most delicious human. Something about his aura lured people in. Anthony once joked he bewitched people without even trying. Mathew wasn't doing anything on purpose.

They walked deeper into the dorm and everyone they ran into had to make a comment to Noah about Mathew. It was guys from all walks of life, but they all had that same playful, slightly mean look in their eyes, staring at Mathew and looking him up and down.

One guy with long wavy blonde hair high-fived Noah as he passed. "Hey dorm mom, does this mean we finally have a dorm dad?" He winked at Mathew, who was too overwhelmed to speak.

Hanging off the stairs, another guy said, "Congratulations on your union." He gave them a thumbs up, but didn't move or make room for Noah and Mathew to walk by. Mathew had to squish himself against the wall to make it. "New guy, I think you can do better."

"Everyone is hilarious!" Noah raised his voice, and even more people poked their heads out. Mathew's stomach popped from its stem and plummeted to his toes. He put on a brave face, but inside he was screaming. Coming here might've been a bad idea.

Noah shouted for the growing crowd. "This is Mathew—!" Noah continued, despite a little cat calling and wolf whistles. "You can call him Matty! He's new here, so everybody stop acting like little monsters and be normal!"

"I don't like what you're implying," someone said, standing at their door. It was ironic. Out of everyone Mathew had seen, this guy was the most handsome, like someone Mathew would run into at one of Nino's photoshoots with his sharp eyes and splattering of freckles. It was an unexpected face.

"Well," Noah grunted, stopping half a second to scowl at this pretty person. "We ran into Grant first, so you can imagine the rest." Walking again, he shot this guy a warning finger. "Elijah, keep your dog on a leash."

Elijah smiled. "I'll have him spayed and neutered. Nice to meet you, Matty." He waved, fluttering his fingers, and disappeared into his bedroom.

"This way," Noah said, walking to the very end of the hallway. The rest of the house was wall to wall noise of TVs, chattering, laughter, and bad singing in the bathroom. Behind this door was absolute silence. Noah dropped Mathew's bag there. "We are officially at max capacity at this dorm, so this is the only spare bed."

"Yeah." Mathew's shoulders shrunk, suddenly squeamish. He finally accepted the invitation to attend Black Hawthorne University on the last day of registration. "I finished registration pretty late."

Noah leaned into the door, rattling it with just his knuckles. "Jace, open up."

"Come in," a deep voice said on the other side and Noah opened the door, revealing a room the size of his sister, Bianca's closet. Everything was doubled in the room - two beds, two nightstands, two dressers, and two desks. Jace's side had a huge comforter and what looked like a handmade quilt, but no hanging photos or art. His desk was so organized and tidy too.

Unbothered by their entrance in the middle of the floor, Jace was doing push ups like it was nothing. With his short sleeves rolled up on his shoulders, Mathew watched Jace's muscles flex as he pushed his body up and down.

"Jace," Noah sighed, dragging Mathew's bag into the room first. Mathew hesitated to follow him to the bed on the left with a hamper on top and a pile of jackets and sweatshirts. "I told you to clear your stuff."

"You also said I had a roommate two days ago." Flicking his head up, Jace eyed Mathew for a split second, then he focused on Noah. He cracked a half smile and Mathew's lunch churned.

Jace jumped up onto his feet, and Mathew tried to look normal, but Jace's height surprised him. Jace didn't stand in the room. He took up its space. His shorts had hiked up his thighs, and it was clear this guy worked out all the time. Everything about him was strong, the severe cut of his jaw, the thickness of his body, and the size of his hands as they gathered up his clothes. He walked the pile to his bed and Mathew's cheeks burned as he realized the first thing he did was look at Jace's ass.

"Stuff happens," Noah said. "What do you want me to say? This is Mathew Darling. Mathew, this is Jace Wright."

"Hi." Mathew finally remembered how to speak and offered Jace his hand. "Um, you can call me Matty."

Jace made the smallest puff of laughter and didn't take Mathew's hand. He crossed his arms, somehow standing even taller than before. Mathew understood how rabbits felt standing at the foot of a wild coyote. "I think you can imagine my disappointment in finding out I have a roommate." Jace took another step forward. "I've never had a roommate, but I expect my peaceful ecosystem not to be disturbed."

"Oh, I'm not—" Mathew piped up, panicking that this guy somehow had the wrong impression of him, but Jace wasn't finished.

"No guests. Especially the idiots here that don't shower. I'll have silence in this dorm room." He pointed a warning finger at Mathew, who could do nothing but blink and stand there with his mouth open like an idiot. "And absolutely no food. Unlike the rest of the cesspool out there, this room will not be a petri dish. I don't care who you hang out with outside of here, but when you're here, you'll follow my rules. It'll be the best way we can tolerate each other."

"I—" Mathew tried to speak up again, but Jace reached behind Mathew. Jace didn't even touch him. He was barely next to his body. Heat struck him. When Jace moved, the air in the room shifted, and it overwhelmed Mathew. Jace swiped the last towel on the bed and left.

"Thank you, Jace!" Noah shouted after him. He dropped his hands on his hips and shook his head with his biggest sigh. "Like I said, Jace was kind of the only option left."

"Right," Mathew grumbled. The shock evaporated, replaced by anger and confusion. His heart was restless, as his brain was thinking of all the things he should've said and done.

Mathew Ventura had spent his entire life loved by everyone. Usually, upon meeting Mathew, they liked him instantly. Mathew had never experienced someone disliking him so much for no reason. He thought getting people to like him was going to be the easy part, but something about Jace Wright didn't read as easy.

"Let me know if you need anything," Noah offered Mathew a little comforting pat on the arm before leaving Mathew alone. The moment the door clicked shut, Mathew dropped his bags and flopped over on his bed. Letting out a huge sigh, he pressed his fingers into his eye sockets and shook his head.

"I can do this," he told himself. "You have to do this."

He grabbed the lock he bought, closing it officially shut. Glancing at the door, he prayed Jace took a long shower and grabbed his heavier suitcase. A cooler sat inside, filled with emergency blood packets if he couldn't find a meal safely.

Sitting here made it all feel that much more real. Now that he ran away from home, Dante would move heaven and earth to find him. It'd take him less than a semester to do it, so Mathew didn't have time to waste worrying. He came here with a purpose.

Mathew would find a cure for his illness. His blood was poisonous. A single drop had the power to make the strongest creature alive head explode. And then, he would uncover the reason why this power got his parents killed.