Since I owed her nothing, I didn’t respond.
We climbed two flights of stairs, and when she veered toward the corridor that led to her dorm hall, I caught her bag and tugged her back.
“This way.” I shoved her toward the next flight up.
She tore herself from my hold and stormed up the steps. When we reached the landing, she pivoted, planting her hands on her hips and waiting for my next direction with full attitude.
I wiped the side of my mouth, stepping into her space and settling my hands on her shoulders. Her bag dropped off one of her shoulders as I turned her to the right, steering her in that direction.
Only three halls existed on the third floor. Malum Hall claimed the east wing, and I was its only resident. I’d rather drink poison than share four walls with some loser.
We reached my gate, and I pulled the padlock key from my pocket to unlock it. The gate wasn’t for my protection, per se.
It mostly existed to keep others out, especially those stupid enough to think rifling through my belongings would earn them leverage over me. I’d once found a professor trying to slide under the bottom.
He no longer worked here.
He was also no longer breathing.
When I had enrolled in Saint Vale, I demanded a private hall. I took the tour, decided I wanted Malum Hall, and kicked the current resident out.
The hall fit me, sitting on the far end. The light was limited, with only small sconces. Two of them were burned out. Nowindows or photos graced the walls. The door was as black as the night.
Before moving in, I had the space remodeled, ignoring Arisono’s protests about defiling centuries-old architecture. I knew that wasn’t her biggest problem. She had been pissed thatIwas the one doing it.
Those who had come from First Benefactors looked down on those who hadn’t. We were new to the Night Sons, inferior in some eyes, but I found it to be the opposite.
Malum Hall was also personal to her. Her grandfather, father, and the Son she had served as a Fawn had resided here. In her eyes, it was sacred real estate I didn’t deserve.
Blair followed me through the opening, and her body tensed when I locked it behind us. Her loafers squeaked against the floor as she dragged them along the corridor.
I opened my dorm room door and motioned for her to enter. She wasted time peeking inside, so I shoved her through the doorway and slammed the door shut behind us.
She stopped in the middle of the room, looking around, taking in the small details of my most personal space.
“Is this your dorm?” she asked, turning to me and furrowing her brows.
“No,” I said. “It’s a fucking dungeon.”
It was a fair question. My dorm was nothing like hers. It was bigger. A king-size bed sat against one wall instead of being crammed into an alcove.
Three black-stained windows lined another wall, hidden behind curtains thick enough to choke out any light trying to get through.
So yes, if I closed them, it became a dungeon.
I’d left them open today. I didn’t want to freak her outtoomuch.
The rest of the room was dark wood and clean lines. I liked my space clean and simple. A kitchenette occupied one cornerwith a full espresso bar setup. A real bar was tucked into the cabinets below.
Blair narrowed her eyes at me.
“Sit, Blair.” I gestured toward the cognac-colored leather sofa pressed against the wall.
She stayed where she was.
Fine. I crossed the room and shoved her down into the cushions myself.
Last night, she’d agreed to be my Fawn.
