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Blaire swallowed hard and twirled a fry in her ketchup, not picking it up to eat it, just occupying her trembling hands.

“He criticized how I dressed, the way I acted… who I talked to…” She sighed. “When I turned seventeen, he became physically abusive… I had to start wearing makeup to cover what he left on my face if I stepped out of line.” Blaire glanced over at Lukas, her eyes filling with tears again before she looked away. “On really bad days… the days I would refuse his…”—she swallowed hard—“advances… he would lock me in the basement. That’s why I hate storms.”

“What does that have to do with storms?” Kai said, arching a brow.

“The first time he locked me in the basement, was the first time I refused to sleep with him. He left me there all weekend while he went out of town on business. A string of severe thunderstorms came through the Valley that weekend and it stormed all weekend long. The power eventually went out and the lightning flashes were my only source of light for two days through a tiny window near the ceiling of the basement.” She shrugged lightly. “Even during the day, it was too dark because of the storm to get much light in the basement.” She sighed. “Caleb believes I was brought into the family for him to eventually marry and have children with.”

That gem dropped a bomb into the pit of Lukas’s soul. He pulled Blaire tightly against his body, afraid that if he let go, she would float away. She didn’t fight him this time, settling in against him for comfort.

“I will kill him if he ever touches you again,” Lukas said through gritted teeth.

“I’m sorry…” Riley shook her head. “I meant what I said. You won’t ever be alone again. Whatever it takes. You won’t have to be with him again.” She sat back in her seat with a heavy sigh. “Gods. You must think this is the same thing.”

Blaire looked up at Riley. “What do you mean?”

“Well… you were technically brought to the academy to be bonded to Lukas. It’s similar…don’t you think?”

Lukas flinched and loosened his grip on Blaire. She sat up and stared at the table in silence. No one said anything for the longest time until Blaire cleared her throat and looked up to meet Riley’s eyes.

“It’s different. I mean, you all have said I have a choice. I don’t have to be with Lukas. If I really wanted, I could go talk to Professor Velastra about my contract. But I want to be at Blackthorn. Maybe the reason I ended up there was underhanded, but I’ve moved past that. I have friends. I have…” She glanced at Lukas and his heart raced. “It’s different,” she whispered as she looked back at Riley. She finally dropped the fry she had been playing with. “I just… I want to go home.” Blaire stared up at Lukas as if asking him for permission.

Lukas swallowed and nodded at her. The feeling she needed him was something he had to get used to. While exhilarating, it made him nervous. Could he be what she needed? His heart hurt to know the cause of it.

Mera said quietly, “We should get out of here in case her stepbrother ends his business early and returns to finish whatever he intended from the start.”

Aiden stood and pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. “I’ve got the bill.”

Riley glared back at the front door. “Let the bastard come back. I’ll rip his throat out.”

Blaire tensed against Lukas, and he immediately stood, pulling her up from the booth into his arms as Riley slid out behind them.

Charlotte came over, and Blaire hugged her before wiping her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Blaire…” Charlotte whispered.

Blaire shook her head. “Stop. It’s fine. It’s not your fault. You know he does whatever he wants. If anyone is to blame for him being here, it’s Ricky.”

She glared at the kitchen as Ricky stared at her with his arms crossed over his chest. He snorted in disgust in their direction.

“I promise I’ll try to keep in touch, but maybe we’ll have to meet elsewhere, because I can’t risk seeing Caleb again. I just can’t come back here, okay?”

Charlotte nodded quickly. “Yeah, of course. I don’t blame you.”

Lukas took Blaire’s hand and led her from the diner as Aiden paid. The group walked in silence back to the academy.

21

BONDING

The next afternoon, the dorm room door flew open, then Blaire slammed the door behind her and stepped into the room. Lukas sat up on his bed, alert, taking in his roommate’s wide eyes and heavy breathing.

“What happened?”

Blaire’s wild gaze darted to the door, then back to him. “I know Riley said it happens, but seeing it was something else entirely.”

Lukas slid to the edge of the bed and raised his brow. “What are you talking about?”

Blaire dropped a small bulky bag on the bed and let out a heavy breath. “They were drinking each other’s blood.”