CH-2
Aria’s POV
"You either win… or you die."
The words echoed in my mind long after I left the headmistress’s office.
Outside, the academy loomed, its towering spires cutting into the storm-gray sky like sharpened teeth. The Blood Moon Trials. I didn’t know what they were, but one thing was clear—losing wasn’t an option.
I had just arrived at Blackthorn Academy.
And I was already running out of time.
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I stepped into the grand dining hall, my stomach tight with unease. Massive chandeliers cast a soft golden glow over long, dark oak tables, each one packed with students whispering behind crystal goblets filled with red liquid I didn’t dare identify.
A seat at the far end was empty. I headed toward it, ignoring the way eyes followed me, tracing my every move.
"Well, well. The lamb walks straight into the den."
I froze.
The voice was low, rich, laced with amusement.
When I turned, I was met with a smirk—and the most dangerously beautiful boy I’d ever seen.
Sebastian Voss.
Where Lorien had been cold, distant, untouchable, Sebastian was the opposite. He radiated heat, confidence, something dark and inviting all at once. His hair was a wild mix of black and gold, his amber eyes glowing under the candlelight.
I didn’t trust that smile.
"Not talking?" he mused, tilting his head. "Shame. I was hoping to hear the new girl beg for mercy."
I gritted my teeth. "I don’t beg."
Sebastian’s smirk widened. "Not yet."
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Sebastian invited himself into the empty seat beside me, draping an arm over the back of my chair.
"So, has anyone explained how things work here, or are they just waiting for you to be slaughtered?"
I stiffened. "Slaughtered?"
He stole a grape from my plate, rolling it between his fingers. "Blackthorn has rules, sweetheart. First rule: humans are at the bottom of the food chain. We allow your kind here for one reason only—entertainment."
The room suddenly felt smaller.
"Second rule?" I forced out.
His grin was sharp. "The Blood Moon Trials. Once a year, humans compete for the right to stay in this school. If you fail..." He made a slicing motion across his throat.
I swallowed hard.
"And the third rule?"
Sebastian leaned in, voice dropping lower.
"You belong to us."
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I felt him before I saw him.
The air grew heavy, electric, suffocating. The candle flames flickered. Conversations died out.
Then, Lorien Duskbane was there.
He moved like a shadow, silent and commanding, his silver-gray eyes landing on me with something unreadable.
Sebastian only smirked wider. "Uh-oh. Here comes the prince of doom and gloom."
Lorien ignored him, his gaze locked on mine.
"You shouldn’t be sitting here."
The words weren’t a suggestion. They were an order.
I bristled. "Excuse me?"
Lorien’s jaw tensed, his entire presence radiating cold dominance. "Get up."
Sebastian chuckled. "Careful, Duskbane. She might start thinking you actually care."
Lorien’s gaze snapped to him. The air crackled, an unspoken warning hanging between them.
I stood so fast my chair scraped against the floor. I didn’t know what game they were playing, but I refused to be the pawn.
Lorien’s voice was steel when he spoke again.
"Stay away from him, Aria."
Then he was gone, his presence disappearing as fast as it had arrived.
Sebastian sighed, shaking his head. "Well, that was dramatic." He turned back to me, lips curving. "So, sweetheart, whose side are you on?"
I had no idea.
But I was starting to think that either choice would be dangerous.
I still didn’t know what the Blood Moon Trials were. But one thing was clear—I wasn’t safe here.
And I wasn’t the only human who had learned that the hard way.
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The hall opened into a massive courtyard bathed in silver moonlight. A crowd had gathered near the iron gate, their hushed whispers carrying a sense of dread.
I stepped closer—and immediately regretted it.
A girl stood in the center, her chest rising and falling in terrified gasps. She was barefoot, her uniform disheveled, and her wide, tear-streaked eyes darted from one vampire to another.
"Please," she sobbed. "I just want to go home!"
The crowd didn’t move.
And then, from the darkness, a tall figure emerged—Headmistress Selene.
"Humans don’t leave Blackthorn," she murmured.
What?!!!!