Elijah sat in class, arms crossed as he noticed the girl he had turned enter the room. Fully healed, she walked in with confidence but cast a skeptical glance in his direction before deliberately ignoring him. He couldn't help but grin at her defiance—it was amusing, if nothing else.
When Cassandra called roll, he caught her name: Selena. It was surprising, given its familiarity. Today marked the last day of school for the week—Friday. A small blessing, but not enough to quell the unease that lingered at the back of his mind.
The class had a test scheduled, and Elijah decided—for once—to take it seriously. The material was laughably simple, given his prior education, and he finished in mere minutes. With nothing else to do, he handed in his paper with an air of indifference. Cassandra raised an eyebrow as she scanned his answers, clearly surprised to find they were correct. However, her sharp eyes caught something amiss—the feminine version of his ring was missing.
"Elijah," she said, her tone icy, "stay during lunch."
Dread settled in his chest. He slumped back into his seat, silently praying for a miracle. Time, however, was not on his side. Lunch arrived far too quickly, and as the classroom emptied, Elijah tried to slip out unnoticed.
"I told you to stay," Cassandra's voice cut through the air like a blade.
He groaned audibly, dragging his feet as he returned to his desk. Once the room was empty, Cassandra locked the door, the sharp click echoing ominously.
Elijah frowned. "You know it's illegal to lock yourself in a room with one student, right?"
She didn't respond, moving with vampire speed to grab him by the jaw. The grip was painfully familiar, the same move Selene always used.
"What did you do now?" Cassandra demanded, her voice laced with venom.
Elijah winced, trying to speak through her iron grip. "Why do you both always go for the jaw?"
"You both?" Cassandra's eyes narrowed. "So, Selene knows. And you're still alive. That means she didn't kill you on the spot. Who is it?"
Elijah didn't answer, his gaze stubbornly fixed on the floor.
Her patience snapped. With a single motion, she hurled him across the room. He crashed into a cluster of desks, the impact rattling the furniture.
"It seems you've forgotten lesson number one," Cassandra hissed, advancing on him.
Elijah groaned, struggling to his feet. "Is this really necessary—"
Before he could finish, her hand clamped around his throat, lifting him effortlessly into the air. She pried his jaw open with her free hand and leaned closer, inhaling deeply.
"No way," she muttered, her silver eyes wide with disbelief. "You actually turned a female."
Her shock turned to fury. With a sharp motion, she hurled him across the room again. Elijah hit the wall with a grunt, sliding to the floor as shards of broken desk clattered around him.
Cassandra glared down at Elijah, sprawled on the floor amidst the wreckage of broken desks. "You're only 18," she said sharply. "I understand you not wanting to become the heir, but this…" Her voice trailed off, and her glare deepened.
Elijah sighed, running a hand through his hair as he sat up. Overprotective sister number two, he thought wryly. While Cassandra wasn't as controlling as Selene, her methods were far more extreme.
"I'm going to kill her," Cassandra declared coldly. "I'm not as soft as Selene—I can deal with you hating me."
Elijah's purple eyes began to glow faintly as he stood, dusting himself off. "Then try it," he said, his tone low but laced with steel.
The sudden shift in his demeanor froze Cassandra in place. She stared at him, taken aback. She had always seen him as reckless and indifferent—a child clinging to his avoidance of responsibility. She and Selene had worked tirelessly to rid him of his many fleeting attachments in the past, yet this reaction was unlike anything she had expected.
"Oh?" Cassandra smirked, hiding her unease. "And what exactly will you do?"
Elijah locked eyes with her, his expression unflinching. "If you kill her," he said, his voice unnervingly calm, "I'll have no choice but to get rid of you. And if she dies, so do I."
Cassandra's composure faltered as confusion flickered across her face. "You won't die if I take her ring off," she replied skeptically, though there was hesitation in her voice.
Elijah's smile was humorless, and his voice dropped further, almost a whisper yet heavy with intent. "Now, Cassandra," he began, "I love you because you're my dear sister. But let's not pretend I don't know the truth. I know how to truly kill you. And if you don't kill me first, I will kill you—and nothing will stop me once I start."
Cassandra's silver eyes widened as he continued, his tone deadly serious.
"Because if you harm her, Father will be next. And we both know him best out of our siblings—he'll want revenge. But even he won't be able to stand in my way. After him, Mother will follow. And anyone else who dares interfere."
He stepped toward the door, his movements deliberate. "I've finally found something I want, Cassandra. And I will not let anyone take it from me. Not even you."
Elijah unlocked the door, his back to her as he paused. "Oh, and Selene wants to speak with you," he added before walking out without another word.
Cassandra remained frozen, her mind racing. The lingering menace in his voice unsettled her, and she found herself grappling with a sensation she hadn't expected to feel toward her younger brother: fear.
She knew him too well—Elijah had always been calculative, his mind a labyrinth of strategy and unpredictability. She had witnessed his capacity for cruelty in the past, his talent for devising the most vile and effective methods when pressed. And of all their siblings, only Elijah and their father knew the secret to truly killing them.
But this was different. His words had been more than a threat—they had felt absolute.
Her anger surged, both at his audacity and the unsettling question that refused to leave her mind: Who was this girl?
Whoever she was, she had managed to awaken something in Elijah, her careless, seemingly indifferent brother. He had never threatened her before. Never looked at her with such cold determination.
Cassandra clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palms. Killing the girl was the logical choice. She knew it. Yet, the weight of Elijah's words lingered, like a shadow she couldn't shake.
Would he truly kill her over this?
And one final thought clawed its way to the forefront of her mind, refusing to be ignored.
What was that glow in his eyes?
The faint purple hue that had shimmered when he defied her wasn't something she had ever seen before—not even during his most heated moments. It was unnatural, otherworldly, and wholly unfamiliar. A memory stirred deep within her—a warning she had once dismissed as legend.
Could he have awakened his true potential?
The possibility sent a chill through her. If it were true, it would mean the limits she had always assumed he had were gone. Whatever she had believed about him, whatever control she thought she had—it was all slipping through her fingers.
Her dread deepened. Elijah, her reckless younger brother, had always felt like a child she could protect, mold, and reprimand. But now, standing on the cusp of something she couldn't fully understand, he no longer seemed like the boy she had known.
He was a threat.
And the worst part was the realization sinking into her like a heavy stone: This time, he might be unstoppable.
Cassandra sighed, picking up the classroom phone to call for the janitor. The mess she'd made in her anger needed cleaning, and she wasn't about to do it herself. As the call ended, she stepped out of the room, her mind still buzzing. She would need to consult with Selene about this—about him.
Elijah had crossed a line. The threat he made couldn't go unpunished. She wouldn't kill the girl, not yet, but her disobedient younger brother? Oh, she'd be sure to riddle him full of holes for forgetting lesson number one.
Meanwhile, Elijah wandered through the campus, his thoughts far from the chaos he left behind. His steps eventually brought him to Selena Snow—the girl he had turned. She sat alone, poking at her lunch with a disinterested expression.
He approached casually, sitting down beside her without warning.
Startled, Selena jumped to her feet, glaring at him. "Leave me alone."
She made to walk away, but Elijah moved faster than her eyes could follow, standing in front of her in an instant. His glowing eyes locked onto hers, his voice calm but commanding. "Sit down."
A strange power rippled through the air, and despite herself, Selena complied, sinking back into her chair.
Elijah smirked, leaning forward slightly. "My dear, you've caused me quite a bit of trouble already."
Selena's voice dripped with venom as she spat, "What did you do to me? You should've just let me die."
Elijah raised an eyebrow, his tone nonchalant. "Yes, that would've been the logical choice. But the simple answer is, I've taken quite a liking to you."
Selena's glare sharpened. "I don't like you. Just because you turned me into... whatever this is, and have this strange control over me, doesn't mean I'm happy about it."
Elijah chuckled, unbothered by her hostility. "That's exactly what I like about you. Tell me something—don't you want freedom? The will to do whatever you want?"
Selena's eyes narrowed. "Are you the devil or something?"
Elijah laughed. "A devil? Hardly. I've given you a gift. A second chance. You've been made stronger, and now you can stand up for yourself. But let me make one thing clear—you're my wife now. In simple terms, of course. I won't force you into anything, but I will say this: if you want to live, keep that fire in your heart. That desire to keep fighting. As long as you can do that, I promise to help you achieve anything you wish."
Selena blinked, stunned. "Your wife? And what exactly do you gain from this?"
Elijah leaned back, his smirk softening. "Hmm, let's call it curiosity. Satisfaction. I want to see what you'll become. You're more interesting than you realize."
Before she could respond, Elijah bit into his wrist, crimson blood welling up from the wound.
Selena stared, her eyes wide. "What the hell are you doing? Doesn't that hurt?"
Elijah shrugged. "I've been through worse. Now drink—quickly. I'm sure you're starving."
She recoiled at first, but then the smell hit her. It was intoxicating, overwhelming, and irresistible. "What is this? Why does it smell so…"
"Good?" Elijah finished for her with a knowing grin.
Selena hesitated, her body trembling, but her instincts took over. Her fangs emerged, sharp and aching, and before she could stop herself, she sank them into his wrist.
She drank greedily, the warmth of his blood coursing through her. Elijah let her feed, watching her with quiet amusement. She hadn't fed since becoming a vampire—something he had expected. Blood wasn't strictly necessary for survival, but without it, a vampire would feel weak, incomplete.
He waited patiently, letting her take what she needed.
Selena eyed the ring on her finger again, unable to remove it, and turned back to Elijah with a wary expression. "I've been meaning to ask… I tried to take it off, but I couldn't. Is it because of that thing you did when you talk to me?" She sounded unsure, trying to piece everything together in her mind.
Elijah's smirk faded as he leaned in slightly, ensuring no one could overhear their conversation. "It's not just the compulsion. The ring is both a bond and a safeguard. When I turned you, I made sure the transformation process would be smooth for you. The last thing I wanted was for you to turn into a mindless blood-drinker, unable to control your cravings or instincts."
Selena's eyes widened as she absorbed his words. "So, the ring… does that? It keeps me from becoming a monster?"
Elijah nodded. "Exactly. It binds us together, and it also helps regulate your transformation. Without it, the change could be... chaotic. You'd be more susceptible to bloodlust, and you'd likely have no control over your actions. The ring keeps you grounded—makes sure you don't become a mindless creature of the night."
She frowned, still confused. "But why me? Why go to all this trouble for me?"
Elijah leaned back, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Because, despite what you think, I don't want to see you lost. The ring binds us, yes, but it also ensures you don't lose yourself in the process. You're still you, Selena. As long as you want to live, and feed, you'll remain in control. The rest... well, that depends on what you choose."
Selena looked down at the ring, feeling its presence on her finger more keenly now. "So, I can't just get rid of it?"
Elijah's eyes darkened slightly as he spoke in a more serious tone. "No. You can't. Not unless I say so. But trust me, it's for the best. If you want to be free, if you want to live on your own terms, you'll have to accept that this ring keeps you safe. It's not about control—it's about survival."
She stared at him, conflicted, but something in his words resonated with her. "And if I don't want any of this? If I don't want to be tied to you?"
Elijah's eyes softened just a little, though the smirk remained. "That's something only you can decide, Selena. I'm not forcing you into anything. But remember, as long as that ring is on your finger, you're tied to me. I'm offering you the ability to choose your path, to make your own decisions. But you'll need to feed, you'll need to train, and if you want to stay in control, I'll be here to help you do that."
Elijah leans in, his voice smooth but carrying an edge as he asks, "Tell me, why do you want to live? What do you wish to achieve?" His words hang in the air, charged with a strange gravity.
Selena meets his gaze, feeling the weight of the question pressing down on her. She takes a breath, her eyes darkening as she speaks, "Well, you were right about one thing. I want freedom—freedom to make my own choices. When you're weak, you see the cruelty of this world. When I was younger, a noble beat my father because I was standing in his way. He was going to hit me, but my father took the beating for me. Both my mother and father begged for his forgiveness. I never want something like that to happen again, which is why I'm even attending this academy in the first place."
Elijah's expression softens, and he nods, a quiet sympathy in his gaze. "I'm sorry that has happened to you," he murmurs. "And well, you weren't wrong—the world is cruel. After all, I was born to kill my own father. A task I declined, but was punished for."
Her eyes widen in disbelief. "Kill your father? Who would task you with something like that, and who punished you for refusing?" Her voice trembles with confusion.
Elijah chuckles darkly, a strange warmth behind the sound. "My own father," he admits with a wry smile.
She stares at him, trying to piece it together. A father would make their own child try to kill them? And then punish them for refusing? It makes no sense, and yet she can see it in his eyes—an undeniable truth. Something in her softens, and a flicker of sympathy rises in her chest.
Trying to steer the conversation away from the heaviness, she asks, "I thought vampires couldn't walk in the sun…"
Elijah chuckles again, but there's a coldness to it this time. "That's a myth," he says, his tone matter-of-fact. "What kind of creature would fear the sun?"
The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch, and Elijah stands, sighing softly. "Well, dear, our time has come to an end," he says with an almost playful lilt in his voice. "I'll most likely see you after class."
As he walks away, Selena stands, feeling a strange emptiness settle over her. She's now a vampire, and there's so much she doesn't understand about it. But there's one thing that nags at her mind—he had called her his wife. The words feel hollow, empty. She has the freedom to do whatever she wants, but what does that mean for her now? Why would he go so far to make her one of them? What makes her special?
As she walks back to class, these thoughts swirl in her mind, unanswered. She knows that whatever is happening to her, her life will never be the same again.
When Elijah walked into class, Cassandra's glare was immediate and piercing. He sighed, making his way to his usual seat near the window. As the class settled in and the students resumed their usual chatter, Cassandra passed out another test, but her eyes never strayed far from Elijah.
She made a quiet round through the classroom, her gaze now fixed on Selena. Elijah felt the tension building as Cassandra stopped at his desk. Without a word, she placed a note with Selena's name on it. He stared at the paper briefly, understanding exactly what she was implying—she knew.
He sighed, turning his attention back to the test as Cassandra called out to the class, "Two of you have detention." The room went still. No one could figure out what was happening, as far as they knew, no one had done anything.
"Elijah Virel and Selena Snow."
Selena's confusion mirrored Elijah's own. She looked to him for an explanation, but he could only meet her eyes helplessly. It was clear that Cassandra was not amused by Elijah's earlier actions.
Class ended, and as the students filtered out, Cassandra lingered by the door, locking it behind her. Selena spoke up, her voice still uncertain. "What do I have detention for? I've done nothing—"
But before she could finish, Cassandra shot her a glare. "Be quiet."
The words were sharp and final. Selena immediately stopped speaking, her eyes wide, as if she realized this wasn't a conversation she could win. Elijah, already bracing for what was to come, knew that this was far from over.