Anastasia stirred first, her eyelids fluttering open to the faint glow of a lamp. The sharp smell of antiseptic filled her nose, and as her vision cleared, she realized she wasn't tied anymore. Instead, she was lying on a familiar bed.
Devin and Lucian's dorm.
Beside her, Patricia jolted awake. She blinked, disoriented, until her eyes landed on Lucian slouched against the wall, his shirt soaked with blood.
"Lucian!" Patricia gasped, scrambling to his side. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she knelt before him. "You're hurt… are you okay?"
Lucian gave her a tired smile. "Relax. It's just a scratch."
But Patricia wasn't convinced. "Take off your shirt. Let me see it," she blurted.
The words hung in the air. Both froze. Patricia's face instantly flamed red as the weight of what she'd just said sank in. "I-I mean—so I can see the wound! Not— not anything else!" she stammered, waving her hands frantically.
Lucian chuckled softly, his low laugh breaking the tension. "Relax, Patricia. You don't have to explain."
Patricia buried her face in her hands, her heart pounding.
Meanwhile, across the room, Devin sat silently at Anastasia's bedside. His expression was uncharacteristically grave as he noticed the gash on her arm where Ellie had cut her.
"You should've told me," he muttered under his breath.
Anastasia gave him a weak smile. "It's nothing… I'm fine."
But Devin ignored her words, carefully bringing out the first-aid kit. His hands were steady but gentle as he cleaned the wound, the cool touch of antiseptic making her flinch.
"Stay still," he said softly, almost like a command—but his eyes betrayed the worry hidden beneath his calm demeanor.
Anastasia found herself stealing glances at his face: the sharp lines of his jaw, the way his brows furrowed in concentration, the warmth in his usually cold eyes.
Devin suddenly looked up, catching her stare. Anastasia's cheeks burned crimson, and she snapped her gaze away, pretending to study the ceiling.
A small smile tugged at Devin's lips. He didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes softened, lingering on her a moment longer than it should have.
The dorm was filled with silence—awkward, heavy, but not unwelcome.
For the first time, both girls felt the fragile threads of something new weaving between them and the vampire cousins.