Reborn

Chapter Thirty Seven

Attempting to avoid someone so they don't try to manipulate your emotions, tricking you into kissing them, was a lot more difficult than I had originally assumed. I had foolishly led myself to believe that if I just stayed confined to the room I had been sleeping in, Lukas wouldn't seek me out.

I really could be an idiot at times.

When there was a tentative knock at the door, I quickly closed the journal I had been reading and stuffed it under the pillow I'd been sitting on. Then, I sat back down on top of it, just as the door opened and Lukas stepped inside the room.

Benjamin had warned me that now Lukas had set his sights on me, I would have to be more careful. Not just with what I said, but the way I acted around him. I couldn't let Lukas think I was onto him because the consequences could be disastrous.

I took comfort in the fact that if a fight did break out between Lukas and myself, I had a good chance at winning. Fighting against another vampire was a lot easier than going up against a hybrid, after all.

"Violet," Lukas spoke up, breaking my train of thought. He smiled at me, hovering by the door but making no move to come any closer. "I was hoping we could talk? I know you're probably confused..."

"That's an understatement." I responded dryly.

Lukas nodded, accepting this and took a step forward, rocking back and forth on his heels as though he was uncomfortable, as though he wished to be anywhere but having this particular conversation.

He wasn't the only one.

"It's about the kiss..." Lukas trailed off, brows furrowed. "I didn't mean to do it, I really didn't."

"Didn't mean to kiss me?" I asked, remembering that I had to pretend I had no idea what he could do.

"No, I mean... well, I wanted to kiss you, but I didn't think you would kiss me..." He chuckled nervously. "I can do things... I can influence emotions. I didn't realise I was doing it until Benjamin pulled me away..."

I hadn't been expecting a confession. I hadn't been expecting him to tell me he had done it on purpose, but I also hadn't expected him to play it off as though he'd had no idea what he had been doing. The idea that he wasn't in control of his ability was ridiculous. I didn't believe that for a second. Not after the way he had been manipulating Benjamin.

But Lukas cannot find out that I know about that, so I plastered a small smile on my face and said, "It's okay... I think. I don't understand what you mean but if you didn't mean to do it then I believe you."

"You do?" Lukas appeared surprised, gaping at me in shock. His eyes had widened slightly, his lips parted. He resembled a child in that moment, a scared, vulnerable child, and I wondered how long he could keep up this act.

"You're the only one that hasn't treated me awfully since I was brought here," I said. That was true, at least. "Everybody else has made it obvious they don't care for me, Leah included. Quite frankly, Benjamin terrifies the shit out of me because I know he's going to flip one day and mark me. You're the only one that doesn't treat me like a prisoner."

"You're not a prisoner, Violet," Lukas sighed, coming over to the bed and sitting down on the edge. He raised his hand, as though he were about to place it on my knee in a comforting gesture, but he thought better of it and dropped his hand to his lap. "Prisoners aren't allowed free reign of the place they are kept. Benjamin wants to claim you, that means he has to give you some sort of freedom."

"Doesn't change what he wants to do though." I replied bitterly. Thinking about what Benjamin had originally wanted, and Lukas heavily influencing that and giving him the push needed, only made me angry. It was easy to pretend I didn't know the truth when I thought about that. "I need to get out of here, Lukas. I can't stay here, I just can't."