At the age of 18, every dhampir can decide when their heart stops, but not all of them can choose their allegiance. Melissa Sault is one of these dhampir, a half-blooded immortal whom attends a secondary school built for students just like her--stud...
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"We got Sarim!" Viyana screamed.
When I opened my eyes again, her muddy Doc Marten pinned his chest to the forest floor. Regardless of teams, people unfurled from hiding spots or jogged over to see the mess. It was when some classmates whipped out their phones to take photos that Sarim shoved her foot off and rolled over, swearing at the mark she left.
"Dude!" Blaise shoved to the front and helped him clean up, his red hair wild and cheeks flushed. "We had such a good plan! How did you get stopped?"
Even if a bit perplexed, Sarim shook wayward leaves from his hair. "I slipped, man."
As Miles, Ezra, and Jungkook joined the fray, Miles caught the tail end of Sarim's musing, needing that single clue to somehow find me amidst the chaos. Our connection was immediate, familiar of a bond built over years of learned habits and tendencies. Years of being a sibling that had seen and felt this time and time again. He slipped into the group and broke from the side of it to march to me. "You alright?"
My body didn't feel charged with static. I was getting cooler by the second as well. If I were lucky enough to say that then maybe I was better than I thought. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Nearby, Yoongi brushed leaves and dirt from his clothes as he wandered to Miles and me. "Did you do what I think you did?"
I shrugged. "He said he slipped."
My partner blinked, his expression unreadable, but at least not drained of amusement. It still didn't take a genius to tell he didn't believe a word of it.
Miles frowned, his tone more of a question than a declaration. "You didn't have to do that."
"There's no rule against it," Yoongi corrected.
Miles scowled. "He could've broken his neck."
"We're more durable than that."
"I think it's time to get you back to your dorm," I blurted, ignoring the flicker of betrayal in my brother's stare. It wasn't that I didn't have remorse. I knew the repercussions of pulling someone from a drop like that. I also knew that I could have climbed those trees too if it were absolutely necessary. It was just that he needed to go home because he was right, and I was guilty, and I didn't want to hear it. Miles' face pinched, but he didn't fight any further.
"Miles!" A feminine voice called. He and I both found the source waving to him from the other side of Blaise. Helena had stars in her eyes, the adrenaline flowing through her bloodstream evident in how she still fought to catch her breath. "You were awesome!"
My brother froze, Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. A few seniors cheered him on, some claps and kind words spraying the scene, but he held Helena's gaze, looking away only to flick his hood back over his head and stalk to where they made space for him. Ezra clapped him on the back. Helena gushed to those nearby. Humble as always, Miles took it with a grain of salt, deflecting compliments and shooing people away. Still, I raised a brow at how quick Helena was to throw her arms around him.
