Violet froze on the spot.
“Relax.”
Just one word, and every ounce of tension drained from her body. Violet found herself standing there comfortably, as if she were in the company of an old friend, even though moments ago all she wanted was to flee from this devil.
Asher stood up from the chair, and despite his command to relax, her heart began to pound faster. Violet knew this psychopath was the reason she was in this school, and trying to leave was like spitting in his face. How had he even known she would come here? Could he have predicted this?
A chill washed over her at the thought. If that was the case, then this guy was far more dangerous than she had imagined. Someone who could read her better than she knew herself? That was not someone she wanted to mess with.
But the next moment, anger surged through Violet. Who was he to tell her what to do? She was her own person, and if she wanted to leave this damn academy, it was her decision to make, not his. He had no claim over her.
So when Asher stepped closer until they were face-to-face, his frame towering over her, she spat, “It’s none of your business whether I leave or stay, you mindfucker!”
She knew she shouldn’t have insulted him; it was like throwing gasoline on a fire. But, oddly enough, Asher didn’t seem to mind at all. Instead, he burst into laughter, a sound that should’ve been chilling, but came out rich and smooth, sending shivers down her spine.
“Oh, my little purple,” Asher cooed, cupping her face with his hands. His touch was surprisingly warm, cradling her cheeks with a gentleness that seemed entirely at odds with the monster she knew him to be.
“You are so predictable,” he whispered, and that alone made her blood run cold. What did he mean by that? Was he saying there was no escape, that he already knew her every move? Wait-was he in her head all this time? Violet had no clue how his powers actually worked anymore.
“Can you read my mind? No…” she swallowed nervously. “Are you reading my mind right now?”
Asher chuckled. “How silly of you to think that just because I control minds means I can read them too.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You said I’m predictable.”
“I am skilled at mind control, which means I can infer a lot about someone’s state of mind through careful observation. It’s more about perception and guesswork rather than direct thought-reading,” he said, running his hand through her hair.
Violet flinched, recalling how he had cut her hair before. She could only hope he didn’t have a hair fetish, if he did, she’d probably end up bald, thanks to him.
“It’s kind of offensive though,” Asher said, with mock disappointment. “Assuming that just because I have mind control, I also read minds? Tsk, that’s so bad of you, my little purple flower.” He reprimanded her as if she were a child.
“But don’t worry,” he continued, his tone shifting, “you’ll have plenty of chances to learn more about me… in the next…” he glanced at his luxurious watch, “twenty minutes of our first date. At least, in reality.”
“What?”
This wasn’t a date; it was a kidnapping, plain and simple. The last thing Violet wanted was to spend any more time with this stalker, manipulator, emotionless jerk-you name it. But then again, she had no choice. If she was ever going to get out of this academy, she’d have to find some way to appeal to Asher. Hopefully.
So when Asher said, “You should sit,” without the usual coercion following his command, Violet understood it was his way of giving her a chance to “behave” before he took away her choice altogether. The underlying threat was still there, just beneath the veneer of politeness.
Without a word, Violet walked over to the plush leather couch in Jameson’s office and sat down. She could only hope that Principal Jameson would walk in at any moment and perhaps change the outcome of this situation.
But even as she held onto that faint hope, Violet knew better. It was becoming painfully obvious that Jameson was nothing but a puppet, and the real rulers of this academy were the Cardinal Alphas.
As soon as she sat down, Asher followed, casually plopping down beside her. He sat facing her, one leg bent, relaxed, his entire demeanor as if they were friends about to have a casual chat, despite the tension crackling in the air.
“Turn towards me,” he commanded, his voice holding the authority of a king who expected nothing less than obedience.
Violet obeyed, though she let out an exaggerated sigh, a subtle form of rebellion. Not that Asher seemed to care. As long as she followed his instructions, she would have worn a sackcloth, and he would’ve been indifferent.
They sat facing each other with Violet wondering what exactly he had planned. Asher, however, seemed completely preoccupied with typing something into his phone.
His hair fell messily over his forehead as he concentrated, and for some inexplicable reason, Violet had the urge to brush it aside. However, she clenched her fists slightly, shaking her head. What was wrong with her? There was no way she was catching Stockholm syndrome already.
Almost immediately, Asher looked up, a smile breaking across his face as he set his phone aside. It was so sudden, so genuine, it caught her off guard. The happiness seemed real, and it looked almost… good on him. And he took advantage of her distraction, grabbing her hand.
“So, about my powers…” he murmured, holding her hand firmly as she tried to pull it away, his warmth enveloping hers.
“Mind control and mind reading are two very distinct abilities, even though they both deal with the mind. Technically, it’s possible to possess both. In fact, if I really put effort into it, I could develop mind-reading as a secondary power. But, honestly, mind reading can be chaotic and exhausting, and I’d like to keep what’s left of my sanity intact.”
Oh God, he just admitted his mind wasn’t complete. Violet cried inwardly.
Asher continued as if they were in some twisted classroom setting, all the while drawing small circles on her arm. If it was meant to soothe her, it sort of worked, though it only made her more hyper-aware of his presence.
“With my mind control ability,” Asher began, “I can manipulate someone else’s thoughts, behaviors, and actions. It means exerting influence over their will, forcing them to act in ways they wouldn’t otherwise choose.” He paused, adding casually, “For example, I could make you kiss me.”
Violet’s entire body stiffened, her back going rigid. Her gaze flickered up to meet his heated eyes, first in shock, then disgust. But as she searched those strange, captivating orbs, an idea formed in her mind, maybe this was the key to solving her problem.
“The kiss…” she said breathily, the air between them suddenly feeling thick and charged, “Is that what you want? Is that your motive for all of this madness?”
Asher raised a brow, clearly taken aback by her words. Before he could respond, Violet had already pushed him back against the armrest of the couch, leaning over him, their bodies pressed close as she continued, “If that’s it, then let’s get this over with.”
For a long moment, Asher just stared at her, stunned by her boldness, before he broke into laughter. Violet frowned, annoyed. She hadn’t been trying to be funny. Then she felt his hand glide up her neck, his fingers brushing against her lower lip, and she shivered despite herself.
His gaze lingered on her lips, the intensity of it causing a warmth to rush to her cheeks. Asher finally spoke, “If all I wanted was a kiss, I would’ve taken it already. And while I do admire the fire in your eyes, when we kiss, it won’t be out of obligation. You won’t look as if you’re doing me a favor. Your eyes will burn with passion, Violet, not defiance.”
Violet flinched as if he’d struck her, though it was only the force of his words that hit her so hard. She shifted back, allowing Asher to return to his previous position.
He grinned, knowing he had won that round. Without missing a beat, as if the moment between them had been just a brief interlude, he reached for her hand again. Violet resisted, baring her teeth at him. Asher didn’t back down, baring his own teeth in response, accompanied by a low, guttural growl.
That growl was enough to remind her that while Asher might look human, beneath that skin lay a beast. She hesitated, then reluctantly relented, letting him take her hand. Again.
“As I was saying…” he continued, “I can directly give commands, subtly influence decisions, or even completely override your own choices.”
Violet shivered at the thought of him turning someone into a puppet. She wondered just how deeply he had already sunk his claws into her mind. How many of her actions were her own? Had he planted the idea of her coming here, just to orchestrate this twisted version of a “first date”?
No. Violet shook her head. She knew herself well enough to trust that she wouldn’t willingly stay at this academy after everything that had happened between her and this psycho. This was her decision, no one else’s.
“However…” His voice cut through her thoughts. “The effectiveness of my ability depends on my strength of will, my focus, and sometimes… the level of emotional connection between me and my target…” He trailed off, intertwining their fingers together.
It was a simple gesture, something that shouldn’t have affected her, yet Violet’s heart began to race for reasons she couldn’t quite grasp.
“If my target has a particularly strong will, they might resist the control, especially if they recognize it’s happening,” Asher explained, his voice almost teasing. “But since you’re basically a baby taking its first steps, it’s safe to say we’ll be having lots of late-night dates, my purple queen.”
In other words, he was planning on visiting her dreams tonight. The thought frightened Violet, but at the same time, a rush of strange anticipation went through her. After all, it wasn’t every day one got a stalker pervert invading her dreams. No, it wasn’t romantic at all. Yet Violet was still a girl, and the idea of a handsome guy pinning after her-even a slightly unhinged one-was thrilling.
“Why me?” Violet whispered. She needed to understand. She wanted to understand. Sure, her application had been “creative,” but there had to be others that had caught his attention as well.
This time, Violet didn’t flinch when Asher ran his fingers through her hair. His touch was gentle, massaging her scalp, and she nearly melted at the sensation. She shouldn’t have been getting comfortable with Asher, the mind-controlling psychopath, yet there was something vulnerable about the moment that drew her in.
“Don’t you get it?” Asher whispered, his eyes blazing with intensity. “You’re my rebellion.”
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