Leila sighed as she finally sank into her seat, Kira having clucked over her for the better part of an hour. Her father had done a number on her this time, though her sister's parting kick definitely hadn't helped in the slightest.

Her side pulsed painfully from the healing bruises that her shoe had landed in. Sometimes Leila wasn't sure any of this was worth it, but then she'd remember her mother and force herself to keep going.

She only had two more years, if she could survive them then she'd be gone. Maybe she'd enter the military, people would eat that up and her father might even not beat her bloody for it since it'd be 'continuing his legacy'.

...Who was she kidding, her father had too much fun kicking her ass and she didn't give a damn what the people thought. Those same assholes had watched her and her mother get beaten black and blue while denying they'd seen anything. They could burn for all she cared.

But getting out of the house and away from this hell was something she cared about. She just had to figure out how she'd do it. The pain in her head pulsed in time with her side as she raised a hand to massage at it. Today was going to be shitty and she couldn't wait for it all to be over.

"Dalton!"

The shout snapped her from her thoughts, spinning her head up to look at the teacher who was tapping her foot with a scowl.

"Care to answer the question I just asked since you appear to be so confident in my class that you believe you can sleep through it?"

Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment as the kids snickered cruelly, the sound making her want to snap. Well she was so sorry that the pain she was in distracted her from the teacher's lesson, but it wasn't as if she'd been thinking of what she was going to have for dinner later…

Sighing internally she eyed the board and grimaced, her vision was still wonky from that morning and she couldn't even read what was written. Before she could tell the teacher she hadn't heard her, an accented voice from near her whispered. "She asked what year Columbus discovered America in."

Surprise speared through her at the boy from earlier's attempt to help. While she still didn't know the answer, it was nice of him to help her out. It was more than anyone else had done at least.

Facing the teacher, she shrugged. "I don't know when Columbus discovered America, sorry."

The other students sniggered behind their hands but Leila ignored them, it wasn't as if they knew the book front to back either.

heaved a put upon sigh before answering, "1492, I guess I shouldn't expect anything better from you since you sleep through my class half the time."

Leila barely caught herself from telling her to make her class more interesting. She had no problem staying awake for Mencheres class after all. But if she was a smart ass then she'd get called to the principal's office and her father would be notified. Not worth the blood she'd lose.

Instead of speaking her mind, she shifted her attention to the boy she hadn't noticed beside her. She'd chosen a seat as quickly as she could to get out from in front of the class, she hadn't even noticed she'd sat next to him.

"Thanks...again. My head's not here today."

He kept his eyes forward and nothing in his posture changed but she could just hear his response. "Think nothing of it. It wasn't as if I gave you the answer, after all."

Shaking her head slightly, she sighed. "I wouldn't have wanted you to. If I'm going to pass or fail it'll be without cheating." Which usually meant she failed, but considering what her mind was usually occupied with, survival, she didn't really care if she couldn't remember what year Columbus founded America.

He hummed in understanding but said nothing else as the class finished. When she rose to leave, her sister pranced over and shoved her back into the chair, pressing painfully on still healing bruises as she fluttered her lashes at the new boy.

"Hey cutey, your accent is so wow. Where are you from?"

Leila fought the urge to be sick at Gretchen's sugary sweet tone. Her habits were well known around the school and by the look she was leveling on the new guy he was probably going to be her next conquest.

It was ironic, Gretchen slept around and got bad grades and yet their father doted on her. Leila, on the other hand, worked her ass off for her grades despite not usually managing higher than a B and she was the one who got the beatings.

Shaking off the familiar outrage at how things were, she picked up her bag and prepared to move only for the guy's response to freeze her in place.

"Romania and your accent is grating so if you could remove yourself from my presence so I could retrieve my bag, that would be much appreciated."

No one ever rebuffed Gretchen like that and her sister's gobsmacked expression would be saved in Leila's mind for many weeks to come.

However any amusement she felt disappeared when her sister recovered, "Wow, rude much? Only here a day and you already think you're better than the rest of us."

When she moved to push at his shoulder, he yanked it back as if burnt. "Don't touch me."

Something about how he hissed the phrase caught Leila's attention, making her pause in the process of packing up for the day. Where had she heard it before?

Gretchen ignored his command, moving to grab him again with a scoff. "Geez, you're even acting as if we have germs. And they say Americans are rude."

The split second before her fingers grazed him it clicked in Leila's mind where the tone was familiar from, their mother. Margaret Dalton used to always sound like that when their father would come home from a drinking binge and paw at her in full view of their kids.

Her mother's attempts to refuse never mattered to Hugh Dalton, just as the new guy's didn't matter to Gretchen now. Icy anger burned through her veins as Leila stood up, loudly screeching her chair back and slamming her hand down over her sisters. With the offending hand pinned under hers on the guy's desk, Leila was now face to face with Gretchen.

Her sister's bravado faltered as Leila stared into her eyes, "You are acting like our father and I won't stand for it. Whether someone wants to be touched or not isn't up to you. Now leave, before I tell Mencheres."

Gretchen froze, staring into her sister's icy eyes as fear trickled down her spine. It took her a few tries to pry her hand out from under Leila's but when she did she rubbed the now red skin gingerly. Inching backward warily, she hissed. "I'm telling Daddy about this."

Snorting in disgust, Leila shrugged. "Of course you are. You've never handled your own battles before now so why wouldn't you?"

She froze as the teacher approached with a scowl, "Leila Dalton, are you causing another disturbance in my class."

Leila didn't even try to defend herself, already knowing what was about to happen. Gretchen flipped a switch and summoned her famous crocodile tears. "Ma'am, I was just trying to talk to the new student when Leila slammed her hand onto mine. It really hurts too, see?"

When looked at the red skin she turned to Leila with a shark like smile. "That's the second time you've disturbed my class today . You know what that means."

Not even bothering to muffle her sigh, she nodded. "Detention and a call home, I know." And she'd been doing so good with avoiding her father's wrath lately too… So much for her somewhat healed injury, it was about to be bust back open again.

Before she could say anything else, the new guy spoke up. "Actually, this girl was attempting to touch me in ways I vocally told her I didn't want her to. Leila stopped her."

All eyes swung to him in disbelief as he contradicted Gretchen, the smile dropping from 's face into a disappointed frown. "Is that so? Well then, Gretchen leave him alone."

And with that she turned and left, the lack of real punishment rankled Leila but she focused on the present as her sister sauntered off.

"Thanks, but it's not worth trying to argue. Trust me on this, it'll just get you targeted too."

He snorted at that, "I've been targeted by much worse in my life than a bitchy high school girl and a severely bias teacher. I'll live and I should be thanking you."

At that, she looked to him in bewilderment. "Why?"

Standing to begin cleaning off his desk now that most of the kids were gone, he answered. "You stopped her from touching me. If I'd done the same thing the result would've been far more painful for her. I would've had to listen to Mencheres lecture about restraining my strength and not fighting with people. It would've been a mess all around, so thank you."

To her surprise he began straightening her things after he was done with his, offering them to her once he was finished. Remembering his mention of disliking touch, she was careful to avoid his fingers when she took them back. Putting them into her bag, she hesitated briefly before offering. "I'm sure you've picked it up by now but my name's Leila. What's yours?"

Considering how he'd reacted to Gretchen and the scowl still decorating his face she half expected him to tell her to fuck off but to her surprise, he answered evenly. "Vlad Dracul and I'm very glad to make your acquaintance."

Not sure what to say to that, she mumbled. "Likewise."

And to her shock she truly meant it. Waiting for him to leave, not wanting to crowd the guy after dealing with Gretchen, she was surprised again when he waited by the classroom door for her.

Coming to a stop next to him, she asked. "Do you need help getting around?"

He let a small smile curl his lips before shaking his head, "No, I memorized the entire school's layout within minutes of being here."

Staring at him in confusion, she waited for him to elaborate why he was there only for him to gesture for her to go through the door. "Ladies first."

Blinking in surprise, she slowly did as prodded. This was definitely new…

As Vlad sidled up beside her, not saying a word as they walked in companionable silence, she wondered if he was trying to be her friend. The thought was foreign but after a beat of thought she decided to let him do...whatever it was he was doing.

If he wanted to be friends, then she wouldn't try to stop him but she'd have to warn him about the potential dangers if he did. He'd probably change his mind after that, but at least she could enjoy it while it lasted.

Chapter Three

The rest of the day followed suite with Vlad waiting after each class to walk with her, something that Gretchen definitely noticed if the scowl she directed Leila's way was any indicator.

She may have dodged the beating for getting a call from the school, but if the glint to her sister's eyes was any indication Leila wouldn't be making it out scott free once she got home. Daddy's little bitch was definitely going to tell him she'd done something she hadn't.

Biting back a sigh at the thought, Vlad's voice yanked her back to the present. "You seem distracted."

Jolting at the sudden voice, she choked out. "Sorry, think I need more sleep."

Copper eyes settled on her with disapproval, "Don't lie to me. If you don't want to answer something then that's fine but say so. I despise lying."

Clicking her mouth shut in surprise, she slowly nodded. "Sorry."

He grunted in irritation, "Stop apologizing. You've done nothing wrong, just remember from now on."

She barely caught herself before she apologized again. Instead she nodded, "I will."

After a moment, she answered his previous question. "I'm thinking about my sister and the hell I'm going to hear when I get home for hurting her."

Vlad scoffed, "That was barely an injury."

She hummed in agreement, "It was enough of one for her and I'm sure I'll be hearing it from our father too." The thought of what he'd doll out twisted her stomach, making her momentarily glad she hadn't eaten anything yet today.

She missed the scowl on Vlad's face at her words, by the time she glanced over at him he'd shifted back into a mask of scorn. "How that is your sister is beyond me."

Chuckling at his disgust, she answered. "Usually when people say that it's me they're saying doesn't fit with her. I have to admit this is a nice change up."

"Looks aren't everything, personality is far more valuable and hers is horrendous." If one could sniff daintily he'd managed it, to her amusement.

Shaking her head, she chuckled wryly. "Says the one who's hot with an accent."

He paused for a second, making her worry she'd offended him, before continuing. "What is it with you American's and my accent? To me you are the one with an odd dialect."

His way of speaking would take some getting used to, but the genuine curiosity made her smile. "I honestly have no idea. Maybe it's because it makes your voice sound deeper?"

At her shrug, he addressed the other part of her statement, "And beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I don't see anything unattractive about you, so the same could be said of you."

She barely managed to stifle her snort, "Save it for someone who'd believe it, I know what I am and it isn't pretty." The wistful tone to her voice was gone as soon as it appeared, but Vlad still caught it.

Pulling both of them to a stop, he stood in front of her and waited until her eye was focused on him. "I'm fully capable of deciding what's attractive without help, though you sound like you might need some. Scars don't make you unattractive, if they did then I'd be considerably more hideous than you could ever hope to be."

That pulled her up short. She didn't see any scars… Before she could try to come up with something to say to that, he held out his arm which she only now noticed was covered in long sleeves.

Hesitatingly slightly, she waited to be sure she wasn't misunderstanding. When he nodded sharply, she swept a glance around the empty hallway before gently pulling one of the sleeves up.

She bit back a gasp of surprise at the dozens of lines across his arms, some small or short while others ran the entire length of his bicep. Her hands stayed on the sleeve, not touching the skin despite the urge to do so. How had he gotten this many scars?

Hell she got beaten daily and only had a handful, minus the one on her face.

Realizing he was watching her intently, she pulled the sleeve back down before choking out. "Ah."

Not her most intelligent response, but as she thought on what could have caused those injuries she couldn't find the extra brain power to come up with something better. Some of them looked eerily similar to hers and as she glanced at Vlad something seemed to click into place.

"You're like me."