7. Sigma Sin

7

Sigma Sin

Violet

"You look like death." Mila's eyes widen when I drop into the seat beside her.

I missed my first class of the day trying to make myself presentable, and still, I failed. After a shower and layers of makeup and clothes, I've managed to hide the majority of the physical reminders of what happened last night. But no amount of primping brought life back to my tired eyes.

"Thanks."

"You know what I mean." She shrugs, brushing her chestnut hair back. The lighting in the classroom draws out the faint red streaks in her strands. "If you're sick, you're allowed to stay in bed, Vi."

"I know." I considered it after stepping out of the shower.

Except, my bed is the last place I want to be after last night. All I see is Saint behind my closed eyelids, taunting me.

He deleted the picture he sent me through the app, but I can't stop seeing it when I close my eyes. Him standing over me in my bedroom. Those blue Xs watching me while I slept.

And I can't shake his comment about Liam.

Right after he deleted our messages, I searched my phone for any news of Liam's death or disappearance, but I couldn't find anything. I don't have any calls or texts from his family or friends. No one seems even slightly worried that something might have happened.

It's any other day in Bristal, when that's not the case.

No one is panicking but me, and it's just one more way Saint is tormenting me.

An unsettling shiver spreads through me as I stretch my fingers out beneath my desk. I can still feel Liam's warm blood spurting out of his neck and coating my hands. I can still see his eyes fading out as he stared up at me. I can still feel Saint's amusement at my distress.

And I'm left alone in these memories—in this truth.

No one knows he's dead except for Saint and me, and that's how he wants it.

The classroom starts to fill, and each body adds weight to the pressure building at the center of my forehead. Every shadow. Every unexpected movement.

I think it's him .

That's assuming Saint is a student at Briar Academy. He admitted to our online connection, but that's the extent of what I know about him. He could be another student or someone who saw me at work. He could be anyone.

"When did you start wearing turtlenecks?" Mila's gaze drops to my blue sweater.

I dug it out of the back of my closet when I realized it was the only way to cover the marks Saint left on my neck—finger grips and scratches from when I tried to fight him off.

"I don't know." I tug the neckline higher. "I was cold."

I brush the collar and then smooth the long sleeves of my sweater, making sure the mark Saint carved into my wrist isn't showing. He made a point to leave me with constant reminders I can't escape.

"Well, it's cute." Mila spins in her seat and powers up her laptop, waving to Teal, who is walking into class. "Teal, over here."

Teal's multicolored hair is tied up in a ponytail. Bright as always, even if she's donning her signature frown. Her green eyes find us, and her shoulders relax at the sight of familiar faces. She's worse than I am about being in crowds, preferring to stick to pencils and paint. When she isn't locked in her room at the dorm, she can usually be found hiding in her studio.

She makes her way toward us, clutching her books to her chest in discomfort, and Liam's friend Declan notices. He stops her halfway into the room by slinging an arm around her shoulders and whispering something in her ear. Her face turns bright red at his comment, and she elbows him in the side before storming over to us .

"Asshole." Mila glares at Declan, sticking up for Teal, even if neither of us heard what he said.

"I hate him," Teal grumbles, dropping into a chair next to Mila.

"Don't we all," I agree, watching Declan as he makes his way toward us with a smug grin stretching his face.

There's nothing friendly about Declan's smile, and there's nothing good about Declan Pierce. He's the president of Liam's fraternity, and they've earned their reputation for a reason. In the college listing, they might be Sigma House, but everyone at Briar calls them Sigma Sin.

In order to pledge, you have to be sick, disturbed, and immoral. That should have been my first warning with Liam.

I wanted to believe he was above it because the side he showed me was the opposite of what I've seen from the other members of the House. It turns out, he was just better at hiding his true nature.

Slowly, I was starting to see it. Like when we were driving through the forest, and he snapped. He was beginning to reveal glimpses of how much he was holding back.

"Vi, where's our man?" Declan stops at my desk and plants a hand on it, leaning too close.

"Don't know." I shrug, not sure what compels me to lie.

I know where Liam is—buried in the forest wherever Saint, no doubt, disposes of bodies. And I should have called the cops the moment Saint's messages came through this morning. But something about what he said felt like a threat, and since I'm the one who brought this upon us, I haven't yet figured out what to do about it.

After all, nothing can bring Liam back.

Declan narrows his cool gray eyes. Under the fluorescent lights, they're nearly transparent and ice cold. But his smirk lights the evil fires of hell, and his attention makes me squirm with discomfort.

"You sure about that?" He ticks his head to the side. "The last text I got said he was meeting up with us at the Petersons' Valentine's Massacre. It said he even convinced your uptight ass to join him. But dude was a no show."

I shrug my shoulders, crossing my arms over my chest and maintaining the standoff. While I'm smart enough to fear the wrath of Sigma Sin, if I show any hint of fear, Declan will just use it against me.

Besides, if I thought Sigma House was dangerous, I've since learned they're nothing compared to the masked stranger I met last night.

Declan hums, scanning my face for lies. "What do you think?"

My mouth parts as I assume the question is for me until Kole stops at his side.

Kole Christiansen was cut from the darkest corners of hell. While every member of Sigma House is dangerous, Kole is the worst of them. So much so that Liam warned me to steer clear, even though they're best friends.

Were best friends?

Liam's dead.

I swallow hard, and my stomach sinks .

Kole doesn't so much as flinch as he assesses me the same way Declan did.

He might seem harmless right now, but just like everyone else at Briar Academy, I've heard the stories. Last year, he ripped off a guy's fingernails for ratting out a Sigma House member, and instead of Kole getting in trouble, his family donated a new science lab, and his fraternity cheered him on.

Rumors on campus paint Kole as a psychopath. Incapable of feeling human emotion and he doesn't try to hide it. I've heard he spent half his childhood locked in a mental hospital, and the only reason it's not documented is that his parents had enough money to make those records disappear.

I wouldn't be surprised if his lack of empathy is the highlight of his personality because one look into his demonically dark eyes, and I'm pretty sure he's a clinical psychopath.

That's the problem with Briar Academy. Enough money and it doesn't matter how evil you are. They'll let you in if you pad their pockets.

"I think she's lying." Kole watches me with his thumbs tucked into his pockets.

His dark-brown hair is shaggy as always, falling over his forehead. It skates over the edge of a deep scar that starts at his temple and trails down the ridge of his cheek.

"You can think whatever you want." I roll my shoulders back .

Like with Declan, you can't flinch around Kole. You can't show weakness. If you do, he'll find a way to exploit it.

"I'm not his keeper. Liam does as he pleases."

Something about my fired-up response garners the faintest hint of interest from Kole's generally cold gaze. He rarely reacts to anything, so when he lets out an amused breath—edging on a laugh—I don't know what to make of it.

Mila leans forward, glaring at Declan and Kole. "Don't you two have children to terrorize? Or a village to burn down? Leave Vi alone. She already told you she doesn't know where her boyfriend is. Find someone else to help you start the apocalypse."

Declan steps back, laughing at Mila's attack, seemingly unphased as he plants a hand on Kole's shoulder. "Let's go, man. It's a waste of fucking time."

But Kole continues staring at me with those dark eyes that might as well be a void in the universe before finally nodding and breaking his soul-terrorizing gaze.

They turn as the professor makes his way into the room. And as they walk to the door, my phone buzzes.

Tapping the screen, the black box with a feather once more taunts me with a message from Saint.

I deleted the app again after my shower this morning, and it's unnerving that it's back.

Saint: Having fun yet, kitten?

A picture pops through a second later. It's of me sitting in class next to Mila .

I look around, trying to find anyone who might have sent it, but most of the class is distracted or focused on their computers.

Saint: I already put one Sigma Sin douche in the ground. I have no problem adding another to that list. Stare too long, and I might be tempted to make you watch as I turn their lips the color of your sweater.

My gaze drops to the blue cotton fabric. I skate my fingers over it and text him back.

Violet: Please stop.

Saint: I already told you; we haven't gotten to begging yet. But don't worry… soon.

"Everything okay?" Mila nudges my arm, and I jump.

I tuck my phone into my pocket and try to shake off the goosebumps prickling my skin.

Saint is probably already hacking my phone and deleting our messages. Haunting me like a ghost I can't escape.

"I'm fine."

Luckily, the professor starts talking, and Mila turns to her notes. Because I can't focus on anything but my heart hammering.

I don't move. I barely blink.

Because I feel him somewhere—everywhere.

Saint is watching me.