Chapter Twenty-Nine

Maureen

T he guys have been gone too long. I can't find Libra or Villette and I'm starting to feel like I did on that night in Wickford Hollow—scared, alone, and feral. I don't trust anyone else but them. And I can't find any of them. What the fuck is going on?

A soft hand grabs mine and I jump.

Jessamine.

"What the fuck?" I yell over the music. "We talked about sneaking up on me, Jess."

Her eyes widen. "He's coming for you, Maur. Hide ."

My stomach knots. "Who?"

She pushes me toward the front doors. "Zeke. Run, Maur. Run and hide in the woods."

Oh, fucking hell.

I shake my head. "No, not without the guys. They'll protect me. I need to find Libra and Villette." The panic is rising in my chest, threatening to suffocate me.

Jessamine hisses. "They're all in trouble. Zeke is going to kill you for your power. You have to hide. Please, Maureen."

What in the hell is she talking about? "Jess, I don't understand. I don't have any power. You're not making sense."

I realize how fucking strong she is when she drags me across the dancefloor. "You're the only one who can be their fourth," she calls back. "You're their firecracker. Zeke doesn't want Nocturnus to control the ravens. He wants that power for himself."

I pull back on her grip. "Jessamine, stop ."

She whips around, her face twisting in horror. "Zeke is a bastard."

"Yeah, no shit," I snap.

"No, Maur, you don't. He's the bastard son of Holden Graves. He's Riot's half-brother ." She purses her lips so hard I think she might shatter her own jaw.

I shake my head. "No. Riot would have said something."

Jessamine tightens her grip on my wrist. "Not if he doesn't know for sure."

That eerie feeling from earlier is back and spreading through my core. "How do you know?"

"Because I see and hear everything," she whispers. "Zeke is a Graves. He's turned all the initiates against Riot, Atlas, and Valentin. He wants Nocturnus power for himself. But he needs a Blackwell to do it. You ."

It feels like the room is spinning and the floor is falling away from my feet. My knees start to tremble as the realization of what's happening finally sinks in. "Fuck. Okay, shit. What do I do?"

"You need to go to the woods, Maur. Soon the time will come for Nocturnus to join you. You'll be safe until they do." Her blue eyes glow under the chandeliers, ethereal and haunting.

Nothing feels right. I don't want to leave my guys… "I don't know, Jess."

"Libra and Villette are out there. They need you too," she murmurs.

Wait, what? "They were just here a second ago, Jess. Why would they go out into the woods?"

She tugs on my wrist again, but I don't budge this time. She lets out a frustrated sigh. " Because I told them to ."

Fuck. I can't let my friends put their lives in danger because of me. I nod. "Where do I go?"

She loosens her grip on me. "Follow the path past the old cemetery. That's where they'll be. And be careful, Maur. Don't get lost. Not all who wander can be found."

A chill snakes up my back as I remember those exact words from my first day here. Except they came out of Miss Florian's mouth. I don't have time to process the coincidence because Jessamine is shoving me out the front doors. When I look back, she's gone.

Fuck.

It's freezing now, and I don't have my coat. I wrap my arms around my body and shuffle forward. The ground is covered with a thick blanket of fresh snow. I curse as I try to muddle through it in my four-inch stiletto heels.

I try calling Riot, Atlas, and Valentin multiple times but none of them pick up. So I keep walking into the dark and creepy woods by myself during the winter solstice—the longest night of the year.

Libra and Villette don't answer my calls either, which makes me even more concerned. Maybe there's no reception by the cemetery… I hope they're okay. Fuck. I hope I'm okay.

As I walk, my thighs brush against each other, and I'm somewhat comforted by the cool smooth steel blade that's strapped inside my garter. After what happened to Bailey and me last summer, I try not to leave the house without it.

The stillness feels ominous. Like something is holding its breath and watching me, stalking me through the dark. There isn't a single soul around. Every student and professor is back at the ball dancing and drinking the night away while I'm stuck out here. Just once it'd be nice to go to a party without someone trying to kill me.

My feet ache in these shoes, but I pick up the pace. I'm half-tempted to run but with my luck, I'll end up breaking my fucking ankle or something. I take slow deep breaths and try to still my pulse. I use the flashlight on my phone when the path twists deeper into the woods, leaving all the lanterns and fairy lights behind.

The cemetery gates creak in the fluttering wind and my stomach knots. "Libra? Villette?" I call out.

A raven squawks, shattering the silence. Fuck, I hate these birds so much. I check my phone again—still no calls or texts from anyone. What the fuck is going on? Am I an idiot for coming out here by myself? I shudder as I pass a row of unmarked graves.

A branch snaps behind me. I spin around, my heart racing. "Guys? Are you there?"

"Hey, beautiful." A hooded figure steps out from behind a tree.

Zeke. No.

My teeth chatter and my knees shake. I try to step back but stumble onto a cold headstone. "Leave me alone, Zeke. I don't want any part of this."

His smirk is evil and sadistic. "But you are a part of this, Maureen. I'm sick of chasing you. Tired of you always getting away. Thanks to Jessamine, I finally have some alone time with you."

Bile climbs up my throat. I swallow hard to force it down. This can't be happening. "She… set me up," I whisper.

Zeke chuckles. "She understands what I'm trying to do. Nocturnus should serve the ravens. Not the other way around. Silas Graves understood that. Every Graves did until Riot came along."

I can't believe that scrappy little ghost girl has been playing me this whole fucking time. I've been so blinded by my past, so desperate to make connections that remind me of home, that I didn't even see the truth right in front of me. Jessamine was always there, watching, stalking every move I made. She told Zeke I was at Nocturnus House that night. And when he followed me into the elevator, she told him I'd be there at that exact time. And now… she tricked me into coming out here by myself. All while pretending to help me. If she weren't already dead, I'd fucking kill her.

Zeke walks toward me. "You're seeing it now, aren't you? The ravens have promised to return Silas to her. But only if she delivers you to me. It's an eye for an eye, beautiful."

I wince. " A soul for a soul ."

"I assumed control of Nocturnus tonight. You belong to me now, Maureen. And I have so many plans for us," he sneers.

I shudder and dart out of his reach, putting the headstone in between us as a barrier. "Riot, Atlas, and Valentin will never let you get away with this. They will come for me."

He laughs. "If they aren't dead yet, sweetie. While Jessamine was distracting you, your psycho boyfriends were dealing with their former initiates."

Fuck.

I shake my head in denial. "They'll win. You have no idea just how psycho they are."

Zeke closes the distance between us, his eyes feral as he glares down at me. "They can't protect you and themselves. And after I carve a hundred sigils into your flesh, no one will be able to stop me."

I open my mouth to scream for help but it's too late. Zeke slaps his hand over it and drags me over to a tree. He wraps his other hand around my throat. "Time to give me that show you promised me, beautiful. Show me how you play with your tight little cunt."

Tears stream down my cheeks. I shake my head and try to scream but his hand is clamped down tight around my mouth.

"You will do it," he roars. "You belong to Nocturnus. And I am Nocturnus now." He lets me go for a second, only to tear the skirt of my gown down the middle. "Ahhh. No panties. You really are a dirty little whore, aren't you?"

I turn my head to the side and close my eyes, my cheeks burning with shame and disgust. The wind flutters against my bare pussy like it's taunting me. Telling me, you stupid girl thinking you could trust anyone ever again.

Zeke kicks open my legs. "Before I fuck you against this tree, I want you to get yourself wet for me. Get those fingers in nice and deep."

"No," I whimper. A fury from deep down in my bones rises, and I wrench away from him. "Get the fuck away from me," I wail.

He lunges at me, and in stiletto heels, I'm not quick enough to dodge him. He grabs a fistful of my hair and slams me back against the tree again. I start for the blade strapped to my thigh, but he catches my wrist before I can reach it, pinning both of my arms above my head. I look up and my insides curl with fear as I notice the rope dangling from the closest branch.

He wraps it around my wrists. His eyes fill with sadistic amusement as he retrieves a knife from his breast pocket. "After I'm done mutilating you, I'm going to let every single initiate have a turn inside your needy little cunt." He presses the tip of the blade against my clit, and I sob.

Zeke erupts into a fit of hysterical laughter. "Not so tough now, are you?" He presses the blade flat against my pussy. "Oh, I can't wait to make you my pet. I already have your cage and collar ready for you."

This man is a lunatic. Fuck. I'm starting to hyperventilate as he holds the blade firmly against my flesh. One wrong move, one tiny flick of his wrist, and he'll tear me to shreds.

"Please, don't do this," I beg. I can't stop the tears from gushing out.

He unzips his pants and pulls out his cock. "I want you to be nice and quiet for me now." He presses the knife to my lips. "If you scream, I'll cut out your tongue."

I close my eyes and pray for death.

Tires grind against the forest floor, followed by headlights illuminating our faces in the dark. Zeke jumps back as the car screeches to a halt only inches away from him. He turns toward the car and snarls as Riot, Atlas, and Valentin hop out.

Relief fills me when I glimpse their blood-stained faces. Their eyes are cold, vacant, monstrous. They look me up and down, noticing my torn dress, my bound wrists, and naked pussy. The rage coming off them is palpable. Their eyes glow like embers, and their sigils seem to come to life, lighting up the dark. No more masks. No more mercy.

Zeke's gaze darts around frantically. "What… how are you…?"

A madness awakens inside of me. I laugh. "Because they won," I yell in his face.

Zeke hisses and backhands me. "Stupid, cunt."

Riot charges forward and knocks him to the ground. "You think you can touch our girl? Did you forget who we fucking are?" he roars.

I shudder as the past comes back to haunt me. Remembering how small and weak and angry I felt the night Bailey and I were assaulted.

Atlas and Valentin cut me free before yanking Zeke to his feet. My whole body trembles as visions of blood flash in my mind. Memories that haunt me still.

Riot screams in his face, "You're the stupid cunt for thinking you could beat us."

My adrenaline surges as I twist the hidden knife out of my garter. My pulse steadies as I wrap my hands around the hilt, comforted by its weight in my grip.

Valentin slams his fist into Zeke's jaw. "And for thinking you could touch what's ours."

As I shuffle forward, I don't care that I'm naked from the waist down. Or that I'm hyperventilating. No. All I care about is protecting myself.

A bloodcurdling shriek escapes my throat as I lunge forward. Startled, they're too late to stop me.

Zeke's eyes widen as I plunge my knife into his chest. He squeezes my wrist as I twist it in deeper. But I won't let him stop me. He's just another fucking Chad. Another predator. His cries are muffled by the onslaught of blood in his throat.

I curl my lips into a smirk as Riot, Atlas, and Valentin stare at me speechless. I've been dangling between two versions of myself for so long, but now I'm finally free. I'm embracing my true nature.

I'm a killer. Just like them. Their pretty little psycho.

As the light from Zeke's eyes burns out, Riot curses under his breath. " You didn't have to do that, Firecracker."

I wrap my hand around the hilt and give it a hard yank. Blood spurts out as I wrench it free. "Yes, I did."

"This will forever stain your soul," Atlas murmurs.

I smile softly and look up at the sky just in time to see a shooting star.

Valentin sighs. "You've done this before."

I don't take my eyes off them as I sheath the bloody knife back into my garter without wiping it off. "Yes, I've murdered someone before. There's no redemption for me. Only darkness."

Riot pulls me to him, gently by the back of my neck, and the three of them surround me. "We are your darkness, pretty girl."

"We are your mercy and your redemption," Valentin adds with a growl.

Atlas takes off his jacket and ties it around my waist to cover me. "We will protect you."

Riot pinches my chin between his fingers. "We're the fucking devils you serve now. The only heathens who get to touch you. And we will leave our marks on you so that no one fucks with what is ours again."

His blue eyes burn bright like the base of a flame. My belly flutters. I don't want to run from this anymore. I have never felt more alive, more wanted than I have when I'm with them.

I lick my lips and tilt my chin up to his. "Then I will lay down at your altar tonight."