Chapter Ten

Maureen

T he only thing stronger than fear is hate. When you loathe someone so much, you don't care what they'll do to you as long as you can hurt them first. And if Laurent Erebus hates Val half as much as his son hates him, then it should come as no surprise that he's been lying to us. That they all have.

"You're saying that there was never a curse. Only a lie to keep us from leaving Raven's Gate? That's insane," Val quips.

It sounds even more insane saying it out loud. But it tracks.

I twist my hair up into a top-knot and fan the back of my neck. "Is it? My family ran Riot's out of Ever Graves when Silas got Jessamine killed. Except she didn't follow him to the After. They got separated… or she got stuck. Whatever. She was controlling the ravens before I came along. Until I joined Nocturnus."

"Why would our families make up a lie like that? For what purpose?" Atlas leans forward, his interest piqued.

I pace around the room, my pulse racing. "Fear? Greed? Who knows… But there must have been something in it for them. Nocturnus didn't exist before the feud. It was born from it. Your families worship the ravens and give sacrifices, and in return, they give you power. But where does that power come from?"

Riot places his hands firmly on my shoulders. "Do you hear how ridiculous this all sounds, Maur?"

I shrug him off. "You've never even been to Ever Graves, Riot. None of you have. The three of you were born here in Raven's Gate after the Thorns and Erebuses sided with the Graves. You've said it yourselves. Tenebrose was built on hallowed ground. I think they made a pact, not a curse."

Valentin balls his fists at his sides, the rage building inside him. "So our ancestors discovered a secret, and in order to protect it, they made up a lie to keep any of us from leaving. Is that what you're saying, Maur?"

The new sigil on my neck crackles, stinging the flesh that surrounds it. I pause in my tracks and breathe through it. I'm more confused than ever, but I'm so close to figuring it all out. I can almost taste it. "I think so. I don't know…"

Riot flexes his jaw after taking a long sip of whiskey. "They have their secrets. I'm sure of it."

" Maybe they created a fake curse to keep the Blackwells out and you in… Until I came along and ruined it. And your fathers think I'm the fucking devil. I think this has more to do with them not wanting me to control the ravens."

Riot looks down at the floor. "Fucking bastards."

Atlas lines up rows of poison vials on the coffee table. "They're afraid of you, Maur. Afraid you're going to steal it all from them. That's what last night was really about. The ritual, the punishment for Zeke—it wasn't initiation—it was an effort to make you submissive."

Riot looks up, his eyes glowing. "You're the dark queen on this psychotic chessboard."

"Afraid of me ? I'm just a hot mess from a small town. The Blackwells might be scary, but I'm nothing like them." I find it hard to believe that little old me could strike fear into the heart of someone like Holden Graves or Laurent Erebus.

Riot dusts his fingers across the sigil on my neck. "You've killed two men in cold blood, Maur. Maybe you're more of a Blackwell than you thought."

A wave of chills dance on the surface of my skin. I don't want to think about either of those nights. "It was self-defense," I whisper.

"Was it?" Valentin crosses the room and takes my face in his hands. "You and Bailey planned to kill Chad and Billy that night in Wickford Hollow. And Zeke… we were going to do it, but you flew past us with the knife." He brushes his thumb against my lips. "Don't fight that part of you, Maur. It's one of the things I admire most."

Was he right?

Am I just fooling myself into thinking I was some poor, helpless girl fighting to stay alive? I didn't hesitate either time. A dark rage took over me on both of those nights. A need for revenge and redemption.

I shake my head, my emotions unfurling from the most depraved parts of me. "I don't know who I am anymore."

Atlas leans back against the couch. He twirls a vial of poison between his fingers. His blue-green eyes sparkle. I could literally drown in the depths of them. I search his gaze for peace, but all I find is a beautiful chaos. It teeters on insanity, pulling me in deeper with every breath. Seducing me every time he flicks his tongue across his perfectly full lips.

He smirks as he catches the way my throat bobs. "We know who you are, Maur. You're our firecracker. Our pretty little psycho. You're the woman we lay sacrament to and worship. Blood… death… we don't give a fuck about all that. To us, you're just ours ."

As fucked up as that sounds, it stirs a little tremor in my belly. A longing in my heart. An ache between my thighs. Fuck, why am I so drawn to their madness?

And at this moment, I realize I'm not angry with Atlas anymore. I don't think I ever was. I just needed to take it out on him. I forgot how hectic loving him can be. He's never shown me to be anything but sadistic. His moods are whimsical, flippant, and unhinged. But he would never intentionally let anyone hurt me. Last night was normal for him. These rituals are all he's ever known. Nocturnus is his life.

I'm the stranger in this world. I'm the one who is getting a crash course in cults and secret societies. Val didn't do anything to stop it either. But he expressed his regrets and sorrow for leaving me alone with Holden.

That's what irks me. Atlas doesn't seem to care. That's what hurts me the most. "I need some air."

I rush out the front door before they can respond. The fog is thick, all the way down to the ground. There's a crisp chill in the air that reminds me of Tenebrose. The way it whips through my hair, biting my flesh. I'm filled with melancholy, a longing to go back. I miss my classes, my friends, and even the unlit paths through the woods.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, sucking down the last traces of winter. When I open my eyes, I gasp and try to remain as calm as possible. Over a dozen ravens perch on the ground, surrounding me. My pulse races.

They don't squawk at me as usual. Instead, they are quiet and still as they gaze back at me. I'm afraid to move. "What in the actual fuck?" I murmur.

"Don't be afraid," Atlas whispers in my ear. I didn't even hear him walk up over the hammering of my heart.

"What do they want from me?" I swallow hard, willing saliva into my mouth.

He brushes his lips across my neck. "The same thing we all want…" He kisses my sigil. "To serve you."

I turn in his arms and have to crane my neck to meet his haunting gaze. "Back at Tenebrose, you told me to come to you after they hurt me. But you never said you'd stop them from doing so."

His eyes light up with approval. He slides his hands around my waist and pulls me to his chest. "Now you're getting it. I will never go against my nature or prevent others from going against theirs. But I can put you back together after they've picked you apart."

I nod. My addiction to all three of them festers like a disease. Our mutual obsession is as twisted as the dead branches beneath my boots, rotting and spoiling anything good left in me. But I don't care. I want them too much. This need consumes my every waking thought and impulse.

"Will you ever hurt me, Atlas?" I feel his muscles flex as I run my hands over his chest, wishing I could feel his skin instead of his T-shirt.

"Mmm, only in the best possible way," he purrs. His eyes flash—hungry, feral.

I draw in a deep breath as he crushes his lips to mine. Everything else falls away in his kiss. I forget about the cold, the ravens, and the ritual scars that mar my flesh. He tastes like honey and wine. Like sweet fucking desecration.

I moan into his mouth as I claw at his clothes, desperate to get them off. " Please, Atlas… "

He scrapes his teeth up the length of my jaw until he reaches my earlobe. He takes it between his teeth and nips. I wince as it pinches and stings. He snickers at my discomfort but eases up. I let out a deep breath as his tongue lashes out, the heat from it soothing my tender flesh. He sucks my lobe like he's drinking from a fountain of eternal youth. Like a fucking vampire drinking blood. It's excruciating and orgasmic. Agonizing yet stimulating.

Pleasure is never without pain. He reminds me of that as he bites down harder this time. I whimper and dig my fingers into his arms. " Get inside me right fucking now ."

"Not until I've left my teeth marks all over your body." The buttons of my shirt fly off and hit the ground as he rips the fabric open. With one hand, he unhooks my bra and tosses it.

I shiver and try to cover myself, but he pushes my arms back. He brushes his palms over my nipples, sending goose pebbles across my skin. My nipples swell and ache, hardening with each flick of his hand.

The sound of feathers ruffling reminds me we're not alone. "They're watching us."

"Let them fucking watch, Maur. Let them see how I destroy you." He unzips my pants and pushes them down along with my panties. My pussy spasms as he palms it with his cold hand.

But he doesn't move.

"Atlas," I whine.

He flicks his tongue over my nipple. "I wanna hold my pussy first." He licks my other nipple, drawing slow circles around it with the tip of his tongue. "I wanna feel its pulse beating in my hand. The fucking ache and throb as it begs to be fucked."

Oh fucking hell. I'm going to cum before he even does anything. This man… fuck. "You're a bastard, Atlas," I breathe.

He laughs, the vibration from his throat sending tremors through every inch of me. He squeezes my pussy, and I almost black out from euphoria. "That's my good little pussy. You're fucking hyperventilating for my cock, aren't you?" He loosens his grip and begins rubbing his palm back and forth. I shudder as he grazes my taint. "Or is it my fingers you want?"

I grab his wrist and try to force his hand. "All of the above."

"You're being a bad girl, love." He undoes his belt and slides it out in one swoop. Why was that so fucking hot?

He grabs my wrists and fastens them with the belt behind my back. "There. That's better. Now, where were we?"

I almost cry as he slides his palm back over my pussy. My juices leak out and drip down my thighs. I'm fucking rabid for this man right now. "We were at the part where you were going to stop edging me and start fucking me." I jerk my hips forward.

"Don't you dare fucking grind against my hand until I give you permission." He slaps my pussy. "Now beg for release, pretty girl. Beg like a good little slut."

A high-pitched whimper escapes my lips. "Please, Atlas. I need you inside me. Please make me cum."

He slaps my pussy again, and I buck. "I said, like a slut ."

I'm going to pass out from the adrenaline. From the ache. " Please fuck me . I'll be good… I'm so tight. Please ," I beg.

With his free hand, he tightens the belt around my wrists. He lowers his mouth to my ear and whispers, "You won't be tight for long. I'm going to stretch you wide open."

My knees buckle as he shoves one finger inside my pussy. "Oh, shit." The wind picks up around us as the first wave of spasms rips through my core. Fucking finally . He thrusts a second finger in, and I release a sigh of relief as if his touch is my only salvation. "Yes… Holy fuck, Atlas."

He wraps his hand around my throat and squeezes. "You didn't come to me after they hurt you, pretty girl." He thrusts a third finger in, making my clit pulse with need. "But I found you, didn't I? Mmm."

"I'm sorry," I whimper as the oxygen in my lungs depletes.

He pumps his fingers in and out of my slick folds, harder each time. "I had fun playing with your body while you slept. Fucking your tight little pussy while you were off in some dream." He shoves a fourth finger in, and I almost black out. "Or was it a nightmare? Hmm? You were so wet, and you didn't even know what the fuck was happening. You know why?"

A tight pressure builds in my belly as he twists his fingers inside me, raking them against my walls. My legs give out and I hit the ground. His hand travels with me, the impact forcing his fingers in farther. I spread my legs wide to accommodate the girth, ignoring the sharp twigs that are digging into my knees and thighs.

Fuck. "I can't breathe…" His iron grip around my throat is only allowing a small amount of air to filter through. Between my heart racing and the deep spasms rolling through my core, I'm seeing stars.

He snarls, baring his teeth. "I'll tell you why you were so wet. Because your body is mine . You don't even have to be conscious for it to know that." He presses his thumb down hard on my clit, roughly rubbing it in circles.

As my orgasm starts to build, tears of struggle stream down my cheeks. Everything tingles. My sigils burn, intensifying every touch and tremor. Despite the pain in my chest, I grind against his hand, drowning in my own depravity.

"Don't run away from me ever again," he whispers in my ear. His grip on my throat tightens. I feel like I'm floating. No. He's moving me, tilting me backward. I look up at the sky as my head gently hits the ground, unsure if the stars I'm seeing are real or just spots in my blurred vision.

The pressure in my core builds. I'm going to fucking explode. I try to cry out, but without breath, I sound like a mangled animal. "Please…" I manage to gurgle out.

"That's it, beg for it like a good little slut. Fuck, you feel so good." He slides his fingers out and strokes the lips of my pussy. "You're taking it so well. But I think you can do better than that, pretty girl."

I roll my hips as a sharp spasm hits my core. "Uhhh," I moan.

His gaze turns feral as he tucks his thumb between his fingers and shoves his whole fist inside my pussy.

Oh, my fucking god.

I feel him in my lower back, my belly, and in my ass. Atlas's hand is huge and bony, and he's far from gentle. I whimper and moan as he stretches me.

"Oh, yeah. Such a pretty pussy. So pink and swollen. Mmm. Fuck." He pumps his fist in and out. Every time my hips jerk up to meet his rhythm, it sends a sharp pain down my arms as my wrists dig into the hard ground underneath me. The belt around them is cutting off my circulation. And his hand around my throat isn't easing up.

Every cell in my body is on fire. Electric. It feels like I'm slowly dying and coming back to life at the same time.

Without warning, he releases my throat, sliding his hand down the length of my naked body. As cold air rushes back into my lungs and I start to choke, he slaps my clit. I buck and thrust my hips, angling up as he curls his fingers around my core.

"That's it, fucking cum for me," he demands.

The stars in my vision explode and then go black as a deep orgasm rolls through me. I open my mouth wide to scream, but nothing comes out except a quiet squeak. But what my voice cannot do, my body makes up for.

I contort and twist like I'm having convulsions as he thrusts in and out, milking me like he's trying to break a wild horse. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. My cum squirts out, landing on his face as I ride his fist. "Atlas, fuck."

"Mmm," He licks my cream off his lips. When he pulls his fist out, he slaps my pussy again. "Fuck, you're still coming." He smears his fingers in my folds as I continue to writhe on the ground like a cat in heat.

My juices spill out again, milky and thick. I whine and struggle against my restraints. "Untie me."

His eyes darken as he reaches around and slips the belt off my wrists. "Mmm, there you go, pretty girl."

I don't even care that my wrists are sore and bleeding. I slide my fingers down my slit and rock my hips. I play with my own juices, rubbing them into my folds and around my clit.

Atlas's eyes glow as he fixates on the show I'm giving him. "Yeah, just like that. Get fucking filthy for me."

I cry out, my voice finally returning, as another orgasm takes hold of me. I am the most wild and unhinged and depraved that I've ever been.

Atlas cradles my ass in his hands as I come down and start to breathe normally again. "Look at the sticky mess you made…" He guides my finger down my slit and then up to my mouth. "I want to watch you lick yourself clean."

"Oh, shit." I have no lines left to cross. No more boundaries to break with this man. He has ruined me in ways that even the other two couldn't fathom. My sweet, poisonous Atlas with a streak of madness so sick that Absentia Asylum wouldn't know what to do with him.

I suck each of my fingers, one by one, tasting every drop of my own essence. He watches me silently, his lips quivering.

"That's my pretty girl," he murmurs.

I don't know if it's the new sigil he let me carve into his chest or the depraved act of watching me lick my own cum from my fingers, or even the fact that he just stuck his entire fist inside my pussy while almost choking me to death, but there's a primal connection between us now that I can't explain. Only that it's like a rabid dog on a leash—ferocious, threatened, and ready to bite.