Chapter Twenty-Eight

Maureen

T he dust from Atlas's tires blows back in our faces. We wait for it to clear before continuing down the road. When we get to the fountain with the gargoyles, Riot hacks into the cameras. No one dares to utter a word until he gives us the okay.

"My old man has lost his edge," Riot snickers.

Felix smirks. "Did someone forget to change his passwords? And they say boomers aren't tech savvy."

Riot hands me a key. "This opens all the doors on the main floor. You, Val, and Villette go in first. We'll be right behind you."

I swallow down the lump in my throat. This house is triggering. Standing at the front door, all the memories come flooding back.

Villette puts her hand on my shoulder. "You got this, Maur. I'm with you every step of the way."

"We all are, love," Val adds.

I nod and turn the key to the front door. When it creaks open, I peer into the dimly lit foyer. It feels like my soul has left my body. I look back at Riot and Felix before stepping inside, dreading being apart from them. Villette and Val both stick close to me as I shut the door gently behind us.

"What now?" she whispers.

Good question. I need to get down to the ritual room before the elders do. I really fucking hope Atlas has succeeded in killing the initiates.

I take another step forward and find comfort in the cold blade strapped to my thigh. Another reason why I chose a dress with open slits. Easy access.

"This way," Val starts toward the first corridor. The one I remember getting escorted down the night they mutilated me.

I shudder, hesitating before taking another step.

"What is the meaning of this?" Clover Graves calls out from behind us.

Fuck.

I freeze.

"Maur, get behind me," Val orders.

"Romulus, stop them!" Clover shrieks at her butler.

This creepy fuck.

I dart to the side as he charges me, but trip over Clover's cane and go sprawling to the floor. Val drapes himself over me, desperate to shield my body as Romulus cocks his fist back.

"Oh, hell no," Villette growls. In one swift move, she yanks on his shoulder, knocking him off balance. He turns on her just as she slams her fist into the side of his jaw. His knees buckle right before he slumps to the floor.

"Night, night, motherfucker." Villette shakes out her hand, wincing. "Fuck, that hurt."

"Holy shit, Villette. Where the fuck did you learn how to do that?" I let Val help me up from the floor.

She smirks. "I have a brother named Bones; how do you think I learned?"

"I regret ever doubting you, Crane," Val quips, his eyes wide as he looks between Villette and the grown man she just knocked out cold.

She raises her chin, proud. "Thanks."

"How dare you break into my house and assault my staff," Clover hisses.

Fuck. I forgot about this bitch. I still can't believe Riot lived in her womb for nine months. I slide my knife out from its strap and hold it up to her face. "You should be ashamed of yourself. The atrocities that your husband commits in this house. Disgusting. You're coming with us now."

"No, Maur. She'll slow us down with that leg of hers. Let's lock her up in one of these rooms." Val starts opening up doors in the hallway.

"She'll just scream for help. Ooh, Villette can you knock her out too?" I'm only half-joking.

Villette holds out her hand. "Give me the knife. I'll keep an eye on her in one of these creepy kidnapper rooms while you do what you need to do."

I look at Val, who just shrugs like it might be our best option.

"I don't wanna leave you alone with this monster."

Villette takes the knife from me. "Don't worry. I will knock her out if I need to."

"Maur, we have to go." Val's brow is glistening with sweat, and we haven't even gotten to the hard part yet.

I nod. "All right. Be careful. Stab the bitch if she tries anything."

Clover laughs. "Silly little girls trying to play grown-up. You have no idea what you're up against. You will lose."

I grit my teeth and fight the urge to choke her to death. This woman doesn't have a caring or nurturing bone in her body. "I won the second your son chose me over you. Let that ruminate while my friend holds a knife to your throat."

Clover's eyes darken. "My son likes pussy. He didn't choose you. He's just made you his latest obsession. And when he loses interest, I'll be the one he comes to for drugs and booze and money, just like he's always done."

I almost feel sorry for her. She really believes what she's saying. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, lady."

" Maur ," Val pleads.

I turn to Villette one more time. "If anything goes wrong, you run like hell, Villette. Run as fast and as far as you can."

She nods and gives me a hug before I take off running down the corridor with Val.

The tunnels look familiar, but there's no way I'd find my way back to the ritual room without Val. I was in such an adrenaline-fueled daze the last time I was here. The way they surrounded me like a rat in a cage as they led me down to torture me for their sick pleasure.

"Hey, we're almost there. You okay?"

I raise my chin. I need to remember who the fuck I am. "Yeah. I'm good."

As we reach the doorway to the ritual room, I feel nauseous. A wave of panic rushes over me. My body is literally revolting. Fuck. I never want to see this place ever again after tonight.

Val grabs my hand. "Let's fucking hope he didn't fail…"

I step into the room to see Atlas lounging across the altar. I breathe out a sigh of relief as I look around the room and see all the dead initiates.

I stagger farther in, dropping Val's hand. These fucking bastards . Hysterical laughter bubbles up in my throat. My hands shake as I step over each one of them.

"FUCK YOU," I scream. I no longer want to contain my rage. I rip off one of their masks and spit in his face. I do the same to the next one and the next until I'm flailing around the ritual room like a crazed maniac, stripping them of their masks and their robes.

When I get to the last one, I recognize his hands, his build. He's one of the ones who held me down. I rip off my stiletto and drive the pointy heel into his throat. A gurgling scream leaves my body as I stab him again and again. Until there's nothing left to stab.

I lean over his ear, hoping his soul can still hear me. " Fuck you ."

I toss the heel and hobble over to Atlas. His eyes glow, and he looks slightly terrified of me for the first time. I grab his face with bloody hands and kiss his lips. "Thank you."

He licks the blood from my fingers. "I'm your angel of death, pretty girl. This is just a taste of what I'd do for you."

I kick off my other heel. "Now it's my turn. I'm fucking ready." I close my eyes and call for the ravens. My sigils burn as I awaken them. As I draw on their power.

Val nods and takes off his shirt. "They'll be here soon." The marks on his body glow with light as his sigils seem to connect like constellations.

Atlas howls as he removes his shirt too. "Mors vincit omnia!" Death always wins .

The tunnels rumble from where Atlas first came in. The ground shakes underneath my feet. I close my eyes, guiding them to me. "For the raven," I whisper to myself. " For Nocturnus ."

"Oh, fuck. Here we go," Atlas calls.

Over thirty ravens fly into the cavern, squawking. They woosh around me, crying to me. Begging for me. I raise my hands. "Shhh, be still for me."

The ravens fall silent and settle on the ground, flanking me on all sides like a small army.

Val stands tall, his shoulders pressed back. "You did it, Firecracker. Fuck. You control the ravens."