Prologue

Music pumped through speakers as Harper and I swayed our hips to the beat. Landry always threw some of the best parties, this one being no exception.

"Girl, slow down," Harper scolded as I chugged my mixed drink. Jungle juice always hit the spot. The key is to never eat the fruit. That's the shit that will have you fucked up, running ass cheeks out down the street.

"This is only my third cup," I retorted.

Harper Leigh was ever the true definition of a Southern belle. She barely cursed, was still a virgin who wouldn't go past first base, and attended Sunday services until night fell. It was one of the things that drew us together. Consider me the Yang to her Yin, or was it the other way around? Shit, I'm buzzed already. They must've upped the alcohol-to-juice ratio this go-round.

"Yeah, but you haven't eaten anything yet, remember?" she murmured, handing me a burger.

"Reason eight thousand, seven hundred and fifty-six of why I love you and you can never leave, Leigh," I slurred before taking a massive bite of food.

She rolled her eyes, knowing I was on the road to feeling way past drunk. I only called her Leigh when I was mad or wasted, and since I wasn't angry–drunk, it was.

"Drink this," she ordered.

I grabbed the bottled water from her proffered hand, or at least I thought I did. No water was in my grip.

Shaking her head, Leigh opened the water, put it to my lips, and I eagerly drank.

"Slow down, or you'll get sick," she scolded.

I mimicked her. "Okay, Mom!"

She snorted. "You'd be in the tub with a cold shower on if I was in full mom mode. Now take your damn time."

I opened my mouth to tease her about swearing when my phone buzzed in the back pocket of my cutoff denim shorts. Holding up the screen, I saw it was my brother, Minos. He texted and asked where I was. I shot off a quick reply and told him in not so many words to back off. I was at the Boutin's lake house with Harper and our friends. He replied with the middle finger and told me to be safe.

He was a pain in my barely-there ass, but I loved the broody dick.

"You good?" Harper asked. I dipped my chin, confirming everything was cool. I never spoke of family with her, even with our closeness. My family was involved in things that would blacken the soul of a regular person. I wasn't letting Harper anywhere near that. She was the light to my dark in this friendship, and I'd keep it that way.

Song after song played, and Harper and I danced like no one was watching us. At some point, Adeline joined, and I groaned. I really hated that bitch. Her skin should be neon green with how she envied Harper, her supposed best friend. And no matter how often I'd tell Harper about it, she'd brush me off and tell me Adeline meant no harm.

I wondered if Harper would think she meant no harm if she could see the way Addie rubbed on Landry's cock while she danced. With Landry squeezing her ass as he ground into her, I wouldn't be shocked if those two fucked behind Harper's back.

Conrad approached us, holding out two red solo cups. "You two need to catch up." He was the textbook definition of a pompous, jock fuckboy. He played football with Landry and Raymond for Archambault University. Conrad was barely six feet tall, with muddy brown eyes and hair to match. He was conventionally handsome if you went for the Abercrombie Fitch look.

I didn't, not even remotely, which pissed him off to no end. He shouldn't be, though. I didn't like dick unless I was strapping one on to fuck the shit out of some girl. I told him this every time he made a move on me. My exact words were, ‘Unless you have magically gained a cunt, you've got nothing to offer me.' I offered to top him at the last party. His eyes glimmered, and I knew he was about to say yes until Raymond called him to help him fuck the Benoit twins.

"Or y'all need to slow down," Harper suggested, taking her cup at the same time I took mine.

Conrad narrowed his eyes and watched intently as I took my first sip before he stalked off.

Harper lifted her cup to her mouth but paused before it touched her lips as the sound of How Great Thou Art blared like a police siren. She held her drink out to me as she stepped outside to take the call.

"Shit!" My head snapped toward my best friend as she walked back through the patio door moments later. Something terrible had to be up for her to cuss.

"Everything okay?" I sobered up immediately at the look on Harper's face.

Tears spilled down her cheeks. "It's Momma. I need to go."

"Do you want me to come with you?" I inquired, but knew the answer before she shook her head no. Her parents didn't take to me well at all. Can't say the feeling wasn't mutual.

For as long as I could remember, the Dubois hated me. They thought I was the spawn of Satan, which was fitting because my dad's name was Hades, but hilarious since Harper and I could pass for kin.

We both had long, wavy raven hair, a heart-shaped face with a button nose, and gunmetal eyes. But whereas I was tall with a lithe frame and porcelain skin, Harper was petite, curvy, and naturally tanned.

It probably had something to do with when they came to pick Harper up, and I was outside with my tongue down my ex-girlfriend's throat. I was the only exception to Harper's "good girl" disposition. She obeyed her parents in all areas unless it pertained to me.

"Text me to let me know you made it safely, and call me if you need me. I mean it, Harper Leigh. Don't make me drive to your house and beat down your door in the middle of the night. You know I'm good for it," I ordered, pecking her cheek before she dashed out of the house.

I peered down at the two solo cups in my hand. To drink or not to drink? That is the question. It didn't take long to come to an answer.

I chugged both back-to-back. The buzz was almost instantaneous.

Conrad reappeared with Raymond and Landry in tow. "Where'd Harper go?" Landry shouted over the music. He sounded like he was underwater, and his lips moved faster than I could comprehend.

When did more people walk over, and why were there two of each of these assholes?

Blinking, I attempted to refocus before I answered. "I think I need to get some air." My tongue felt funny as my words slurred. I definitely needed to go outside.

Frogs croaked as a summer breeze blew on my face, alerting me I made it to the deck by the lake.

My legs felt so heavy. "I jush needz to sith down," I mumbled, tittering. "Oushh," I grumbled, hitting the wood with a thud. Lights flickered in and out. "Whoze hells keepsh playing withs the lights?" I blinked a few times to realize it wasn't someone playing. It was lightning bugs.

I reached out to grab one and felt myself falling seconds before water seeped into my clothes. Gasping in shock, I swallowed lake water that burned my nose. I unsuccessfully fought to hold my breath as my lungs filled with the murky liquid.

Swim, you idiot.

My limbs wouldn't cooperate. I didn't attempt to push myself to the surface. My clothes acted as an anchor, weighing me down. I wanted to cry, but all the fight left my body. There was no preservation instinct to be found.

Maybe I just needed to rest my eyes for a while. Then I would swim.

"Holy shit! I think she's dead. Try harder," Landry barked.

Who's dead?

"No . . . no . . . no. This can't be happening," Conrad exclaimed.

What can't be happening? Why didn't anyone answer my damn questions? Everyone acted like they didn't hear me.

"I can't find a pulse. We've been at this for ten minutes. We need to call the police," Adeline shrieked.

"Are you out of your fucking mind? Did you forget my dad's the mayor, up for re-election this year? We can't afford to kill Hades's daughter," Landry barked.

Wait, who killed me? I'm not dead, you dick! Again, no one responded to me.

"Let's dump her back in the lake. The gators will get her, and we can deal with her car tomorrow. You're fucking lucky you kicked everyone out when you did," Adeline stated. "Or there's no way you'd be able to cover up that you drugged her."

Drugged?

"We can't hope the gators get her. What if they don't?" Landry whined.

"Go in the house and get the chicken we didn't bother grillin'. That'll bring em' for sure," Adeline instructed.

If I hadn't pieced together that these fuckers planned to kill me, I'd be impressed.

Move, you dumb bitch. Do something.

Why wouldn't my body cooperate? I growled, internally screaming and threatening to skin them all alive, then feed them to Gumbo.

I don't know how much time passed before they hoisted my body off the ground into the air.

"There's one now. I told you the raw meat would work. I'm surprised one didn't snatch her when she first splashed into the water."

"Shit, here comes another. They're coming out of the woodwork now. She'll be dealt with in no time."

I couldn't tell which idiot spoke over the pounding in my ears. My thoughts raced. I was about to die–they were about to kill me. All the things left unsaid. Harper was going to be pissed. My brothers would rain hell down on everyone involved. That was my only consolation as my body sank into the lake for the second time.

"Do we stay–."

Whatever, whoever was about to say cut off. My eyes shot open, and I wailed as sharp teeth lodged themselves in my stomach. The pain that sliced through my abdomen was unbearable.

"Fuck, she wasn't dead!"

I wanted to say no fucking duh, but it was too late. Seconds later, another set of jagged teeth latched onto my shoulder and tugged. The sound of ligaments and tendons separating from bone only amplified my torment.

Liquid filled my lungs as my arm was finally torn out of its socket. I didn't have a moment to catch my breath or fight before more teeth locked onto my left leg. It was like the gators were playing tug-of-war, and I was the rope.

All hope left me when jaws snapped open and clamped back down on my midsection. I was dying, and I knew nothing would save me.

"They're tearing her apart."

The last thing I heard before the final beat of my heart was, "Fucking brutal!"