I shiver, staring at my brother as he animatedly speaks of this group.
“I’m sure it’s not true, but wouldn’t it be insane to be raised in a town that has a secret society?”
Shaking my head, I deny that. “No. Imagine being raised in a town where it’s ran by someone you can’t even see.”
With that conversation in mind, chills break across my skin. Whether these douchebags are discussing that or not, I shouldn’t be here, but it makes sense. A secret society who destroys those around them...
My mind travels to the last few weeks with my brother. The secrets. Weight loss. Sleepless nights. All those times Cass came home covered in bruises, hanging out with new people... It only makes sense if the Emeralds had a hand in it.
“No. Meeting the Emerald Vestige is not on my to-do list,” I grit out, my fists tightening with each step toward the cabin. “They’re just a scary story told to Arcadians to keep them from doing stupid shit.”
At least, that’s how it’s been told. Was Cass somehow alluding to this all along?
“Wrong.” Lux’s face morphs into disappointment.
“They’re definitely real and quite the fun crowd,” Jordan explains, only confusing me further.
They’re real?
“Why are you here?” I deflect, finally getting the nerve to not be scared into silence. I direct my question at Jordan, who smirks, amusement present. “I understand the guys. They all want to fuck me or fuck with me, but you make zero sense. You came from nowhere and saddled up to me. What gives?”
Ross chuckles. Ten scowls. Lux smirks.
Jordan narrows his eyes, glaring at me in a haphazard way. “Why, Colton Hudson. You must not remember me.” A sardonic laugh escapes his sharp lips, his tongue piercing glints in the moonlight as he licks his lips.
“Am I supposed to?”
Lux full belly laughs as Jordan gives him a glower that would make a normal person think twice.
“Think back. Really fucking hard, Vamp. Back to a day when you came to this cabin for the first time.”
My mind travels over the first trip here, to what led me here the first time. Though that night was my first invite to a Crystallites party, it wasn’t my first trip down to Moonstone Lake.
If memory serves, Jordan is the kid in green. My body and face heats as awareness kicks in.
“Ah, there it is. You remember,” he says gleefully.
My mind drifts to that night.
“Do you think we’ll get caught?” I ask Yang, wondering if she’s as scared as me. She’s older, more mature, and generally fearless with everything.
She gets this devious glint in her eyes. “What’s the fun if there isn’t a chance?”
She grabs my arm and leads me to the cabin. There’s a curfew during the week at Arcadia, and we’re out past the ten o’clock rule. If we go back, we’ll have to convince one of the boys to let us in. Luckily, my brother is one of them.
We sneak around the cabin, and nearby, I hear something loud fall.
Yang eyes me, and then she puts a finger to her mouth. “I’m going to go this way. Stay right here, Colt. Don’t move.” It comes out as a shaky whisper. For the first time in our friendship, she actually seems scared. Not sure why it makes goosebumps climb up my skin, but it does. She leaves me here, shaken and afraid.
Another loud bang sounds out, seemingly closer to me. Instincts take over as I rush around the way Yang went. It isn’t until a little light catches my eye that I realize I’m near a bottom floor window. As the sounds get louder, I open the window. Why isn’t this locked? People are crazy. Wanting to hide from the noise, knowing Yang went in the opposite direction from the new noise, I shimmy into the small space, and my back scrapes on the metal awning of the window. I wince.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
It’s nearly dark. The light illuminating the room casts more shadows than it reveals dark. I’m tiptoeing, hoping not to get caught up in anything on the ground and praying no one decides to axe murder me. It’s practically soundless in this place, which is creepier than you would think.
My foot stubs into a beam of some sort, and a string of curses come out under my breath. Bending at the hip, I rub my boot-covered foot as best as I can before making it to some stairs. My heart hammers uncontrollably as I trail my gaze upward. My only hope is that if there is a killer, they won’t hear my excessive panting.
Low noises tickle my ears, and I go toward the sound. Seems stupid, but maybe there’s someone in here who can protect me.
The sounds get louder, and I realize it’s groaning. My body warms up on its own accord. Fuck. Someone’s having sex. I’ve watched enough porn to recognize pleasure. A male’s low growl makes my chest furl with lust.
I think back to some of my favorite topics—men with men, dominance, breath play, knife play... I prefer the amateur clips the most. It’s more personable.
Smacking fills my ears. Deep breathing and gravelly grunts make my core clench. I’ve never had sex, and every orgasm I’ve had has been with my own hand.
When I make it around a corner in the hallway, light escapes a room. How did I miss the only lit room? It’s not bright, more like candlelight than anything lamp-like.
In the middle of an old clandestine carpet is four guys. Two are watching from the side as the other two are fucking. The two fucking are seniors, Robert and Flint. I’ve seen them around Crystal Tower. One thrusts into the other. It’s impersonal. Robert’s pushing Flint’s face into the carpet as Robert jackhammers into him from behind. They both grunt and moan in sync of one another. It’s fucking hot. And wrong. So wrong for me to voyeur... but I can’t seem to look away.
A whimper escapes my throat, but only one guy’s eyes leave the scene in front of him. Those eyes look so black, chemically so, like he dyed them to be without color. It’s hard to decipher his facial features. All I can see is the emerald green blazer he wears without a shirt underneath. His abs, barely lit by the candlelight, have me gasping. I’ve never been this close to sex or guys, but it’s so beyond thrilling to watch it unfold.
He starts to get up, and I bolt the way I came, not seeing the two guys finish.
“Fuck,” I mutter, my skin flaming at the memory. I’d forgotten all about those guys and Jordan.
I look at him. His navy eyes appearing black now, colorless, dark, soul-sucking.
Rubbing my thighs together at the memory, I play with my lip piercings, needing a distraction from the lust permeating the air.
“Fuck is right, Colton. I remember you. Do you remember me?”
I don’t answer, knowing it’ll come out a squeak with my luck. My face is as hot as the candle’s flame from that night. Men fucking with abandon. The sensuality of pure masculinity is the hottest shit ever. My core aches with the need to release. It’s swollen. I can feel my clit with each step we take.
“Yeah.” He chuckles. “You remember. That night, after you snuck away, I rubbed one out three fucking times to that little noise you made alone.”
I blush more, biting the inside of my cheek to quench the groan.
“Little Miss Delinquent isn’t so innocent-looking anymore, is she?”
“What are you on about?” Ross interrupts our little standoff.
My eyes can’t help themselves. They trail down Jordan’s body, seeing his hard-as-shit dick pressing his pants. Fuck this.
“Colton here watched two Emeralds fuck for initiation while I watched,” Jordan explains.
“Initiation?” I stumble over the word.
“I’m an Emerald,” he replies. “President of the Emerald Vestige.”
I choke on a cough. What? It’s real?
Despite my confusion, my body aches with need and desire. How is it we’ve met but I don’t remember him other than our interactions this year?
“You’re probably wondering why we’ve only just met,” he answers my unspoken question. “I’m a legacy. Like Lux here, I’m a generation brat. T
he difference between him and I, class wasn’t a necessity until I wanted to meet you.”
Raising an eyebrow, I ponder over this tidbit. It doesn’t make sense.
“Why me?” I ask.
Jordan sidles up to me, cupping my jaw, not soft, but not painfully either. “Colton,” he tsks, with a shake of his gorgeous head. “This year, you’re mine.”
A scoff from behind him lets me know there isn’t full approval.
What does this even mean? Do I have a say? What is with these guys and their claiming of me?
Shaking free of him, I try to escape before being barricaded in by Lux and Ross. Ten stands nearby, unhappiness on every sculpt of his jaw. The tick that clicks constantly only furthers that realization.
“Tonight is initiation, Colty,” Ross sounds out.
“You’re the newest pledge,” Lux adds with a devilish grin.
“I don’t want—”
“No one said you had a choice,” Jordan butts in, his face one of excitement. “We need a replacement Hudson. Unluckily for you, you’re the only one left.”
Fear should overwhelm me. It should, but I’m not really sure what’s going to happen, and I told Mel I would investigate what I could.
Mel.
“Where’s Ridge?” I request, hoping they don’t hear my desperation.
“Busy. Probably fucking that redheaded bitch.” Lux hums approvingly.
I can’t help the frown that takes over my face. I hoped there wouldn’t be any of that. Not that I have a claim over any of these guys, but Bridger and I have a weird connection we’ve only ever tested in the dark.
“Little Goth Princess is sad,” Ross snubs at me. He always hits the hardest, doesn’t he?
“That’s because our Corpse Bride has an ache between her thighs for five dicks,” Lux mocks.
“I had her first,” Ten growls, his temperament making me roll my eyes.
“Did you, though?” Lux goads.
“Shall we?” Jordan cuts their banter off, tipping my chin, peering into my eyes. “Really fucking glad you’re not wearing contacts. It’ll make tonight more special.”
“What’s going to happen?” I try to hide the whimper of hesitancy.
Jordan nips at my lips. “You pledge your undying loyalty to Emeralds, and then you fuck every member of the club.”
I gag at the imagery. “I-I won’t,” I stutter. Thinking of anyone other than these guys touching me has me shaking with trepidation and disgust. “I won’t.”
The second admission comes out stronger, less fearful.
“Who are the Emeralds, Colt?” Jordan asks as if I’m supposed to know.
“I don’t know, but I’m not fucking a bunch of people to satisfy some sick game of yours. I’d rather die.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, I wonder if that’s what happened to Cass. Did he refuse to fuck them all? To be a part of some sick group that uses pleasure as a loyalty tool?
“Guess you’ll die then,” Lux says darkly, towering over me.
With the largest and driest swallow ever known to man, I scream.
Twenty-Two
Past
“Col!” Cassidy yells from the other room.
He’s the only one who calls me that. I’ve always felt it’s somehow more masculine than my already boyish name.
What does he want now? I roll my eyes, putting my nail polish down while blowing on my toes in hopes of them drying faster. There’s nothing I hate more than smeared nail polish. It’s beyond frustrating. Moms always teases me for not getting pedicures, but the idea of other people touching my feet is beyond disgusting. Like, no thanks.
“Jesus, stop ignoring me!” he complains.
I stifle a giggle. Cass going into puberty has been a treat. He’s impatient, hot-headed, and moody. PMSing without the period excuse, if you ask me.
Before I can get up, he storms in with an annoyed expression.
“Really, Col?” He narrows his gaze, zeroing in on my toes. “Can’t you be like our moms and go get that professionally done?”
“How about suck a dick, Cass?” His grimace has me smiling. “You go and have your feet touched by random people and tell me how great that is.”
Almost as if imagining doing exactly that, he cringes. “Fair point.”
“What’s so urgent you have to yell?” I inquire, pulling my nail polish back out for a second coat. He sits at the edge of my bed, making himself home. Since starting at Arcadia, he’s been gone a lot. It’s as if I’ve lost my best friend. Yang would say she’s my best friend, but my brother will always rank above. We used to be inseparable, until school came between us.
“I’m sorry, sis. It’s just...” He pauses, his mind mulling over something. “The guys.”
He stops entirely on those two words. As much as I want to prod, he doesn’t look like he exactly wants to talk to me, even with his earlier urgency.
“You know I love you, right?” he asks.
The question comes out of nowhere, sending a shiver down my spine. It’s not the words, only how he stated them. Something is wrong, whether he wants to tell me or not. Something’s up.
“Of course, Cass. What’s up?” Going against my better judgment of letting it fly, I’m poking. Cass doesn’t keep secrets from me, or at least, he never used to. Hell, I don’t even know who he’s dating anymore.
“Fuck,” he whispers under his breath, making me more worried. “Student Gov wants you.”
If he didn’t say it so somberly, I would be jumping up and down. Since Cass has been involved, he gets all the perks. He can drive to school, have his own dorm in the Crystal Tower, and they get to go off campus for whatever they want. Only seniors get the car privilege. We have to be escorted by a parent, guardian, or Third Year. It’s beyond obnoxious.
“Really?” It comes out more timid than it should, but holding in my excitement is a must while he’s freaking out.
He nods. It’s not like Cass to be so... off-putting. He’s the opposite of me—chipper, exuberant, happy. Yeah, I have my moments of elation, but it’s my brother’s default setting while mine borders more on the bored, lazy, and blah spectrum.
“When did they decide this?” I ask.
“Just barely. I called you to talk.”
I’m trying to paint my pinkie toe when the bed dips, making me get polish over the edges of my nail. Complaining with a grunt, I grimace, but he doesn’t laugh or apologize. I peer at him, seeing the true fear there.
“Talk to me,” I practically beg. Seeing him this disturbed about something has me on edge. “You can always talk to me.”
He sits next to me, taking the nail polish bottle from my hands and setting it on my nightstand. “Don’t join, Col.”
His words throw me off. Everything about this conversation is throwing me off.
“Why not?” I ask.
“Just... don’t. Okay? I’ve thought about it, and I think it’s a bad idea.”
“You’ve thought about it in the last five seconds?” I accuse.
Is he doing this because he doesn’t want me to have friends and opportunities? Wants it all to himself? It makes no sense. I’ve only ever heard great things, especially from Yang. She’s always bragging about how amazing it is.
“It doesn’t seem like you’re going to listen to me, regardless,” he huffs, standing. His form hovers over me. My brother has definitely grown a lot in the last two years. We used to be pretty matched out when we would fight over stupid things, but he’s easily twice my size now.
“Can’t take advice if you don’t offer anything,” I complain and roll my eyes. “You come in here and tell me something I’ve wanted all semester and then demand me to not do it? Sounds like you’re jealous, Cass.”
He grips his head, running his hands through the silvery strands. “God, you’re so fucking dense, Col. Jealous? Fuck off.” The entire string of words come off like a curse word. “You know what? Do it. It’s your fucking funeral.”
The bitter e
nd of his sentence strikes me across the skin. We don’t fight. Cass and I aren’t like normal siblings. There aren’t really arguments, not about anything like this, but he’s stupid if he thinks I’ll bend over backward to allow him to be the only one with privileges.
“Fine. I will.”
“Great,” he bites out.
“Great,” I respond, flipping him off.
He huffs and leaves my room, slamming the door as hard as he can.
“YOU’RE COLT,” A GRAVELLY voice sounds from behind me, forcing me to turn.
When my eyes connect with hair as silvery as my pale blue eyes, my heart leaps. Boys. If there could be a slogan for me, it’d be boys, boys, boys, I love all the boys. It takes everything to not giggle at my thoughts, but a smile breaks free anyway.
Tennison Dellamore eyes me appreciatively. He acts like we haven’t met or seen each other off and on for the last ten or so years. He and my brother have always been thick as thieves. Ross too.
“That’d be me,” I muse, seeing a flicker of interest in his gaze. “But you should know that already.”
He raises an eyebrow like he’s confused. Instead of getting pissy, I decide to follow his lead.
“I’m Tennison,” he offers, sidling closer to me, invading my personal space.
My breath hitches. The intensity in his expression isn’t one you get from boys at Arcadia. Generally, they’re a bunch of shy guys mixed with annoying fuckboys. But this one... he’s intense in a soft way. Not too strong or pushy. Just right for me.
“Tennison,” I repeat, watching a smirk tilt at his lips. “You act as if we haven’t known each other our entire lives.”
He chuckles, but I wink at him. It’s always like me to flirt, but for some reason, I want to be cautious with him, to make him want to stay.
“Colton. Cassidy’s sister,” he mentions as if mulling over the new but not-so-new information. “I’m one of the Enforcers.”
Immediately, I’m sent back to the argument Cass and I had last night. My face falls abruptly, the sadness from my brother being harsh still fresh. He didn’t eat dinner with us last night and didn’t come home.
Here Lives a Corpse: A Dark Bully Academy Romance (Here Lies Book 1) Page 15