Here Lives a Corpse: A Dark Bully Academy Romance (Here Lies Book 1)

by C. L. Matthews

  “I’m not telling this you as a threat, Corpse. I’m promising you that if you don’t let this go, someone will die.”

  My mouth drops open. He wouldn’t... Unless he’s who killed Cass.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” he growls, pressing harder. “Walk away while you’re unscathed. You won’t survive the next time.”

  I stare at him as if I don’t recognize him, and maybe I don’t. Maybe the soft side he saves for me in PE and when no one is around is as fake as Jordan’s was.

  Lux is not safe. He’s dangerous. The sooner I accept that, the safer I’ll be.

  “Why him?” The one question I’ve asked myself for months, the one that’s festered and soiled my insides like a living corrosive, slips free. It shows my cards, that I’ll never be whole without my brother, never know true peace without answers, and never know what it’s like to see his smiling face once more.

  “Like you, he dug into things he knew better not to. If that’s not reason enough, then I don’t know what to tell you.”

  His words aren’t callous. His explanation is subtle and leaves more questions than offers answers, but it’s more than he ever gives me.

  “Did I ever matter?” Another question, one I’ve kept close.

  Like all the others, Lux holds me by the throat. His inability to be himself is visible to me, but it taints him, making him bitter.

  His face falls for a split second, his eyes hardening to cover it up. “Would fucking me be easier if I lied and said you did?”

  My gut churns. It boils with this uncanny hatred for him.

  “Pretend all you want, Lennox, hurt me all you want to. It’s not like the five of you have done anything less than destroy every part of me. Even if, in this moment, you need those hurtful words to live with yourself.”

  By the time I’m done, he’s grabbed my knife-wielding wrist and forced the blade to bite at his skin. He moves it away, a malicious tilt of his lips pointed at me.

  “Tell me, Bloodsucker,” he coos, his voice dripping with venom, “miss me?”

  He grabs the back of my neck, forcing my mouth to the crimson line on his throat. He doesn’t have to direct me, to tell me what to do when we’ve done it before. He guides, and I lick. He squeezes, and I bite. He groans, and I moan at the way his blood makes me feel complete. Disgust fills me, and I push away from him, abhorred at my own recklessness.

  His eyes are dark, heated, desperate with need, and while I want nothing more than to allow attraction to rule me, I promised the twins I wouldn’t fuck anyone.

  Even this is cheating, breaking the rules I’ve vowed not to break, but when he brings our mouths together forcefully, I don’t stop him. As he brings the blade to my throat, pressing softly, I barely cry out. His face moves, and his tongue darts out, lapping at the cut he’s created.

  That’s when my entire body hums with intention, losing its control.

  He’s my dark saint.

  Tainted.

  Troubled.

  A liar.

  He moves away, his face pinched with disturbance. “Stay out of the Emeralds’ darkness, Corpse. Don’t end the Hudson bloodline by caring too much.”

  He hands me my knife, closing it. From his pocket, he brings out another flashlight and hands it to me. It’s one of those skinny lights plumbers and mechanics use to hold in their mouths. He places a pair of goggle-type things over his eyes. When he turns, opening the door we came through, I feel emptiness take over.

  And as Lux walks away without another word, I let him.

  Thirty-Nine

  After the situation with Lux, I don’t want to risk meeting at the lake. I text my best friends to meet back at my room. Since I didn’t get any valuable information, it feels dumb to meet empty-handed.

  “Did you learn anything new?” I ask Yang and Melissa as we sit cross-legged on my bed twenty minutes later.

  “I got a ton of files. I hid them just in case,” Yang explains.

  I get up, walk toward the dresser, and grab my baggy that contains five pre-rolled joints I made last week. Yang smirks, her face lighting up with excitement while Mel stares at them with boredom. She’s not like me and Yang. We’re notorious potheads. It helps our anxieties, especially when it comes to finals, boys, and living in this fucked-up town.

  “Did you?” Mel asks me, staring pointedly at the cut on my neck.

  I forgot to cover it and act as if it’s not there. I shake my head, not mentioning Lux. “I couldn’t get into the office.”

  She raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to go on. Yang peers at us both as I pick up my lighter and start smoking. My shoulders relax a bit, and Yang looks ready to snatch it from me.

  “Since we’re all safe, maybe we should go again, and I’ll get the shit at the bunker, and we’ll meet at Opal, it’s safest there, and they don’t lock it at night. If anything goes down, we’ll be safest there,” Yang suggests.

  I nod and look at Mel. “You should go with her,” I explain.

  She nods in agreement.

  Yang shakes her head. “Unlike you, she knows how to pick a lock, I’m sure.”

  Mel’s face reddens like her hair. She bites her lip. “She’s not wrong. Dad taught me very little in the normal father department and went straight for the illegal shit.”

  We all laugh at that. Then, I stare at Yang, realizing I should admit what happened, or at least why I came back empty-handed.

  “Someone followed me,” I mutter.

  Mel grabs her chest, flattening her palm. A gasp escapes them as they stare at me.

  “I don’t know who it was, but it’s why I ran back here.”

  Their slack jaws tell me there’s both anger and fear in this room now. They thought they were fine and could walk freely, but they must know that’s not the case. It’s best to keep them safe.

  “We’re going to leave our phones on at all times. If we decide to go back out there, risks and all, we need to be properly prepared.”

  They both nod, but they seem more spooked. I don’t blame them. I know Lux wasn’t there to hurt me but to warn me, knowing he isn’t gone on this supposed trip is a risk.

  “I’m still in,” Melissa says first, her face determined.

  I nod, taking a long drag while calming my nerves.

  Yang reaches for the smoke, and when I hand it to her, she lets out a loud breath before speaking. “We’re doing this. We have our weapons of choice.”

  Mel pulls the small CZ Shadow from her bra then puts it back inside. Then Yang pulls out a butterfly knife from her pocket and flicks it open.

  “We’ll keep communications open and meet up at Opal. Yang will only get the files, and you and I,” Mel explains, gesturing to me and then herself, “we’ll find the files we need, and compare.”

  “I’m fucking scared,” I admit with a self-deprecating laugh.

  They look it too, and for once, Mel grabs the joint from Yang and takes an inhale. She coughs, and we laugh at her.

  When we finish it, we redress and leave our separate ways. We sneak out of the fire escape again. After we trot across campus with our flashlights, I take out my school badge and the door to the school opens. It’s still the oddest and most nonsensical thing. It may be locked at night for the world, but our badges don’t stop working.

  We sneak down the hallways, all the way to the dean’s office. Mel picks the lock, and we enter. The cabinets are massive, nearly as tall as I am. They’re labeled by letters, but after searching for all the boys’ names, we quickly realize it’s labeled by their last names first.

  She goes through A – Eq, and I take over Er – I. When I spot a name I haven’t seen in a long time, my breath catches. Cassidy Hudson. Why is this still here? He’s gone. My fingers touch the little white tag with his name, and then I’m pulling it out.

  My eyes are stuck on the folder, not wanting to see the contents, not wanting to invade his privacy even if he’s gone.

  While I’m still staring, Mel is searching in other c
abinets.

  “Oh my god!” she whisper-yells. Peering over at her, I spy her face faltering. “I couldn’t find Jordan Winthrop, but I found a Jordan Edgington.”

  “That doesn’t sound familiar.”

  “It’s definitely him. His picture and information are in here.”

  I stare at the guy in the picture and wonder why he doesn’t go by his real last name. But at the same time, this changes a lot.

  He could be one of us.

  One of the founding bloodlines.

  We’re looking at his papers, shuffling through notes, demerits... His file seems to go on and on.

  We jump when we hear something outside the door.

  “Fuck,” we both say in unison.

  Hurrying to hide, we shove the cabinets closed, and I grab the two files. I hide under the desk while Mel slides into the closet.

  “If I can get you out or vice versa, we’ll meet at Opal still,” I mutter quietly.

  Mel nods frantically as we wait to be caught.

  The door opens, and I hear... giggling?

  “You’re so hot.” It’s a husky male voice. It doesn’t make sense. This is the dean’s office and she’s not a man.

  “We shouldn’t be here,” a tittering female voice whispers, and then I’m hit with nostalgia.

  No.

  It couldn’t be.

  “Where else would we go, Tasha? Your wife is home.”

  Tears well in my eyes.

  Mom.

  “Shh. Just touch me.”

  Bile rises in my throat. This isn’t happening. Mom said she stopped seeing men, that the only time she was unfaithful was when me and Cass were conceived.

  It’s all a lie.

  She’s here, right now, while Moms is probably at home cleaning or doing all the shit she already does and wondering where the fuck her wife is.

  “Did you bring a condom?” my mom asks, and I die inside.

  “Yes, especially after—”

  “I cannot fucking believe you!” I scream and slide from underneath the desk. Luckily, I had enough sense to leave the file underneath and out of sight. Mel can get it.

  “Colton, what are you doing here?” Mom says before the light turns on. Standing next to her is none other than Mr. Richter. My History teacher.

  No.

  No.

  No.

  Don’t ruin that subject for me.

  Fuck.

  “The better question, Mother, is why you’re here about to fuck my teacher when your wife—my mom—is at home.”

  “Don’t talk to me like that,” she remarks, folding her arms across her unbuttoned blouse.

  Mr. Richter has the gall to look offended and sorry all at once.

  “Is he my sperm donor?” I hiss. “Is that why he’s always nice to me?”

  “That’s none of your business,” my mom scolds. “Why are you in here?”

  “Stop asking me stupid questions and respect me enough to tell me why you’re stepping out on Moms.”

  “Your mother and I—” Mom starts before I stop her.

  “Don’t bullshit me. It’s bad enough I wish I could trade places with Cassidy. Don’t go making me want to end it all because of your stupidity.” Maybe I should have allowed her to speak, but Mom always lies and she’s cheating on Moms, so anything her or Richter say must be an excuse.

  “We’re not in love,” she finishes her previous sentence.

  “You mean, you’re not. Moms is deathly in love with you. She’s so in love with you it’s sickening, and look at you, coming to my school in the dead of night to not only cheat, but with a man. You disgust me.”

  I push past her and Mr. Richter, making sure to make a scene so she’ll follow. They both do. I’m happy to keep them away from the door and lead them anywhere but back to Mel.

  “Stop!” Mom demands, and I’m far enough away that I do. She slaps those obnoxious heels, tapping her way to me. “You will not tell your mother about this.”

  “Fuck you,” I spit. “She has every right—”

  My mom’s slap connects with my face faster than my mind can grapple the action. My cheek burns.

  Richter comes over and grabs her hand. “What is wrong with you, Tasha? That’s your fucking daughter.”

  She looks momentarily sad before shaking it off. Turning to me, she raises her hand—making me flinch—but she just points a finger. “Not a fucking word, Colton.”

  Then, she’s going back to the office, and I’m praying Mel made it out okay.

  I rush for the front doors, and I don’t stop. The courtyard is black and empty, and my flashlight is still under the desk. Chills wrack my frame as I make my way to Opal Tower. It’s the farthest one from the school. Still clutching my face, I wonder how my mom could hit me. She’s never hit me.

  A loud scream sounds out, stopping me mid-run. It’s so chilling that my blood turns entirely cold.

  “Help me!” a girl screeches.

  It’s Yang.

  “Please, help me!” her voice carries over my bones.

  My blood pumps with adrenaline as I race to her.

  “Someone, anyone!”

  Her bloodcurdling screams has me shaking from head to toe, but I still race after the sound.

  “Some—”

  When the last one is cut off, I just know. I’m bawling and screaming at the top of my lungs from the fear alone. “Yang!”

  Nothing.

  “Yang, answer me!” I scream.

  Pulling out my phone, I dial Mel, hoping she’s okay. My body feels every bit of dread at the possibility they’re both hurt. I keep on running, searching as the phone rings, and when I finally find Yang’s body on the ground, a part of me dies too.

  “Please, talk to me,” I whimper, knowing it’s futile. I drop to my knees, wetness pooling under my kneecaps. Blood.

  My body starts to quake with tears and sobs, and I’m too stuck in the moment to call the cops or respond when I hear Mel yelling on the other side of my phone.

  “No!” I scream. My body shakes in horror. “No!”

  Tears fly down my face, and my heart deflates. Yang’s body is beneath mine, her eyes wide and scared. What fright she must have experienced to be here in the mud like she didn’t matter.

  My hands shake. My entire body trembles from a mix of despair, fear, and anger. All of it resides inside me. There’s a battle to be won, a new game that pushes me forward.

  I should have stopped pushing.

  I should never have brought Mel into this—Yang, too, for that matter.

  But I kept digging.

  Going to the tower was our first mistake. Digging through the dean’s files was the next. But what solidified this, put a target on her back, and took her from me? It was our choice, our choice to split up and not stick together. What we found may change everything, but how will we know? Yang hid everything to keep it safe. We were supposed to meet tonight and get the files.

  She wasn’t supposed to die.

  She wasn’t supposed to be involved.

  She wasn’t supposed to lose.

  I’m moving away from her body, scrambling and vomiting. My throat is hoarse from screaming and sobbing. When I reach her face again, people start coming toward me.

  It’s late.

  We weren’t supposed to get caught.

  This was our moment of clarity.

  “You weren’t supposed to die,” I whisper against her ear. “I love you so much. I’m so sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

  “What the hell happened?” Mel practically screams, holding onto me as we stare into Yang’s vacant eyes.

  Time passes, and alarms blare around us. We hold each other and sob above our friend, not knowing where to go from here. When I’m pulled off her, my tears don’t abate, but as the EMTs check her vitals, they shake their heads.

  “She’s gone. Time of death 1:01 a.m.”

  She’s dead because of me, because of what I dragged her into. That’s why she’s dead.

 
None of the boys show up, not until she’s being dragged away. That’s when I spot Lux, and on his face is the haunting truth.

  He told me this would happen.

  He practically promised and predicted.

  He was right. I won’t survive this.

  When I fall to the ground and blackness takes me, the only word that suffocates me is revenge.

  To be continued...

  Acknowledgements

  I’m always thanking so many people... I’m sorry in advance.

  Hubs. You’re my soul. I could write a million emo words for how you give me life, but I won’t. You’re my happiness and I hate tying it to you, but I can’t help it.

  Nicole, as my miracle editor, I cannot thank you enough. You’ve always made time for me and sacrificed your sanity for my peace of mind. I appreciate you so much.

  Melmo, my second husband, though he’ll argue that. Ha. I love you. You came into my life at the right time and I’m grateful you’re still here.

  Dimples, my bossy Brit. I love your face. You’re one of the brightest parts of my life. You guide me to do my best and forever correct my messy manuscripts, which I’m forever grateful.

  Nicki, my dude. Thank you for being here, for pushing me, for writing insane notes that have single handedly put me in order for this book and the entire series. I love you more than words and am so glad we found each other. And thank you for reading this more times than I can count. You’re the real MVP.

  Cass and Britt, y’all mean the world to me. You’re more than PAs, you’re lifesavers and gems. I cannot imagine a world where you aren’t by my side. I’ve never met two people who I swear were meant to be by my side than you two.

  Twin Bitch, no hugs, just drugs, and all the love.

  Rina, you’ll never see this, and I think that’s what makes it so bittersweet. I could not have finished this book so quickly without our shared love and work ethic. You’re the best, bro. The very best.

  Reread. GUYS. I love you so much. I love your constant love. Your support. Your amazing ways of making me smile and laugh and feel like I can accomplish anything. Thank you.

  My Betas, which are pretty much Reread with a sprinkle of sarcasm. Hahaha! I love you guys, you’re my backbone, my support, and my lifeline.