I chewed on my lip as I turned that idea over for the thousandth time. The most frustrating thing of all was that I didn’t know. But I was hoping that getting into his room might result in me finding enough evidence to convict him in my eyes once and for all. I would settle on a punishment once I could be sure of the crimes committed.
I shuddered at the memory of that foul drug sliding through my veins, warping my emotions and tugging on the worst things I had hidden deep within my heart.
Everything around me fell silent at last and I got to my feet, shooting forward to take advantage of the solitude so that I could bust his damn window and get inside. I wouldn’t be able to repair the damage I did getting in so I planned on covering my intrusion with a theft, I’d just grab a few things, make a mess and then sneak back up to my room to give myself an alibi when he came looking for suspects. Ryder had made it pretty damn clear he didn’t think much of me these days anyway so I was hoping he wouldn’t have any reason to suspect me. But in the meantime, I needed to get into his room and find evidence that his gang were the ones responsible for the plague of Killblaze flooding this city and stealing innocent lives. If I could confirm that much then I might just be getting somewhere.
I reached his window and quickly jammed the crowbar into the side of it, exerting my enhanced strength on it until it gave way with a heavy pop.
I grinned as I shoved the window aside, pushing the shutters open so that light spilled into his room. I tossed the crowbar in ahead of me and hoisted myself up onto the windowsill before dropping inside and landing on the floor.
For half a second I thought I sensed a brush of magic against my skin but the sensation was gone as soon as it had arrived and I quickly dismissed it as paranoia.
With my heart in my mouth, I hastily turned back to slide the broken window into place as best I could and threw the shutters closed again, plunging myself into darkness.
My eyes adjusted quickly and with the use of my gifts, I crossed the room to switch on the light.
I looked about at Ryder’s private space as my heart pounded adrenaline through my limbs and I was struck with the strongest desire to run the hell away before he caught me. But what could he really do to me anyway? Would he kill me for breaking into his precious space? Probably not. And I was more than willing to die in the hunt for Gareth’s killer anyway so any other punishment he might dish out upon me was irrelevant.
I looked around his room for a moment and quickly decided to check out his desk first. But as I took a step towards it, my gaze snagged on the corner of a case which protruded from beneath the bunk on the right of the room.
Curiosity got the better of me and I dropped to my knees, dragging the suitcase out. A thick buckle held it closed and I made quick work of opening it and flipping the lid.
I inhaled sharply as I spotted the assortment of chains and whips there, my mind instantly thinking I’d just come across some kind of torture kit until I spotted what was undoubtedly a ball gag and a spanking paddle.
My heart thumped with a different kind of fear as I realised this was meant for a very specific kind of pain. The kind that some people enjoyed. The kind that Ryder clearly enjoyed. I bit my lip, my mind conjuring images of my body submitting to these desires for him before I could stop it.
A blush coloured my cheeks as I forced away the distracting mental pictures and I quickly buckled the case closed and kicked it back beneath the bed.
I shot across the room to his desk and started rifling there, hunting for anything to do with Killblaze or the Brotherhood that might link back to my brother.
I cursed as I found text books and sheafs of paper which seemed like potion instructions. They were all written out by hand in what I recognised as Ryder’s neat handwriting from sitting beside him in class for the last few weeks.
I started pulling open drawers, my search getting more frenzied as I went, frustration prickling my gut as I failed to find anything at all which was even the slightest bit incriminating. Hell, even the box of razor blades I found didn’t contain a drop of blood.
Just as I began to rifle through the bottom drawer of his desk, a soft creak sounded somewhere behind me and I froze in my tracks. I strained my ears as I listened for sounds in the corridor outside his room.
My heart leapt as I heard heavy footsteps drawing closer, the papers I had clutched in my grasp spilling between my fingers as I shot across the room towards the window.
I shoved the shutters aside, forcing the window wide as I leapt up onto the windowsill, preparing to shoot away as the sound of the door unlocking magically came behind me.
“Boo!” Bryce shouted, his hands slamming into my chest as he appeared in front of me outside the window in a flash of Vampire speed.
I shrieked as I fell back, strong arms catching me before I could hit the ground. A hand wrapped around my neck just as Ryder drove me against the wall. The air was forced from my lungs and I gasped as I looked up into the cold green eyes of the King of the Lunar Brotherhood himself.
Vines snapped into place around my wrists, binding my hands and immobilising my magic as they were secured tightly in front of me.
My eyes widened as I looked at Ryder’s merciless expression and for the first time since I’d met him, I felt truly afraid of him.
“You wanna tell me what the fuck you’re doing in my room, new girl?” he hissed, his grip on my throat tightening for a moment before easing off again so that I could speak.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I spat back because apparently I had a death wish.
Ryder’s gaze flared with what I could have sworn was excitement at the bite in my tone. Bryce appeared behind him, leering over his shoulder excitedly like he just couldn’t wait to see Ryder tear me apart.
“Get out of here, Bryce, I can deal with this alone,” Ryder said quietly, not even bothering to glance his way.
“But boss-” Bryce began, his tone full of disappointment.
“Are you questioning my commands?” Ryder asked icily.
Bryce looked to me, his gaze full of hatred as he bared his fangs, hissing at me in a clear threat before turning and shooting out of the room.
Ryder threw a silencing bubble up around us before the door had even banged closed again.
“Last chance to tell me the truth,” he offered darkly.
“Fine,” I ground out, deciding I might as well confront him over my suspicions. I had more than one reason to be tracking the suppliers of Killblaze anyway, so it wasn’t like I’d have to reveal anything about Gareth to him. “I wanted to find evidence that you’re the one creating and dealing Killblaze.”
Ryder scoffed like that made zero fucking sense to him. “And why the hell would you think that? I don’t allow addicts in my gang.”
He said it so calmly, so lightly that for some reason I instantly believed him but that only made my frown deepen.
“So? Even if you don’t sell to your own people, that doesn’t mean you’re not distributing it,” I insisted.
“Why the fuck would we?”
“Why does anyone do any shitty thing?” I bit back. “Money. Power.”
“I claim more than enough of both without needing to sell that shit to anyone,” Ryder growled.
“Well someone is. And even the FIB don’t know how it’s made but you told me you do. And someone drugged me with it a few nights ago so excuse me for putting two and two together,” I snarled.
Ryder barked a laugh and abruptly dropped his hold on me. “If I wanted to kill you Elise, I’d look you in the eyes while doing it and use something far more painful than Killblaze to finish the job,” he promised.
I raised my chin, watching him closely as he stepped away from me.
“This is your cue to fuck off,” he said, his eyes narrowing on me.
“No,” I replied firmly and he raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I want answers Ryder. If you expect me to believe you then prove it. How do you know what’s in Killblaze if it’s not you making it?”
Ryder considered me for a long moment then shrugged. “Easy. Basilisks are immune to all poisons. I can’t even get drunk let alone high. But I can detect every ingredient in any potion I consume. I was curious about Killblaze so I took it to find out what it was. And let me tell you, that’s some pretty fucked up concoction. Whoever came up with it knows their shit and isn’t fucking around.”
I pursed my lips, unsure where to make my arguments next because that was actually a pretty airtight fucking answer.
“Prove it,” I breathed because just blindly believing him felt stupid.
For a moment I was sure he was going to say no but then the vines suddenly fell from my wrists. Ryder picked up an empty cup from his bedside table and tossed it to me. Only my gifted speed let me make the catch and I looked down at the cup in confusion.
“On the shelf behind you is about every potion ingredient you can imagine. Mix up whatever you like and I’ll drink it. I won’t die, won’t even feel the slightest bit unwell, and I’ll tell you what’s in it to prove my point.”
“Really?” I asked, eyeing a jar marked belladonna with a frown. I recognised more than a few things there which were lethal.
“You want your proof don’t you? And I don’t want you spreading lies about me so go ahead.
Don’t touch anything in a purple jar with your bare hand though or you’ll be dead within three hours,” he warned.
My lips parted at the casual way he admitted to owning that much deadly poison, but Ryder didn’t so much as blink. He turned his back on me so that I could choose some ingredients and I quickly tossed some things in the cup, committing them to memory as I did so and tentatively shaking a sprig of rotwood from a purple jar into it last of all. I swirled the contents of the cup until it mixed into a bright yellow liquid.
“Okay,” I said, moving closer to Ryder and holding the cup out for him.
He turned and took it from me without a moment’s hesitation and raised it to his lips.
“Wait,” I gasped at the last second, catching his arm, my fingers digging into his bicep as I halted him. “I put something from a purple jar in it.”
Ryder smirked at me. “Are you worried you’ll kill me, baby, or more concerned you won’t?”
“You swear nothing can poison you?” I asked, wondering what had possessed me to put that rotwood in there.
“One way to find out,” he taunted, tipping the cup up before I could stop him.
I inhaled sharply, my grip tightening on his arm as if I expected him to collapse at any moment. He swallowed the lot and smiled darkly at me.
Ryder leaned forward slowly, his voice low as he spoke in my ear, listing off each and every thing I’d put in that cup.
“Crushed amethyst, horned toad eggs, moonweaver petals, honeycomb, waterlily, Pegasus hair, livewire nettles, ripened apple juice…and rotwood,” he added last. “Because a little fucked up bit of you wanted to hurt me, didn’t it?”
“Yes,” I admitted on a breath, turning my gaze to meet his. “You deserved it.”
“Oh I deserve much worse than that,” he assured me. “But does that satisfy your questions? Do you believe me now?”
I looked up at him for a long moment, finally nodding my head. Because he had proved himself and he was right too: if he’d wanted to hurt me he wouldn’t have used something that made me laugh my ass off and then kill myself quickly. That just wasn’t the kind of monster he was. It was pretty clear to me that if Ryder Draconis wanted someone dead he’d kill them the hard way. Which made me rethink more than a few assumptions I’d made. Not least the idea that he was responsible for Gareth’s death.
“I’m sorry I thought it was you,” I breathed and Ryder frowned at me like he didn’t know what the hell to even do with an apology.
Before he could figure it out, I sped away from him, leaping out of the window and racing towards the trees in the distance. I needed some time with my thoughts. Because right about now, a lot of the assumptions I’d made didn’t seem right anymore. And I needed to think more clearly about my next move. I’d been sloppy breaking into his room like that. And I couldn’t risk making any more mistakes that would draw the wrong attention to me.
Because I was still sure there was a killer in this school. I just had to find out who they were before they caught up to me. And I was beginning to think they already might be getting close.
I was so consumed with my thoughts that I almost didn’t notice the fact that someone was running after me.
My fangs snapped out and I skidded to a halt just beneath the boughs of the trees at the edge of The Iron Wood, turning and baring my teeth at the Vampire who was following me.
Bryce hissed as he bared his fangs right back at me and a chill slid through my body as he dropped into a fighting stance, his gaze wild with rage.
“What do you want?” I snarled, bending my knees a little as tension coiled in my posture.
“A word,” he said, his tone anything but friendly.
“About?”
“Your Source.” His gaze darkened as his slid his eyes over me, giving off the distinct impression he found me lacking.
“Which one?” I tossed back.
Bryce hissed again. “The only interest I have in Oscura filth is in the desire to see them all dead at my feet. I’m talking about Ryder.”
“Well spit it out then,” I snapped, already growing tired of this conversation.
If he wanted to challenge me for my Source then he only had to say the word and I’d happily unleash some of my rage on him. I wasn’t even that surprised that this was happening. Vampires always fought for position when we were put into close quarters and me and Bryce were pretty much tied as far as power went so it was hard to be sure which of us would come out on top in a fight.
I liked to think I’d be able to take him though.
It was also perfectly acceptable for Vampires to challenge each other over ownership of their blood Sources under normal circumstances, but as I hadn’t claimed either of my Sources through brute strength it seemed a little pointless for Bryce to try and take either of them from me. Ryder and Dante were both powerful enough to fight him off if they didn’t want him biting them and I got the feeling they absolutely would do that if he even tried to. In fact, I imagined he’d be lucky to come away from that kind of interaction with his life.
Besides, I hadn’t bitten Ryder since we’d fallen out and I wasn’t even sure I could call him my Source anymore anyway.
“He doesn’t give a shit about you, you know that, right?” Bryce snarled, holding his aggressive stance but not making a move towards me.
“I don’t get the impression he gives a shit about anyone,” I replied lightly.
“He doesn’t. But especially not his whores. So don’t go thinking you’re something special just because he lets you feed from him. Once he’s gotten what he wants from you, he’ll toss you aside just like all the others. But I’ll still be here. Right by his side.”
“So why do you seem so threatened by me then?” I asked.
“Because it’s not right,” he snapped. “If anyone should be giving him the pleasure of a bite and tasting his power it should be me. Not some power hungry girl who sprung up out of nowhere and spends her time spreading her legs for Oscuras.”
“It kinda sounds like you should be having this conversation with Ryder,” I said, straightening my spine and moving out of a fighting stance. If Bryce had meant to attack me, I was pretty sure he would have done it already.
“I wouldn’t presume to try and tell my King what to do,” he countered.
“No. You’d just go behind his back and try to get your own way without having to challenge him for what you want. Are you a Fae or a mouse?” I mocked.
“Fuck you,” he spat but he still didn’t make a move towards me.
“You know what I think?” I said slowly, trailing my gaze over him. “I think you’re jealous.”
“Of course I am,” he replied darkly. “Ryde
r’s blood calls to me just like it does you. Any Vampire would want him as a Source.”
I nodded, licking my lips at the mere thought of the power of his blood but I got the feeling there was more to it than that.
“But that’s not the only thing you’re jealous of, is it?” I purred, stepping closer.
“What else would I want that you’ve got?” Bryce scoffed.
“I think you’re jealous of the way Ryder is with me. You don’t like the fact that he didn’t do anything to me for breaking into his room. You don’t like it when he talks to me or smiles at me or does things with me that have nothing at all to do with the Brotherhood,” I taunted.
“You’re right. I don’t. I don’t think our King should associate himself with someone who isn’t one of us. And worse than that, you fraternise with Oscura scum too. I don’t know what his fascination is with you, but I’m here to warn you that I see through the spell you’ve laid on him and I won’t be fooled so easily.”
I scoffed lightly. “Boo hoo. But lucky for me, I have no interest in underdogs so your opinion is irrelevant. I’m all about alphas and it just so happens that your top dog has chosen to be my Source. So cry me a river Bryce, because I don’t give a shit.”
I shot away from him without waiting for a response. I didn’t have time for Vampire hierarchy bullshit anyway. He clearly wasn’t going to challenge me yet and until the day he decided to try, he wasn’t worth my time.
The Oscura Haunt was to the east of The Iron Wood in a hollow near a winding stream. Fairylights were strung through the trees and where the branches parted at the centre, the moonlight spilling down on everyone at the party. Hammocks hung to one side of the Haunt and to the other were piles of blankets and cushions spread over the moss. The Oscura Clan members with earth magic had made the ground extra soft and dry and the fire Elementals had lit sconces attached to the trees. At the heart of the space was what was fast becoming a dance floor.
Pop music filled the air but I refused the dances offered to me by other girls, sitting at the heart of a large nest of blankets as I watched my friends and family thronging before me.
Savage Fae (Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac Book 2) Page 11