An icy cold breeze is felt in the air sending a cool shiver through me. The sky now somehow darker than it was just a few hours ago is only lit by the full moon illuminating the water. The lights all around us are turned off and I was right before. The beach is now completely empty with everyone having left the party. The inside of the beach house is pitch black and looks eerily empty, not a light on in sight.
I continue walking on the paved trail toward the deck when suddenly everything goes completely dark, as if something has been thrown over my head as I’m hoisted up into the air. Strong arms are wrapped around me tightly holding me in place; my body squirms around trying to escape, but the arms around me just tighten.
“Put me down!” I try to scream but my voice is muffled by the cloth draped over my head. A weird stench hits me and instantly my head feels foggy, dizzy, and my body grows weak.
“Drake,” I mumble softly into the fabric.
“Didn’t I warn you to never confuse me with him again, Red,” are the last words I hear.
FOURTEEN
ACE
She left the party with him. They left and I followed, lurking in the shadows as he dropped her back off at the Dahlia House. I know they’re planning on sneaking out together again, but I won’t allow it. Not tonight, Red, tonight you’re mine.
“How do we know she’s even gonna show?” Alek asked from his hiding spot behind the railing of the beach house. It’s completely dark outside, only the gleam of the full moon reflecting off the ocean, the clouds glooming above us threatening to erupt. We came out here about an hour ago to kick everyone out and make sure everything was ready for us to make our move.
“I still have access to her phone.” I answered back. I had one of the guys from my Trig class set up the new phones I got them all. He sends all messages she receives from Drake to my phone and I can reply as either one of them. How he does it, hell if I know. He does me this favor, I hook him up with some pills. A win, win.
“She made plans with the dragon to meet up here about two a.m. Of course, I intercepted the message and replied, told him she wasn’t feeling well and would see him tomorrow.”
“Nice one, man,” Alek chuckled.
“But why does he even need us to do this?” asked Beck worriedly.
Beck is the newest and less corrupted Horseman. Brought in our freshman year of high school when his mother, Eliza Masters, a socialite from England who moved to Hillcrest Hills with her son, married Bass’s father Stephan Silver. He instantly fit in with the three of us who had been friends since we were born. We never would take in any outsiders but something about Beck made him feel as if he were already one of us. But there is only one small detail that differentiates him from Alek, Bass, and me. He’s nice. I mean genuinely a good guy, not a monster created to cleanse the world like the three of us were. Not a Horseman bred to rule over those undeserving, unworthy. He still doesn’t quite understand why we do what we do. He didn’t grow up with stories embedded into the deepest parts of his mind, constantly reminded of our place in the world, our legacy. We follow orders, we conquer, defeat, and capture. We govern, torture, and kill if need be. We’re the Horsemen of the apocalypse. We were created to rid this town and those surrounding it, of its sinners. There is no good left in us.
“Yeah man, what’s your uncle’s crazy obsession with this chick? I mean I get it, she’s fucking hot, but she’s a total bitch, not to mention like half his age,” adds Alek angrily. Out of the four of us Alek is by far the most loyal. He believes my uncle and our fathers are some holier than thou beings who know everything about everything. He follows them blindly and rarely ever questions their motives. But for once he’s not quite sure the reason behind this task. He hasn’t taken well to the arrival of the foster kids, especially not the seductive siren with dark hair and red lips.
“We don’t ask, he doesn’t tell. It’s not our concern,” I reply, but fuck if it isn’t a lie. This time it was my idea. I only offered to do this for him because I need answers. And this way I can ensure I get them first.
“Here she comes right on schedule,” whispers Bass, turning quietly and smirking at me.
In my hand I hold a black pillowcase and drop the rag with chloroform inside. I can see her shadow walking along the trail toward us, wearing the same fucking dress from earlier. Her hair is still down almost blending into the darkness of the night. Her skin, the palest of white as the moon reflects off of her, illuminating her. She looks nervous as I see her body shift. Her chest falls and rises at a quicker pace, her eyes not able to focus on anything in sight. It’s as if she senses we’re near.
“On my cue,” I whisper as she approaches the trail closest to the front of the house. “One. Two. Now,” I say, rushing behind her, throwing the pillowcase over her head and grabbing her, keeping her body held tightly against mine. She squirms and shakes, her cries muffled by the cloth over her head. The more she fights me the more I tighten my grip on her, and fuck my dick goes hard. Her nails dig into my arm until I feel her body slowly relaxing, meaning the chloroform has taken effect. She’ll be out soon, making it easier for me to drag her ass inside. She calls me by his name and I nearly burst in anger.
“Drake,” she cries, and my jaw stiffens. Big mistake, Red.
“Didn’t I warn you to never confuse me with him again, Red?” I say right before she passes out.
FIFTEEN
ACE
I carry her inside throwing her over my shoulder as Bass drags a chair to the middle of the room. Alek and Beck stay outside to keep an eye out for my uncle, and make sure nobody else followed her here. I sit her down carefully on the metal chair and tie her hands behind her back and her legs to the chair’s legs. Stepping back, I take a good look at her, admiring her perfect figure. Fuck, she truly is beautiful, her head is tilted slightly to the right, her dark mane falling on her face and between her perky breasts.
“Fuck man, you sure we’re doing the right thing? What does he want with her, Ace?” I turn to my best friend and find him rubbing his chin nervously.
“I don’t know, Bass, but this was the only way. It’s either we bring her to him, or he goes and gets her himself.”
“I just, fuck, I feel kind of bad.” I turn to him questioningly. Bass never feels bad, hell he doesn’t feel anything. He’s a ruthless son of a bitch. I swear the big man left out any kind of emotion when piecing him together. “I mean, yeah, she pissed me off earlier, but she was right. I’ve been an ass to Stella, and she defended her without knowing her for that long.”
I turn to him realizing he’s right. Her whole little group became friends with little Silver almost instantly. Bass has pushed his cousin away every chance he’s gotten. She’s innocent, naïve, and doesn’t deserve to be part of this fucked up life we were forced into.
Since we were kids, my father, Bass’s father, Alek’s father, and my uncle have told us some fucked up stories about our family’s place in the world. They told us we were the chosen ones, the Four Horsemen, and how the four were sent to punish man for the corrupt world they were creating. They were said to conquer, start wars, bring forth plague, famine, and death to punish those who deserved it. To punish the sinners. I always thought they were some fucked up stories told to keep us in check; but the older we got, the truer they became. Our families all have a shitty history of running shady businesses and holding a holier than thou image. Not to mention the legend of Servite itself. The older we became, the more I understood this was not just our past, it was our future, our destined fate. We became the Four Horsemen and we’re here to finish off what our ancestors started. The only question is, how does she fit into all of this?
“We’re not here to fucking ask questions, Bass. He asked for her, we delivered.”
“Fuck that, Ace, I know she’s gotten under your skin. I mean just fucking look at her. And she has that smart mouth and ‘fuck you’ attitude. And her sister, man, fuck that girl is something else. I’m gonna have to
do something about her.”
I turn to him and we both start laughing. He’s right, Little Red has gotten under my skin, but that’s not where she belongs. I need to find out why she’s here and quick. We both turn to her as we hear her squirming around.
“Look who’s coming back to us,” says Bass chuckling.
“Fuck you, Silver,” she answers breathlessly.
I walk over to her leaning forward slightly, getting a perfect view of her tits that rise and fall with every ragged breath.
“What the fuck did you guys do to me?” she cries out, moving slightly.
“Calm down, Little Red, we haven’t done anything, yet,” I say grinning, but she doesn’t look to be in the joking mood.
“Let me go. Drake is supposed to meet me. He’ll come looking for me.”
“Then we’ll tie him up too. Maybe you can watch as I carve my name into your little pet’s skin.”
“Fuck you, Ace! You better not lay a hand on him,” she yells, rattling the chair. She grunts as she tugs on the rope that ties her hands behind her back. I look into her clear blue eyes and see a glimmer of fear course through them. Little Red is scared, as she should be. I take her in, my eyes roaming her sensual body, over every luscious curve.
“I can’t decide if I love your costume or hate it,” I say as I step closer to her, and I can feel her hot breath on me as she inhales a sharp breath. I breathe her in, the sweet and sultry scent of cherry blossoms and vanilla fills the air. And something else. Her own intoxicating scent that drives me crazy.
“Why?” she whispers slowly, and I know my closeness is affecting her.
“I love it because it exposes every last inch of you and it’s fucking sexy as hell, but,” I stop, my lips just shy of hers. I reach out, licking my lips, barely grazing hers with my tongue.
“But,” she moans, her head falling back slightly as I trace her collarbone with my finger, bringing it down between her breasts.
“It exposes every last inch of you. I don’t want the world to see what belongs to me,” she laughs deviously, and fuck if it isn’t the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard.
“You wish, Horseman. But this,” she says. My eyes roam her body, as she squirms in the chair. “This belongs to someone else.” I look back to her face and find she’s fucking biting her lip. “You wish this were yours, Servite, but you’re never gonna lay a hand on me. Again.”
“Never say never, Red,” I say, bringing my hand back to her lip. I run the pad of my thumb over her plump bottom lip opening her up slightly and my fucking cock twitches. I stick my finger in her mouth and she wets it slightly with the tip of her tongue, her eyes burning into mine. I can see it in her eyes - the lust, the need. She enjoys the game, hell I think it gets her wet. I remove my thumb and bring it to my mouth to suck on it, her eyes dilate as they follow the movement of my lips. She clears her throat, coming out of the lustful daze.
“If you think that you can bring me here, tie me up, and I’ll flutter my lashes and drop to my knees, you’ve got something else coming, Horseman. I may be the one with my hands tied behind my back, but you’re the one who’s on a leash, and you wear it like a noose around your neck.” I smile deviously at the little siren’s response. She’s a feisty one, always a comeback on the tip of her tongue. We are the same, she and I. The need to be in control, to have the last word, it’s overpowering. I think it’s the reason for our unparalleled attraction, but also the reason for our constant strife. Her breathing turns ragged as she sees the smirk upon my face. She’s pissed, her glare darkening as those blue topaz eyes now look more like gleaming sapphires.
I’m about to respond when we are interrupted by the front door opening. All eyes turn to the door where Alek walks in with a little blonde vixen thrown over his shoulder.
“Look who decided to join the party,” he says, setting her down. Jade turns to us scowling, her bright green eyes almost glowing like two fireflies in the night sky.
“Let me go,” she snaps, pulling away from Alek. “Where is my sister?” she adds, lunging toward me, but Bass is quicker and intercepts her.
“Now, now, Little Wolf, no need for violence. We’re all friends here. Maybe she’s here of her own free will,” he chuckles at his words.
“Fuck you, Silver,” she hisses back.
“Any day, Little Wolf, I’d love to tame you,” he replies, and I can’t help but laugh as she lifts her hand to his face. But just before she almost slaps him, he catches her hand in his. I turn to Scarlett, and Jade sees her behind me tied to the chair.
“What the fuck did you do to her!?” she screams out, and Bass takes the opportunity to spin her around so her back is now to his chest, his other arm wrapping around her waist keeping her still.
“Jade!” cries Scarlett helplessly.
“Don’t fucking hurt her,” she yells back at me.
“I’m gonna scream. I swear you two are going to fucking regret this!” Jade shrieks, squirming in Bass’s hold.
“Shut her up!” I yell, and Bass lets go of her hand bringing his hand to her mouth. I turn back to Scarlett and hear a yelp behind me as Jade bites down.
“Ouch! You fucking bit me you little bitch!” he cries out, causing Jade, Scarlett, and me to laugh.
“Don’t be such a pussy,” she coos. “It wasn’t even that hard,” she says, wiggling her ass at him.
“Oh yeah, Little Wolf, I’ll show your pussy something real hard,” he sneers spinning her around, so her chest is now pushed against his. She gasps as his hands find her ass lifting her as she wraps her legs around his waist. “You feel that Little Wolf?” he asks temptingly, but before she can answer, he swings her over his shoulder. Bass is huge, almost 6’4” so lifting her is as easy as a sack of flour.
“Enough,” I yell.
“Alek, bring over another chair. Bass, tie her ass to it next to her sister.” Alek and Bass do just that, getting more resistance from Jade.
“Fuck, no wonder you used chloroform on Red here, this bitch doesn’t stop moving,” says Alek, and Jade gasps again.
“You drugged her?” she shouts.
“Just a little sniff,” jokes Alek.
I motion for the guys to follow me out and we leave the two alluring sisters alone as we head back outside to wait for my uncle.
Stepping out onto the porch, I hear Bass slam the door behind us. Beck is sitting on one of the couches on the porch, and Alek and Bass join him. I lean against the railing turning to them, my back facing the raging ocean behind us.
“You don’t think they’ll try to escape?” asks Beck.
“They’ve got nowhere to go. Besides, he should be here any minute.”
“You sure he’s even coming, Ace?” Alek asks.
“He wouldn’t miss his chance. He wanted her alone and we delivered. He’ll be here.”
“What if they come looking for her?” he adds nervously.
“They won’t, he said he just needed to talk to her, it shouldn’t take long.”
“You sure he’s not going to hurt her?” asks Bass, and I turn to him unsure of that answer.
“Honestly, I don’t know what he’s capable of. The fucker scares the shit out of me.”
“As I should,” says a voice from behind me. We all turn to see him standing at the bottom of the steps in a shiny black suit, a cigarette at the end of his mouth. “Where’s my package, nephew?” he asks, and I turn to lead the way back into the house, where I have his gift nicely tied up with a bow.
SIXTEEN
SCARLETT
“What the fuck is going on, Scarlett? Why are you here?” asks Jade from beside me, trying to wiggle out of the rope. The guys walked out leaving us in here alone, but I don’t know how long till they come back. We have to find a way out of here.
“I snuck out to meet Drake and they ambushed me before I got to him.” Her face pales at my words. “Don’t worry, Drake is out here. He’ll come searching for me, he’ll find us.
”
“No, Scar,” she blurts, her head falling forward.
“What, Jade?”
“Drake’s not coming. Look, Drake texted me asking me to check on you. He said that he was supposed to meet you here, but you texted saying you were feeling sick. I went to your room to check on you, but you weren’t there. So, unsure of where you were, I texted him back saying you were just going to sleep it off and I snuck out to come look for you.”
“Fuck. He did it again.”
“What do you mean?” she asks curiously.
“Look, I wasn’t the one who texted Drake that. I think it was Ace.”
“What?” she exclaims clearly surprised.
“He did it before. About a month ago when we first got here, I got a text from Drake asking me to meet him outside of the girls’ house in the middle of the night. When I went out to meet him it wasn’t Drake, it was Ace. He had somehow managed to get access to Drake’s phone or mine and pretended to be him. Ace was waiting for me and that’s when he…”
“When he kissed you. But how?” she asks.
“It wasn’t the school who got us phones, Jade, it was…”
“Ace,” she whispers softly, and I nod. “Then why?”
“I don’t,” I’m interrupted as the doors open and the Four Horsemen walk in looking like walking sex. These guys are fucking gorgeous, ripped, and sexy AF all in their own way.
“You guys won’t get away with this!” Jade shouts out but is interrupted by a deep, crass voice I hadn’t expected to hear tonight, making me cringe.
“Oh, but I think they just have, sweetheart.” The guys separate, Ace and Bass moving to the right while Alek and Beck move to the left, leaving room for a fifth man, who I had dreaded seeing again, to walk through. I’m frozen in place, my gaze stuck on him as he walks toward us. Agent Wesley Fucking Servite.
The Four Horsemen : A Servite Academy For Troubled Teens Novel Page 15