“Because we’re monsters of a particular kind,” I breathed, watching her across the water. “And we feast on things that others don’t understand.”
“Like pain and suffering?” she breathed.
“Yes.”
Silence fell between us as she processed that and I watched her as she watched me. I could see that ache in her too, that need for something…more.
“Come here,” I said in a low voice which held no room for argument.
“You promised no sex,” she growled and I snorted a laugh.
“You need to get your mind out the gutter, baby. I gave my word along with the others. None of us will force you to do anything like that. That’s not the kinds of monsters we are anyway. Now, come here.”
She slipped off of her seat and slowly moved through the water towards me, her breasts lifting above the surface as she walked so that I got a view of her pink nipples through the black lace. It was a test, she wanted to know if I was going to keep my word or not. But she wouldn’t be disappointed in that. My word was law. Same went for all the Night Keepers. There wasn’t a single thing in this world which would make us break it.
She hesitated as she came to a halt before me, standing between my open legs as her gaze drifted over the paint on my flesh again.
I reached for her slowly, grabbing her perfectly round ass I lifted her to straddle my lap and she gasped in surprise, bracing her hands on my shoulders.
My dick twitched as those pink nipples brushed against my chest through the lace.
Tatum’s big blue eyes found mine and I could see an ocean of uncertainty in her gaze.
“You have to do everything we say,” I reminded her, leaning forward so that our breath mingled as I released my grip on her ass and laid my arms over the edge of the hot tub either side of me again. “But it doesn’t have to be all bad.”
“You are all bad,” she replied. “Bad to the bone, every one of you.”
“Rotten to the core too,” I replied darkly. “Now, wash this paint off for me, baby.”
Her eyes widened and her gaze dipped to take in the paint once more.
“I don’t have a sponge,” she said, defiant as always. And I hoped we wouldn’t succeed in breaking that. There weren’t many things that lingered on my conscience, but that definitely would.
“Then improvise,” I said simply.
A long moment passed before she reached up to my cheek, cupping my jaw in her wet hand as she used her thumb to wipe the paint away.
My heart pounded to a dark and steady rhythm as she worked, my skin tingling beneath her fingertips as she moved them over my face.
She shifted forward in my lap to get her balance and my cock was suddenly wedged right between her thighs. I was hard as fuck which really shouldn’t have surprised her but she gasped like a virgin all the same.
“You said-” she began, but I cut her off.
“There’s a beautiful girl sitting in my lap and touching me while wearing transparent underwear,” I growled. “My dick’s gonna get ideas about that whether I give it permission or not.”
Tatum bit her bottom lip as she looked at me like she’d expected an apology. No luck there, baby. I’d never apologised for anything in my life, let alone getting hard for a perfect creature like her. But I was keeping my word. I wasn’t going to lay a finger on her unless she asked me to.
“Okay.” She started wiping paint from my other cheek and I watched her as her long lashes kissed her cheeks while she looked down.
When she rubbed through the line of paint which ran over my lips, a growl of desire escaped me.
Her blue eyes lifted to mine for a moment and she shifted in my lap just enough to make my balls ache. There was no way that was an accident. The little rich girl had just figured out how she could torture me in payment for my part in her misery.
Both of her hands slid down my neck achingly slowly and she started to wipe the paint from my pecs. Her touch was firm as she slid her wet hands over me, exploring the curves of my muscles as she shifted in my lap again.
My heart was pounding and I clenched my fists where they rested on the edge of the hot tub to stop myself from reaching for her.
The bubbles timed out and the water fell still around us, leaving her breasts above the surface once more and I damn near groaned at the sight of her hardened nipples pressing through the lacy fabric.
Fuck. My. Life.
This was testing my resolve to the maximum, but I refused to back down. I needed to keep my word. It was the one thing I had that wasn’t layered in shadows and bullshit.
Tatum noticed what I was looking at and shifted in my lap again, grinding against the hard ridge of my cock in a way that told me she’d know exactly what to do with it if this situation were different.
“There’s an inked up demigod sitting between my thighs with a cock as hard as stone,” she breathed in a dark tone. “My nipples are gonna get ideas about that whether I give them permission or not.”
“Touché.”
Her hands slid beneath the surface and my gaze returned to meet hers as they trailed down my abs, wiping the rest of the paint off as she went. Her fingertips made it to the waistband of my boxers and I really did groan. But before I could consider whether or not my word meant shit, she was gone, climbing out of the hot tub like we hadn’t been five seconds away from me fucking her ‘til sunrise.
“I’ve warmed up now,” she said in a cool tone which didn’t even acknowledge what had just happened. “Can I go back to my dorm or do you have more demands to make?”
She pulled on the hoodie and sweatpants I’d brought for her without removing her wet underwear and tied her wet hair in a knot on the back of her head.
I stood slowly, climbing out behind her with water running over my body and my boxers clinging to my cock so that she could see every single inch of it as she turned back to look at me.
“I can walk you back,” I offered.
“Is that a command?” she asked icily.
“No.”
“Then I’ll pass.” She grabbed her dripping wet school uniform from the floor and stalked away from me without so much as a glance at my dick and I blew out a breath which was part frustration and part laugh.
There was a warrior living in Tatum Rivers’ flesh, and I for one was glad we hadn’t destroyed her.
I woke the next morning with a nightmare curling around my body like a wraith. And no matter how hard I tried to push it away, it held onto me with razor sharp talons. I’d been swimming in the lake then something had grabbed my ankle from below and dragged me under and under, my lungs burning, aching. But when I’d thought my last breath would come, I stayed alive. Suffering at the bottom of the lake, but unable to get free.
I shuddered as I slipped out of bed, finding Mila sitting cross legged on her covers staring over at me. She was already dressed in her uniform and her hair was woven into an intricate braid that must have taken her a long time to perfect. I’d been so exhausted from last night, I’d slept past my alarm and I groaned as I rubbed my eyes.
Flashes of the beach awaited me the second my eyes closed and my heart thumped out of rhythm. The three of them staring at me with their painted bodies and demonic smiles, the raging storm, the icy cold that had drilled into my bones, the tears which had tracked down my cheeks. Then Kyan had come like a monster out of the lake, but he hadn’t hurt me like I’d expected. I wasn’t in the least bit fooled by his act of ‘kindness’ though. He just didn’t want his pet to die. Then he wouldn’t have anything to kick when he needed an outlet.
“Tatum?” Mila asked like she was scared of me. Or for me maybe. I couldn’t be sure.
I gave her a half smile as I dropped my hand from my face. “Yeah it’s me. Not a zombie. Despite this.” I gestured to my general appearance. My hair was sticking up everywhere in my periphery and I had no doubt my eyes were red and dark circles hung beneath them. Turns out, you don’t sleep well after you sell your soul to the devil. Or dev
ils as the case may be.
She didn’t crack a smile and my heart twisted uncomfortably. She would have seen the video. Shit, no doubt Blake would have made sure every student at Everlake saw that video. I tried not to let in the shame as I thought of how scared I’d been, how broken. I still felt that way in part. Still felt shattered and small. But in the cold light of day where I couldn’t see any of my new owners, the flame of my strength was rekindling. It didn’t blaze yet, but I was sure as hell gonna stoke it until it did.
I wasn’t going to be ruined by three boys with a small dick complex. Although, that didn’t quite fit the bill from the out of this world sex I’d had with Blake, and from the swell of Kyan’s monster cock between my thighs last night. Taunting him had restarted the fire in me, it had given me an inch of control back. Something I was going to latch onto with an iron grip, and shit, I was gonna use my teeth to hang onto it too, because I was not going to fall apart, no matter how much it felt like I was about to.
“Did they hurt you?” Mila asked, not having to mention the sacred stone or me willingly pressing my hand to it and agreeing to be Night Bound. I would have laughed at those words before yesterday. I wanted to ridicule that stupid legend, but now I realised it didn’t matter if there was any truth in it or not. The Night Keepers had brought it to life. Given it flesh and breathed air into its lungs. If enough people believed in something, whether it was true or not, it gave the leaders of that faith power. That was what made the Night Keepers truly dangerous.
“Not physically,” I said, though leaving me out in that storm was arguably an indirect punch in the face. I would have preferred the quick, sharp pain of a physical attack though. Hours in the rain was worse than bruises and reddened flesh, it had left its mark on the inside. The type that scarred for life.
I cleared my throat as Mila’s face paled.
“You should head to breakfast,” I urged, partly because I couldn’t stand that look on her face. Like I was a victim.
“I can wait ‘til you get dressed and we can walk together?” she offered, but I shook my head.
“It’s okay, you go ahead,” I encouraged, painting on a smile. I knew the guys would only threaten her if I went against their rules, but if she was seen walking around with me, she was going to be thrown into the firing line of the whole school regardless for being seen with the virus girl. And Mila was too sweet to be dragged down with me. Besides, I’d still be able to see her here in our room.
Fuck, they’re winning already.
Mila headed to the door, lingering by it for a long moment. “I’m staying, you know? There’s no flights coming out this way from New York because they’ve all been grounded. So my parents can’t come for me.”
I nodded, giving her a genuine smile, a hardened piece of my heart softening at her words. At least I wouldn’t be totally alone all of the time.
She stepped out of the room and I forced myself to my feet a beat later, grabbing a towel and heading for the shower. It was pretty empty, but the few girls in there ran out of the room screaming Plague!
I gritted my jaw, stepping into one of the shower units. Well at least I can have the whole bathroom to myself, bitches.
I was soon dressed for the day with my makeup and hair done, working hard to not only look put together but to look fucking awesome. My eyeliner made my bright blue eyes pop and you couldn’t even seen a glimmer of that girl who’d stood on the beach last night. At least there was one good thing about psychological wounds. You couldn’t see them on the outside.
I was running late again, but there was one more thing I needed to do before I faced down the world.
I headed to my nightstand, taking out a sheaf of paper and grabbing a pen, pulling off the cap with my teeth.
Dear Jessica,
Things got bad. Those boys I mentioned? Well they’re the devil incarnate.
Last night, they pushed and pushed until I gave in to them. I was so scared, Jess. And now I’m so fucking ashamed. Because you wouldn’t have let them do it, would you? You wouldn’t have agreed. And you’d be so disappointed with me now.
I stopped writing as a fat tear dropped onto the page. I hastily wiped it away but it smeared some of the ink and I sighed as I carried on.
I wish you were here. No, scrap that. If I’m wishing for stuff, I wish I was with you. And Dad…
Did you hear about Dad? You don’t believe those lies about him either, right?
That’s why everyone hates me, Jess. But if he could, he’d tell us to fight our enemies without fear. That fear is just a tool to aid our survival. And maybe he’s right. Maybe I’ll find a way to wield it, Jess. But right now, I feel so lost. And so alone. I’d give anything to run away this time. I’d trade every other awkward moment I’d ever had to escape this one. Maybe I’m paying the price for all of that avoided shit at once?
I guess nothing in life is free.
Love you Jess. And I miss you more than ever.
Tatty x
I folded up the letter, dropping to the floor and pulling my backpack out from under the bed. I placed it carefully into the pocket at the back and as I took my hand out of the bag, my fingers grazed the gun Dad had given me. I wet my mouth as I took it into my grip for a moment, feeling the solid, comforting weight of it in my palm. The Night Keepers probably felt like this constantly. All powerful, unstoppable. But they didn’t need guns to feel this way when they embodied a loaded weapon all on their own.
I pushed it back into the depths of my bag and my fingers hooked on the self-defence keychain my dad had given me as a going away gift. I blew out a laugh as I took it into my palm. The face of a black metal cat hung from it with huge eyes which I could slide my middle and index finger though. The pointed ears were sharp enough to pierce flesh when it was used as a weapon.
I pushed the bag back under my bed, standing and hooking the chain onto my room key. I didn’t plan on stabbing any students on campus, no matter how appealing the idea was for some assholes in particular, but it was a reminder of my dad. And the fact that innocent-looking things could be deadly.
With that little piece of him in my palm, I headed out of my room with more confidence. I strapped on my mask and buried my pain deep, deep inside me where no one could find it unless they dug it out with a spade.
The air was icily cool outside, the storm having left a beautiful, crisp blue sky in its wake. I breathed in the fresh air and drew comfort in the fact that no matter how hard a storm raged, it always blew itself out eventually.
It wasn’t long before I reached the Redwood Dining Hall, clenching my jaw as I walked inside.
Eyes swung to me and I ignored them as usual, fixing my gaze on the Unspeakables. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to make it past the Night Keepers today without being forced to acknowledge them, but I was gonna make them call my name if they wanted something.
“Plague!” Blake hollered predictably and I turned to him, raising my brows and waiting for him to give me an actual command. If he wanted me to come over there, then he was gonna have to spell it out.
“Here, now,” Saint growled before Blake said another word.
I strode towards them at a snail’s pace, taking in the three fuckwits who now laid a claim to me. I scanned them as they continued to eat their breakfasts. You could tell a lot from the way a person ate. Blake poked at his obviously stone cold pancakes, gazing at me with an emotional kind of hatred blazing in his dark green eyes. Saint sliced everything up on his plate like it had personally insulted his mother and bitch slapped his puppy across the room. Although, if I ever saw that guy with a puppy, I’d be calling animal services faster than a snow cone melting in hell. Kyan was eating his greasy cooked breakfast with just a fork, but looked like he was about to abandon it in favour of using his hands and teeth.
There were three words which described each of them right now: Emotion. Control. Disregard.
I halted in front of their table, ignoring the violent pounding of my heart as I gave them m
y least-fucks-given expression. They could own me all they liked, but I was determined to never let them see me break again.
“Well? What the fuck do you have to say?” Saint demanded and I frowned, coming up short.
“Um…you look like a very well dressed little Night Keeper today, oh holy one?” I mocked and his eyes flashed with fury.
He rose from his seat, his freaking knife in his grip. “You were supposed to be waiting at The Temple at six am this morning,” he snarled. “You’ve already broken the fucking rules.”
“What?” I balked. “Unless you sent me a psychic message – which, trust me, I’m sure your freaky psycho mind is capable of doing – I was never told to be there at six am. And you said I only had to do what I was told, so…” I shrugged innocently and Kyan cleared his throat.
“Er, dude?” He looked to Saint. “I totally forgot to tell her about that. My bad.”
Saint’s jaw ticked as he glared at his friend and a laugh got caught in the back of my throat. It managed to escape and Saint shot me daggers, seeming unsure of who to aim his rage at.
My gaze skipped to Kyan and for a moment I remembered straddling him in the hot tub, the way he’d groaned as I washed his body. He shot me a wink while the others weren’t looking and my lips parted. Did he purposefully save my ass from the six am bullshit?
“Fucking idiot,” Blake muttered and I noticed he was stabbing at his food as he narrowed his eyes at me. I tried not to be rattled by that, but for a second he looked scarier than Saint. Like he wanted to be driving that blade into me.
“Get on your knees,” Saint suddenly demanded of me, loud enough for the entire room to here.
Girlish giggles reached me from the table just behind me and my cheeks flushed hot as I stared at Saint. I couldn’t do it. My knees physically would not fucking bend for this asshole.
“Get. On. Your. Knees,” Saint growled dangerously.
I gritted my teeth, knowing I had no choice as I forced myself down before them, my calves pressing against the hard floor. My neck flared with heat and I half expected food to be thrown on me again, but as I stared defiantly up at Saint, he just smirked.
Kings of Quarantine: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep Book 1) Page 21