Take Me (Crimson Pack Trilogy Book 1)

by A Lonergan

  As I shoved away from the side of the house, I felt like I could fly. For a brief moment it felt good, then my feet hit the shingles and I started to slide a little bit. Little pebbles dug into my palms and I was glad I had pulled my hair up and away from my face. Sweat slid down my temples. I prayed it didn’t smudge my makeup.

  Tracey looked down at me with her wide topaz eyes. “I don’t think I can do this.”

  My feet slid on the roof as I scooted down the shingles. I would have to get to the ground before she jumped. I couldn’t risk her missing the roof. I would have to try to catch her if something went wrong. I gripped the gutters and lowered my body down from the perch. It wasn’t even considered a roof, more like a decorative piece of shingles that made the house look like it had dimension. It jutted out from the side of the house in an odd way and didn’t really do much but keep the water from splashing up on the dining room window. My body hung there for a few seconds before I dropped to the ground into a crouch. My knees gave out in the process and I sprawled onto the grass. I heaved a breath and shoved myself up from the ground. That wasn’t so bad.

  Tracey shook her head. “What about the window?”

  “Pull it down a little.”

  Surprise rang through me as she managed to pull it down enough so only her butt was inside. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she pushed off of the side of the house and sailed through the air. Her arms windmilled around wildly and a soft shriek escaped her lips as her feet barely made it to the edge of the roof. Her hands scrambled for something to grip as her body slid down the shingles.

  “No, no, no,” she gasped as her body left the side of the house and she tumbled down. I rushed to get under her and soften her fall. The impact of her body was a lot more than I had expected. It knocked the breath from my chest as we both hit the soft grass.

  Tracey rolled off of me and ran her hands over her body like she couldn’t believe she was still alive. The roof had softened the fall some. If she hadn’t made it to the roof, this would have all been much worse. I sat up and unscrewed the flask that I had retrieved from my bag. I dumped the rest of the contents in my mouth and scrunched my nose as I swallowed the fire down. At least her body hadn’t killed me. That would have been a story to tell.

  The buzz was starting to work its way through my limbs and I could feel myself getting more fluid. It wouldn’t take me long at all to get completely wasted tonight, but that was only if Mr. Danger wasn’t there.

  Chapter 3

  Jade Rivers

  The house we had bought just a few short years ago butted up to the woods that circled the little university town. It had creeped me out the first two years of college. Especially when my parents had started to go on vacation. It had started with an anniversary trip and then a birthday trip which eventually led to more trips throughout the year. Mom had felt guilty after the first year of them being gone but then Dad had reassured her that parents didn’t usually hover like they did. Parents were supposed to enjoy their lives, especially when their children went off to college and they worked remotely.

  But three rounds of in-vitro fertilization and seven years of infertility would do that to a couple. I didn’t mind that they had always hovered, but after I had turned eighteen it had started to get slightly annoying. Even when Dad wasn’t very convincing that their vacationing was valid, I chimed in and helped. I loved the freedom and the massive house they left behind. But the freedom had been short-lived when a door to door salesman had sold the whole package of surveillance with a shiny red bow. They didn’t need much convincing to leave after that. I was happy to see them go too. They had given up so much to have me and then to raise me. I didn’t mind them leaving to do whatever it was that they wanted now.

  As much as the woods scared me, it was the only way we could get out of the yard without being spotted by the motion detector cameras posted almost all the way around the house. If we hugged the fence, they wouldn’t see us. Which was good because the last thing I wanted to do was hop the fence and come face to face with the mean-ass dog next door. We hopped the back fence easily.

  The mean-ass dog next door took that moment to bark at us and I could have sworn my soul left my body in shock. I clutched my chest as we ran for the cover of the trees. My body was on high alert but the adrenaline hadn’t worn off yet plus there was a whole lot of whiskey in my system. I grinned at Tracey as she shined her phone flashlight into the woods. All we had to do was go a few feet and we would be out.

  An eery howl split the air and Tracey wrapped her arms around my middle. We both stayed locked in that embrace for a few seconds before we rushed the rest of the way out of the forest. We didn’t bother with looking back because as soon as we broke the line of the woods the howl rang out again. We took off into a run. The street light was the only bit of hope we had as we raced away from the shadows of the woods. We slid to a stop on the pavement and I gripped Tracey’s hand in mine as we both bent over at the waist and laughed. It sounded slightly hysterical but what did it matter? Somehow we had managed to live through the entire ordeal. First the crazy escape from the house and now wild animals. What could possibly happen next?

  The buzz I had developed was long gone, the adrenaline had shoved all the alcohol out of my system. The hair on the back of my neck pebbled as we walked. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were either being watched or followed. Every few seconds I looked over my shoulder. Her black SUV waited for us at the end of the third street and I could have sworn we both picked up our pace to get inside of it. We leaned our heads against the seat and locked the doors as soon as we got in. I could hardly breathe and judging by how rapid Tracey’s chest was rising and falling, she was struggling too.

  “I’m going to need a few drinks to get this out of my system,” Tracey started her car and pulled away from the curb. But even as we drove down the road, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still watching us. I clenched my hands together and shook my head. I felt silly and I wondered if paranoia was hereditary.

  The streetlights vibrated the closer we got to the frat house. Chills washed over my arms and down my spine. It probably wasn’t normal for me to get this excited about a party, but I couldn’t help myself. It was my guilty pleasure after all. Tracey parked close to the house and kicked the car door open. I was a little more graceful with my movements, I was wearing a tight leather skirt. My small bag thumped against my back as I walked to the frat house.

  Tracey grabbed my hand to pull me to a stop. She held up her hand that had her watch on it. “You have the walkie talkie app?”

  I nodded my head. It was the first thing she had made me download when we had gone out together the first time. I swatted her worried hands away. “Yes, and I know if I need you it’s just a click of a button.”

  “Cut loose tonight and have fun. Don’t worry about any silly boys.” Her topaz eyes stared holes into mine. “Please be careful, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Stay away from the dangerous ones tonight.”

  “Of course!” But honestly, when I had alcohol in my system it made it harder for me to stay away from the bad boys. And Mr. Danger himself had just been on the balcony smoking a cigarette. The sight had put me on cloud nine. I rolled my shoulders and marched forward. Alcohol never seemed to affect Tracey the way it did everyone else, so I never worried about her like she did with me.

  I grabbed a White Claw from the tub at the front door and stepped over bodies littered around the foyer. It wasn’t even midnight yet and everyone was sloshed already. Leave it to the lightweights to make this party a drag. A few boys from my classes gave me appreciative looks and I completely overlooked them. I wasn’t interested in Kyle from Algebra or Jeremy from Creative Writing. I didn’t entertain their advances in class, what would make them think I would entertain them here?

  Alcohol. I rolled my eyes and managed to bob out the way of their path. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I peered over my shoulder.

  There he was.<
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  Mr. Danger stared holes into my back. His golden eyes met mine and there was something familiar there. Tonight there was a bit of stubble on his chin and he wore a button-down flannel shirt. His jeans were ripped at the knees but not in the intentional way that most guys bought. No these jeans looked worn down from hard use and long hours. My stomach clenched. Even his boots were worn. This was more than dangerous.

  The corner of his mouth quirked up as he caught me staring like I hadn’t caught him just a few seconds before. I forced my eyes back to his and his nostrils flared. He turned away quickly and went right back up the stairs. A hand on my shoulder made me jump but I was ready to swing if it was one of the guys from my classes. No one was going to put their hands on me. I tensed beneath the hand before I swung around. My little handbag bounced against my lower back.

  “You okay?” Tracey’s voice met my ears.

  I tugged on my tight top and popped my White Claw open. I was most certainly not okay. My legs trembled and my heart did this weird skitter in my chest. “Totally, great.”

  She narrowed her bright eyes at me. “You sure? You look a little pale. Someone here bothering you?”

  I took a sip from my drink and winced. It wasn’t my cup of tea but I had grabbed the first thing I had seen. I had always preferred the burn of Whiskey but parties like these didn’t usually supply the good stuff. I was picky but I also wanted to get drunk. I couldn’t be picky at a party like this. But Jello Shots would probably do better. I handed the canned drink to my friend and stumbled through the throngs of people cluttered everywhere. A light shone through the darkness of the living room and I knew immediately that it had to be the kitchen. I grinned to myself as I continued to shove through the gyrating bodies.

  Someone shoved my shoulder and I found myself against a wall. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes before I punched the face of the man that had me pinned. My temper would do me no favors here. I opened my eyes and came face to face with Mr. Danger. The skin between my eyebrows pulled together as I looked at him.

  He smiled down at me as I narrowed my eyes up at him. “Hey there, you should probably watch where you’re going.”

  I raised my eyebrows at him this time. “Excuse me? You ran into me.” I motioned between our bodies up against the wall. He was the one pressed into me. It wasn’t the other way around. Though I didn’t exactly mind it. He smelled slightly of cigarettes, pine, and whiskey. Cigarettes weren’t the best in that mix but somehow, he made it smell heavenly.

  His yellow eyes twinkled and they reminded me of Tracey’s. He pulled away from me and shrugged before he downed the contents in his drink. I watched as his throat bobbed before he lowered his cup. “Then I guess I owe you an apology.”

  “I guess you do.” I crossed my arms over my chest as my eyebrow raised in a challenge.

  “Can I get you a drink?” he asked as he pointed to the kitchen with his empty cup. “Pick your poison and I’ll do what I can to make your dream come true.”

  “Whiskey, neat. No cheap stuff.”

  He leaned in and pressed his nose to the base of my neck. I stiffened but then his scent wrapped around me again and I began to loosen up. I leaned into his touch but as soon as I made contact he jerked away from me like he had been burned.

  He ducked his face away from me and muttered, “I’ll see what I can do.”

  Chapter 4

  Rafe Crimson

  A whiskey girl, eh.

  She didn’t seem like the type. But I did always like them feisty. The way she had turned on me showed me just how much of a fighter she was, which was good because she was going to need it after all this was over.

  Chapter 5

  Jade Rivers

  Mr. Danger came back as promised with a red plastic cup. I couldn’t see the contents in it as he got closer and for a moment I felt silly. I knew the dangers that came with these men and sometimes drugging girls came with the territory. I could admit that I liked a true blue bad boy but being drugged wasn’t on my ‘to do’ list. I could go without that one. He didn’t smile at me as he got closer. He shoved the cup into my hands and looked me in the eye as he took a sip from his. I eyed his lips as he swallowed down his drink.

  He chewed on the inside of his lip. “I’m Rafe,”

  “Jade,”

  He nodded his head like he already knew then he eyed my drink. “You gonna drink that?”

  Nervous butterflies ignited in my stomach. I didn’t make a move to take a sip even though I whispered, “Yes,”

  He snatched the cup from my fingers and took a huge gulp from my cup before he put it back in my hand. I couldn’t fight the smile that took over my face. I took a sip then and let the alcohol burn through my body.

  Any other time, any other party I would have been able to tell you if it was the good stuff but as it slid down my throat Rafe’s eyes practically glowed in the dark and the last thing I was worried about was if I was drinking the good stuff. All rational thought flew right out the window and I imagined if he kept it up with his glowing eyes, my panties would be next. I pulled my bottom lip in between my teeth and he moved in toward me again. My heart did that weird skitter again and I wondered if this was the guy that was going to take me home tonight. It was still relatively early but that hadn’t stopped me before. His molten liquid eyes flicked to my lips and I knew I was a goner.

  My head was a fuzzy mess. Was I lying down? Was I on a bed or had I fallen on the floor? Where was I? Had I drank that much? The last thing I remembered was one cup of alcohol. I didn’t think I had gotten sloshed that quickly. I could hear Tracey’s voice filtering through with Rafe’s. Something wasn’t right. My eyes burned as I tried to roll over. Nothing was making sense in my brain.

  “You promised me you would stay away from her,” Tracey yelled.

  “Everything is different now, you don’t understand,” Rafe replied back.

  “You promised,” Tracey pleaded.

  What were they talking about? Tracey and Rafe knew each other? That didn’t make sense. She had seen him on the stairwell, why hadn’t she said anything? Or maybe she hadn’t seen him after all. Nothing was adding up. My legs felt funny as I tried to move. My eyes felt like they were glued shut.

  “All bets are off, I can’t have her die.”

  Tracey scoffed and I finally managed to blink my eyes open. The room was dark. “Die? DIE? I would never let anything happen to her, I promised you that much.”

  “Do you not listen? Everything is different now, Tracey!”

  “Rafe, I’m warning you, walk away.” Tracey’s voice came out in a growl. I blinked in the darkness. Growl? Something was seriously messing with my head. This had to be drugs.

  “Fine,”

  I rolled my shoulders and the room came into view. It wasn’t a very quick progression but I was getting mobility back and that was all that mattered. I needed to get away. Fear coursed through me. Adrenaline was gone and had been replaced with panic. With dread. My mouth felt like I had been chewing on a ball of cotton, like after I had my wisdom teeth removed. My stomach dropped as it hit me.

  Oh crap, he had drugged me. I rolled over and felt nausea building in my stomach. No, no, no, I couldn’t throw up now. I needed to get out. Footsteps sounded on the other side of the room and I zeroed in on the worn boots. I couldn’t pretend I was still out of it. I had to go, now. I shoved off of the bed and tilted sideways as I tried to get my bearings. Everything spun around me.

  The room was dark but I could still make out the shape of Rafe as he prowled to the bed. I managed to roll away from him but then I saw something shiny clutched in his fist. A syringe. I didn’t worry about the fact that I didn’t have my purse. I had to go, that was all that mattered.

  I had to live and I couldn’t live as a junky. That had to be what was in the needle, right? Or were there more dangerous contents in that syringe that could kill me? I had done a lot of things, but nothing like this. I had never been this close to terror. Tears blurred my visio
n as I scrambled away from him. Tracey must have seen the syringe at the same time. As soon as I was off the bed, she was screaming.

  “RUN! Don’t look back!”

  I wanted to worry about Tracey but for some reason, I knew he didn’t care about her. This was all about me. My feet didn’t want to work as I stumbled to the door and crashed into it. I wrapped my fingers around the doorknob when I felt the sting of the needle in the back of my neck.

  I tensed up before I ripped the door open and ran for my life. I don’t know how I got down the stairs or even how I managed to maneuver my liquid legs around the bodies littered everywhere. The sun was peeking through the windows and all I could think about was getting home. I couldn’t trust Tracey, and I wasn’t going to try to get into her car. A few miles wouldn’t hurt. I could get there, even with my body feeling like this. All that mattered was getting home alive.

  Fire slipped through my back where the needle had struck me. Was this what heroin felt like? What was this feeling? I stumbled out of the frat house and onto the lawn. Rocks dug into my hands but I pushed myself back up and ran. My gait was slightly sideways but I continued on. A few joggers looked at me concerned as they passed me by but no one offered me help. I was sure I looked a fright but it didn’t matter. I doubted I was the weirdest thing they had seen on a college campus before.

  I leaned over and took a deep breath. My purse was gone and so was my phone. The only thing I had left was my watch on my wrist and my clothes. My panties were still in place which was good, I didn’t think I needed to go to the police station. Though I had heard that they weren’t much help around here. Me being drugged and possibly injected with who knows what wouldn’t be at the top of their priority list. I had seen them turn away rape cases. I wasn’t going to subject myself to any more humiliation. The last thing I wanted was for someone to not believe my story. I knew that happened more times than not. I swallowed back shame. I had done all of this to myself. I had put myself in the position and things could have gone so much worse. But at least I was alive…