1. Zaiah Ruca
Chapter one
Zaiah Ruca
Walking through the open double doors, I pause in the foyer and place the glowing pin on my lapel. Out of curiosity, my eyes trail up the red-carpeted stairs to the railing overlooking the room. A strange mix of relief and disappointment washes over me when I don’t see him . In fact, I don’t see any of the Black Harts up there.
“We’re too late.” My best friend, Lana, groans next to me. “Damn. It seems all the Black Harts have already started their hunt.”
I roll my eyes, tugging her through the crowded room of writhing bodies and glittering lights. “Of course, you were hoping to catch their attention.”
“Isn’t that what tonight’s all about?”
“No,” I grumble. “Tonight is about celebrating love and romance.” I’m so fucking sick of everyone bending over backwards to please the Black Harts. Cor Night shouldn’t be about them too. Just because they are descendants of the original founding families doesn’t make them deities. Although, some might argue that point.
All the Black Harts are as equally beautiful as they are terrifying.
“Love and romance.” She scoffs. “Too bad your ex didn’t get the memo.”
“Yeah, thanks for reminding me. Damn, I could use a drink right about now.” Usually, I wouldn’t drink at a big party like this, especially on campus, but I need something to take the edge off. Nerves rattle through me and my gaze scans the room for any Black Hart that might be present. I might hate the elite assholes, but they needed to know what I found out. Fuck. It’s either that or I could end up dead.
I let out a deep breath. I’m doing the right thing.
Pushing those thoughts aside, I think about the other reason I need a drink. Rumor has it Remy caught the eye of a Black Hart this year. And that’s all I fucking need right now, my conniving ex on the arm of one of the planet’s future leaders.
Good Light. Was Remy cheating on me with a Black Hart too? I can't believe this is my life. When they say certain guys can make your whole world tilt on its axis, it’s true. Only, ever since I met Remy Lombardi, my world has been spiraling downward.
I met him shortly after both of my parents passed. Suddenly, alone in the world with nowhere to go, Remy swooped in like my own personal savior. He offered me a place to stay and showered me with gifts and attention. Somehow, in a short amount of time, I became completely dependent on him. It started when my studies here at Sacrum Cor University required more of my attention.
Remy convinced me to quit my job, limit my time with my friends, and focus on my studies. Since I was on a scholarship, it was easy for me to agree. He was only looking out for my future, after all. Then, that’s when the little digs started. Remy talked about how frivolous my degree was. He drilled it into me that getting a fashion degree at the planet’s most prestigious school was not only a waste of time, but an insult. We rarely went out, but occasionally, we attended his father’s social gatherings, where I was introduced to influential men. One moment, he’d praise me; the next, he’d belittle my aspirations. He’d swing between compliments and dismissal of my dreams so often that I started to believe him. Eventually, the stress and shame got to me, and I changed majors.
From there, it only took two months for those verbal jabs to become physical. Angry tears fill my eyes, but I don’t let them fall. It’s so fucking embarrassing how easily manipulated I was back then.
One day after class was dismissed early, I found him in bed with someone else. He told me it was a mistake, and he’d never cheat on me again. Hatred raged inside of me. I didn’t believe him, but I had nowhere to go and no money to save me. I was trapped.
If it wasn’t for the call that Remy got from his father one night, I almost wonder if I’d still be Remy’s brainwashed little puppet. His toy to parade around and show off to all his father’s criminal friends. That phone call was the motivation I needed to get the fuck out of there. I messaged Lana and told her everything.
Making our way down the wide hallways of Sacrum Cor Hart, I’m reminded of the first time I stepped foot on this campus two years ago. Back then, I was immediately struck by the impressive archways and gilded portraits adorning the stone walls. When we finally arrive on the third level of the building and into the game room, I sigh in relief when I spot the small bar that’s manned by a fellow student.
“Thank Light, it isn’t too crowded.”
Lana squeezes my arm as we hop in line. “Are you sure you want to be here? If the rumors are true, then the chances are we’ll run into Remy tonight.”
“We have to be here, you know that.” Cor Night might be a massive party, but it’s always been mandatory, even for the Black Harts. I wave her words away. “The campus is huge. I’ll just find a way to avoid him.”
“I know, but you two just broke up, and it didn’t take long for Remy to start bragging about tonight. You don’t think he’s making it up, do you?”
I shake my head. “Remy’s too cautious about his social status; there’s no way he’d lie about this.” He’d be a fool to make up something this crazy. It would be social suicide.
“Who do you think it’ll be?”
“That’s the question of the night, isn’t it? Which Black Hart would be foolish enough to fall for Remy Lombardi?”
Goosebumps cause the hair on the back of my neck to rise. I glance around, trying to spot what suddenly has me on edge.
It’s been a while since I felt that strange sensation of being watched. That hidden, darker side of me eagerly embraces the dangerous feeling like a long-lost friend. Where have you been?
A shout on the other side of the room causes me to jump and whip my head around. Two students shout again, passionately yelling at the video game up on the holo screen. The lights in the room are dim, adding to the eerie feeling rushing through me, and there’s a dark corner near the only exit, but other than that, there aren’t many places for someone to hide. The sounds of chattering people, pool balls striking, and video game pings fill the room. Everyone is preoccupied and having a good time.
Nothing looks out of the ordinary.
Once Lana and I have our drinks in hand, I kerplop on the brown leather couch, my eyes lingering on the holo screen closest to us, but my thoughts are lost in a dark memory. A time before Remy.
“Isn’t Remy obsessed with Devyn Shio?” she asks, twirling her straw in her glass. “It’s probably him.”
My stomach turns. Light. Please don’t let it be him. That small, stupid, and hopeful side of my brain prays that Devyn isn’t the one. Of all the Black Harts, it would kill me if it was him. And yet, it would make sense, considering all the information I’ve learned these past few weeks. My mind wanders back to that damn phone call I overheard. Mr. Lombardi only mentioned Devyn’s father, nothing about Devyn himself.
Am I really stupid enough to believe that Devyn isn’t corrupt like my ex or, fuck, like his own damn father?
Lana has no idea of my little infatuation. When I was a sophomore, I had no idea the guy I crushed on in my chemistry class was a Shio. Having no interest in the Black Harts, I never paid attention to what they looked like. I hated the idea of the school’s elite being above us. Just because they were born into wealth didn’t make them anything special.
But Devyn was different. Stoic and mysterious, and maybe even a little dangerous with his gorgeous crimson eyes. He had this way of blending into the background with his quiet demeanor. He reminded me of a silent assassin from the stories of old—a warrior who could melt into the shadows and slit your throat before anyone could see it coming.
While some of the other Harts thrived on attention, Devyn was the opposite. When I found out he was a Black Hart, I was shocked and, quite honestly, a little disappointed. The thought of some scholarship kid like me capturing the attention of a Black Hart was ridiculous. And yet, I couldn’t escape my dreams of being overpowered and dominated by such a dangerous man. A Shio.
After Lana and I finish our drinks, we play a round of pool, where Lana kicks my ass. Several classmates stop by to say hi, and it doesn’t take long for the news to reach our ears. Devyn has chosen Remy as his Praeda. The thought of the beautiful, dangerous Devyn hunting down my ex and having his wicked way with him makes me sick.
Fucking hell. I’m jealous.
Did I actually hope Devyn might notice me out of the thousands of students in attendance tonight? Did I want him to, considering what I know? My mind swirls with indecision. It’s been months since I last saw him. I take a swig from my third—or shit, maybe my fourth—drink of the night, letting the burn slide down my throat and the alcohol heat my veins. That stupid sensation of being watched washes over me again, and I take another swig.
Perhaps it’s all this talk about Praeda and the hunt that has stirred up old feelings for Devyn. But I still can’t forget that night I was convinced Devyn Shio was the man stalking me.
I’d been drunk that night too, but I remember him clearly. Lana and I had snuck into a club where we’d been dancing all night. I needed some air and walked out onto the patio. The sky above was dark and starless, with snow drifting to the ground.
A memory of the man with demon-red eyes emerging from the shadows comes to mind. The way he just stood there, staring, almost as if he wanted me to know it was him. And just like that night on the patio, I grow hard thinking of all the depraved things I want my stalker to do to me. I can’t shake the imaginary image of Devyn storming toward me. What if he had closed the distance between us that night?
“There’s no way it’s true,” Lana says, snapping me out of my trance. At least the damn pool table prevents her from noticing my arousal over the thought of being followed . “Why would any of the Black Harts want an abusive groupie on their arm? Why would anyone, for that matter?”
I wince, tugging on my sleeve.
Lana’s gaze drops to my fidgeting fingers before she wraps her arms around my shoulders. “Oh, shit. I’m so sorry, Zaiah. I didn’t mean you. He tricked you and manipulated you into trusting him.”
I squeeze her back, knowing she didn’t mean anything by it.
“Just please don’t tell me he has a magical dick or something,” she jokes, trying to lighten the mood.
The room spins and I laugh, feeling the effects of the alcohol hitting my system. “Oh, hell no! He never really satisfied me in that department. Did I tell you he said the main reason he cheated on me was because I just laid there in bed?” It wasn’t true. He made me do all the work.
“No! What an asshole. A good lover will tell you what he wants. He’ll guide you and show you what he thinks feels good.”
My eyes flicker to the shadows in the corner of the room. “True. Although, I kind of like the thought of just lying there. Being dominated. Maybe handcuffed and helpless. It sounds so fucking hot.”
“You naughty thing! Zaiah, I had no idea.”
Another prickling sensation slides down my spine and I shiver. Fuck. I’m drunk; imagining shit that isn’t really there.
I tug Lana back toward the bar and ask the bartender for water. Unable to resist the strange urge, I take a sip of the cool liquid and look back at the dark corner, only to spot a figure with midnight blue hair leaving the room.
My heart slams in my chest.
What were the fucking odds that Devyn Shio was hidden in that same dark corner?