Vile Heart (Vicious Valentine)

Chapter 1

1

T raditions. As cursed as they were by most, they never failed to create a frenzy. And a frenzy might be nothing more but a string of rumours, but still. Who can stay away from rumours?

Everyone wants to be part of where it happens.

And it happens to be Cor Night at Sacrum Cor University, the biggest party of the year. So here they were, dressed up and excited. Students of Cor. Ready to see and be seen. Ready to hear and be heard.

Sure, the party was mandatory, but that wasn’t why they’d all come out. A presence could be faked, even with the way security scanned every multi-slate, identifying the party-goers.

Sure, Cor Night officially was a party to celebrate love. But all the students knew what really happened in the shadows.

A frenzy.

A chase.

A battle for power.

Cor Night was a massive party that lasted from night until morning. Promoted as a night of romance and celebration of love and friendship, it was more like an invitation to partake in debauchery and sin.

It was the night the Black Harts chose their red heart.

Camren swept past the line of waiting students to the double doors, aware that all eyes were on him. The excitement was palpable in the air, and students had recognized him before he could reach his guard with an impatient click of his tongue. “Andry.”

The burly guy who stood waiting by the entrance, looked up, his scowl transforming into a professional smile, followed by a quick dip of his chin. He’d been in service of the family for as long as Camren knew. “Mister Ryka.”

Camren tipped his head to the foyer. “And?”

“He arrived about half an hour ago. Came in with his cousin.”

Camren gritted his teeth. “Cousin? He came with Jaro? No one else?”

Andry shook his head. “Just the two of them.”

“Did he—” Camren stopped himself. How did he look? He was going to find out shortly. “Good. What time do you finish?”

“In an hour, sir.”

“Come and find me.”

“Absolutely.” Andry hesitated. “I’m sorry about what happened earlier, in the embassy. We’re doing all we can to make the Helion population calm down.”

“Thank you.” Camren repositioned the cuff of his dark crimson uniform jacket. Even during events like this one, every student wore the same outfit, though they were allowed to wear whatever colour shirt they liked beneath it for Cor Night. Which was black for Camren. He looked good in black. It made his tall posture and slick, black hair drip into one splash of ink, the gaze in his almond eyes even sharper as he peered inside the foyer.

Andry pinned the black heart to his chest. In the center, a red light glowed, the illumination matching the bright specks on the others. They’d recognize him for who he was. A Black Hart.

Their worst nightmare.

“I’ll see you soon, Mister Ryka. Have a good night.”

“Have a good fight , you mean,” Camren muttered to himself as he stepped inside the party. Light knew he could use one.

Tonight, he felt on edge, caused by a mixture of worry and anticipation. By a desire to claim back what had managed to creep out of his life the moment he’d been vulnerable. Camren balled his fists, feeling adrenaline pumping through his veins. That idiot of a cousin Zavy would do.

He looked up at the railing of the foyer, a wolfish grin sliding across his face when he spotted his friends. A grin that turned into a full-blown smile at Ilya’s scowl as he peered down at the wave of students that came in. Someone was unhappy about being here tonight. Next to him stood Ryker and Devyn, whose red eyes flashed as he took in the view.

“Drink first,” he muttered to himself. They’d have to wait.

Making his way through the foyer and into the large room that hosted the party tonight, Camren headed for the bar. He ignored the prying gazes that followed his every movement and leaned in to get the barman’s attention. The drink gave him the much-needed time to relax.

Andry was right. There had been unrest over the past days outside his father’s office. A killer was on the loose on the streets of Helion, and as the ambassador of Helion in Usurn, worried families had flooded the building and begged for news on their loved ones. They’d wanted the truth.

The truth . Camren scoffed and polished off his glass.

The truth walked around here tonight, pretending not to care. The truth had been carefully avoiding Camren over the past two years, and he had let that happen, had trusted that he’d know when their moment would come.

Well, the truth would come out tonight.

The moment had come.

“I’ll have another one,” he demanded, shaking the ice cubes in his empty glass. Turning around, he leaned his back against the bar and took in the view, when a small hand touched his.

“Hi.” A mousy girl watched him, a hesitant smile on her face.

Camren gave her a slow once-over, gaze lingering on the red heart pinned on her chest. He quirked an eyebrow. “Do I know you?”

“No, but I thought—” Even in the dimmed foyer with its shiny sparkles, he caught her blush. She cleared her throat, then picked herself up. “I know what will happen tonight.” She gestured to the black heart pinned to Camren’s chest and shrugged with a nervous chuckle. “If you need any volunteers, you know, I’m available. Should you, I don’t know?—”

Camren held up a hand and the girl snapped her mouth shut. His eyes narrowed as he took her in and his lips ticked up when he caught her fidgeting with her hands. “And you wanted to volunteer?”

“Haellen!” Someone pulled on the sleeve of her blazer, making the red heart glimmer brightly. “Come on.” Still, she hesitated.

Camren suddenly yanked forward and she yelped and stepped back, eyes wide with fear as she finally let herself be dragged away by her friend, “You don’t have the right tools to satisfy me, baby girl,” he called after her, grinning until the duo disappeared out of view. Oh well, it was time to get this party going.

The foyer was even more crowded when he stepped his way back inside. Up at the railing, Ryker and Devyn had gotten into a fight. Other students were gaping when Ares and Zar stepped up to separate them.

“Hotheaded fools,” Camren murmured. Planting his empty drink into the hand of a random student with a, “Here. Put that away, will you?” Camren straightened his blazer. It was time to go and say hi. Ryker had quite the reputation, though he was surprised to see Devyn being ticked off so easily. It was because of Cor Night, of that he was sure. It did something strange to them all. Such as causing a fight between friends. Or bringing up the one thing that had been stored in the back of his heart. Camren wanted his friend back.

Usurn was a planet in the Seastea galaxy, rooted in history and custom. Continuing

legacies and rights of passage were big deals, especially for families with history in the

founding of their culture’s rich heritage. Camren was half Usurian, half Helion. His mother’s Usurian family held strong ties with the founding families of this planet, whereas his father had his with the Imperial family on Helion. A planet he’d never visited despite his mixed origins. A planet he could have moved to had he accepted a place at the prestigious Helion Academy. Camren hadn’t wanted to move though. His life was here. His friends were here.

His truth was here. His lying, little mouse.

Camren made his way to the railing of the foyer through the concert of bright flickers of light. Everyone, including professors in attendance, wore red hearts pinned to their chests that had a light inside. The brightness was by design since the true meaning of the night revolved around those pins and their ability to be spotted.

Aside from the red hearts, there were only a handful of Black Harts who wore obsidian pins. Camren and his friends. The richest families of Usurn. The leaders of the Praeda.

And his prey was already at the party, trotting around somewhere with that asshole cousin of his. Camren’s fists clenched.

Suddenly the audience gasped collectively, then Ryker stormed past him and headed for the entrance, leaving Camren gaping after him halfway on the stairwell. Whoever he had spotted, was in big, fucking trouble.

“Where the hell have you been?” Ares asked when he joined his friends.

“Around,” Camren replied noncommittally. “Anything good come through yet?”

Illya shook his head.

“It’s not like you can’t just have your pick on any given day,” Ares

stated.

“What’s your excuse then?” Camren teased. “Too busy with your fake lovers to bother

catching real tail?” It was always so easy to rile Ares up.

“Don’t be jealous that I have something interesting to occupy my time.”

Camren didn’t deny it while clicking his tongue. “If you’re that into him, why don’t you just find the guy?”

“He’s not real,” Illya reminded them, but Ares ignored him.

“The character is a voice actor, right?” Camren shrugged. “So? Find him. Next best

thing, am I right?”

“No, that’s not—” Before he finished his sentence, Ares paused, head slowly lifting from his screen to stare vacantly across the room.

Camren narrowed his gaze, not missing how Illya cursed under his breath.

“Gotta go.” Ares headed down the red-carpeted stairs without further explanation.

“Did you seriously just do that?” Illya’s glare made Camren grin.

“What? He was going to come to that conclusion on his own eventually. I just helped him along, that’s all.”

“And when he’s on the news for kidnapping?”

Camren held up both hands and took a deliberate step back.

“You’re a real piece of work.” Illya went back to watching the students as they arrived.

Camren tried to ignore all the longing glances they were getting from

the crowd beneath them. Fortunately, they weren’t all as forthcoming as that girl had been. Praeda wasn’t exactly a secret. Everyone knew what tonight truly meant, and what it meant for them if they happened to be chosen by one of the Black Harts. That didn’t mean he wanted them tugging on his sleeve. He’d already made up his mind, after all. “Where’s Ellery? Why isn’t he here yet?”

“No clue,” Illya shrugged. There were eight Black Harts this year, and Ellery was the youngest of them. “He’ll show up eventually.”

“Oh,” Camren motioned with his chin. “Speak of the devil.”

Ellery stepped through the doors and accepted the pin from the female student

working the front counter. Then he took another and passed it off to someone behind him.

“Who’s with him?” Camren tried to catch a glance, but Ellery kept his companion completely blocked from sight until they’d made it to the side of the room to the landing of the stairwell. From the corner of his eye, he didn’t miss the way Illya straightened the second Ellery moved aside and caught the first look at the brunette at his side.

“Hey, are his eyes the same color as your hair?” Camren nudged his friend.

“Dibs.” Illya just stared right at the brunette, eyes flaring with a foreign emotion.

“Dude.” Camren grinned. “Why the sudden interest? Pretty sure he came with Ellery, so…”

“So?” Illya lifted a brow. “It’s Praeda.”

“Yes, it is.” Camren’s brown eyes flitted over the growing crowd. His friend was right. The night had begun and his prey was somewhere down here, in the lobby or any of the adjacent college buildings. Glitter balls set the otherwise dark space of the foyer in speckles of flames, the music sweeping up anticipation. It was time to search for the truth and bring it where it belonged. Clasping his friend on the shoulder, Camren straightened his black heart pin and watched how it shone brightly.

Red. the colour of blood. The colour of love.

“Well, if you’ll excuse me,” he tipped his head with a lazy grin. “Hunting season has begun.”