Chapter 16
Sunny
It’s a Saturday, and all the entrances to each of the main Spine Ridge campus buildings are guarded by cops, which is ludicrous if you ask me.
How are they going to stop a killer from murdering when they don’t even know where it happens?
And who’s going to classes on the weekends?
Besides, I could murder anyone, anytime, anywhere in the city, and they would never find out.
I have been killing people across this city and beyond for far longer than they can imagine, some even on these campus grounds. The only reason they found out is because I left these bodies on purpose.
Putting cops here, of all places, is like shooting at a flock of flying birds with a grain of rice. You’ll never hit the target.
But it’s all about putting up a show, pretending things are safe enough for students to continue walking these halls and that they’ll protect them from a killer on the loose, while they slowly take over control.
There’s too much testosterone in this school now, and it’s making me sick.
Detective Foley and his minions think they can take over my domain without a price.
I don’t think so.
Pushing up my bra, I approach one of the cops stationed outside the main building with a deadly smile on my face. “Hey, how are you doing?”
He smiles back. “Fine, thanks for asking.”
“Aren’t you going to ask me how my day’s been?” I giggle. “Apart from the fact that the whole school is now swarming with cops, of course.”
“Sorry, miss, it’s a precaution, nothing more.”
“Oh no, I’m not mad at all. I love cops,” I reply, twirling my hair. “They make me feel so safe.”
He smiles. “Well, I’m glad we’re able to provide some comfort.”
“Thank you for your assistance, Officer,” I say, closing the distance.
“Is there something you need, miss?” he asks.
“No, nothing in particular. I’ve just always wanted to see a cop here.” I bite my lip, and I wait until his eyes lower before I slip out my tongue to wet them too. That trick always works.
He clears his throat. “I’m sure you’ve met them before.”
“But none as handsome as you.” I lean in to place a hand on his chest, roping him in with charm. “What’s your name?”
“Bob.”
First-name basis. Got it. “My name’s Sunny, and I’d love to know if you guys are allowed to go on dates.”
“Dates?” His whole face begins to glow.
“I am really, really into big, hunky men like you.” I slip my hand slowly down his ample pecs.
“Oh my …” he mumbles, completely enamored.
“Would you consider going out on a date with me?” I ask with a grin.
His brows furrow for a split second. “I don’t know if that’s—”
“C’mon, it’ll be fun, just the two of us, a romantic candlelight dinner …” I twirl his hair a little bit. “No annoying students to keep a watch on.”
He tilts his head. “I don’t know.”
“Tell you what, how about I put my number in your phone, and you can call me whenever you’re up for it?”
I lean in to place a sweet, irresistible peck on his cheek.
He swallows as I keep twirling his hair, and then he sighs. “All right.”
He pulls out his phone, and I snatch it from his hand before he can retract it. I sift through his contacts and pull out my own phone. “I don’t remember my own number, so I just gotta copy it.”
Pretending to be a dumb broad is my shtick.
With a smirk on my face, I scroll down until I find the exact phone number of Detective Foley, then take a picture of his phone, without the flash, of course.
I pull up the “add contact” screen, type in a bunch of random numbers, tap finish, and hand the phone back to him.
“There. But don’t call or text now, because the other students will think you’re trying to hit on me,” I say.
“Oh yeah. No, of course.” He clears his throat.
“Bye, see you later,” I say, winking as I sashay off like some damsel he just saved.
He won’t ever speak to me again, because I don’t want him to. His job is done now.
None of these cops will matter because they’ll never catch me in the act. They would never dare to dream of turning me into a target, and I don’t intend to let them. I just have to evade them long enough for them to disappear, while I focus on the only one I’m truly interested in. Atreus Foley.
I pull out my phone and add his number to my contacts, then walk toward the Skull & Serpent Society building. I knock on the door and wait for someone to open.
“Sunny?”
“Move,” I bark, as I waltz right past them, my heels click-clacking on the hardwood floors.
“What are you doing?” the guy behind me mutters, but I ignore him. “Sila—”
I slam my hand in front of the fucker’s mouth before he can finish. “Don’t. Call. That. Name.”
The guy panics.
“Just tell me where my brother is.”
When I remove my hand, he whispers, “Which one?”
I roll my eyes. “The lanky one. With the glasses. Likes to get in everyone’s business.”
“You mean Elliot?”
“That’s the one.”
“He’s in the kitchen,” he says.
I shove him aside. “Thanks.”
I head straight for the kitchen and wait as Elliot slams the fridge door shut and glares at me. “Sunny. What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you,” I reply, stealing the last apple off the counter so I can take a bite.
“Hey, I was gonna eat that,” he says in an affronted manner.
“I’ll buy you a dozen more,” I say, still chewing on a piece. “I need you to do something for me first, though.”
He narrows his eyes. “What’s in it for me?”
“Apples.” I hold it up and smile.
He raises a mistrustful brow and doesn’t say another word.
“All right, all right, I’ll help you get a date.”
His eyes widen. Guess I struck a nerve. “No takebacks.”
I take another bite of his apple. “Fine. Deal.”
“What do you need?”
“A new burner phone.”
He snorts. “You can get those down at the station.”
“I don’t want them tracking me. If I buy one now, they can trace it back to me.”
He leans in, biting his lip like he just found the most amazing piece of info. “Them?”
Oh brother. He’s surely going to gossip this around.
“It’s complicated.”
“So you want whoever them is to trace it back to me instead. Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Do you want that date or not?” I retort, leaning onto the counter with my elbows. “You know I have connections.”
With half-mast eyes, he stares at me for a moment before his shoulders slump. “One sec.”
He saunters off and leaves me to myself, and I’ve eaten the whole apple by the time he returns. He places the burner phone on the kitchen counter.
“Just so you know, if the cops come looking for me, I’m not going down for you.”
I snatch the phone and tuck it into my pocket. “They won’t come after you.”
“How are you so sure?”
I smile. “Because I’ll kill them if they do.”
His eyes widen, and he looks absolutely mortified.
“Don’t act like you don’t know what we are,” I add, walking toward the exit. “Thanks, Elli.”
Right before I slam the door shut behind me, he yells, “It’s Elliot. And you’d better hold up your end of the deal too.”
Xavier
I’m going to kill him.
I’m going to kill him.
I’m going to fucking slice his neck and tear his head clean off.
“Xavier?”
My twin’s grip on my shoulder pulls my gaze away from the cop stationed at the front door of the main campus building.
“What?” I mutter, completely off my rocker.
Aspen frowns. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” I lie, and I release the twig I was crushing in my hand. It falls to the ground, snapped into a million little pieces.
She holds out her bowl of salad. “Here. Steal whatever you want.”
I glance at the little bowl that means so much to her, and she has never, ever wanted to share it until now. Smiling, I push it away. “You need it more than I do.”
She keeps glaring at me, and now even Ivy, Océane, and Talon are looking at me like I’ve lost my mind.
“Wow,” Océane says, laughing.
“You don’t like your lunch?” River asks.
“It’s fine. I’m just not hungry, that’s all.”
Ivy scowls in a funny manner. “Who are you and what have you done with Xavier Caruso?”
I don’t answer and grab a sandwich from my bag instead to take a bite in front of all of them just to shut them up. “There. Happy now?”
Aspen squints at me. “No, you’re up to something.”
“I am not,” I reply, taking another bite. “I was just spacing out, that’s all.”
“You refuse to steal her food,” Ivy says.
“I’m being generous,” I retort.
Aspen raises a brow. “While staring at a police officer.”
“And? They’re assholes. Everyone knows.”
Talon pulls out his phone and gets up. “Shit. I have to run. Forgot my appointment.”
“Wait, we’re not even finished yet,” Océane, his girlfriend, quips.
“I am. See you later.” He pecks her on the cheek quickly before dashing off.
She rolls her eyes and sighs out loud.
“Are you two okay?” Ivy asks her.
Océane rubs her lips together. “I don’t know. We barely even talk anymore.”
“Oh … Did something happen?” Aspen asks.
“Do you want me to talk to him?” River asks, glancing back at his brother. “See if I can find out what’s going on.”
Océane shrugs it off. “No, it’s fine. I appreciate the thought, but I ….” She sighs. “Can we just eat lunch?”
This is awkward as hell, so I take another bite of my sandwich, grab my drink, and stay quiet.
However, Aspen can’t help but glance in my general direction, which she always does whenever I even think of anything at all. She’s like a dog that can sniff the goddamn devious plans out of your brain before you even think of them.
“We can still talk about Xavier, though, and why he can’t stop staring at that one cop stationed near the door.”
I slam my drink down. “Goddammit.”
“Oh, it’s important all right,” Ivy mutters, sneaking some grapes into her mouth.
“It’s private.”
Aspen narrows her eyes. “Does that mean you have a thing for him?”
I frown. “What? No, fuck no.”
“Oh, c’mon, Xav, don’t be shy, no one’s gonna judge you here,” Ivy says.
“I’m not. It’s just a goddamn cop.”
“He’s too busy pining over Sunny.” Aspen giggles.
These girls are all enjoying this a little too much.
I get up from the ground. “You know what? I don’t need this today.”
“Don’t leave now,” Aspen says. “You know we’re just messing with you, just like you mess with me.”
“I have other things to do.”
“Like what?” Ivy asks. “Are you going to find Sunny and finally ask her out?”
My face turns as red as a tomato.
“Wait. For real?” Océane mutters.
I rub my forehead. “Conversations like these make me want to murder people.”
Aspen snorts. “I’m sorry, but I can’t ever imagine you killing anyone. Ever.”
“Why not?” Ivy asks.
“He’s like the sweetest kid, wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Aspen answers.
“Thanks,” I reply, and I tuck my hands into my pockets. If only they knew. “Anyway, I’m off.”
I have more important things on my mind than entertaining three gossip-hungry girls. Aspen and I always enjoy throwing each other under the bus, but right now, my mind and heart are too occupied by what’s going on with Sunny.
She’s always been able to wrap any guy around her finger.
Her popularity stems not only from her perfect looks but also from her ability to make herself the center of any crowd.
It’s what she does best, which is why it’s so concerning that she’s withdrawing from her own social circles more and more.
My hand tightens around the knife in my pocket.
It all started the moment she ended up in the hospital, and I will find out exactly what it is.
But first, I have to go take care of my own goddamn itch.
Orion
That night
I pour myself a late-night cup of bourbon in the lavish kitchen of the Tartarus House while the tumultuous party in the other room keeps going. So many naked bodies bumping and grinding into each other eventually begins to bore, especially when there’s no proper strong liquor around.
Sighing, I pull out my phone and check my messages, but there’s none from the only person I wish would speak to me: Sunny.
The last time I saw her was when she snuck into my room to threaten me and give me the best near-death experience I’ve ever had, and I’ve been chasing the high since, to no avail. Nothing comes close to being smothered to death by your muse.
Sucks to say that she’s been radio silent ever since she left the body in the grass right outside Spine Ridge University. Those boring cops stationed outside must’ve put a big damper on her mood. That, or she’s been conniving with Xavier in secret without involving me.
Just the thought makes me want to languish in the open fire still churning in the living room.
With a ghastly scowl on my face, I grab the cup and bring it to my lips, but I pause the moment the front door locks into place.
Curious. No one leaves this place after they’ve been invited in.
The party lasts all night, and the lewd Tartarus parties are infamous among the campus. No one leaves because no one wants to.
Except maybe … one person.
I approach the window and stare at the man hastily making his way through the back door and into the rose maze, but I definitely recognize him by his stride. Xavier.
My eyes narrow, and I immediately place my cup down and follow suit, into the dark of night, wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants and a long velvety robe.
I stalk him through the rose maze behind the Tartarus House, taking meticulous care not to be heard while he makes his way through. We all know the route to the exit by heart. We’re taught that the first day we’re accepted into Tartarus.
But Xavier isn’t heading toward the exit.
He’s going deeper into the maze.
I swallow away the lump in my throat as I stride behind him and pause behind a couple of bushes when he approaches the bench beneath the tree. He waits until a man appears from the exit on the other end of the clearing.
Somehow, I recognize him, but I don’t remember why until it suddenly hits me. He’s in his civilian clothing. This is the cop who was stationed outside the front door to the main campus building.
What the … Did Xavier agree to meet him here?
Why would he? Unless he’s planning to spill the beans on Sunny’s killings.
My eyes widen, and I shuffle closer, wondering if I should intervene.
The off-duty cop stops midway there and frowns. “Hey, you’re not … I was supposed to meet a girl here. Who are you?”
Xavier turns and gawks at him as he lowers his hoodie and pulls something out of his pocket … something which sharply glints in the light of the moon.
“Your end.”