Chapter Six
He was following me again, the man in the skull mask.
The dorm security guard had said it was a prank. The Reapers did this every year, following young women. it was a tradition, and most girls didn’t mind. They were flattered. Every member of the Deadmen’s Club were elite bachelors, and attention from them was welcomed. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. It unnerved me, but at the same time, knowing he was there watching me sent a shiver down my spine that wasn’t entirely from fear. Mother would be proud, I thought, if she knew I’d attracted attention from one of Blackvellyn’s rich eligible males. The thought took away some of the thrill, and I glanced behind me again.
For a moment, I didn’t see him, then I spotted him, about thirty yards back leaning against a building. The darkness was growing, leaving most of his face in shadow, and the dry autumn leaves danced around his feet. I had a sudden urge to walk up to him and demand to know why he was following me. It must be the fourth time that I knew of, and I was convinced it was the same guy each time. I recognised his build now: broad shoulders tapering down to a slender waist. He was tall, easily six three or six four. He’d tower over my tiny five foot three frame if he ever came anywhere near me, but he never did. He always stayed in the shadows.
I walked through the leafy streets, keeping my head high, faking a confidence I didn’t feel. There were a few other people on the streets, making me feel slightly safer, but the feeling still nagged at me that if he ever decided to do more than follow me, there were many shadowy streets I could be dragged into.
My heart skipped as I imagined a hand clamping over my mouth, a strong arm wrapping around my shoulders as he dragged me away into the shadows. The conversation in the club about the missing girls floated through my mind. Were the Reapers responsible? Would he bring a knife to my throat as he pinned me against the wall, those dark empty sockets gazing down at me as the cold steel pressed against my throat. My breathing catches in my throat, and I swallow hard as I feel heat spread through my body. My cheeks flash with shame at my body’s reaction to my dark thoughts. I should not be reacting this way to the idea of being dragged into an alley by the man following behind.
I glanced behind again, just as I turned a corner. He’s slightly closer now, maybe twenty feet away. He”s in no hurry. Why would he be? He knows exactly where I’m going. He knows where I live.
Is he thinking about me right now? I wondered. Is this just a prank, or has he chosen me for some other reason? My imagination darts back to my fantasy alleyway, the knife pressed at my throat as his other hand slowly undoes the buttons on my shirt. Would he be gentle? Probably not. In my mind, his hand cups my breast, his thumb running over my nipple before he pinches it hard. I gasp at the thought, shoving the image away as I feel a rush of heat between my legs. It’s not like I could imagine much more without any frame of reference. The stranger in the club and my dark rescuer were the closest I’d ever got to anything sexual, and my mother controlled everything I read and watched. I’d never even…
A hand came down on my shoulder, and I gasped, whirling around, my heart thudding hard against my ribcage. It wasn’t him.
Another man stood there, looking down at me, an apologetic smile on his face.
“I’m so sorry, I called your name but you didn’t reply, and I needed to get your attention.”
I looked up at him. Jesus, were all the guys in this university this damn tall? Over six foot, curly blonde hair cropped short at the sides and longer on top, eyes that looked like they might be blue, though it was hard to tell in the growing dark, and a tan that implied winter holidays in hot climates. A square jaw and cheekbones Superman would be proud of. He smiled down at me, eyes crinkling at the sides, and my heart jumped.
“No, it’s fine. I was just… distracted.”
He nodded. “I guessed, but I am sorry for startling you. It’s just, you dropped this.” He held out my student ID. I stared at it stupidly for a moment.
”Thank you,” I exhaled, taking it from him. His fingers brushed mine, and my skin tingled where he’d touched me.
“No problem,” he said. “I was walking this way anyway. I’m Tristan, by the way.”
”I know,” I replied before I could stop myself, then cringed internally. How embarrassing. Of course, I knew who he was. Everyone on campus did. Tristan Blackwood, son of the billionaire tech genius Corey Blackwood. The ultimate playboy.
“I’m Paige,” I said, trying to cover my awkwardness.
“I know,” he grinned, and I grew warm at the thought. He knew who I was.
“It says on your ID,” he said, and my face flooded with heat. Of course it did. He didn’t have a clue who I was. Why on earth would he?
“Well, thanks for this,” I said, tucking my ID back into my purse, and turning away praying he couldn’t see how flustered I was.
“No problem,” he said. I figured he’d leave, but to my surprise, he started walking beside me.
“So you’re doing an art masters, right? I saw you coming out of the art department.”
“Yes, I just started a few weeks ago.”
“I thought I hadn’t seen you before. Are you enjoying it so far? Blackvellyn? And your course?”
“Yes, I’m loving it,” I smiled. “It’s so beautiful here, and the course instructors are so good, and the facilities are amazing.”
“I’m glad you like it. I’ve been here four years, and I guess the place gets a little boring after a while. We need fresh blood to wake the place up a bit.” He winked at me, which did something odd to my stomach.
“What are you studying?” I asked.
“Economics,” he answered. “Nowhere near as interesting as art though. What kind of art do you do?”
“Painting mostly. I love oils. But I don’t feel like I’ve found my place yet.”
“You don’t? Why not?”
I sighed. “I adore painting, it’s my safe place, my sanctuary. And my technique is good, but my main professor, Dr. Wilson, he says they lack soul and depth. He says he doesn’t see anything of me in them. But I don’t know how to do that.”
Tristan nodded. “It’s hard to let your walls down and let yourself be vulnerable at the best of times. Having your innermost thoughts and feelings be made permanent on a canvas, I imagine that would be very hard to do.”
I looked at him in surprise, not expecting this depth from the person who was known to be responsible for crazy pranks, and who’d slept with over a hundred women, or so the stories went.
“Yes, that’s it exactly. I’m not sure how to let my walls down. I don’t even know what”s behind them.” Why the hell am I saying that to a complete stranger? I looked at him, the angles of his face highlighted by the streetlights that were starting to come on. He was not what I expected at all.
He shrugged. “A chink of light. Then a brick at a time, till you’re comfortable.”
“But how?” I asked, more to myself than him.
He looked at me with that lopsided smile that had my stomach fluttering again. “You need to find out who you are underneath everything people told you to be. Do something that pushes your boundaries, something you didn’t think you could do. Something a little crazy.”
I laughed. “I don’t do crazy, but I can understand why you’d recommend that.”
He grinned, then adopted a face of complete innocence that didn’t fool me. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m perfectly well-behaved.”
I raised my eyebrows as I looked at him. “Really? So it wasn’t you that somehow got a herd of sheep into the main university building during the alumni event last term?”
He placed his hand on his heart, looking injured. “I’m shocked you think such things of me. And you weren’t even here last term.”
“I’ve heard the rumours.” I smiled up at him, his grin infectious as he looked down at me. I suddenly realised we’d stopped just outside my building.
“How did you know where I lived?” I asked.
“I didn’t, I’ve just been walking with you.”
“I’m sorry, I didn”t realise. Where were you headed?”
“The gym,” he looked down at me, eyes twinkling with humour.
I frowned. “That”s the complete opposite direction from here.”
“Really? Guess I got lost. Easy to do on this campus.”
He continued to smile down at me and I got another flutter at the realisation he’d walked this far out of his way just to talk to me. No, this was crazy. I knew my mother had high aspirations for me, but guys like Tristan Blackwood didn’t notice girls like me. I might have dressed the part, but I didn’t have the confidence to pull off society girl, much to my mother’s constant frustration.
“So, um… look, talking of crazy, you might think I am, but…”
“Paige! You’re back! Awesome. There’s a few of us ordering pizza and planning to binge watch the new… oh, sorry, am I interrupting?”
Kate looked up at Tristan, a smile spreading over her face, and by looked up, I mean she very obviously scanned his body on the way up to his face. I felt a jolt of annoyance as she looked coyly up at him.
“Tristan, isn’t it?”
“You got me. And you are?”
“Kate Davenport, Paige’s friend.”
“Charmed. Well, I guess I’d better leave you to it, Paige. you sound like you’ve got a fun evening planned.”
“Oh don’t leave on my behalf,” said Kate.
“No, it’s fine, I was heading off anyway. I was just going to ask what Paige’s plans were for Halloween.” He looked back at me, his smile widening.
“Halloween? That’s a month away. I have no idea.” I shrugged, not missing the way Kate rolled her eyes behind his back.
“It is. Well, I might ask again closer to the time,” he said. “Good night, Paige. See you round.”
“See you,” I echoed as Kate wrapped her arm around mine, dragging me through the doors into the reception area as Tristan walked away.
“What do you mean, you don’t know what you’re doing for Halloween?” she hissed at me as we made our way to our corridor.
“What I said, I have no plans for Halloween. It’s weeks away.”
“I forget you only started at Blackvellyn this year, so you don’t know anything. There’s a huge ball held every Halloween at Blackvellyn hall. It’s organised and paid for by the Deadmen’s Club, and everyone goes. I think Tristan was going to ask you to go as his date.”
“His date?” My eyes widened. “Kate, I don’t really think I’m the type of girl Tristan Blackwood would be interested in.”
“Why not? You’re young, attractive, and I know your family aren’t up there with that lot, but they’re still society.” She grinned at the face I pulled. “You can’t come to Blackvellyn and not have everyone figure out who you are and who you’re related to, Paige. It’s one of the givens at a place like this.”
I gave her a mock glare. “I am not my parents, and I do not want to be known and befriended or dated because of who they were. So if that’s what Tristan wants, then like I said, wrong girl.”
We reached Kate’s door, and she took out her key to unlock it.
“Why don’t you forget what Tristan wants and think about what you want? You might not want the popularity and status you’d get from dating a Blackwood, but at the same time, the guy’s hot as fuck, and you seemed to be getting on well with him. He’s the best out of the lot of them.”
“The best out of who?” I asked, searching for my own keys in my bag.
“The Reapers, of course.”
“Tristan’s a Reaper?” I was surprised. Darkness and secrets didn’t seem like Tristan from what I’d seen, though I supposed one conversation wasn’t much to go on.
“Paige, any guy who’s family is society is in the Reapers. They’re ok on their own, but Tristan is one of the few harmless ones. He’s gorgeous, and from what I’ve heard, he’s dynamite in bed.”
I stared at her and she laughed. “You must know his reputation by now!”
“I knew he slept around,” I muttered. “Which is why I’m not interested. I don’t want to be another bedpost notch.”
Kate grinned. “Why not make him a notch on yours? You’ve been here nearly three weeks, and I’ve not seen you drag any guy into that bedroom of yours. You must be craving some action by now.”
I felt my face turn bright red, and I glared at my friend.
”That”s none of your business, Kate,” I muttered. ”I don”t ask you about your sex life, do I?”
She shrugged. ”No, but I tell you everything anyway. Unless you aren’t telling me everything and you have some hot guy stashed away somewhere?”
She looked at me hopefully, and I sighed and shook my head, feeling my annoyance drain away. In all truthfulness, It had been forever since I”d gotten laid. Literally.
She nodded. ”That”s what I thought. We need to get you some hot totty, and Tristan is perfect.”
“Kate, I do not want to be fixed up for a one night stand.”
”You really do. You”re always so serious, Paige. When was the last time you really just let loose?”
I sighed. ”I don”t remember.”
”So what”s the problem then? You on a sausage fast or something?”
”No, nothing like that. I just... I haven”t... you know... before.”
I muttered the words without looking at her and for a moment, I thought she hadn”t heard me. I glanced quickly at her, and she was standing with her mouth hanging open, her eyes wide.
”You”re a... a virgin?”
”Jeez, Kate, you say that like it”s a crime or something.”
”No, no, not at all! Sorry, I”m just surprised, that”s all. I mean you”re...”
”I”m what, exactly?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
”You”re hot as fuck,” she said matter of factly, and I blushed.
”I mean, have you never been tempted or anything? Not even with someone from college?”
I shook my head. ”No. My parents are… old-fashioned, and I guess I just went along with it. I didn’t really get much chance to date.”
Kate nodded slowly. ”I get that. But you know, it’s your life. Sometimes you just have to take a chance. Let yourself go and see where it takes you. You might surprise yourself. I’m not saying jump into bed with Tristan if you don’t want to, but maybe this is a side of you you need to explore?”
I considered her words for a moment. Could I do that? Actually date someone? My mother wanted me to find a suitable husband, and surely I couldn’t do that without dating? But what if they wanted to… do more than I was able? I needed to talk to her first.
“I’ll think about it,” I told Kate. My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out, my eyes widening when I saw the caller. “Shit!”
“What?”
“Oh, nothing. It”s my mother. i was supposed to call her at seven and it’s five past. Shit.”
“Didn’t you call her last night at seven?”
“Well, yes, but… look, sorry, I have to take this.”
I hurried into my room, closing the door, the heavy feeling of dread settling on my chest as I swiped the icon to answer the call.
“Where the hell have you been? It’s five past seven!”
“I”m sorry, Mother. I was about to call you. I got talking to someone on the way home from class, and I didn’t realise the time.” I looked down at the floor, noticing a flash of colour against the beige carpet. I bent down, picking up a small red envelope with my first name typed on it. Weird.
“Stupid girl,” she snapped. “I”ve got better things to do than wait around for your call.”
“Yes, Mum.”
“Who were you talking to?” she asked.
I took a deep breath. “It was a guy, Tristan Blackwood.” I added his name quickly, hoping it would make it ok that I had been talking to a guy instead of calling her.
“Blackwood, hmm? Interesting. What were you talking about?” Her voice dropped from shrill to that smooth, sultry tone that made me even more nervous.
“Um, he found my ID, I’d dropped it.”
“I dont suppose that was because you were smart enough to drop it for him to find?”
“No, I hadn”t realised. He picked it up and ended up walking me back to the dorm.”
“Didn’t think so, but this could still be good. Keep going.”
“He asked me how I was settling in, if I liked my course. I asked him what he was studying-”
“Economics. He’ll be following his father into business.”
“How do you know that?” I asked.
“I do my research, Paige. What else?”
“He asked me what I was doing for Halloween-”
“He asked you what you were doing… How did he ask?”
“Well, I”m not sure…”
“Paige, this is important,” she snapped. “Was he asking out of politeness or was he trying to figure out if you already had plans?”
“I... I don”t know, Mother. The conversation didn”t really broach into that. He simply asked if I was doing anything for Halloween,” I confessed, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Paige! That man is an opportunity!” she snapped. “You need to get his attention back, and get him to ask you to that ball. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Mother, but…”
“But?” Her voice was dangerously low. I wasn’t supposed to question her commands, just carry them out.
“But Tristan… he’s not exactly looking for a girl to marry. He’s not what you wanted me to…”
“Of course he’s not, you stupid girl, but he’s the way in. Get him hooked and he’ll date you, and if he dates you, you’ll seem much more eligible to the other men in his circle. Always be thinking ahead Paige. Now, you are taking care of yourself, aren’t you?”
“I…” My voice faltered. She wanted to know if I was ok?
“Take a selfie.”
“What?”
“Now, Paige.”
Shit. I switched to camera and took a quick snap, my heart racing as I sent it to her. I gripped the phone tighter as I heard her sharp intake of breath.
“What the fuck are you wearing, Paige? And… have you no makeup on at all?”
“I was just at the art room,” I said, trying to defend myself. “No one sees me there.”
“No, but Tristan Blackwood saw you on the way home, and you looked like that. For fucks sake Paige. After everything I’ve done for you, after all the training and makeup lessons, and the money we’ve spent on clothes that we couldn’t afford, and you can’t even be bothered to make an effort.”
“I”m sorry,” I said quietly.
“From now on, this is a video call. And I’m going to call you throughout the day at random. When you answer, if you aren’t dressed appropriately, there will be consequences. Do you understand me?”
“Yes,” I said, my heart sinking as I glanced at the charity items in my wardrobe.
“I will not tolerate disobedience Paige, and I will not have you showing me up at Blackvellyn. Or your father. I will remove you first.”
“No, please. I”ll do better, I promise.” I couldn’t lose my place here. It was my ticket out of this life and I couldn’t risk losing that. I closed my eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. She couldn’t hear me crying. I couldn”t show any weakness.
“You’d better. Now, back to business. You didn’t send me a photo of the scales this morning. What’s your weight today?”