Chapter 16
16
E lodie
Jaeger and I are cuddling on the couch when the front door opens. Kaiser walks in, as he always does, like he owns the place. He almost knocks over one of the orchids, and I hear him cussing at it. He acts like he hates our penthouse decor, but I overheard him asking Jaeger where he could buy ‘shit like these little pillows.’
I pause the rom-com we’re watching. “You have a visitor,” I say to Jaeger. I sound surly.
“Actually, I’m here for you.” Instead of heading into the kitchen to forage in our fridge, like he usually does, Kaiser comes straight over to us. He’s holding a pair of crutches. “Jaeger says he will forgive me if you do.”
“Okay.” My voice is tight.
“You make my brother happy. He deserves happiness.” He hands me the crutches. “For you. A gift.” They have a big red bow on them and everything.
“You already gave me crutches.” Right before he threw me out. Is he going to try to do that again?
“These are special. Watch.” He picks one up and holds it between us. “Touch the hidden trigger, and—” A blade shoots out of the bottom with a snick .
I slam myself back against the couch cushions.
Jaeger chuckles. “Let me see.” He takes the crutches and shows me how to trigger the blade.
“For protection,” Kaiser tells me.
“You can keep me safe,” Jaeger jokes.
I look from brother to brother, my mouth open. “I’m not… I don’t need murder crutches.”
Kaiser raises his brows.
“We’ll practice with them.” Jaeger takes the crutches and sets them close to me.
Oh gods.
“And she’ll forgive you. One day.” Jaeger swipes his thumb over my cheek, and I growl.
“Good.” Kaiser glances at the TV and heads to the kitchen to get the popcorn. I’ve already half-forgiven the idiot. He’s a thug and a surly asshole, but it’s easy to understand why when I think of him as a kid. Kaiser’s fiercely protective of his brother and has resented me for taking up space in Jaeger’s life. He hadn’t wanted to share.
The twins are still emotionally stunted, but their taste in holiday rom-coms gives me hope.
“You’re still high on the list of People She Wants to Kill,” Jaeger informs him. “But so am I.”
“I can live with it if you can.” Kaiser settles into his chair and grabs the remote. He unpauses the movie, and I pretend to watch while the brothers keep murmuring to each other.
“We’re not at the top, though,” Jaeger says. “Of the list.”
“Oh? Who’s number one?”
I could cover my ears, but I don’t, so I hear when Jaeger says, “A man from her past. But he won’t hold the spot for long.”
Jaeger
My gunshot wound gives us a month to prepare for the claiming ritual. It also gives Kaiser time to track down a certain member from her past and lay the groundwork for his disappearance. Fraternitas is powerful, but when it comes to prominent members of society, it’s best to obscure our connection to their death. It’ll be safer for Elodie.
Ten days before the big night, I start edging her. She pouts and sighs but lets me touch her carefully and slowly and stop before she goes over. I lay my hand on her quivering belly and listen to her fight to control her breathing.
The night of her collaring, Elodie gets a visitor. Kaiser opens the door, and Lucy rolls in. Her usual glower softens when she sees my penthouse.
“Jaeger, love what you’ve done with the place.” The tattoo vines on her arms ripple as she wheels around, giving herself a tour.
Elodie uses one of her new crutches to rise and greet her boss. She looks surprised to see Lucy and blanches when she sees Lucy’s right hand.
Lucy notices her reaction. “Oh yes.” She holds up her hand, showing off the skull ring. There’s a black pearl in one of the eye sockets. “I have one of these, too. I don’t wear it in public. No need to broadcast my status to civilians.”
“Lucy’s one of the Seven,” I tell Elodie. Her eyes widen further.
“Another thing I don’t advertise. Jaeger, is there somewhere Elodie and I can talk in private?”
They end up in my bedroom. I take Elodie’s second crutch and lean on it while I lurk outside the door, eavesdropping.
Lucy doesn’t waste time on small talk. “Do you know what happens tonight?”
“Yes.” Elodie’s voice is soft, muffled by the door.
“And you understand the rules?”
“Loyalty to Fraternitas or death,” Elodie recites what I’ve taught her.
Lucy’s voice lowers. “Are you sure about this?”
“Yes.” Elodie clears her throat and repeats louder, “Yes.”
There’s a long pause, and Lucy says, “I gave your friends the rest of the afternoon and night off. They’ll be at Club Empire. But not the ritual after. Understand?”
Elodie murmurs something, and then the door opens, and Lucy comes out. She sees me and snorts, wheeling close enough to nearly run over my toe.
“So glad you could visit,” I tell her. “Come again.”
“I will.” She pauses halfway to the door, taking a gander at the TV. “Is this the one with the lumberjack who saves Christmas?”
I nod, hiding my surprise that Lucy knows the plot of a rom-com.
“Kaiser told me it was good. Maybe I’ll come watch one with you sometime.”
I leave Lucy to let herself out and go to Elodie.
She’s sitting on the bed. Her hand is at her throat, absently playing with the ribbon there. I don’t even know if she’s aware she’s doing it. I sit and take her hands in mine, then push her to her back.
She goes willingly. She’s used to me maneuvering her to a prone position so I can edge her.
I flip up her sweater dress and inspect the gusset of her panties. They’re damp but not soaking. Not yet.
Elodie sucks in a breath when I very lightly run my thumb up and down her inner thigh. “You spoke to Lucy about tonight.”
“You were listening, weren’t you?”
I don’t bother to deny it. “You said you were sure about the ritual.”
“I better be.”
I stop touching her until she explains, “I’ve found that in life, one choice flows from another.”
“And that means?”
“It means I’m sure about you. And that makes me sure about the rest.”
The front door bangs open, and Elodie jumps. I press my palm to her sex, grounding her before flipping her dress back down and helping her up. “Your friends are here. They’ll get you ready.”
Elodie
Honey, Daria, and Angel all come and help me prepare. I hear them enter the penthouse, and their loud voices ring out, and then fall to a hush when Kaiser greets them.
Jaeger opens the bedroom door for them, and they all troop in. Once he shuts the door, they get loud again.
“We got the night off,” Honey cries happily. “Lucy said so.”
“She told me,” I say. “She was just here.”
“Lucy was here?” Daria looks around, wide-eyed like Lucy might magically appear.
“You’re so obsessed with her.” Angel gives her a playful push.
“Shut up, I am not,” Daria says so vehemently that I raise my brows. I make a note to study her interactions with Lucy next time I’m at Inferno.
Honey sets up her makeup case and starts prepping my skin while peppering me with questions. “Was that Jaeger’s brother at the door?”
“Yes. He’s always hanging around now.”
“Doesn’t he hate you?”
“He’s come around.”
Daria plops down on the bed next to me with enough force that Honey scolds her. Angel pulls out a bag of dark chocolate.
“So. Tonight. He’s claiming you?”
“That’s the plan.” I ignore the little flutters in my gut. My nerves are eclipsed by the needy pulsing in my clit. All the work Jaeger put into edging me has seen to that.
I’ve kept my promise to him and haven’t run. He’s healing up faster than me, but I have crutches now. In theory, I could get away.
After tonight, it’ll be too late. I’ll be bound to him. I’ll enter his world and let the darkness close over me.
Because of Jaeger, the shadows don’t seem so scary anymore. He loves me, and I love him. I’m no longer prey to anyone but him, and that’s only when we play our game.
With him, I have protection and a safe place to land.
With me, he has rom-coms on the couch. A home. Someone who cares for him and loves him as intensely as he loves me.
Angel had asked me what I’d do if I weren’t afraid, and now I know.
I’m not afraid anymore.
The drive to the collaring ceremony goes by in a blur. Jaeger edges me to a frenzy in the car and leads me in with his fingers shackled around my wrist. He whispers that some elita ceremonies require the Fraternitas member to fuck his chosen in front of everyone. But he won’t do that because he doesn’t want anyone to see me naked. “No one but me.”
My friends are allowed to come to the club to watch the first half of the ceremony, the part that’s held at Club Empire. They don’t understand everything about this dark world, but they’re here to support me, and I love them for it.
Jaeger leads me out in front of the crowd and has me kneel. It’s surreal, being in the center of the ceremony after watching one the night of Pandemonium. I feel small and vulnerable, surrounded by the tall, menacing members of Fraternitas. But I’m wet. My fear and arousal seem to go hand in hand.
Jaeger takes his place in front of me, and the flutters in my stomach calm. But my pussy throbs all the harder.
Beyond Jaeger, I catch a glimpse of my friends. Honey is wide-eyed, staring at the masked men. Daria has her arms crossed over her chest. Angel gives me a little wave.
And then St. James steps onto the platform with me and Jaeger, and I tense. Run away! A little voice screams in the back of my head. But it’s too late.
As if he knows I’m freaking out, Jaeger reaches down and cups the side of my neck. He lifts my head until I’m holding his gaze.
And the rest of the ceremony washes over me, with me staring into Jaeger’s stormy eyes.
“Do you vow to love and honor your elita? Will you care for her and keep her, and cherish her above others? Will you fight to protect her, and put her safety before all else, even your own life?”
“I so vow.” Jaeger holds my gaze. A jolt runs through me, and there’s a great rushing sound in my ears, drowning out a few of St. James’ next words. Jaeger explained that the vows are changed, depending on the willingness of the elita.
“And you, Elodie.”
I startle when he says my name.
“Do you vow to submit to Jaeger, and wear his collar as a sign of your loyalty and love? Will you honor and obey him, and give yourself over to him in full and complete surrender?”
Jaeger warned me what was coming, but nothing could prepare me for how the ground feels like it’s dropped away. Only Jaeger’s gaze anchors me, keeps me from falling.
But I want him too much to turn back now. Surrender.
I say, on a shaky breath, “I do.”
Jaeger leans in and seals it with a kiss.
A minute later, I’m wearing his collar. The white gold is a comforting weight around my neck and already feels like a part of me.
My friends approach and give me brief hugs, whispering congratulations before being ushered away. The collaring ceremony was only the first part of the night. The second part is only for members of Fraternitas.
Once again, I’m blindfolded and led to the underworld. When the blindfold lifts, I’m standing in the vast sanctuary in front of a crowd of robed figures. The flames flicker in the walls, casting eerie shadows over the hooded faces of Fraternitas.
Lucy’s here along with Father Francis and the leadership of Fraternitas. But I barely notice them because Jaeger’s standing close to me.
I lean on one of the crutches Kaiser had given me and let the ritual wash over me.
The last time I was here, I didn’t know what was going on. Now I do. Father Francis speaks the ritual in Latin, but Jaeger explained the vows to me earlier.
You vow loyalty to Fraternitas and all its members.
You vow to uphold the rule of the Devil and his Seven.
Above all, you commit your life to the one you have chosen. You will be bound together by water, by fire, by death, and by blood. So shall you vow.
“Yes, I so vow,” Jaeger speaks first. After a pause, I echo it. I’m not as loud as him, but the cavernous chamber carries my voice to the back of the room.
A set of doors in the back slam open, and Kaiser and another masked executioner drag a man toward the ritual pool.
Heat flares through me, followed by a chill. I can feel my bare feet on the stone. It’s warmer than I would expect, or maybe my body only thinks it’s warm because of the flickering firelight.
And then I’m floating, and it feels like I’m watching everything unfold from up on the balcony. I look down on myself and note how calm I look for someone having an out-of-body experience.
“I’m here,” Jaeger murmurs. He touches me, and I feel his fingers on my elbow, but I’m still out of my body, looking down at the scene.
It’s like watching something on a movie screen. The hooded figures, the frightening tableau. The cast surrounds the main actress, who has a wealth of red, curly hair and wears a white silk shift. She’s barefoot with a collar around her neck and leaning on a crutch, waiting.
I watch her blanch when she recognizes the man the executioners drag forward. He’s gagged and bound in a torn and dirty polo shirt and slacks, but she can imagine him standing in front of a college class, gesturing to a whiteboard. Or in his office, smugly telling her what she can do to earn a TA position that will allow her to stay in school. He rolled back in his chair and spread his legs?—
And then I’m back in my body, facing the man who assaulted me. Who told me my grades depended on letting him do whatever he wanted to my body. Who preyed upon me until my stomach twisted, and I skipped classes to avoid him. And eventually, I dropped out. Even then, I couldn’t escape the nightmares of him, so I retreated into pills.
He’s here, on his knees before me, with two burly executioners gripping him to keep him still. And I have a choice. I didn’t then, but I do now.
This world is full of people who do evil. Some are like Jaeger, who kills like a wolf. Quickly and without remorse. He wears a skull ring as proof of what he is.
But worse are the people who pretend to be good and use their position to prey on others. They hide their evil behind their reputation so no one believes their victims.
For much of my life, I’ve run from my problems. I’ve run from trouble. That’s how I’ve survived.
I’ve spent my whole life as prey. I hated it, but I didn’t know how to stop it. How else to survive.
All my life, I’ve had to take it. And I don’t want to take it anymore.
Professor Boylin looks thinner and weaker than I remember him. Tied and gagged, a prisoner in the Abyss. One of the damned.
I’m the one who has sentenced him to die, and it was so easy. I’m doing it for the administration who didn’t believe me. For my ex-boyfriend who laughed and said, “What do you expect? You’re a hot piece of ass.” For my friends who told me, “Professor Boylin would never. . .”
His blood will be on my hands.
I lift the crutch until the bottom of it is level with his eye. My arm wavers under the weight, but Jaeger is there, taking the base of the crutch and holding it steady so it’s pressed against the prisoner’s eye socket.
“I love you,” he whispers to me.
I nod and pull the trigger. I don’t need to watch the blade shoot out, driving deep through an eyeball into the brain.
I feel the recoil in my arm. There’s little blood, but the body in front of me goes limp. It’s no longer a person.
And I’m no longer prey. Tonight, I join the ranks of the predators.
And we will feast.
Jaeger leads me away from the body to the place where Lucy sits. We link hands over the silver dish, and she pours a cup of bloody water over our joined hands. Bathing us in blood, Lucy intones, “And now you are one.”
I’m in a daze. I stare up at Jaeger, needing him to tell me what to do next.
He releases me, grips my hair, and kisses me. I relax, letting him take control. Reveling in it.
“You did it,” he whispers against my mouth, and I push to tiptoe, leaning into him. Rubbing my hard nipples over his bare chest. He grunts, and I remember his bandages, his half-healed wound, but he doesn’t let me back away.
So I fist my hands in his hair and kiss him back.
Because I’m like him now. His equal. I can run from him and let him chase me. I’ve learned that I like this when it’s fake and play-acting. Choosing it makes me powerful. But I’m no longer the prey in my own life.
Kaiser and the others are removing the body. The man who preyed upon me is just a sack of meat. I didn’t expect it to feel so good.
“What will happen to him?” I ask, and Lucy turns to answer me.
“There’s an incinerator. We’ll turn him to dust. Keep his teeth as trophies and scatter the rest of him to the wind.” She gives me a feral smile. “Welcome to Fraternitas.”
Jaeger puts his hand on my back, and I let him lead me away. We pass the ranks of robed members, and I hold my head high.
And then he’s pushing me in front of him and telling me to run. My ankle twinges a little, but I dart ahead of him in the darkened hallway, wanting the thrill of running from a powerful hunter. I look back to make sure he’s chasing me. He comes toward me, firelight licking across his face. His blue eyes are full of hunger.
I suck in a breath and whirl, racing away.
I don’t get far.
He grabs me and pushes me down to my hands and knees. His hand is on the back of my neck, tugging on my collar.
He thrusts inside me, and I’m so hot for him it only takes a few thrusts before I cum. My cries echo through the corridor. He slams into me from behind, again and again, and I orgasm, this time hard enough to break in two. My fingers curl, and my nails break and chip on the black marble.
On the wall in front of me, our shadows tangle and merge. My palms are sore, and my knees are bruised by the time Jaeger grunts and spills into me. His cock pulses, and he scrapes his teeth over my bare shoulder. I shudder in pleasure.
His weight sags into me, and it feels so good. But the moment passes, and I grow uncomfortable being crushed.
I sit up and knock into him. He grunts, and I remember his gut wound.
“Did I hurt you?” I reach out to him.
“No. It’s not my blood.” He gives me a feral smile, and for some reason, I think this is hilarious. My laughter bounces off the walls.
He pulls me to my feet, and my dress flops off my shoulder, baring my breast. He’s torn my gown, which makes me giggle again.
“I’ve got you,” he murmurs and pulls me close. He lifts me off my feet, and I struggle until he tells me to stop.
“I’ll hurt you.” He’s still recovering from getting shot, for godssakes.
“Elodie. Let me carry you.”
I go very still so I don’t hurt him. He hoists me against him, and I turn so I’m huddled against his chest, holding the scraps of my dress up so I’m not half topless.
“Now what?” The scent of smoke and incense is strong around us, making my head swim and think of rituals and vows uttered in Latin.
“Now we go home.”
He starts walking through the dark. And despite everything—killing a man, getting fucked on the floor until my sex is sore and cum is running out of me—I feel warm all the way through.
He enters an elevator and speaks the code. “Lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch’entrate.” The door closes, and the elevator ascends. I’ll have to get him to teach me the code one day. But there’ll be time for that.
We have forever.