16. Kaylor
16
KAYLOR
I wasn’t exactly in the mood for a party come Saturday, but every time I thought about Kreed—about the way he had humiliated me—a fire burned inside me. The kind that demanded retaliation.
He thought he was untouchable.
I wanted to show him no one was above reproach.
The prospect of seeing his face when he realized I wasn’t just some girl he could toy with had me sitting on my bathroom counter, applying my makeup with a steady hand despite the restless energy coiling inside me.
My phone buzzed on the marble countertop, breaking my concentration. I set down my mascara wand and glanced at the screen. Kenny’s picture filled the display, an old snapshot I’d taken of her last summer at the boardwalk, sun-kissed and carefree.
With a sigh, I swiped to accept the call, switching it to speaker so I could multitask.
“Hey,” two voices chorused in unison.
I should have guessed they’d be together. We’d been a trio. Now, they were a duo.
“Are you coming home this weekend?” Kenny asked, the hope in her voice making my stomach sink.
I already wasn’t thrilled about going out tonight, but disappointing my friends too? That only added to the weight pressing on my chest.
“I can’t,” I admitted, my reflection in the mirror frowning back at me.
“We haven’t seen you since the hospital, Kaylor. It feels like you’re forgetting about us,” Carson said, the guilt thick in his tone.
My throat tightened. “I’m not. Trust me, I want nothing more than to be with you guys. But things here…” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “It’s been rough. I’m just trying to stay on track so I can still graduate with you.”
A beat of silence passed. “Well, at least we’ll have college. KU, right?” Kenny said, trying to brighten the mood
“That’s still the plan,” I assured them. “And I can’t wait.” I meant it. College was my escape. A chance to finally leave this house.
“Everyone at the academy has been asking about you,” Carson said, filling me in on what I’d been missing, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.
I exhaled. “I made it through my first week. That’s something.”
“And your shoulder?” Kenny asked.
“Better. I can move it more with less pain now, but it’s not a hundred percent yet.”
“We’re worried about you,” she admitted. “This is the longest we’ve ever gone without seeing each other.”
I forced a smile even though they couldn’t see it. “I’m okay. I promise.”
“Good.” There was a slight pause before Kenny’s voice turned sly. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, tell me, any hot boys at Public?”
I groaned, and Carson snorted in the background. “Boys are the last thing she needs to be thinking about.”
I probably shouldn’t tell him what I was doing tonight. Carson wouldn’t approve. Kenny, on the other hand, would be begging Poppy to swing by and pick her up.
An image of Kreed flashed in my mind—his ever-present scowl, those icy silver eyes, the two thin scars slashing beneath one of them.
Hot guys? At Public? How about the fact that I lived with three of them? Kenny would lose her ever-loving mind.
“Um…”
My bumbling silence was all the confirmation she needed. “Holy shit. You met someone.”
The doorbell rang, saving me from having to explain.
“I gotta go,” I said quickly. “I’ll call you soon. Tomorrow,” I added, needing to convince myself and them that I hadn’t forgotten who I was before all of this.
“You can’t just leave me hanging like this!” she protested, her brown eyes begging for something juicy.
“Tomorrow,” I promised.
But as I ended the call, I couldn’t ignore how quiet Carson had gotten.
The mirror wasn’t helping.
Poppy tilted her head as she stood behind me, a critical expression on her face. “The skirt’s cute, but the top’s not doing you any favors.”
I looked down at the white long sleeve I’d thrown on. “What’s wrong with it?”
She bit the corner of her lip. “It’s not slutty enough. The point of tonight is to make Kreed not just take notice of you but make him crazy for you. To do that, we need everyone’s eyes on you.” She rummaged through the pile of clothes stacked on the bed that she’d brought with her, pulling out a black crop top. “Here. This is perfect. Sexy but not trying too hard.”
I hesitated but took the top, swapping it out for the one I’d been wearing. When I looked in the mirror again, I had to admit it looked better. The color made my skin glow, and the cut was flattering without being too revealing.
“Better,” Poppy said with a satisfied nod. “Now for shoes. And this leather jacket.” She tossed the fitted coat at me.
By the time we were ready to leave, I felt like I’d been through a makeover montage. My hair was loose and wavy, and my makeup was dramatic enough to make my eyes pop. I didn’t even recognize myself.
“You look hot,” Poppy said as we got into her car. “Hell, I might want to date you.”
“Dating you would be a hell of a lot easier than most of the guys I’ve been out with.” Not that I had a lot of experience under my belt.
I didn’t pay much attention to where we were going until we turned onto a dark, gravelly road. My stomach tightened. “Where is this place?” I asked, peering out the window at the looming trees, moving deeper into the woods. We had to be on the outskirts of the city. “Do you know where we’re going?”
Poppy’s car bumped over the rocky road, tires crunching loudly as they rolled over the uneven, rough terrain. “Yeah. This isn’t my first Raven Night. It’s at this old, abandoned church that Kreed’s dad owns. He bought the property years ago but has yet to do anything with it,” she said casually. “I heard he is trying to tear it down, but the city put a halt on the project due to the cemetery.”
When we pulled up, the church came into view, a weathered facade with a steepled entrance stretching into the night lit by the glow of string lights and a roaring bonfire. It looked like it had been beautiful once, but now it was a skeleton of what it used to be—rotting wood, peeling paint, windows shattered or boarded up, scary as hell.
Scanning the area, I noticed towering trees surrounded the clearing from all sides, making the house feel shut away from the rest of the world, hidden. A maze of cars littered the grassy area, making it a challenge to get to the house, and behind the church, I could just make out a few headstones through the misty fog crawling out of the woods like fingers reaching to grab something or someone.
I shuddered at the eerie tingle tiptoeing down my spine.
Poppy killed the engine on her Mazda. “I should warn you. This isn’t your usual high-school party. The Ravens do things a bit…different.”
I couldn’t tell if I should be leery, afraid, or excited, but I was feeling a bit of all. “Different how?”
Her mouth thoughtfully twisted to the side. “It’s probably best I just show you and let you take it in.”
As we stepped out of the car, a group of guys passed by, their laughter echoing through the night. They were wearing masks, their faces obscured by grinning skulls and other eerie designs.
“Uh, what’s with the masks?” I asked.
Poppy grinned. “Raven Crew tradition. The football team always shows up in masks. It’s their way of saying they own the night. I told you it wouldn’t be like normal parties. Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.” I couldn’t tell if she was having doubts about herself being there or bringing me.
The brisk January air hit my bare legs, making me wish I’d gone for jeans instead of a short-ass skort. Chills broke out over my body, but I couldn’t be sure if it was from the wind or the vibe of this place. “Are you having second thoughts?”
“Aren’t you?” Poppy countered, nudging me with her elbow.
The night was heavy with the smell of damp wood and rot, a reminder of just how old and neglected the house was. Laughter and howls rang out as we walked closer, the noise almost drowning out the pounding of my heart.
I lifted my chin. “No. We’re doing this.”
“Of course, we are,” she muttered.
As we stepped into the house, the music thudding so loud it vibrated through my chest, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was stepping into something I wasn’t ready for. The uneasiness in my stomach compounded.
The interior of the church had been rearranged to accommodate parties. Pews were pushed off to the side, making room to dance. The raised platform at the front now served as the bar area including rows of bottles, stacks of disposable cups, and a keg.
“Let’s get a drink first,” I said, raising my voice loud enough for her to hear me over the music and the chatter. If I stood any chance of carrying out half of what I had planned for tonight, I would need more than courage. I needed the liquid form as well to help take the edge off my nerves.
She nodded. “You read my mind.”
Staying close to Poppy, I meandered toward the dais with her, not an easy task with the number of bodies standing around. A guy with an unoriginal scream mask handed us two bottled drinks. I didn’t trust that whatever concoction in the jugs wasn’t laced with something.
Twisting off the cap, I lifted the bottle to my lips and took a deep swing, wanting to feel the buzz sooner rather than later.
“You’re not supposed to be here, kitten.”
I coughed, nearly choking up the beer I just swallowed. Some of it got up my nose, burning my nostrils as I shifted to my left.
Mason stood a few feet in front of me, his light-green eyes sparkling behind a black mask, twirling the Joker card between his fingers. At least, I was pretty sure it was Mason from his voice, the twist of his lips, and the use of the nickname he so annoyingly continued to use. His mask didn’t cover his entire face, just from the nose up.
Forcing my lips to curve, I did my best to make my voice confident and a bit seductive. “I heard you liked surprises.”
Those eyes leisurely roamed over me, starting from my head and making their way down my body. “Oh, I can’t wait until Kreed gets sight of you. Who knew you had this side of you? I approve.”
My eyes rolled. “Where is your sunny brother?” From the corner of my eye, I noticed Poppy talking to a tall guy who reminded me a lot of Nash. By the way she glanced up at him, I had a strong feeling it was him.
“Are we talking about the same brother?” Mason asked. He wore a black V-neck sweater with the sleeves rolled up. It fit his chest like it was tailored for his body.
I forced my eyes up to face. Don’t get distracted, Kaylor. “That was sarcasm. You should try it sometime. It might suit you.”
“I think you’ve got it covered. And if you plan to stay longer than five seconds at this party, you’ll avoid Kreed at all costs. I can help you if you like.” A devilish smirk graced his full lips. Mason was dangerous in a different way from Kreed or Maddox. He used his charm and his looks as weapons.
I’d be a fool to fall into one of his traps.
My head angled to the side. “Help me how?”
He removed the mask from his face and slipped it over my head, securing the string in place behind my head. “There, that should do it. We’ll have to get you one of your own for next time.”
“I thought only the football team wore masks.”
His fingers trailed down the backs of my arms. “We make an exception for family.” Nothing about his tone or touch suggested we were related.
Don’t you dare shiver , I scolded my body. “I’m not family.”
He leaned close to me and whispered in my ear, “You are now.”
Was he referring to the Raven Crew or the Corvos? I wanted no part of either, but something told me arguing this point would be useless.
“Mason!” Someone yelled over the music, distracting him long enough for me to slip into the crowd.
On my own, I realized finding Kreed would be difficult. I hadn’t factored in the masks and not being able to see his face, but I wasn’t giving up. I hadn’t shimmied into this outfit and braced the freezing cold for nothing.
I took another sip of my nearly empty drink, weaving to a corner of the building. Some idiot bumped into me, the glass bottle almost fumbling out of my hands. He mumbled a drunk sorry and carried on his way.
Shaking off the slight tinge in my shoulder, I lifted my gaze, a sudden feeling of being watched trickling into my senses.
My eyes landed on a masked figure leaning against the wall. Tingles of awareness vibrated throughout my body, my heart rate picking up as eyes the color of stars collided with mine.
How long had he been watching me?
It felt as if he tracked my every move.
I don’t know how I knew. I just did.
Under that mask was Kreed.