Chapter 1 #2
Rue had gotten into Sacrum Cor and had initially planned on attending with his friends…and with the Harts…but…After the event, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Had basically run to Tulniri, another planet where he didn’t have to face the people he’d wronged or—he’d wrongly believed—himself.
The line moved up and then they were at the entrance, a girl smiling brightly at him before leaning over to clip a flashing red heart pin to his shirt.
His anxiety spiked as he stepped beneath the threshold, torn between wanting to see Ryker and praying he skated through the night unnoticed by the Black Hart.
Before the event that had torn them apart, Rue had been excited to attend Sacrum Cor specifically for nights like these. For Cor Night, and what that meant for the elite group who ran the school, the Black Harts.
Praeda.
Cor Night on its own was a celebration put on by the university, but during it, the Black Harts took part in another event known as Praeda, wherein they were allowed to select any student they desired and order them to do whatever they wished. Usually, that ended up being something sexual.
Teenage Rue used to fantasize about Ryker hunting him across the hypovolley field.
Catching and taking him wildly in the snow.
Didn’t matter that, technically, as a Vadim, Rue would have also been a Black Hart, a title given once young members of the founding families joined the university their freshman year.
His hormonal driven daydreams had always been about being hunted, not being the hunter.
About the anticipation and rush of knowing he would be caught, specifically by Ryker.
He didn’t think he’d ever play out those fantasies with anyone else.
Which meant now he would never get to experience it in real life.
Rue had only just made it to the lobby when suddenly he felt it, that familiar electric tingle whenever the Black Hart was watching him. Rue turned and saw Ryker sweeping his way across the room, the angry look on his face causing him to shiver before he could help it.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing here?” Ryker’s hand tore the pin off Rue’s shirt. When Rue tried to step away, he captured him by the nape, and leaned in. “Did you come here thinking you’d get your hole plowed, little brother?”
Rue flinched at the horrible title. Just because their parents were married now didn’t mean they were brothers. “What? Don’t call me that.”
“More offended that I called you brother than you are by my accusation?” Ryker growled. “That means it’s true.”
“No—” Rue grabbed onto Ryker’s wrist as he was suddenly dragged off the side. His friends called after him, but he didn’t bother replying, knowing no one was a match for Ryker on a good day.
And today clearly wasn’t good.
The Black Harts ruled the university, even to the point many of them could order professors around. They were the children of the planet’s most prestigious families, and Ryker, as the eldest Hart heir, technically held the title of Imperial.
Usurn was a rare planet that wasn’t governed by an emperor or one Imperial family. Instead, members of a High Council ruled, of which Rhys Hart held the most important seat.
One warm night, under a canopy of stars and inky black sky, Ryker had whispered that he’d name Rue his Heart once they were at Sacrum Cor.
Only…it hadn’t been Ryker. Not really.
And Rue had fallen for it.
For the illusion.
For the fantasy.
“Are you about to cry?” Ryker had brought them to a stairwell, shoving him hard against the wall. “Pathetic. What are they teaching you on Tulniri? How to be a little bitch?”
Rue straightened and lifted his chin, but that only made Ryker laugh mockingly.
“Defiance? Cute.” He slammed a palm at either side of Rue’s head, grinning viciously when that caused him to jump. “And responsive? Maybe I’ll consider giving you what you want after all, little brother.”
“What…I…want?” Pathetic.
He was pathetic.
“Had a different Black Hart in mind?” Ryker purposefully misunderstood.
Or maybe he didn’t.
Maybe it was all in Rue’s head.
Again.
Before Rue could correct him, his friends burst through the entrance to the stairwell, the door clattering against the wall almost comically. They froze the second their eyes landed on the scene before them.
“Uh,” Adams cleared his throat, breaking the silence first. “Sorry, but…We were hoping to talk with Rue?”
“He’s busy,” Ryker stated gruffly, the warning clear.
Lenore tugged on Adams; arm, voice low, “Leave it. It’s Praeda.”
The Black Hart straightened, but Rue remained pressed against the wall all the same.
“Any news on Ryder?” Bowie abruptly changed the subject, clearly trying to distract the Black Hart and help Rue out.
Not realizing all he was doing was making a bad situation worse.
Was Rue’s best friend attempting to draw Ryker’s fury his way instead?
“There was some rumor he’d woken up and might also be visiting tonight for the event,” Lenore joined in, unable to register the dark look morphing Ryker’s features because she was too busy staring at her feet.
None of them had told Rue about these supposed rumors. If he’d known about them, he would have absolutely refused to come.
He also would have told them they were lies.
“Lenore, stop—” Rue had been worried for her, but suddenly Ryker’s hand was around his throat, squeezing hard enough he gasped.
“Don’t.” The Black Hart’s gaze was demonic, the complete and total absence of feeling or recognition in his eyes causing Rue’s panic to grow tenfold.
He’d known things were ruined between them, but this…the way he was being stared at now, it was like they were strangers.
Or worse.
Like Ryker viewed him as less than a person.
Which was dangerous.
Oh, so dangerous.
Tears pricked at the corners of Rue’s eyes as he struggled to breathe, but then all at once, he was released. He slid down the wall to the ground, hacking as his vision blurred.
“You.” Without taking his eyes off of Rue, Ryker thrust a finger at Adams. “Come here.”
“Wh-what?” Adams blinked, anxiety palpable.
“Get over here. It’s Praeda.” Ryker started to undo his belt. “I’m going to fuck you in this stairwell. Your friends are welcome to stick around and watch.”
Bowie rushed forward, grabbing Rue from under the arms. He quickly pulled him toward the exit where Lenore was already holding open the door waiting for them.
Adams’ mouth was hanging open, but the growing bulge in his pants was impossible to ignore.
Tears fell from Rue’s eyes at a faster rate. The thought of Ryker screwing his friend…A sob left his lips before he could catch it, and the only reprieve was the fact he was being escorted away.
At the last second, he made the mistake of turning his head back, catching sight of his friend stripping in front of the Black Hart.
Ryker’s eyes were still on him, the bitterness and fury the last thing Rue saw before the door shut, separating them.
One more barrier to add to the list.
Six Months Ago
“I heard he was Ryker Hart’s chosen at Praeda.”
“Do you think he had anything to do with it?”
“News said it was an accident.”
“The guy followed Ryker around like—”
Rue blocked out the voices, not wanting to hear any more. He stood in the memorial alter room, in front of a framed photo of his friend. Incense cloyed at his nostrils, smoke billowing from the sticks he’d just lit and placed in the jar with all the rest. The tears wouldn’t come.
Not when he’d gotten the news in the middle of class three days ago.
Not during the entire space-flight over.
Not now, staring at the photo of a person he would never see again, listening to the gossip that the hovercar accident may not have actually been an accident at all.
Adams Kalvin hadn’t been the greatest of friends.
But he hadn’t deserved to die.
Rue’s spine stiffened when he felt the cloying presence appear at the door. He had a moment to prepare and school his features while the Black Hart slipped out of his shoes, so his expression was mostly blank by the time the taller man stepped up to his right side.
Ryker didn’t bow. Didn’t move to offer flowers or burn incense in Adams’ honor. He merely stood there, allowing the silence to stretch, knowing what it was doing to Rue.
He lasted less than two minutes before nerves got the better of him. Rue’s foot slid back half an inch, about to retreat like the coward he was, but the Black Hart’s cold voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Father wants you back home.”
Rhys Hart was not his father. Rue’s hands fisted at his sides, but he hung his head, knowing where this was going.
“Unless you want another one of your friends to end up like this, you’ll wrap up things on Tulniri and return.
” Ryker moved to leave, but paused to drop a hand on Rue’s shoulder, applying more pressure than was necessary, as though he thought there was any chance Rue might mistake the gesture as one of kindness.
“I’ll give you a week, little brother. Don’t disappoint. ”
Rue sunk to his knees as the Black Hart walked away.