The Devil I Hate (Devil's Knights 1)

I laughed. “Twin ESP isn’t real.”

“We’re connected in ways no one understands. No one gets us but us.”

I smiled up at him. “So true.”

“Think this will catch The Serpents' attention?”

“I hope so,” I muttered, even though I wished he would stop pursuing the dangerous group of lunatics.

Now that we lived in Devil’s Creek, Aiden was trying harder to get noticed by The Serpents, and I followed him, thinking I could keep him out of trouble. Considered among the most prolific and edgy street artists, they created some of the best murals I had ever seen. I loved the dark and urban feel of their pieces, each different and always inspired by the Underworld in Greek mythology.

But they were much more than talented artists. If the rumors were true, they were the criminal underworld's fixers, responsible for some of the biggest scandals in American history. My brother lived for danger, loved stirring the pot. He leaned toward street art to make a statement, to let the world know he was unhappy with its current state. And in that regard, my brother had a lot in common with The Serpents.

Aiden grabbed the spray paint can from my hand, stuffing it into his hoodie pocket before he slipped his fingers between mine. I thought we would head back to the car, but he led me down a dark alleyway between two tall buildings.

“Aiden,” I groaned. “This is creepy as fuck. You said we would paint and go. Pops won’t bail you out of jail again.”

“Pops doesn’t care what I do,” he said with a shrug. “As long as I don’t ruin his precious princess.”

“We’re a team. If you insist on breaking the law, I’m going down with you.”

He sighed. “I wanted you to stay home and focus on your next exhibition. You don’t have to get involved.”

I shook my head, annoyed with my twin. “Then stop chasing ghosts.”

With an irritated groan, he tugged on my hand, dragging me down a dark alley. I pulled him back, and his eyes snapped to me, not an ounce of fear in them. But the darkness that danced in his blue irises… I didn’t know what lurked in the shadows. And I feared those shadows.

I shifted my weight to my other foot to calm the nerves shaking through me. “Where are we going? This feels wrong.”

Aiden squeezed my hand. “C’mon, Marcello showed me the back way.”

“To where? Our deaths?” I slipped from his grasp. “You can’t trust Marcello. He’s a Salvatore!”

“He’s not Luca,” he challenged with a menacing look on his tired face.

Under the soft glow of the lamppost, I gazed into his bloodshot eyes, ringed with dark circles. He’d started taking pills to stay awake because it helped him get the creative juices flowing. But a few pills had turned into an addiction.

“Marcello isn’t as bad as Luca,” I agreed. “But I still don’t trust him.”

Aiden leaned against the brick wall with his hands shoved into the pocket of his hoodie. “Do you trust me?”

I nodded without hesitation. “With my life.”

“Go with the flow. Okay, Lexie? Can you turn off your brain and do that for me?”

I would have done anything for Aiden, so I pushed down my fear of dark and creepy places. My brother was always my fierce and loyal protector. He wouldn’t let anyone hurt me.

“Are you okay?” I brushed his blond curls off his forehead. His hair was longer than normal and all over the place. “You seem a little off tonight.”

He rubbed his tired eyes with the back of his hand. “Nah, I’m good.”

“Are you sure? Because you don’t look like yourself.”

“How do I look?” Aiden snapped, turning his head away from me.

He hardly raised his voice with me. My brother was becoming a different person. Devil’s Creek changed my sweet Aiden to someone I was beginning not to recognize.

“I don’t know.” I studied his eyes, which looked droopy on one side. “You look high. Are you on something?”

His jaw tightened. “Didn’t I tell you I would stop doing that shit?”

“Yeah, but…”

“But nothing,” he cut me off. “I’m fine. Stop worrying about me.”

“That’s all I do is worry about you. Keep taking risks, and you’re going to get yourself into real trouble.”

He pointed his finger down the dark alley. “Leave, I won’t stop you. No one is forcing your hand.”

“Aiden.” I blew out a deep breath, my chest aching for him. “I’m not leaving you alone. You stayed with me after the Salvatores embarrassed us. We’re in this together.”

He gave me a victorious smile. “Follow me.”

We moved down the alleyway until it dumped us onto a city block in Beacon Bay. The shops were closed, the street mostly empty, save for the random drunk people loitering. I clutched Aiden’s hand as we passed a group of twenty-something men. A chill rushed down my arms as we approached the rundown bar on the corner.