Corrupt (Devil's Night 1)

I stepped into the elevator, pushing the button for the lobby and feeling my phone vibrate inside my suit jacket.

Pulling it out of my breast pocket, I clicked on a text message from Will.

No more house.

And my eyes rounded, seeing a picture of the foyer of the Fane’s home covered in flames.

What the fuck! My heart filled my throat, and I stopped breathing. They’d acted without me.

We planned to take the house, not burn it down!

I worked quickly, dialing the security office at the community.

The night guard answered immediately.

“Ferguson!” I growled. “The Fane’s house!”

“Yes, sir,” he rushed out. “I already called 911. Fire trucks are on their way.”

I hung up and instantly twisted to the side, slamming my fist into the elevator wall. “Goddammit!”

Three Years Ago

I SHOULD’VE BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THEM. Miles and Astrid were ugly and vile, and I couldn’t believe what they’d tried to do to me in there.

I fisted my hands as I sat in Michael’s car, waiting for the guys to come out of Sticks.

Astrid and Miles deserved so much more than what they got. Tears welled as I chewed on my thumb nail and stared out the window, holding my cries back.

They would’ve raped me in that bathroom. And they would’ve gotten away with it.

Rage fired under my skin, and I wanted to go back in and hit them until they understood. Until they knew I wasn’t a victim.

I moved to open the door, but I looked up and stopped, noticing the guys coming out of the pool hall.

They still wore their masks, and I spotted several people inside following them with their eyes.

Everyone knew who the Horsemen were and probably had no doubt about the shenanigans they were up to tonight. While interested, onlookers wouldn’t interfere.

Michael and Kai slid into the front seats while Damon climbed in Will’s side, dropping into the back as usual. Will followed, sitting down next to me and slamming the door, and I noticed that the sleeve of his sweatshirt was torn. There must’ve been a struggle.

I almost started to worry if he was hurt, but he was laughing his ass off.

“What did you guys do?” I asked.

Everyone pulled off their masks, setting them aside, and I watched Will wink at me and shoot me a dashing grin.

“Hold out your hand,” he instructed.

My stomach sunk. Shit. What now?

Reluctantly, I inched out my left hand and watched as he lay something soft and red across my hand, the strands spilling over the sides like a scarf.

He removed his hand, and my eyes rounded.

“Oh, my God,” I gasped, horror heating my blood. “Is this…” I breathed out, trying to wrap my head around it. “Is this from them?”

In my hand, sat a bloodied tooth and a thick rope of long, red hair.