Vile Boys (Spine Ridge University)

I run straight into the pouring rain, not giving a shit that I’m only wearing a onesie. There’s no time to grab a coat, no time to grab anything.

Because he’s right there, climbing down the steps of the fire escape next to the balconies.

Oh God.

Sheer panic forces me to move as I run toward the main area of the campus in the middle of the night. Hardly anyone is outside, and by the time I do finally come across a student, I can barely speak.

“Are you okay?” they ask, lifting their umbrella.

I suck in a breath, wondering what to say. “Just going for a run!”

“In the rain?”

I pick up my pace even though I must look insane.

If I told them the truth, they’d be implicated.

Mutilated.

Killed.

Just for knowing.

It’s not a question of if but a question of when. And I don’t want anyone else’s life to be in jeopardy.

I turn around the corner of the street but come to an abrupt halt when I see another stranger in a hoodie slowly walking in my direction. In one hand is a phone with open texts, and in the other is a knife just like the guy on my balcony. And on his face is the same eerie gold demonic mask.

Oh God. There are two of them.

That’s why he said we.

My phone buzzes again, and I hold it up, rain pitter-pattering down on the screen, which I swipe away to read the text.

Prick: Run … hide … wherever you go, we’ll find you.

My whole body begins to shake.

I dash to the right, away from the guy in the hoodie and run all the way across campus through the pouring rain, my clothes soaking wet when I finally get to the big doors of the main building. They’re closed off, and when I try to pull them open, they refuse to budge.

Everything’s closed. It’s midnight.

No one’s still here except maybe a guard just to shoo away any unwanted guests.

Shit. What do I do now?

When I look over my shoulder, my breath falters.

There are two of them now, staring me down from the far end of the main campus grounds, and I can’t help but wonder if they’re smiling behind those damn masks.

I run away as fast as I can in the only direction that’s still safe; the Spine Ridge gardens. My heart’s going a million miles an hour, and it almost feels like they can hear it. Like it fuels their desire to chase me even faster.

Every time I glance over my shoulder, at least one of them is right behind me, slowly catching up with me.

Shit.

Rain trickles down across my cheeks, and I brush my hair out of my face to see better in the darkness. There has to be somewhere I can go where they can’t find me. But before I know it, I’ve run all the way to the rose gardens.

My phone buzzes, and I take a quick glance.

Prick: Tick tock, little rose. What will you do? Run and hide? Or face your demons?

My feet almost tumble over themselves when I spot a guy in a gold demon mask with horns standing mere feet away from me, casually tossing a lighter up and down, the suit he’s wearing completely soaked through.

But none of it seems to matter.

Not when their mission is to destroy me.

I gulp and turn around, but I almost drop my phone when I see the other one standing right there, equal feet away as the other, his hoodie hanging over the mask as he pushes the tip of the knife into his index finger, looking like he’s wondering what I’ll do. Which arms I’ll run into and meet my inevitable fate.

I shudder in place and look to my right.

The entrance to the maze.

I gulp.

I will definitely get lost in there, but I have no other choice if I want to have even a shot at escaping their grasp.

So I tuck my phone into my pocket and bolt inside.

I don’t know which way to go—left, right, right, left, two further, another left, then a long way ahead, and another right. I have no clue where I am or if I’m going in the right direction, but as long as it’s far away from them, I’ll be fine.

I run through the maze until my feet can barely take it anymore. But their laughter in the background makes all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

“We know where you are … We can hear your steps, Crystal.”

Is that … Caleb? It has to be. His voice sounds the same.

“One. Two. Three.”

Another voice I can’t place.

But each time I walk, I hear it.

“Four.” Another step. “Five. One to the right.”

He’s counting my steps?

They know which direction I’m going?

“Go on … keep running away. The more you run, the more excited we get,” Caleb calls. A deep, rumbling laugh follows, making goose bumps scatter on my skin.

I keep going left and right, trying to maintain a silent pace while also hurrying so they don’t catch up.

CRACK!

I spin on my heels to look, but no one is there.

Thunder flashes in the background, making my heart beat just as loudly.

I step back, cautious of my surroundings. But when I turn around to look, I’m precisely back in the middle of that little hidden area with the big tree and the bench where I saw Blaine.

But the exit that was once there in the back is now blocked off with several big wooden beams and a sign that says renovation.

Oh God.

I’m trapped.

CRACK!

The snapping of twigs makes me spin on my heels again, the cold of the rain settling in my very fucking bones as two masked individuals emerge from the maze. But I don’t know if it’s the rain turning my body cold or their maddening stares through those demonic golden masks.

“Found you.”

Caleb’s voice grates my soul, but it’s definitely him.

“Caleb,” I grit.

The one with the hoodie claps. “Good job. You figured it out.”

“Stop the jokes. This isn’t a game.”

“Oh, but it is. You made it one.” He points his knife at me.

“You’re crazy. I didn’t ask for any of this,” I retort.

“No? Then why were you so keen on running?” he muses, stepping closer.

I take a step back. “Because you told me to.”

“Hmm …” I can barely see the devilish smile appearing behind those scary teeth, but it’s definitely there.

“You were the one who texted me.” I hold up my phone to show him. “You’re the one playing games here. Not me.”

“Prick … apt name,” he murmurs. “But you’re wrong.”

I frown. “What?”

The other masked man pulls out a phone and shows me the texts. The texts I sent him.

“Wait, so you …” I mutter.

He tilts his head, and the low voice that follows stirs the arousal in my body, not out of free will but from the memory of his fingers alone. “Hello, little rose.”

I’m too stunned; I don’t even know what to say. “But how … You gave him my number?”

“He is a prick, I’ll give you that,” Caleb muses, snorting while Ares throws him a damning glance.

“What do you want?” I growl, trying to defuse.

Ares tucks his phone back into his pocket and pulls out his knife instead. “We already told you … do you need a reminder?”

They’re here for me.

There’s no way they’ll let me pass.

There’s only one other option.

I fish my knife from my pocket and chuck it at Ares’s head.

He avoids it, and it flies into the bushes, but I still turn around and make a run for it.

I bolt toward the closed-off exit and rip at the wood, trying to tear it away. But within seconds, two strong hands pull me away and drag me toward the middle.

“Let me go!” I yell.

They set me down on the bench, and one of them, Ares, holds a knife against my throat.

“I told you that you would regret the day you’d come for me.”

“Because you have to threaten girls with knives to make them want you?” I retort.

I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I want to make him feel as powerless as he’s trying to make me.

He tips up my chin farther, the knife etching into my neck. “Nothing you can say will change the course of tonight.” He forces me to look at him. “Before this night is over … you will give me your fear.”

I hiss when the blade cuts into my skin just a little, a tiny droplet running down my neck before he retracts his knife.

“Caleb. Do what it is you came here to do.”

He steps away only for Caleb to replace his spot in front of me.

“Your dad will never allow you to—”

He grips my throat, squeezing so I can’t say another word.

“You’re the reason this is all happening. You’re the reason they’re together.”

“That’s why you chased me here tonight?” I croak, his fingers squeezing off my airway.

“I told you … my father doesn’t need a new woman in his life. And now they’re engaged.” His fist balls. “Make your mother pull back her claws and call off the marriage.”

He only slightly releases my throat so I can properly talk.

“It was their choice. They should be allowed to—”

“Do it. Or I will do it for you,” he growls, staring straight into my eyes.

“What? How?” I mutter.

“I have my ways,” he says, tilting his head as he holds up the knife to show me. “Do you want to see for yourself?”

I shake my head. “Don’t hurt my mom.”

His voice is gravelly as he says, “Then break. Them. Up.”

“You’re a monster,” I tell him. “You’d rather destroy your father’s happiness than see him with a new wife.”

His hand slowly rises from my neck to my chin, his thumb brushing my bottom lip. “I can destroy you too if you’re not careful.”

“No,” I say.

He frowns and looks at Ares who beckons him, and he slowly steps away so Ares can confront me again.

“Oh, little rose …” Ares murmurs, towering over me. “Haven’t you learned yet we won’t stop until we have what we want?” I can see him smirk through that demonic mask. “If you won’t split them up, I’ll make it happen.” He holds up his knife, gazing at it like it’s some kind of toy. “It’s been such a long time since this blade last tasted some fear-drenched blood, and I’m sure your mother will be more than eager to run just like you.”

My eyes widen. “No. Don’t hurt her.”

I try to get up, but Ares shoves me down.

“Sit. Down,” Ares commands.

I swallow at the sight of his knife almost boring a hole into my forehead.

“Don’t hurt my mother, dammit,” I growl back.

Ares tilts his head. “And how are you going to stop me? Hmm? Indulge me.”

“You’re sick,” I hiss, the rain making my teeth chatter.

“You have no idea of the depravity I’m capable of.” He pushes the knife into my forehead, and I swallow away the lump in my throat as the blade slowly slides down my cheek and chin, as though Ares is carefully trying to peel away any resistance remaining in my body.

But I will not fucking fear him. I will not. I refuse.

And I will never, ever let them lay a hand on my mother.

“Take me.”

The knife pauses near the base of my neck.

“If you want to hurt her for her choice to love Jonathan, hurt me instead.”

The rain begins to subside while the two boys stare me down, their masks glinting with each strike of thunder.

“Crystal,” Caleb growls from underneath the mask. “Don’t fucking tempt me. Break. Them. Up. Or I will.”

“No,” I repeat. “They deserve their happiness.” I swallow down the cowardice building inside me. “And if you hold that much hatred against her, give it to me instead.”

A low, rumbling laugh emanates from deep within Ares’s chest, and he leans away, lowering the knife. “Well, isn’t this an interesting turn of events? The innocent little rose, offering her body up to the two most vicious men on campus.” His laugh abruptly ends as he pushes the knife into my chest. “You won’t survive.”

I take in a hampered breath. “Then I’ll die saving my mother.”

“Crystal …” Caleb groans, raising his head to the sky as droplets of rain still pitter-patter down from the sky occasionally. “Fine. Choose. Your mother or you.”

I take another deep breath before I sign away my life as I know it.

“Me.”

Ares laughs again, the laughter almost turning into a moan. “So much courage …” A smoldering smile follows as he rips off his mask and stares me down with amusement glimmering in his bright gray eyes. “I can’t wait to drain it all from you with just our hard cocks while you whimper for forgiveness.”