Page 4 of Deadmen's Queen

I opened my eyes and smiled at him.

“Ready to go?” he asked. “I need to drop you at your dorm before I head back and get changed.”

The drive back to my dorm was surprisingly comfortable. Despite what I’d done with this man, and what he’d done to my body, I felt like I could relax around him. My mind wouldn’t let up though, and the conversation with my mother kept drifting through my head. She wanted revenge on his father and wanted to use me to get it. I couldn’t refuse her, not knowing what she was capable of, but at the same time, I didn’t want to do anything that might hurt Bast or the others.

As Bast pulled up in front of the door, my phone went off and I answered it after checking it wasn’t her. It was Kate.

“Paige, oh my… I’m so sorry. I just got back and saw it. Where are you?”

“I’m just getting dropped off outside,” I said, my eyes moving to Bast who was frowning. Clearly, he could hear the panic in her voice too. “What’s wrong, Kate?”

“Your door, someone’s vandalised your door, Paige.”

Bast turned off the engine and removed the keys.

“I’m coming in now, Kate. Calm down,” I told her, and hung up.

Bast said nothing, just got out and came round to open the door for me. He helped me down, and I tapped my code into the door to get into the building. Bast followed me in, right behind me all the way until I reached the corridor where I lived. Kate was standing outside her room, and she looked up when she saw me. Her face was a little pale, and she was still wearing her outfit from the night before. Clearly, she’d gone home with someone.

“Paige, I have no idea who could have done this.”

I moved past her and stopped in front of my door, my mouth falling open as I looked at it. The word "slut" was smeared across the surface in crude, dripping red letters. My heart pounded as I considered the possibility that someone had recognised me in the Club last night and had come by my dorm to leave this for me.

“Give me your key,” growled Bast. I looked up at him. His face was cold, and his eyes fixed on the scarlet letters.

“Keys, Paige. Now.”

“Who the hell are you?” asked Kate.

“This is Bast,” I told her, handing him my keys. “Sebastian Blake.” She simply nodded, and waited as Bast unlocked the door and pushed it open.

Chapter Two

UNKNOWN

So, you like to crawl Paige? I’ll make you fucking crawl for me. Before I make you scream like they never could.

Chapter Three

BAST

The door swung open, and we stepped into the room, only to find an even more horrifying sight. Paige’s room was trashed, her belongings scattered across the floor. The room was covered in a viscous red substance that looked suspiciously like blood, and in the middle of the bed, I could see a dead bird, white feathers scattered over the soaked sheets with a knife sticking out of its chest. I turned, trying to block her view before she saw it, but I was too late. Her eyes widened, and she gasped, stepping back into the doorway.

“Christ,” I muttered. “Who did this?” The red liquid coated nearly everything, and I just prayed it was paint and not blood. This was fucked up on another level. I looked over my shoulder at Paige, who stood in the doorway, staring blindly into her room. Tears filled her eyes and my heart ached for her. Her clothes, her sketchbooks, even some of her paintings. Everything was ruined. She swayed as a sob escaped her throat, and in an instant, I was by her side, wrapping my arms around her as her legs gave way.

“No,” I said, my voice firm. I turned her around to face me, one arm holding her up, the other hand cupping her beautiful face as tears fell down it. “No tears, Paige. Whoever did this want to see you break.”

“But...”

“No.” I wiped away her tears. “We'll figure this out.”

Kate hovered uncertainly at the doorway, biting her lip nervously as she clutched her phone in her hand. “I... I'll call campus security,” she offered hesitantly.

Paige nodded mutely; her eyes fixed again on the devastation. I nodded my head and gently guided Paige a little way down the corridor.

“Thank you, Kate,” I said grimly. “Right now, Paige's safety is my number one concern. Paige?”

She looked up at me, eyes wide. I had the feeling she was in shock. I needed to get her away from here. “Is there anything you want to take now? Anything sentimental or important?”

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