Page 33 of Dirty Little Saint

Riot sighs. “Sir, what we—”

“Shut your fucking mouth, Graves,” Laurent commands.

I shudder as Riot completely obeys him.

What the fuck?

Val glares back at his father. “We saw an opportunity and took it. The Blackwell heir was in our school. Our territory. Every time we mark her, the ravens’ hold on us loosens.”

Laurent shakes him by the collar, and my sigils spark with rage. “You got your looks from me but your intelligence from your mother. And she was as dumb as they come.”

Val’s nostrils flare, but he bites his tongue. I want to run in between them and remove Laurent’s grip from his neck. An overwhelming need to protect him consumes me.

“Well, she was smart enough to get the fuck away from you,” Val spits.

Laurent squeezes him tighter, his eyes glowing. “Watch your fucking mouth, boy. We had the ravens contained. The second you marked her, pledged yourselves to her…” He jabs a finger in my direction. “You violated an agreement we had with her family. She is their only female heir, and they believe you’ve tainted her with Nocturnus blood. Just like Silas did to Jessamine all those years ago. The very reason why the feud started to begin with. You didn’t fucking break any curses, you started a fucking war.”

Fuck.

Everything’s happening so fast; I haven’t had time to even process all the events that have transpired. Jessamine Blackwell—the ghost girl who stalked me all over Tenebrose just so she could hand deliver me to Riot’s brother, Zeke. Tricked and betrayed by my very own ancestor. She believed that if Zeke took over Nocturnus, that if she offered him my blood, she could be free to join her lover, Silas, in the After. But then I ruined her entire plan when I stabbed and killed Zeke.

Val’s eyes widen. “So? Let’s go to fucking war then. The Blackwells punished the Graves for decades because of an accident. They made the rest of the families choose sides. We chose to side with Riot’s family. We chose to follow them to Raven’s Gate and remain here. Is it so wrong that I would want to help my best friend seek redemption?”

“Accident?” Laurent roars back. “Silas Graves poisoned Jessamine Blackwell. Did he really think it wouldn’t kill her?”

“Well, it didn’t kill me,” I murmur under my breath.

His scowl turns on me. “What did you say?”

Oh, fuck. Apparently, that wasn’t as under my breath as I thought. I clear my throat. “The poison. It hasn’t killed me.”

Laurent glares at Atlas. “You fucking Thorns and your poison. Did you ever stop to think what the Blackwells would do if this one died too?”

Atlas doesn’t flinch. He’s not afraid of Laurent. I can see it in the murderous look that takes over his pretty ocean-colored eyes. “I know how to administer it properly. Silas didn’t. Apparently.”

Laurent shakes his head and turns back on his son, whom he’s still holding in an iron death grip. “The ravens are dying, the Blackwells are infuriated, and your initiates are either dead or rotting in Absentia Asylum. Give me one good reason not to beat you to a bloody fucking pulp.”

His threat sparks my adrenaline. I leap from the couch. “I’ll give you two. One, because he’s your fucking son. And two… because I’ll kill you if you hurt him ever again.”

“Maur…” Riot warns as he races to my side. “She’s just sleep-deprived,” he pleads with Laurent.

Val curses under his breath but doesn’t dare look in my direction.

Laurent snickers. “Spoken like a true Blackwell. Congratulations, son. You’ve just made your bed with the devil herself.”

I’ve been called many things, but devil? That’s a new one.

Val wrenches away from him, finally finding his strength. “If that’s true, then I’m glad she’s on my side.”

Laurent’s goons take three steps toward Val, and I lose it. I rush forward, prepared to meet them when Riot and Atlas both jump in front of me. Laurent holds up his hand, stilling them in their place.

“Enough. This is a waste of time. You’re all too naïve and sex-crazed to understand the severity of your actions. But you will see soon. The mess you’ve fucking made…”

“We broke the fucking curse,” Val growls out.

His father nods. “That you did. The four of you can leave Raven’s Gate whenever you want… And now the Blackwells can also come in whenever they want.”

He snaps his fingers, and his initiates file out. “Some curses punish, and some protect. Remember that when Penny Blackwell comes for you all.”

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