Page 56 of Dirty Little Saint

“Ruina nostra salus,” she whispers. Our ruin is our salvation. The ravens let out a piercing cry unlike any I’ve ever heard.

The man’s head falls forward and his body goes limp.

Maureen struggles against his chest as she attempts to pull the dagger out. I move forward to help her, but Riot holds up his hand. He shakes his head.

She must do this herself.

Her tiny frame seems to find unnatural strength as she releases a loud grunt and pulls the blade out. She looks wild and free and beautiful. I want to lick the blood from her hands as a tribute. To kneel down at her feet and bathe in her power. We belong to her as much as she belongs to us.

She is fire.

The dark queen on our desecrated chessboard. We have to protect her at all costs. Even from herself… Especially from herself.

I amble toward her, careful of the ravens who dot my path. They eye me suspiciously. As if they don’t already know what’s in my soul. As if she’s their mother, and I’m a predator stalking through.

Riot and Atlas circle in after me, shooing them off. Reminding them that we are the devils of Raven’s Gate. That we control them now. They shrink back, their squawking quieting to a low whimpering.

Maureen spins around to face us. Blood splatter decorates her cheeks and neck. She wipes the blade across her jeans before sliding it back inside her boot. “Someone needs to call Pisces Thorn and tell him to come pick up his trash.”

Maureen showers upstairs while Atlas, Riot, and I usher out the last of the partygoers. I’m sure the teachers of Tenebrose aren’t going to be too pleased with us for getting all their students drunk and high the night before the first day of school. But it’s tradition.

We throw a party every semester. They couldn’t stop us from doing it if they tried. Which they haven’t. We have too much dirt on them. Too much leverage. And our families donate obscene amounts of money to keep them all driving their fancy cars and living in their monstrous houses. Even the faculty lounge is funded by us.

Riot leans back against the couch, whiskey in hand. “We need to keep an eye on her at all times. Who knows how many spies our fathers have planted here.”

Atlas snickers. “Well, mine is about to see firsthand what we do with spies.” He plops down next to Riot and lights a joint.

“Have you called him?” I want to make sure Maureen is nowhere near this house when he arrives.

Atlas holds up his phone as he coughs out a huge hit of weed. “I sent him a text. Told him it’s urgent. He’ll be here soon.”

I grab my coat and keys. “I’ll take her back to the Nest and stay there with her tonight.”

Riot nods in agreement. “Good. Make sure you walk her to class tomorrow too. I don’t trust anyone but us right now.”

I wait for Maureen in the car, the engine running. When she bounces out the front door, she’s all smiles and sunshine. Like she didn’t just stab a man to death.

The scent of honeysuckle and vanilla invade my car as she climbs into the passenger seat, her hair damp and glistening. I want to lick her entire body; she smells so fucking good. Wearing a fitted white tank top and yoga pants, there’s not a speck of blood on her that I can see. She looks like Maureen again. The sexy, fiery version we first met. Before we corrupted her.

“Ready, love?”

Her eyes light up at the pet name. I haven’t told her I love her yet. But I really fucking want to. It’s not that I’m afraid to say something so final; it’s the fear that she’s not ready to say it back. That would crush me.

She nods and puts on her seatbelt. “Thank you for taking me back home. I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed.”

I throw the car in drive and peel out of the stone driveway. “I’ll take you anywhere you wanna go, Firecracker. Anytime. Always.”

She gazes at me as I drive us through the dark forest. It reminds me of the first time I took her to the cabin. It’s hard to take my eyes off her, so I steal as many glances as I can between her and the road. There’s a calm radiating from her, a serenity oozing from her pores. After what she just went through, I’m in awe.

“What are you looking at?” she teases.

Fuck. I’m looking at the most beautiful creature I’ve ever laid eyes on. “I was about to ask you the same question.” I smirk back at her.

She leans over and plants the softest kiss on my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “I’m wondering how I’m going to get any sleep tonight with you in my bed.”

My cock flexes. “I’m going to fuck you to sleep.”

Her breath hitches as she brushes her hand up my thigh. I almost lose control of the car at the contact. “Val…”

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