Page 94 of Dirty Little Saint

But I keep the odometer at one hundred miles per hour. And I don’t slow down until I pull off the highway and creep up to the main road.

Riot turns in his seat to face everyone. “My father has security cameras that I’m going to disable from my phone as soon as we’re within view. But I’ll need to turn them back on within two minutes, or else he’ll be alerted. That gives us two minutes to get inside the house. Understood?”

Villette gasps. “Ooh, I feel like we’re on a heist.”

“You’re staying in the car, Lettie,” Felix growls.

“He’s right,” Maureen adds. “You should stay here where it’s safe.”

Villette crosses her arms and pouts. “Absolutely not. I did not come all this way to sit in the car. Let me help.”

Felix throws his hands up in frustration. “My mother is going to kill me.”

Maureen smirks. “I see where she gets her stubbornness from now.”

Fuck this chatter. “All right, therapy’s over. Everyone out. You’re on foot now.”

“Wait, where are you going?” Maureen asks.

I give her a wink. I know these grounds like the back of my hand. “I’m going around back. I’ll meet you in the caverns.”

After they all finally get out at the top of the road, I kill the headlights and take the other path through the woods. It’s an unmarked trail we used to use for hunting when we were kids. It’s covered in brush, but I can find my way through it with my eyes closed. You get stuck out here alone a couple of times as a kid, and you learn really fast how to find your way back.

I down another vial of nightshade once I pull up to my destination. I close my eyes, using my raven sight to confirm that the initiates are making their way through the tunnels right now.

I grab the vials and the cage out of the trunk before using my old key to unlock the cellar door. And I almost cum in my pants when it clicks open. Fucking Holden. So cocky he doesn’t even change the locks.

My heart races as I make my way to the ritual room. The corridors are damp and musty, leaving a stench in the air that I know is gonna stick to my clothes. I’ll be burning this suit after tonight, anyway.

Shit. I’m too late.

I get to the room at the same time they do. I was hoping to get the jump on them.

Fuck it. Let’s play.

The twenty masked initiates freeze when they see me.

The cage screeches across the floor as I drag it the rest of the way in. “What’s up, boys? Am I late for the party?”

No one speaks. Creepy as fuck. Well, creepy for me.

“Who wants a drink? Anyone thirsty?” I stroll over to the cabinet where Holden keeps all the good shit and pull out a bottle of fifty-year-old whiskey.

“Mr. Thorn? Your father’s upstairs. He didn’t mention you were coming to tonight’s ritual,” a voice from one of the masks squeaks out.

I laugh as I pull the cork out with my teeth. “That’s because it’s a surprise. It’s his birthday, you see. I brought him a gift.” I point to the covered cage.

Another voice calls out, “Should we go get him then, sir?”

I wave him off and take a pull from the bottle. It burns as it goes down. Fuck, that’s good. “No, no. He’s in a meeting. Now get your creepy asses over here and have a drink with me. In celebration of Pisces Thorn’s illustrious life.”

None of them move a muscle.

These fucking assholes.

I sigh and set my case of vials on the ritual table. “Are you refusing to raise a toast to one of your elders?” I take one of the vials out and down it. “Come, the first one over here gets two.” I wink.

One of the initiates, must be the head idiot, nods to the rest and they file over. I hand them each a vial. “Good doggies,” I snicker. I hold up my vial in salute. “To Nocturnus and its rebirth.”

---