Page 46 of His To Claim

“One day, Stella, they won’t be here, and then you’ll get what’s coming to you.”

“Oh, sweetie, haven’t you heard? We’re here to stay. Why don’t you ask your kings? I’m sure they’ll inform you.” I smirk at them, and at the mention of their precious kings, they’re now fuming.

“Fucking bitch,” Kinsley yells as she launches toward me but not before Carrington barks at her to stop.

“Kinsley, let’s go!” she yells, and like the little bitch she is, Kinsley halts, following her queen out the door.

Finally, after deciding we’ve had enough fun for the night, the guys walk us back over to the Dahlia House before heading over to Astor House. Drake and I make plans to meet back outside in an hour hoping the party will have cleared out by then. I head into my room thinking of changing into something more comfortable, but remember Drake made a point that he wants to take me out of this dress, so I decide to keep it on.

I lay in bed eagerly and at about two a.m. I sneak back out of the Dahlia House and head over to the private beach where Drake and I said we’d meet hoping to finish what we started on the deck. On my way there, I get a strange feeling I’m being followed as I hear a ruffling in the trees by the edge of the sand.

I feel an icy breeze in the air sending a cool shiver through me. The sky now somehow darker than it was just a few hours ago is only lit by the full moon illuminating the water. All around us thelights have been turned off, and I was right to think the beach would be completely empty, everyone having left the party. The inside of the beach house is pitch black and looks eerily empty, not a light on in sight.

I continue walking on the paved trail toward the deck when suddenly everything goes completely dark. Something’s thrown over my head and I’m hoisted up into the air, strong arms wrapped around me, holding me in place. My body squirms around trying to escape, but the arms around me just tighten.

“Put me down!” I try to scream but my voice is muffled by the cloth draped over my head. A weird stench hits me and instantly my head feels foggy, dizzy, and my body grows weak.

“Drake,” I mumble softly into the fabric.

“Didn’t I warn you to never confuse me with him again, Red,” are the last words I hear.

Sixteen

ACE

She left the party with him. They left, and I followed, lurking in the shadows as he dropped her back off at the Dahlia House. I know they’re planning on sneaking out together again, but I won’t allow it. Not tonight, Red, tonight you’re mine.

“How do we know she’s even gonna show?” Alek asks from his hiding spot behind the railing of the beach house. It’s completely dark outside, only the gleam of the full moon reflecting off the ocean, the clouds glooming above us threatening to erupt. We came out here about an hour ago to kick everyone out and make sure everything was ready for us to make our move.

“I still have access to her phone,” I answer back. I had a guy from my Trig class set up the new phones I got them all. He sends all messages she receives from Drake to my phone and I can reply as either of them. How he does it, hell if I know. He does me this favor, I hook him up with some pills. A win, win.

“She made plans with the dragon to meet up here about twoa.m. Of course, I intercepted the message and replied, told him she wasn’t feeling well and would see him tomorrow.”

Alek chuckles impressed. “Nice one, man.”

“But why does he even need us to do this?” Beck asks me, evidently worried.

Beck is the newest and less corrupted Horseman. Brought in our freshman year of high school when his mother, Eliza Masters, a socialite from England who moved to Hillcrest Hills with her son, married Bass’s father Stephan Silver. He instantly fit in with the three of us who had been friends since we were born. We never would take in any outsiders but something about Beck made him feel as if he were already one of us. But there is only one minor detail that differentiates him from Alek, Bass, and me.

He’s nice. I mean genuinely a good guy, not a monster created to cleanse the world like the three of us were. Not a Horseman bred to rule over those undeserving, unworthy. He still doesn’t quite understand why we do what we do. He didn’t grow up with stories embedded into the deepest parts of his mind, constantly reminded of our place in the world, our legacy. We follow orders, we conquer, defeat, and capture. We govern, torture, and kill if need be. We’re the Horsemen of the apocalypse. We were created to rid this town and those surrounding it, of its sinners. There is no good left in us.

“Yeah man, what’s your uncle’s crazy obsession with this chick? I mean I get it, she’s fucking hot, but she’s a total bitch, not to mention like half his age,” Alek says angrily. Out of the four of us Alek is by far the most loyal. He believes my uncle and our fathers are some holier than thou beings who know everything about everything. He follows them blindly and rarely ever questions their motives. But for once he’s not sure the reason behind this task. He hasn’t taken well to the arrival of the foster kids, especially not the seductive siren with dark hair and red lips.

“We don’t ask, he doesn’t tell. It’s not our concern,” I reply, butfuck if it isn’t a lie. This time it was my idea. I only offered to do this for him because I need answers. And this way I can ensure I get them first.

“Here she comes right on schedule,” Bass whispers, turning quietly and smirking at me.

In my hand I hold a black pillowcase and drop the rag with chloroform inside. I can see her shadow walking along the trail toward us, wearing the same fucking dress from earlier. Her hair is still down, almost blending into the darkness of the night. Her skin, the palest of white as the moon reflects off of her, illuminating her. She looks nervous as I see her body shift and her chest falls and rises at a quicker pace, her eyes not able to focus on anything in sight. It’s as if she senses we’re nearby.

“On my cue,” I whisper as she approaches the trail closest to the front of the house. “One. Two. Now,” I say, rushing behind her, throwing the pillowcase over her head and grabbing her, keeping her body held tightly against mine. She squirms and shakes, her cries muffled by the cloth over her head. The more she fights me the more I tighten my grip on her, and fuck my dick goes hard. Her nails dig into my arm until I feel her body slowly relaxing, meaning the chloroform has taken effect. She’ll be out soon, making it easier for me to drag her ass inside. She calls me by his name and I nearly burst in anger.

“Drake,” she cries, and my jaw stiffens. Big mistake, Red.

“Didn’t I warn you to never confuse me with him again, Red?” I say right before she passes out.

I carry her inside, throwing her over my shoulder as Bass drags a chair to the middle of the room. Alek and Beck stay outside to keep an eye out for my uncle, and make sure nobody else has followed her here. Carefully setting her down on the metal chair, I tie her hands behind her back, and her legs to the chair’s legs. Stepping back, I take a good look at her, admiring her perfect figure. Fuck, she truly is beautiful, her head is tilted slightly to theright, her dark mane falling on her face and between her perky breasts.

“Fuck man, you sure we’re doing the right thing? What does he want with her, Ace?” I turn to my best friend and find him rubbing his chin nervously.

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