Page 14 of The Vipers and Their Vendetta

If he does have Vani with him at the water tower, he’s probably doing some bizarre ritual with her, but I doubt he’s got her in his bed. He’d see that as going against everything he believes. I once heard a girl say she’d gotten drunk with him, and then stoned, but when they went back to his room, and she had made a move, he’d simply held her hands in front of her face like a prayer and started speaking in some weird language. She got really creeped out and left. I don’t fucking blame her.

They rarely attend college anymore, preferring to spend their time out here, and they roam these woods in their masks acting out their dumb shit Viking fantasies. I’ll fucking make sure they pay for taking Vani, but that can wait. Right now, I just want her back, safe and sound. So that I can be the one to torment her the way she deserves for putting me through this anxiety.

The forest around me thins out, and I know I’m nearing the clearing. When I get close enough for the illuminations of the building to peep through the trees, I turn off my light and pickmy way through the undergrowth more carefully. I don’t want to give any of those idiots in there a heads-up that I’m coming. I fire off a text to Zane and Lex, letting them know where I am.

When I reach the door, I don’t bother knocking, but simply push down the handle and force my way inside.

Vani is standing in her underwear in the middle of the room.

My blood runs cold.

Fuck. Maybe I’ve got this all wrong.

But then I see all the herbs and what looks like confetti scattered in her hair and over her shoulders and the bandage on her arm. Roman and Malachi have their backs to her while they mess about with their stupid potions. They’re wearing their masks, but I know it’s them because of their build and hair. Roman is tall and lean and blond, Malachi is smaller, and wiry, and dark-haired, and Cain is the big motherfucker, but, thankfully, he’s not here.

Sensing my presence, Roman’s head whips around. “You!” he spits. “You don’t belong here.”

I ignore him and walk over to Vani.

She must be terrified, being taken by them while they’re wearing that crazy shit.

“Fuck off, freak,” I throw back as he walks toward me.

He merely smirks and keeps advancing.

I reach Vani and brush the mess from her hair and shoulders, then grab her clothes from the bed.

“Get dressed,” I order. I fold my arms, trying to be as intimidating as I can, so Roman won’t decide it’s worth a fight, because right now, I’m outnumbered, and I just want to get her out of here.

Her gaze flicks over my shoulder to Malachi as she begins to struggle into her clothes. I glance over to find he’s turned around and now has a big-ass knife in his hands.Merde.Out of the threeof them, he’s the most unpredictable, and I’m grateful I only have two of them to deal with.

“You need to leave,” Malachi snarls.

“Oui, I am, but I’m taking her with me.”

“We’re done with her,” Roman says. “You can go. For now.”

The words contain a warning.

I’ve invaded their private space, and they hate that. I wonder if they have any idea we were fucking Vani on that bed not that long ago. I note the sheet change and have to hold back a smile of satisfaction at the memory of their cum-stained black silk.

I’m more than aware of my vulnerability. I’m unarmed, and so is Vani. Perhaps I should have waited for Zane and Lex to arrive, but I hadn’t been able to stop myself. The thought of abandoning her with these two freaks for one more second was too much to stand.

She doesn’t say a word, but the relief in her eyes is clear. She gets dressed quickly, fumbling the clothes a few times. I never take my eyes off Malachi or Roman, other than to glance at her briefly. They are seemingly letting us go, and that is more than I expected. I’m sure they’ll try to pay me back at some point. It’s weird they seem chill about letting us leave, but right now isn’t the time to worry about that.

Silent tears slip down Vani’s cheeks. My heart softens, until I remember she brought all of this on herself. She endangered her life. She put my and Lex’s friendship with Zane in danger. She risked blowing everything apart because she believed idle gossip and bitchy girls.Stupid Girl, I remind myself. The song starts to run around in my head again, and I harden myself to her. She needs to learn a lesson, and my parents taught me one good thing in life, that lessons are never learned from a place of softness: my mother when she left, and my father with every punishment he ever gave us. They both showed me whathappens if you don’t match up with what is expected. You get left, or you get hurt.

I’m not leaving Vani. And she’s not leaving us, so that leaves pain as her reward for this behavior.

I take hold of Vani’s upper arm, careful of her cuts and grazes.

I fix my attention on the two men. “You ever touch her again, and I’ll kill you both.”

“We didn’t touch her,” Roman says.

“She’s half naked, isn’t she, fucker?”

“She managed to do that all by herself.” Malachi pulls off his mask and flashes me a cheeky grin.

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