Page 32 of The Vipers' Vow

Boy? Oh, Zane is going to lose his shit. He writes again, and I peer up at his phone, trying to read.

No, sir, but Vani is in danger, and I am on her side. I’d like it if we could at least talk with her father.

Sir? I was not expecting that kind of respect out of Zane to Big Mike. Maybe he’s figured the same things I have. We have a common enemy.

Big Mike sighs. He texts a message, probably to Dad, and then gestures for us to follow him into the clubhouse. There’s a steady buzz of noise—people talking and rock music playing in the background. A couple of guys are playing pool, and the balls clack together and someone hoots as the balls hit their mark. The familiar odor of stale booze and cigarettes and gasoline hits my nose, but it doesn’t repulse me. In many ways, it smells like home. A few members stare up at us as we walk through. I spot a friendly face, one of the guys, Phoenix, who is about ten years older than me, but who I developed a completely platonic friendship with growing up. He always used to tease me about being ‘one of the boys’ and would challenge me to arm wrestling matches he’d then fake me winning. I notice he’s filled out a bit, the front of his band t-shirt straining, and his beard seems even thicker than normal, but it suits him. He jerks his chin at me, and I grin, despite myself, and then my heart falters as Big Mike opens the door to the office and ushers us in, following right behind.

My dad sits behind his desk, and flanking him on either side are two of his close friends and unofficial bodyguards. They have their arms crossed in front of them, their size enhanced by the posture.

My father stands, both hands planted on his desk as he glowers at us. He kicks his chair out of the way and stalks around it. He hasn’t seen me for ages, but instead of looking at me and welcoming me home, his gaze is fixed on Zane.

My father walks up to us, pulls his arm back, and punches Zane right in the face.

12

SAINT

I’m sick to my stomach because even though I'm doing this to help, I know I'm betraying Zane and Vani. Hell, probably Lex too. The more I think about things, though, the more I believe my plan is a good one. It's not just that I need to convince Angelica I've given her what she wants, but as I've thought about things, I've realized I can get more information out of her this way. It's risky, and the main problem is that the others might not believe me when I tell them I haven't slept with her. But, if they don't trust me on this, do we even have a future?

Do Iwantus to have a future?

This is the first time in my life I've ever thought about something long term, and it scares the fuck out of me. Still, the main thing that matters to me right now is getting my brother back. Lex is everything to me, and not only because he's my twin. I honestly believe that without him to anchor me, I'll lose it and become nothing but an amoral creature of rage.

Lex is always the one who pulls me back when I go too far. He's a small voice of reason that stops me from doing things I won't be able to come back from. And it's not as if Lex is a good guy either, so shows exactly how depraved I am whenhe'smy conscience.

If there is anything rattling around in that stupid head of Angelica’s that can help me find him quicker, then I will do all I can to knock it loose. Literally, if I must.

I've taken a shower and finished styling my hair. I splash on some aftershave, not the kind you can buy in any department store, but a niche fragrance. It cost over three hundred dollars for this bottle, and it was worth every penny. I've had girls stop me in the hallways of this college just to ask what scent I'm wearing. I'm pulling out all the stops for Angelica tonight, because I'm going to make her think she's getting exactly what she wants.

It still blows my mind that she wants a night with me so badly that she'll blackmail me for it. The more I thought about it, the more it's made me realize that if she'll do this, she'll do anything.

Even worse, she's supposed to be a good friend of Vani’s, and yet she's propositioning me behind her back. I always knew the girl was a snake, but I didn't realize how two-faced she truly is.

I pull on a pair of leather trousers and grab one of my favorite shirts. It's from Hermes, and I think Angelica will appreciate that I'm wearing my finest for her.

I grab a bag and thank God that anyone seeing me with the designer bag slung around my waist will assume it's part of me being such a fashion victim. It’s actually an intrinsic part of my plan for the evening. I unzip the waist bag and check the contents. In a small bottle are a number of white pills, and I check to make sure I have enough.

Two to three should knock her out with some wine. I have a bottle of white, but it’s strong stuff. It's almost as strong as a dessert wine, and I'm going to drink hardly any of it, except I'll make it look as if I'm drinking a lot. I’ll encourage Angelica to do so too.

I check my watch and realize it's early, but I want to get this over with, so I message Angelica.

Her reply comes almost instantly.

I shudder at her response, because the girl gives me the creeps. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for playing games, and toxicity, but she's crazy, and not in a good way. There's something so insecure and needy about Angelica, when you strip away the outer layers, that it makes her distinctly unappealing to a man like me.

I like degradation, but I like to have to work for it. Take Vani. She’s feisty, but she lets me say bad things to her if I get her horny enough, but only then.

I can picture Angelica simply letting me say anything. She likes to act as if she's the tough, popular girl, but deep down, she's an insecure mess. I bet I could walk into that room and tell her to crawl around like a dog for me and she’d do it willingly. Where's the fun in that?

That's the deliciousness of the games we play with Vani. I get her to do things because deep down she wants it, but she’ll fight against her depraved desires. She’s a bundle of contradictions—the good girl covered in tattoos. The body made for sin, except then we discovered she was a virgin before she came to us. She’ll hold back until I've got her so riled up she can't think straight, and then she’ll unravel with such intensity, it’s incredible. It’s as though she was made for us.

Yes, maybe I am sick, but at least I know myself. I don't think Angelica knows herself at all. I don't think Angelica has anyideaof the depths she'd go to for me if I just clicked my fingers. And that, right there, is exactly why she does nothing for me. Well, that and the fact that Venom has taken up all the space in my brain, and there's no room for me to think about any other woman.

I grab the bottle of wine from the counter and head to the door, closing it softly behind me. In the hall, I pass a couple of students and give them a brief nod, not wanting to act any different than usual. Most of the college don’t know about Lex, and I'd like to keep it that way until I've got more information from Angelica. At that point, I can decide whether we need to take this up with the dean, but for now I need more information.

When I reach Angelica’s room, I raise my hand to knock, but it swings open as if she's been waiting for me on the other side. There's that desperation I find so off-putting all over again. I hide my distaste and smile at her. I let my gaze run leisurely down her body as I take her in. She's gone to a lot of effort. Her hair is shiny, her makeup is polished, and her clothes show off her figure to perfection. She's objectively a very attractive woman, but she can't hold a candle to our Venom. The girl with the wild hair, and the big brown eyes, and the terrible taste in music—she's the girl who owns every part of me right now.

Angelica steps back and welcomes me into the room. Her scent hits me as I walk through the door, and I pause. It’s the exact perfume Vani wears, and a trickle of unease runs down my spine. What game is Angelica playing? What game is she playing with me, my fellow Vipers, and most of all, our Venom?

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