Page 28 of Dig Your Grave

He handed it to me.“An official invitation forus.Signed by Sophie, though she used the name Aset, her Skulls code name.It’s for this coming Friday night.”

I traced the embossed skull, reading the short, cryptic text inside:

“You are summoned to the Bone Trials.Friday, midnight.Show your worth or face the river.”

My hand shook.“The Bone Trials,” I breathed, recalling the caretaker’s ledger.

“Yes,” he said grimly.“It’s a tradition.We have to pass a series of tasks, some humiliating, some symbolic, to prove loyalty.Considering my potential rank, like I explained before, we’re being presented as a pair.”

I tensed.“A pair?”I repeated.

He gave a wry half-smile.“In the Skulls’ world, a ‘pair’ means I’ve designated you as my partner in the Trials.Normally, that means the two people are…intimately bound.”

“I get no say?”I asked, frustration flashing.

“If you or I fail, both are cast out.”

Anubis swallowed.“Sophie wants to test you and me.If I refused, the Skulls might suspect we were working against them.She’s certain you’ll either break or obey.”

My mind churned.In normal, everyday life, it would be insane to take part in something so archaic.But here, in this twisted Edenvane reality, it seemed I was already in too deep to refuse.If I tried to run now, they’d find me.My scholarship would vanish, my future destroyed.Or worse.

I stared at the invitation.“So, I guess I go.And we do these Trials.And I try not to drown in the river, or end up like Toccara.”

His jaw clenched.“I’ll be with you.We can outsmart them.But we have to walk a very fine line.”

Leaning my head back against the car seat, I let out a trembling sigh.“Then let’s do it.We’ll face them on Friday.”

“Now that that’s settled…” he started.

I met his gaze.

“About the other day, down in the archives…”

I shook my head.“You had to,” I answered for him, still not knowing if I believed him.

“I can make it up to you, you know?”

“Oh, how?Do you plan to get on your knees?”

Anubis smirked and licked his lips as he put his seat back.Reaching past me, he pushed my seat back as well.“Take off your pants, your panties so I can repay you.”

The parking lot was deserted, and his tint was dark enough.But it was the hungry look in his eyes that convinced me to unbutton my jeans and push them down.I hadn’t gotten my underwear off as his hands slid down them, finding my sensitive nub.I moaned when he caressed it.His hands slipped down further.“Nubia, you’re so wet.”

I bit my lip as his fingers slipped in me.

“Take off your shirt, your bra.I want to look at you as I touch you.”

With shaky hands, I went under my shirt and undid my bra.I took it off without taking off my shirt.Anubis’ eyes twinkled as he fingered me.I was squirming, enjoying every second.

“Take off your top, Nubia.And I’ll take down your panties and eat your pussy.”His mouth landed on my neck, his warm tongue licking me, convincing me.When he pulled back, I pulled my shirt over my head.As promised, he slid my panties down, exposing me to the air, to the daylight seeping into his car.I was naked except for my sneakers.

“You’re so beautiful, Nubia, and all mine,” he said, descending.His hot breath hit my clit, and a bang sounded in my ears.Turning my head, I saw campus police.

Holy shit.

They banged again.Anubis rolled down the window and looked up at them from my naked lap.

“She’s coming with us,” they said, opening the door.“Suede,” they started questioning me.Complaining I was naked, they whisked me out of Anubis’ car into the back of their cruiser.I covered myself the best I could as the two officers slid in the front.

---