Page 72 of Dig Your Grave

“About Thad.I might have to answer for that.”

“You were forced.”

“So was whoever offed Toccara.”He tilted my chin, gazing into my eyes.Moonlight spilled over the worn bedspread, highlighting the fierce protectiveness in his face.“I love you,” he said, words trembling with sincerity.“If we make it out tomorrow…maybe we can finally live, not just survive.”

My heart surged.I pressed my lips to his, a soft, lingering kiss loaded with exhaustion and hope.We parted gently, foreheads touching in the dim glow.

We curled together on the bed, clinging to a semblance of peace.My fingers tangled in his hair as he grazed a soft line of kisses along my jaw.Every touch resonated with the longing for a future beyond fear.The brand might scar us, but here, in this quiet bubble of raw emotions, we shared a whispered vow to make it out together.

“I need to fuck you, hard,” he said in my ear.“So hard, I forget all this shit for tonight.”

“I need it too.”

When our breathing finally steadied, we drifted into fitful slumber, lulled by the heartbeat beneath my cheek and the promise we’d see another dawn side by side.

Chapter 27

Turned out, neither of us could sleep much, anxiety gnawing at our nerves.We ended up fully dressed, balanced on the edge of the motel bed, re-checking messages.Nothing new.The clock ticked, each passing minute intensifying the dread.

Around four a.m., we quietly left the room, paid for the short stay, and headed out into the moonlit streets.The city’s nightlife glimmered in the distance, but we stuck to deserted sidewalks, every sense on alert.We flagged a ride-share, using a random alias in the app, directing it to drop us at a discreet wooded area near campus.

The driver, a cheery woman in her thirties, chatted about the college, oblivious to the conspiracies unraveling there.Anubis responded politely, while I kept watch on the roads.Before long, we were near the outskirts of Edenvane property.We asked the driver to stop, claiming we’d walk the rest of the way to meet friends.

She shrugged, drove off.We were left in the hush of the predawn, a silent forest pressing in on either side.My heart pounded.

“Let’s do this,” Anubis said quietly.“Stay close.We watch each other’s backs.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.“Right.”

We navigated along a back trail, following a faint path that snaked between tall pines.The hush was eerie, no wind, no chirping birds yet.Overhead, the sky lightened from black to charcoal.

After twenty tense minutes, we crested a small rise, and the Boathouse came into view below, its silhouette mirrored in the dark river.The “old chapel” sat deeper in the forest behind the Boathouse, a decrepit stone structure rumored to date back to Edenvane’s earliest days.Few official records mentioned it.

If the watchers or new Skulls faction are there, we’re heading straight into their lair.Fear bit me, but I pressed on, thinking of my mom’s picture.

We circled wide around the Boathouse, mindful of vantage points.No obvious watchers.The chapel was partially hidden by overgrowth, stained-glass windows broken, roof sagging.A single lantern glowed near the entrance.

My phone read 5:45 a.m.Dawn was minutes away.The sky tinted purple.

As we approached, my pulse thundered in my ears.Anubis squeezed my hand in silent reassurance.The chapel door, carved oak and heavy with age, stood ajar.

Inside, I spied flickering torchlight dancing along stone walls.I braced myself, stepping in.The stench of mold and damp assaulted me.Decaying pews lined the sides, and at the far end, where an altar might have been, stood a cluster of figures in black coats.I counted five, all wearing half-masks in that stylized skull shape.Each had a luminous brand on their left shoulder, visible through a slit in the coat or rolled-up sleeve.The new order, indeed.

One stepped forward, peeling off his half-mask.My stomach lurched the robed man from the crypt ceremonies, the same who threatened me over the phone.He dipped his head in mock courtesy.“Nubia, Captain Edenvane.Glad you came.”

Anubis scanned the group warily.“Where’s my mother?Where’s her proof of safety?”I asked, voice shaking with anger.

The robed man smirked.“Impatient.You’ll see soon enough.First, we must finalize your oath to us.The old order is crumbling, thanks to your leaks and sabotage.We’ll build a stronger society in its place, forging a new era for the Edenvane line.”

Anubis clenched his fists.“Your ‘society’ murdered Toccara, threatened Suede’s mother, and performed twisted gene experiments.Why would we join you?”

A second figure spoke up, voice distorted behind the mask.“Because you have no choice.The Dean’s influence wanes.Sophie is incapacitated.We hold your mother, Divore, as leverage.That’s how these things work, yes?”

My vision blurred with hatred.“You have no right.”

Another masked figure raised a hand.“Silence.We propose a deal: you come fully under our banner, reveal any allies who remain in the old order or the Undercurrent.We spare your mother, and you two ascend to our top ranks.The Edenvane line must lead.We respect blood.”

I trembled, remembering the genealogical file showing my possible tie to the Edenvanes.“I’ll never join you,” I hissed.

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