Page 21 of Saint

Declan narrows his cool gray eyes. Under the fluorescent lights, they’re nearly transparent and ice cold. But his smirk lights the evil fires of hell, and his attention makes me squirm with discomfort.

“You sure about that?” He ticks his head to the side. “The last text I got said he was meeting up with us at the Petersons’ Valentine’s Massacre. It said he even convinced your uptight ass to join him. But dude was a no show.”

I shrug my shoulders, crossing my arms over my chest and maintaining the standoff. While I’m smart enough to fear the wrath of Sigma Sin, if I show any hint of fear, Declan will just use it against me.

Besides, if I thought Sigma House was dangerous, I’ve since learned they’re nothing compared to the masked stranger I met last night.

Declan hums, scanning my face for lies. “What do you think?”

My mouth parts as I assume the question is for me until Kole stops at his side.

Kole Christiansen was cut from the darkest corners of hell. While every member of Sigma House is dangerous, Kole is the worst of them. So much so that Liam warned me to steer clear, even though they’re best friends.

Werebest friends?

Liam’s dead.

I swallow hard, and my stomach sinks.

Kole doesn’t so much as flinch as he assesses me the same way Declan did.

He might seem harmless right now, but just like everyone else at Briar Academy, I’ve heard the stories. Last year, he ripped off a guy’s fingernails for ratting out a Sigma House member, and instead of Kole getting in trouble, his family donated a new science lab, and his fraternity cheered him on.

Rumors on campus paint Kole as a psychopath. Incapable of feeling human emotion and he doesn’t try to hide it. I’ve heard he spent half his childhood locked in a mental hospital, and the only reason it’s not documented is that his parents had enough money to make those records disappear.

I wouldn’t be surprised if his lack of empathy is the highlight of his personality because one look into his demonically dark eyes, and I’m pretty sure he’s a clinical psychopath.

That’s the problem with Briar Academy. Enough money and it doesn’t matter how evil you are. They’ll let you in if you pad their pockets.

“I think she’s lying.” Kole watches me with his thumbs tucked into his pockets.

His dark-brown hair is shaggy as always, falling over his forehead. It skates over the edge of a deep scar that starts at his temple and trails down the ridge of his cheek.

“You can think whatever you want.” I roll my shoulders back.

Like with Declan, you can’t flinch around Kole. You can’t show weakness. If you do, he’ll find a way to exploit it.

“I’m not his keeper. Liam does as he pleases.”

Something about my fired-up response garners the faintest hint of interest from Kole’s generally cold gaze. He rarely reacts to anything, so when he lets out an amused breath—edging on a laugh—I don’t know what to make of it.

Mila leans forward, glaring at Declan and Kole. “Don’t you two have children to terrorize? Or a village to burn down? Leave Vi alone. She already told you she doesn’t know where her boyfriend is. Find someone else to help you start the apocalypse.”

Declan steps back, laughing at Mila’s attack, seemingly unphased as he plants a hand on Kole’s shoulder. “Let’s go, man. It’s a waste of fucking time.”

But Kole continues staring at me with those dark eyes that might as well be a void in the universe before finally nodding and breaking his soul-terrorizing gaze.

They turn as the professor makes his way into the room. And as they walk to the door, my phone buzzes.

Tapping the screen, the black box with a feather once more taunts me with a message from Saint.

I deleted the app again after my shower this morning, and it’s unnerving that it’s back.

Saint:Having fun yet, kitten?

A picture pops through a second later. It’s of me sitting in class next to Mila.

I look around, trying to find anyone who might have sent it, but most of the class is distracted or focused on their computers.

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