Page 82 of Virgin Sacrifice

Nodding, I headed over to the counter to place my order, surreptitiously observing my friend from the distance.

Autumn was on her phone a lot, which wasn’t remotely unusual for someone our age, especially since she had her TikTok. But I couldn’t help but notice how often she seemed to be checking it with a morose expression when she thought no one was paying attention.

All my efforts to find out what had been bothering her were unsuccessful. She complained about her classes and about her parents’ expectations for her, all of which would have understandably brought even the happiest person down, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else I was missing.

Sitting back down at our table, I watched as she scowled at her phone before hurriedly tucking it away.

“Everything okay?”

“Hmmm . . .” she said distractedly before looking up and catching the concern in my eyes. “Oh yeah, it’s nothing. Just my parents being parents.”

It was times like these I wished I had more experience with the whole friendship thing. And normal parents. Was I supposed to push back? Call her out on downplaying whatever it was that was clearly eating away at her? Let it go?

Peopling was hard.

“Well, just remember you can always come to me, right?” I said, reaching out to squeeze her hand.

She smiled back at me, even if it was a tired one, and returned my squeeze.

“There is actually something you can help me with,” she said, a borderline devious glint appearing in her eyes.

“Anything,” I said with a confidence that perhaps I should have checked.

“Well,” she drawled, jutting her lower lip out into a pout, telling me I was in big trouble. “There’s going to be a final blowout party on the sixteenth. One last rager before exams start. I know you hate going out, but we haven’t gone to a party since the beginning of term, and I need to blow off some steam.”

I knew I was going to regret unconditionally supporting my friend.

“Please, please, please,” she begged, dramatically grasping my hand in both of hers as she pleaded with me. “You’re my bestie, and I need you there. Consider it your Christmas present to me, please.”

My gut reaction was to desperately find an excuse to say no, but something nagged at me from my subconscious.

Tapping my teeth together, I weighed my desire to avoid people against my need to be strategic.

Earlier this week, I had determined what was in the vials I had stolen from Aaron. The results were . . . alarming and a reminder to always trust my instincts. It also meant that the importance of the trap I had been laying had evolved, and my plans needed to shift accordingly. There was more at risk now than ever.

“Let me guess, everyone is going?” I said sardonically, looking to confirm my suspicion.

“Yes!” she yelped. “Everyone!”

“Even Aaron and Melody?”

“E-VE-RY-ONE,” she said emphatically, drawing out each syllable.

“Hmmm.” I tapped my finger slowly against my cheek, pretending to think about it and let Autumn sweat it out. “Well, then, I guess we will have to make an appearance,” I finally said, causing her to leap out of her chair shrieking as she wrapped me in another hug.

It was better this way, that she didn’t know. She deserved to have a fun night out and I could keep her safe without breaking her heart, right?

Despite my worries, a sense of rightness settled in me as I sat back down in my seat, only half listening to her ideas on what to wear that night. Having a concrete plan gave me back some of the control that had been stolen from me at Hollow Oak. Bit by bit, things were coming together, and for the first time in a while, I was excited about what came next.

I was about to trap a sheep.

Chapter thirty-seven

Luz

The last week of classes wound down, and I found myself inundated with messages from Autumn about the party—what would we wear, how should we do our hair, when should we start getting ready, was velvet too on trend? Honestly, if Mami hadn’t raised me in her own little cult of vanity, I might have been driven mad. Fortunately for Autumn, I loved it all and embraced the distraction.

Unfortunately for Autumn, disaster was on the horizon.

---