Page 31

THIRTY

DRAKE

It’s nine pm and my heart feels heavy as I head to Angela’s apartment at the top of the academy’s main building. More than anything, I’m curious to see who else might be there—this could be the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for.

I’ve already updated Ryder on the latest developments. He’s doing his usual digging into her background, and I expect a report by morning. With any luck, I’ll uncover more tonight and give him something new to work with.

I stop outside the door and, taking a deep breath, I knock, my heart heavy and my misgivings in place as I wait for the door to open.

It does, but the person operating it is standing behind it and as I step inside, it slams behind me.

I turn and a figure is standing there, dressed in a red cloak, a red mask placed across their eyes, effectively concealing their identity. The cloak is open at the neck and the naked body of a woman painted in gold causes me to do a double take.

She points to the room in front of us and as I turn, she follows behind andit’s eerie as fuck. So much for identifying the other members if they are all dressed like this.

I enter the room and note several other similar figures surrounding the room in a circle. There is a gold throne set before the arched gothic windows with their leaded panes. Candles are flickering around the circle where a rubber circular mat takes up space on the floor.

Angela herself is sitting on the throne completely naked. Her body is also painted but red instead of gold, a black mask adorned with feathers being the only addition.

“Drake.” She sounds amused. “Welcome to our club. You must forgive our appearance. Tonight is special because it’s your initiation ceremony. We don’t usually stand on ceremony unless an important occasion like this arises.”

She waves her hand, introducing the hooded figures.

“Your fellow members will welcome you. But first you must take off your clothes.”

Fuck, this isn’t good, and she considers me with an amused grin as I realize I have no other choice.

I unbutton my shirt and toss it to the side, focusing my attention on her as the tension increases in the room.

“I have questions.”

My voice is hard, demanding answers, showing none of the fear I should be experiencing right now. If Angela is part of The Serpent Society, or even the head snake herself, this evening will end very badly for me.

“You are allowed three questions. Choose them wisely.”

If anything, I’m surprised by that and nod.

“What if I don’t want to take part?”

She shrugs. “You are aware of the repercussions of that. I made it perfectly clear in our meeting earlier. If you value your job, you will play the game and, who knows, you may even enjoy it.”

She leans forward and hisses, “Take off your trousers.”

I rip the belt from my waist, holding her attention with my eyes and as my jeans drop, her eyes glitter with lust.

“Second question.” I add as I stand before her in my boxers.

“What if I was leaving, anyway?”

She raises her eyes. “Then we persuade you to stay.”

“How?”

“Is that your third question?”

I shake my head and she chuckles softly. “I’ll allow it for free. If you leave, we take something in return. The next best thing, as they say.”

Her eyes flash. “Possibly the sweet little student you were balls deep inside the other night. It would be fun to corrupt her young mind and body.”

She directs a hard glare at one of the robed figures and snaps, “Step forward number three.”

Tension increases in the room as the figure moves and she hisses,”Approach me.”

The figure soon kneels before her and she settles back on her throne and glances over their shoulder.

“Number three took a shine to a girl in his class. He invited her to his classroom after dark on the premise of extra tuition. He bent her over his desk and fucked her from behind instead. She didn’t agree.”

She gazes at him with derision. “The girl came to me and confessed and put her faith in me to do what was right. She was fearful of telling her folks or the cops. He told her that nobody would believe her. That it was his word against hers and as he was a respected member of staff, she would be wise to keep her mouth shut.”

She spreads her legs and hisses, “You may begin.”

The guy laps at her pussy like an eager dog, both hands clasped behind his back and Angela stares into my eyes and groans. “Such a good pet.” She squirms on the throne and then screams as her orgasm hits, the room silent and still as we watch the show.

When she is done, she snaps, “Fall back in line.”

Her gaze finds mine. “Punishment takes on many forms, Drake. What you did to that student will be paid for by your soul. You can’t walk away from the devil, so you may as well play her game.”

She clicks her fingers and one of the other figures hurries to her side and as Angela points to the vacated space at her feet, the person drops her robe and kneels, once again her hands clasped behind her.

“Number five disobeyed me.” Her voice is hard as she nods to one of the group on the other side, who steps forward, pulling a whip from out of their cloak.

“She formed an attachment with another teacher, one not in our club, which is against the rules. You will watch her pay the price.”

The whip lands hard on her back before I can speak and her screams fall into the silence as she receives five lashes for the sin of falling in love.

“Stop!”

I yell but the whip lands another cutting blow and as I reach for the hand holding it, Angela screeches, “Are you interfering with society business, Drake, before you are even a member?”

“You bet I am,” I growl, staring into her hateful eyes that burn pure venom.

She changes like the wind and laughs out loud, putting on a girly voice as she sings the words like a song, “Then I will just have to invite your friend to my office. I wonder what she will find there.”

I clench my fists, accepting the situation for what it is. If I play my hand now, months, if not years, of observation will count for nothing and I have no choice but to see this through.

“So, Drake. The decision is yours. Become my slave every Friday night between the hours of nine and twelve. Do what I instruct you to and be rewarded well for it—or–”

She pauses for effect. “Or your friend pays the price in your place. It’s your decision.”

The fact we are so close and almost have what we want, causes me to growl, “I’m in on the promise you leave Imogen out of this.”

“I thought you’d say that.”

Angela clicks her fingers and the two figures drop back in line and her gaze is now firmly fixed on me as she whispers huskily. “Now take off your pants and kneel before your queen.”

I have no choice and reluctantly do as she says and as she parts her thighs, her glistening pussy reminds me what a bad choice this was.

“You may worship me now, Drake. Take a part of me before I take all of you.”

She places a hand on my head and pushes me down and then, as I make toward her, someone yells, “Fire!”

I pull back and note one of the candles has caught a robe that is burning like a dry tree in a bush fire.

Screams of pain are mixed with yells as she drops the robe, the paint on her body shriveling on her skin.

I act fast and, grabbing the burning fabric, I grasp a vase of flowers on the side and toss the water on the robe, dampening the flames. The sound of sobbing adds to the confusion and Angela yells, “You stupid idiot! Look what you have done.”

“She’s hurt. Can’t you see that?” I can’t believe her reaction and as the woman sobs in pain, I head to the bathroom and grab some towels, soaking them under the water in the tub.

Another person ushers the woman into the room and I wrap the towel around her seared flesh as she sobs on the edge of the tub.

Her mask reveals tear-streaked eyes and I whisper, “You should go to the hospital. That burn needs seeing to.”

“I’m okay.” Her voice is low as she whispers, “Don’t anger Angela. You won’t like the repercussions involved.”

Something about the anguish in her voice speaks to me and as her lip trembles with pain, she whispers urgently, “I’ll find you. Just play along for now. I’m begging you.”

“You did that on purpose?”

Realization hits and she shrugs. “If you say so.”

Something about the pleasure in her smile tells me she may have the answers I need and then Angela appears and yells, “This is all I need.” She hisses, “Leave us, Drake. Wait with the others. I’ll see to number six.”

I step outside the room, wondering what the hell I’ve fallen into but have an overwhelming premonition it goes by the name of the lion’s den.