Page 168 of House of Pain
“I know,” Val gritted through clenched teeth. Blaze’s heart sunk. “Rogue is gone.”
54
They were fucked.
Royally.
“When was the last time any of you saw Rogue?” Val demanded.
Nobody had seen him since yesterday morning.
“Fantastic,” Alecto murmured. “Fucking phenomenal.”
“Have any of you been approached by other Houses?” Blaze asked.
With his arms crossed over his chest, he looked intimidating, black eyes shooting daggers. The real Blaze had shown up, finally.
Alecto scanned the students. Nobody wanted to admit to anything.
It was unlikely that other Houses tried to recruit the Snakes. Most of their politics depended on the House’s legacy, so there was no point in betrayal.
They should have known it would be the fucking demon who was fucking them over. The only question waswhy?
Demons couldn’t lie. Rogue said that he was bound to them, that he couldn’t hurt them. Something wasn’t making sense.
“Okay, listen the fuck up,” Val snapped. “I want every single one of you working on the protection of our assets. I don’t care how you divide, but I want at least five people watching the wards at all times so that nothing comes through, or nothing more disappears. You hear me?”
There were nods of acknowledgment, and then the Snakes rose to their feet.
“Inner Circle, the basement, now.” Val didn’t wait for them to say anything, rushing through the archway, down to the basement.
Alecto and the rest followed. Once they were downstairs, all Hel broke loose.
“I fucking told you summoning a demon would come to bite us in the ass,” Andro snapped at Val, his color deepening.
“I never summoned a fucking demon!” Val screamed back at him. “And don’t you fucking blame everything on me, Alessandro! You were involved every step of the way. It’s not like you didn’t have a choice or a fucking voice!”
Andro growled, but Jolene beat him to it.
“Yes, we do have voices, and we’re free to give you our opinions,” she spat, “but nothing means shit because it’s not a fucking democracy. You’ve said it yourself, time and time again—your word is the last, so you know, this is your fucking fault, Val. Because you bit off more than you could chew!”
Val’s shoulders squared as she gritted her teeth.
“And where the fuck do you think you would be if it weren’t for me and my plans?” Val responded, fury barely controlled within her voice. “Would you be in the Inner Circle, you think? Would you be at the fucking top of the food chain if it weren’t for me and my wicked, horrible plans? I don’t think so. Despite the name you carry, you’re fucking spineless.”
They all fell silent for a moment, breathing heavily.
Alecto cleared her throat before speaking. “Listen. Andro and Jolene are right.” Four pairs of eyes snapped to her. “Val is a fucking dictator. No point in denying it.”
“Thanks so much,” Val snorted.
Alecto shot her a glare. “But she’s also right. Because if she wasn’t the one to force us to be who we are, however fucked up that might be, we wouldn’t be where we are. At the top of the fucking food chain.”
They all stood in silence once more, considering Alecto’s words.
“We’ve made enemies,” Alecto added after a moment. “If we fight, they will win.”
“She’s right,” Blaze chimed in, but Alecto refused to look his way. “Someone has our Book. If they find a way to open it, they’ll have centuries of spells and secrets of the Snakes that will easily help them destroy the House once and for all.”
