Page 124 of House of Ruin
Alecto hesitated before lifting the shot to her lips.
“This one’s a new batch. Don’t worry, Black.” Val smirked. She gulped another shot and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Tonight’s worth celebrating because we found the rat amongst us. So bottoms up, bitches.”
Andro and Jolene both clinked their shots before downing them. The burning liquid burned Alecto’s throat like a bitch.
“This is strong.”
“Nothing but the best for the Snakes,” Val said with a weird gleam in her eyes. But it was gone as soon as it appeared. “Now, I sent out an exclusive invitation to a few fellow Snakes to join the Inner Circle in the basement for a special game.”
Alecto frowned.
Val jerked her chin towards Gael, Cadre, and Bea leaving the living room. “They think they’ll be offered an invitation to join the Inner Circle. What they’ll get is something very, very different.”
Alecto followed Val and the rest out of the living room, her skin buzzing with nervous energy.
Gael lounged on the leather sofa in the basement, one ankle resting on his knee. When he saw the Inner Circle arrive, he shot them his most dazzling smile. Andro immediately went to sit next to him, their mouths meeting in a sloppy kiss.
Jolene giggled. “Yuck, get a room.”
Andro peeled himself off Gael long enough to tell Jolene to go fuck herself.
Alecto was too tense to joke around. They’d just found out who had been behind the murders of three students. Behind the murder of a High Priest.
From the way Val was smiling at Bea and Cadre, pure wickedness gleaming in her eyes, it was clear shit was about to go down.
“Who’s ready for a game?” Val drawled, her voice sweet.
Cadre, clearly intoxicated, giggled. Bea smiled but remained alert.
“We are,” Bea said. Her voice was quiet but didn’t tremble. She probably thought it was better to hide her fear if she felt any. Or maybe she thought being Norse’s bitch made her invincible. “What’s the game?”
“Truth or dare, of course.” Val settled on her favorite corner of the pool table. She didn’t stop smiling as she rolled a joint. “Who wants to start? Oh, I know. Truth or dare, Jolene?”
“Dare.” Jolene giggled.
Val smiled. “Why don’t you kiss Alecto? She’s very kissable, let me assure you.”
Still giggling, Jolene walked over to Alecto. She took Alecto’s face in her palms and planted a wet smooch on her lips. That made Alecto laugh.
“Could have done better, I’m sure. But that will have to do. Your turn, Jolene.” Val lit the blunt, the sweet smoke slowly filling the basement.
The warm smile gracing Jolene’s face dropped, her gaze turning dark as she turned to Bea. “Truth or dare?”
“Dare.”
Val didn’t even blink. “Show us the contents of your pockets, will you, love?”
The tension in the room was thick as the smoke from Val’s blunt. Bea hesitated.
“Come on now, little Snake,” Val cooed. “Do the dare or face the consequences.”
Cadre and Gael laughed, clearly ignorant to the change of mood in the room, to the way Val was smiling at Bea, ready to end her.
Bea’s eyes darted around the room. She licked her lips, swallowed hard.
“What’s the problem, Bea?” Val tilted her head to the side. “Got secrets to hide? Well, that’s alright. Don’t wanna show us, so how about you tell us instead?”
Relief passed through Bea’s face a moment too early.
