Shattered Legacy : A Dark Bully Romance (Gravestone Elite Book 1) by Caitlyn Dare (red seas under red skies TXT) 📕

"Disrobe." The voice booms from behind us, and to begin with I don't think it can possibly be directed at us. That is, until Cade's brow rises as if his patience is running out. "You heard him. Disrobe."

"Uh…" I glance over at Alex and watch in horror as he does as demanded of him. The black fabric pools on the floor at his feet, leaving him totally naked.

"Easton," someone growls quietly.

Realizing I don't have much choice, I follow orders and allow the fabric to fall from my shoulders.

I regret it the second Cade moves and the reflection of the candlelight flashes in the blade I now realize he's holding.

My stomach twists with uncertainty.

“Please stand for the blood oath.”

One of the men behind us begins chanting something in another language I don't understand before the rest of the men start repeating certain words back to him.

Marcus steps up to me once more, and, when I look down, I find him holding that small glass vial that was inside the box.

Holy shit.

Blood oath.

They're not joking.

I look to my left, and my eyes collide with Alex's at exactly the same time Cade steps up to me, the point of his knife pressing against my upper thigh.

"Sanguis." The knife presses into my skin. "Imperium." He drags it across my thigh, pain burning through me. "Electi." Warmth begins to trickle down my leg before Marcus drops to his knee and collects some in the little bottle before twisting the top closed and passing it back to one of the men behind me.

Cade takes a step back, an accomplished smile on his face.

What just happened might be some kind of fucked-up ritual…

But he's going to fucking pay for that.

10

Mia

“You look pretty,” Sasha says as she finishes coating her lashes with mascara.

“Thanks.” I smooth the skirt down my thighs, hoping it’ll grow a few inches. It’s short. Really short. But when I arrived at Cade’s house an hour ago with my outfit choices, Sasha took one look at them and deemed them all inappropriate. Apparently, the theme of the night is sexy slut, because she’s wearing what can only be described as something that wouldn’t look amiss on a professional dominatrix. Effortlessly, she pulls off all the leather and lace with her slim frame and feminine curves. I, on the other hand, am not so used to having the curve of my ass on display.

“Cade will freak when he sees you. Bexley, too.”

“Bexley? He’s going to be here?” My stomach flutters.

“Maybe.” She winks at me through the mirror. “All set? The guys will be back soon.”

“Where have they been again?” Cade’s instructions for tonight had been vague. He texted me, telling me to be at the house for seven and to wait with Sasha.

“They had a meeting…”

“A meeting? Like an Electi thing?”

“Something like that.” She brushes me off, grabbing her cell phone and shoving it into her back pocket. Picking up the red lip gloss off the dresser, she coats her lips in it before offering it to me.

“I’m good, thanks.”

“You need a little something to take off the edge.” Sasha moves over to her nightstand and opens the drawer, pulling out a small tin. “I’ve got E, blow, or some good old pot. Choose your poison.”

“You want me to… I mean, I don’t take drugs.”

“Of course you don’t.” She rolls her eyes at me, and I feel about six inches tall. “It might make the night a little easier.”

“Easier? What’s that supposed to mean? It’s just a party.” But the second the words fly out of my mouth, I know I’m wrong.

It’s not just a party.

It’s a party at Cade’s house—the Electi’s house—on the night of the new moon. Who knows what strange things will go down. Especially after how cagey they were all acting today.

“Should I be worried?” I ask Sasha. I still don’t know if I can trust her. She is one of them, after all. But she’s been nothing but nice to me, and I have a gut feeling she’s on my side.

“You’ll be safe. Everyone who matters knows who you belong to.” She eyes the pendant lying against my chest.

“Great,” I mutter under my breath.

“You sure you don’t want something? I think I have some Xanax in the bathroom cabinet, that might be—"

“I’m good, thanks.” I plan on sticking to alcohol only.

“Suit yourself.” Sasha plucks a small blue pill from the tin and pops it on her tongue.

“Do you do that a lot?” I watch her wash it down with the remainder of her soda. Although, now I’m beginning to wonder if it’s more than just pop.

“Sometimes.” She shrugs as if it’s no big deal. “I like the buzz.”

“Are the guys into all that?”

“They dabble now and again, but usually only when it’s the inner circle. In case you haven’t noticed, Cade doesn’t like to be out of control.”

The doorbell rings somewhere in the house, and Sasha gives a little shriek of excitement. “Time to get this show on the road.” She fluffs her thick, auburn hair and grabs my hand, and I’m almost positive I hear her whisper, “You’re going to wish you took the drugs.”

Cade’s house—the house he shares with the other Electi—is a big, sprawling place on the edge of the lake. Shrouded in trees and set on the edge of the forest nestled between Gravestone and the college campus, it’s the perfect place for college kids to let loose and go wild.

Tonight is no exception.

When I followed Sasha to open the door earlier, a group of guys and girls spilled into the house and turned it into party central. There’s a DJ booth set up in the corner of the huge yard, pumping out chilled beats, and girls in bikinis sit around the edge of the pool, splashing their toes in the water, while guys circle them like piranhas.

I recognize almost everyone here. They’re verus, like me; kids descended from the founding families.

Annabel spots me and hurries over.