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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. “There you are.” Her dress barely covers her ass, and she’s got a goofy grin plastered on her face. “Are you okay?” I ask, frowning. Her pupils are blown wide, and she can hardly stand still.
“Hell yeah.”
I grab her hand and pull her to the side. “What did you take?”
“Relax,” she shrugs, “everyone is doing it. I feel so freakin’ good.” Annabel throws her arms around me and hugs me like her life depends on it. “I love you, Mia.”
“Okay, happy girl.” Sasha peels my friend off me. “Why don’t you go hang out with Jared and his friends.” She spins Annabel around and gives her a little shove.
“Will she be okay?” Dread pools in my stomach as I watch some guy I recognize from school pull Annabel into his side.
“Jared will watch out for her. Come on, let’s go find the guys.” Sasha takes my hand, leading me away from the crowd and down a dark path. I can see a small stone building, some kind of mausoleum. Shadows dance over the roof and walls, and a shiver runs up my spine.
“What is this place?”
“The guys come out here sometimes to get away from the craziness. Relax…” I ground to a halt, hesitating, and she rolls her eyes. “Nothing’s going to happen to you.”
“Easy for you to say, you’re one of them.”
“Newsflash, Mia. So are you.”
Just then, male laughter pierces the air and Cade and Ashton spill out of the door.
“Sasha, I see you delivered us tonight’s offering.” His lip curves with wicked intent.
“Knock it off, Ash.” Cade moves around him and stalks toward me. “You look beautiful, babe.” He runs his knuckles down my cheek, and although I want to repel his touch, I can’t deny his sudden one-eighty softens something inside me.
But I know better than to fall for Cade Kingsley’s attempt at seduction.
“We should get going.” He flicks his eyes to Brandon and Channing, who spill out of the building. Something passes between them, and my brows furrow.
“What’s going on?” I ask, the hairs on the back of my neck tingling.
“You’ll see.” Cade dips his head and kisses the corner of my mouth, then grabs my hand and starts leading me back toward the party.
Like a slow-building wave, people stop what they’re doing as Cade and the Electi pass. I feel their stares of intrigue and glares of jealousy. Like me, the verus understand Gravestone’s history, the traditions and ceremonies. We don’t truly know, nobody does… nobody except the Electi and Quinctus, but we’re aware of the town’s ways.
Cade comes to a stop in front of the French doors leading back into the house. Pulling me into his side, he waits for his friends to fall into line beside him. I catch Sasha’s eye as she lingers at Brandon’s side, but she simply smiles.
I don’t feel like smiling. I feel like the rug is about to be pulled out from beneath me.
“Who’s ready to party?” Cade yells, and his voice is like a shot firing in the air. People cheer and clap, their crazed maniacal laughter rising into the night’s sky.
“I said, who’s ready to party?”
The noise turns to madness as the gathered crowd jostles to get closer, as if they can’t resist Cade’s magnetic allure. Even I sense it—his power rippling around us like a current in the air.
“Tonight is the new moon. It marks the beginning of a new cycle. Rebirth. It also marks the start of the Initium.” There’s a collective gasp. The Initium is one of Quinctus’ most sacred ceremonies: the trials of the new Electi. All first-born male heirs must complete the Initium.
A commotion behind the crowd of people draws my attention, and I narrow my gaze to see Tim and Channing pushing two hooded figures toward us.
“What is this?” My voice wavers.
