In Peace Lies Havoc (Midnight Mayhem #1)(7)

I flinch when his finger wraps around my chin, tilting my head up to his. I don’t like to be touched. He towers over me, so my neck has to bend for my eyes to meet his. Green on green, only different shades. Both human, only different souls.

“Do you understand?”

I don’t, but I nod my head anyway. One and Two begin walking in front of Rose and me, with Three and Four following behind us. We exit out of a clearing that surrounds the helipad, the sun now setting in the distance, burning the sky to a crisp orange.

“What is going on…” Rose mutters, and I squeeze her even more.

One and Two continue through the thick clearing until they part out of an exit. Music is pulsing loudly, throwing my mind back into The Club. As soon as we exit the same clearing, my footing falters. Eminem is vibrating around the place and the entire backyard of the mansion is filled with equipment I haven’t seen. People are shuffling around the area—workers, I think. One and Two pause, turning to face me. Delicately manicured hedges line the gardens and a large swimming pool sits to the left of the yard. To the right is where all of the different equipment is laid: poles, a large square cage that’s big enough to fit a group of humans, and a black, silver, and lilac styled tent that has been dismantled. The mansion spills out onto the large patio area where a boulder is carved into a naked woman and man, curled up together. There’s a fountain surrounding them, and table and chairs neatly stacked around the patio. The home is something straight from Europe, with its Victorian style architecture. The moss that is growing between the stones faintly reminds me of a certain person’s eyes.

“What’s going on?” Rose repeats, her attention shifting directly to One. Even she knows who the alpha of the pack is.

“Ahhh, Rose Kinnish and Dove Hendry. I’ve been waiting so long to meet you…” A soft voice beckons from behind us, and I turn to quickly face the intruder.

Long legs meet a long torso and a small face. She has short black hair and beady little eyes. That doesn’t take away the fact that she could be beautiful. I say could because there’s something about her that taints her beauty. Something dark and sinister. She also has a small scar that is indented into her upper lip, which is curved like a half-moon.

She studies me closely. “You’ve met The Brothers of Kiznitch.” She gestures to the four who stand around us before putting a cigarette between her tiny lips and lighting the end. She inhales and then points toward One. “Kingston.” Kingston. She then points to Two. “Killian.” To Three. “Kyrin.” Finally, to Four. “Keaton. Tell me,” she blows out more smoke, “why do you think you’re here?” She drops her smoke onto the grass, and I watch as her red bottom pump squashes it into the blades. She steps forward. I have to fight the urge to retreat back. When we don’t answer, a small smirk glistens over her mouth. “Interesting for you.” She points to Rose. “Not so interesting for you.” She comes back to me.

“Why are you telling us this?” Rose interrupts.

Her eyes clip to Rose. “Wouldn’t you love to know.” She continues. “I run a show, and I only have the best of the best, but the art in which we gather our performers is different to how others do. I like my performers broken and unamendable, but of the purest construction.” Her eyes shift to Kingston. “Or, just emotionless. I gather machines, not humans, and I orchestrate them in becoming moneymaking puppets.” I want to say that I’m not a puppet. I want to say so much. Sweat trickles down the side of my head as words threaten to spill from my mouth, but before I can formulate enough fire to spit them out, my teeth clamp closed like a bear trap. “You don’t get an option. Neither of you. You will come with us. You will dance.” She looks between the two of us. “I will pay you. In return, you’re not to tell anyone about what goes on from this point forward. You sign on the dotted line, and Midnight Mayhem owns you. You never walk away. You’ll never have that option.” Her eyes, once again, fly between us. “Do you understand? You cannot have a life outside of Midnight Mayhem.”

Rose sucks in a deep breath. Midnight Mayhem? What is Midnight Mayhem. “I know who you are.”

The woman looks directly at Rose now and brings her perfectly manicured coffin-shaped acrylic nail to Rose’s cheek. “Sweet girl. You don’t know me. I am Delila Patrova, and I can either be your worst nightmare or your best friend. The decision is yours. The decision is always yours.”

Kingston’s hand wraps around Delila as he pulls her into him and leans in to whisper into her ear. Delila’s eyes zone in on me as interest sparks in the deep depths of her empty pupils. “Really.” She stands, running her hands over her perfectly steamed slacks. “Dove Noctem. You can sit out for a while. Observe. Your training will begin at a later date. Now!” She snaps, clicking her fingers. “Do either of you object?”

“What happens if we do?” Rose raises a challenging eyebrow at Delila.

The air shifts around us, the wind stirring black magic into the cool winter air. Delila smiles sweetly. “Well, I’m afraid you are of no use to us…” She pretends to ponder over her words. “Or to anyone, really…”

Rose squeezes my hand.

I squeeze her back. Shut up and stop talking before you get us both killed.

“Now I’m going to ask…” Kingston steps in front of Delila, and I watch in fascination as she backs up, allowing him to dominate the conversation. “Do you agree to surrender your life to Midnight Mayhem? I don’t feel like getting blood on my hands today, but will if I need to.”