I looked around to find that Saint had already fixed his uniform so that it hung perfectly on his frame once more and he dusted down his pants again. “Animals, not idiots,” he corrected. “We don’t try and dampen our primal instincts, but I can assure you we execute our prey with cunning and precision.”
“Fair enough,” I agreed.
I fell into step with Saint, trying not to think about how fucking surreal this moment was as he led the way into the building and down the corridor until we reached the door to a janitor’s closet.
There was a rank smell in the air as we closed in on it and I scrunched my face up as I tried to figure out what it was.
“We gave him a bucket to piss and shit in,” Kyan explained with a wild grin.
My lips parted as I realised what he was implying. Bait was in that closet. He’d been in there for more than two days. Christ.
“What about food and water?” I asked, wondering if the poor kid might have already suffered enough before reminding myself of what he’d done to earn his place in there.
“Of course I gave him food and water,” Kyan said with a wicked look in his eyes.
“Yeah, a bucket of warm water, some raw potatoes, a bottle of hot sauce and a bag of frozen peas which would have defrosted before the first night was over,” Blake snorted. “It was a fucking feast.”
“No one hurts my girl and gets away with it,” Kyan shrugged and my skin prickled at his casual claiming of Tatum, but I held my tongue on the subject.
Saint ignored the conversation and moved to unlock the door, sneering as he pulled it open and we all fell silent.
Inside, all was dark but the stench was overwhelming. Bait sobbed as he crawled out of the tiny cupboard and I almost felt bad as I realised he wouldn’t have even been able to lay down flat in there. A half eaten raw potato rolled out after him and I guessed that really had been all Kyan had given him for food.
“Come on,” Saint snapped, striding away at a fast pace. “I’m not standing here with the stench of shit washing over us, we can do this outside.”
“I’m sorry,” Bait murmured, staying on the floor between me, Kyan and Blake and looking up at us like he was searching for a sympathetic face.
But there wasn’t an ounce of pity being directed his way. Blake was looking at him like he was something unpleasant on the bottom of his shoe and Kyan seemed half inclined to rip him limb from limb. My upper lip peeled back as his focus fixed on me and I backed up a few steps as he scrambled forward, reaching for my legs with filthy fingers.
“Sir, you have to help me,” Bait begged and some part of me knew that was the way this was supposed to go. But all I could see as I looked down at him was the person responsible for sending all of those students to hospital after they contracted the Hades Virus. For putting the lives of everyone here in danger. For letting that fucking animal into our home so that he could attack Tatum. For making sure my hands were stained red with blood and that I was bound to these ruthless creatures I now stood with.
“Why should I help you after what you did?” I snarled.
“Come on!” Saint shouted from the door at the end of the corridor. “If I’m waiting more than five seconds out here, I’ll get Kyan to cut your fucking nipple off!”
Kyan casually drew a hunting knife from the inside pocket of his blazer and unsheathed it with a calm look in his eyes like a psychopath.
Bait scrambled to his feet and ran after Saint in his black boxers and stained white T-shirt. I was guessing it had been hot as fuck in that little cupboard for two days straight which explained his missing pants.
As I followed him towards the exit, Blake and Kyan flanked me, the three of us prowling forward like hungry wolves intent on a kill and my blood rose in anticipation of doling out some justice.
When we made it outside, we found Bait standing before Saint in the centre of the courtyard beneath the tall flagpole which held a forest green flag flitting in the wind above us with the academy crest stamped on it.
“This is very simple,” Saint said lazily as the rest of us moved to create a circle surrounding our prey. “You do exactly what I ask when I ask it, or Kyan here will punch you every time you hesitate.”
“Can I kick him instead?” Kyan asked, tossing me the hunting knife so suddenly that I barely had time to catch it before he shrugged out of his blazer and dumped it on the ground behind him. “He’s fucking filthy and I’m willing to bet at least some of that mess on him is shit.”
“Good point,” Saint conceded as Blake chuckled. “Kyan will kick you every time you hesitate. Is that clear?”
Bait stared around at the four of us as a tremble of fear shuddered through his body, his butchered copper hair lank and sweaty on his scalp.
Kyan swung his foot straight into the side of his knee and he screamed as he crumpled to the floor.
“Is. That. Clear?” Saint asked, enunciating each word as if Bait was failing to understand him.
“Yes,” Bait gasped as Kyan swung his foot back again.
“Good,” Saint replied, his eyes lighting. “Now, strip.”
“What?” Bait asked in a panic and Kyan kicked him again, catching him in the ribs this time and sending him sprawling to the bricks as Blake leapt aside so he didn’t touch him.
