I take off on the dusty path lit up with the powder-soft glow of the moon and trek for what feels like miles in my patent leather FM’s. It hadn’t even occurred to me to bring a pair of flip-flops for the trip—or a sweater since it’s cold enough to freeze the nipples right off my body.
The flicker of a candle glows up ahead, and I make out a suspension bridge that spans the length of the stream at its widest point. The water flows pretty wild, and every now again a wave hits the rocks and sprays me with the icy wash. The haze is markedly thicker up here. The scent of night jasmine lights up my senses, and I take a deep breath just to trap the sweet fragrance in my lungs.
I spot a flame of blonde hair in the center of the bridge and wave.
The moon shines over a rusted out sign that reads,Danger! Keep off.
Figures. I bet wicked sorority sisters like Aubree are always looking toupthe casket potential in any given situation, after all this is rush. Clearly a hazing of the acrobatic variety is about to take place.
I step onto the slatted bridge, and the entire length of it oscillates wildly. God, I hate these kinds of bridges. Once, when we were kids, we went on one at an amusement park, and Cole and a bunch of his bully friends waited until I got to the middle before jumping up and down on both ends. Assholes—assholes intrainingto be exact.
I grab ahold of the rope railing on the left and note it’s missing on the right side. One good bounce and I’m guaranteed an ice bath. Great. I’ll get to wash off the sticky blue liquid Jeanie christened me with by way of throwing my clothes over the rocks with my body still in them.
“Be careful,” Aubree sings it like a taunt. “Take it slow. We have all night.”
“Maybe you do,” I whisper under my breath. But I’ve got some seriously hot kisses to collect in about three hours. If I’m lucky, and with Bryson I usually am, he’ll have me purring until the sun comes up. I’m up for some delicious tricks and treats tonight, and not one of them concerns Aubree Vincent.
By some small miracle, I manage to hoof my way over, and not until I’m inches from her bare feet do I realize that I, too, could have taken off my shoes.
“Here I am.” I hold out a hand victoriously.
“So you are.” She smirks. “Did you come alone?”
“Just me, myself, and I.” I wanted to say,no Aubree. I have Bryson. Coming alone is what you do.But I don’t think she’d find it funny.
“Good.” She darts a suspicious eye out to the black forest behind me.
“Didyoucome alone?” Somehow I find her need to trek out to the middle of nowhere suspicious and more than slightly creepy in a chainsaw massacre kind of way.
“Of course—” She bites down on her lip. “I didn’t. I’ve got half a dozen sisters in the woods behind me. I need them to witness your pledge since you’ll soon be a member of the most sought after sorority on the East Coast.”
“Really?” My heart races. “So I’m in?”
“You’re in.” Her lips dig into her cheek just this side of a smile. “Repeat these words loud and clear. At Alpha Chi there is no me, there’s just my sisters—the ultimatewe.”
God, that’s stupid. I repeat the chant at the top of my lungs like a private in the army, shouting it into the face of her overly zealous drill sergeant.
“Good. Now all you have to do is partake of the bonding libation.” Aubree gleams a black smile as she plucks a small cup no bigger than a toothpaste cap from her fanny pack.
Fanny pack, huh? I would have expected something a little more chic from the queen of mean with a passion for uptight fashion, but, nonetheless, a luxury suite at Casa We-Chi waits for me at the end of this rainbow in the dark.
I peer into the tiny cup, and a gelatinous quiver stares back at me.
“Jell-O shots?” I balk at the midnight offering, but really I shouldn’t. It’s low-key compared to half the crap I would have easily agreed to. She clearly has no clue how much power she wields. She could have had me streaking across campus with leeches strategically placed over my body if she wanted.
“That’s the last step, and you’re in.” The smile slides off her face as if that weren’t the intent of the invitation after all. “Heard you had an exciting weekend with the Prescott Hallbookclub.” Her lips curl in a snarl.
“Actually, I was with my boyfriend.” I really don’t give a shit if she knows. After all, Alpha Pee is all about honesty, right?
Her eyes harden over mine. “It must be nice to have finally nailed down the ever elusive Bryson Edwards.”
Had I mentioned to her that I was seeing Bryson? Something about the way she says his name has me on edge.
“Let’s get moving.” She livens with a tiny smile. “This is the final initiation that every sister has to undergo.” She pushes the tiny nightcap toward me, and I try to look impressed.
“So that’s it? I down it, and I’m in? It’s not loaded with blood is it?” Not that I’m opposed to drinking human plasma at midnight when my own private luxury suite is on the line. Plus, I’ll never have to apologize to Thing One and Thing Two for ruining their chances with Luke Carter. In fact, I’ll never have to look at Jeanie Waters’ obnoxiously large nipples again.
“No, you nitwit, there’s no blood in it.” Her lips twitch. “Go ahead and knock it back. I’ve got places to be tonight.”
