Prologue
THE HEADMASTER- TWENTY THREE YEARS AGO
SONG: TERRIBLE THING BY AG
The room is lit only by a few errant candles that flicker shadows across the six men I’ve called here today. Each with a baby boy or two on the way. All are young, powerful, and wealthy, but that’s not why I’ve summoned them here. I need what lies in their blood, or more accurately their spawn’s blood. They’d traveled in the cover of night to get here, arriving before the rise of the midnight blood moon.
“In order for the initiation to work, I require each of you to name your son with the first letter of the corresponding sin.” I stop in front of Harrison Monroe, his hair already thinning, his forehead dotted with beads of sweat, and his gut protruding from his too tight pants. I hand him my silver infused blade, handle side first. He grabs it with his tiny hand shaking slightly.
“Emily was set on naming the twins after her father.” Leighton Ledger grumbles from across the room, his broad shoulders tighten with tension while his jaw ticks. He hasn’t changed much from when he was a student here, always pushing until he got his way. I relish being able to remind him of who was in charge here. The little shit needs to be put in his place. I snap my fingers, releasing crawling black smoke that snakes across the patterned rug and wraps around his ankles, plummeting his neatly polished shoes into darkness. It continues to wrap up his body, becoming solid and full of thorns.
“You never did know how to keep your mouth shut, Ledger.” I say, walking slowly over to him, until I’m looking down at his pathetic whimpering form. He grits his teeth together, the muscles in his neck tensing as I continue to squeeze the thorns into his pliable flesh. Such breakable things, humans are.
A cough next to me doesn’t deter me from teaching Ledger a lesson, “Sir. The blood moon is starting.”
I roll my shoulders, shaking off the tightness gathering in my bones while the black smoke pours out of my fingertips. My body protests the amount of power I’m expending, but he needs to be taught a lesson.
“Their names will start with the corresponding sin, Ledger. That was our agreement unless you’d like to change your mind?” I say, leering down at him. The vines continue to crawl up his body, slicing into his skin as he glares at me, hatred bubbling in his eyes as blood soaks through his designer pants, pooling on the floor.
“Fine.” He grits out. I flick my wrist, snapping the thorns off him and watch as they crumble into dust.
While I was preoccupied with Ledger’s foul attitude, the knife had been passed around the circle, letting each of my invited guests slice the palms of their hands. Easton St. James is the last, holding it out to Leighton. I don’t miss the hesitation, even with the thorn wounds still fresh in his legs. His blood oozing from the punctures.
Leighton Ledger’s stubbornness would be his downfall.
I snatch the knife and slice his palm for him. Time was of the essence and if he wanted what was promised to him, he’d go through with our agreement.
My secretary takes a golden bowl and stands at the front of the room, waiting for each of the men to deposit seven drops of their blood, fourteen for Leighton since he’s expecting twins.
Surprisingly, Leighton stands first with a slight wobble to his gait. I smirk knowing he must be in excruciating pain. Serves the little shit right.
He raises his hand, his gold watch reflecting the candlelight as he hovers over the bowl.
The clock strikes midnight, and he releases fourteen drops of his blood into the bowl, coating the bottom in red. I say the binding words, “Let the blood bind, the veil divide. What they lack, Hell will provide. For what the father pays, the sons will bear. A life of luxury and health for their heirs. The sins will hide, until their time. Released to me through power divine.”
As I say the words, the spell worms its way into him, filling him with my hellish power. His wounds close as I finish uttering the spell.
“Lust and Pride are to be your son’s sins.” I say with a smirk, holding his hate-filled gaze.
The rest of the men take their turns, collecting their son’s sins and binding their son’s lives with the demons. As each of the men take their oaths, they look visibly younger, healthier, and I know for a fact their perspective businesses are now insured to succeed. The most notable change amongst them was taking place with Harrison, whose pants are visibly loose, and his once thinned hairline looking lush and vibrant.
Nothing like a deal with a devil to get what you want out of life.
“Won’t people be able to tell?” Harrison asks, holding the loops of his pants so they won't plummet to the ground.
“People see what they want to see, Harrison. They’ll believe a blatant lie if you tell it enough times.”
He nods his head in agreement, grabbing his coat and head out from whence he came.
“Good luck, Leighton.” I murmur loud enough for him to hear as he passes by. I don’t miss the sneer that crosses his face as he acknowledges my statement for what it is. A thinly veiled threat. He tips his head at me and disappears into the night.
I roll my shoulders watching each of them disperse with the promise of what’s to come hanging in the air.
The blood moon stains the sky red, and I breathe out a plume of smoke. The hot air of my exhale mixing with the cool air of the night. I’d waited almost a century, researching the exact spell I needed to reunite with all the souls trapped behind the veil.
Finding the right information proved difficult since the witches went to great lengths to conceal it. Thankfully, one of them slipped up and gave me exactly what I needed. It only required a bit of glamour and flirting with the youngest Knox sister.
Stupid girl.
