Chapter no 15 – Winter

Ninth House

Alex hadnโ€™t been back to Manuscript since the Halloween party. That night, sheโ€™d stayed with Darlington at Black Elm, trying to keep warm in his narrow bed. Sheโ€™d woken to dawn light trickling through the room and Darlington curled behind her, asleep. He was hard again, the ridge of him tucked against the curves of her ass. One of his hands was cupped over her breast, his thumb moving back and forth over her nipple with the lazy rhythmic sway of a catโ€™s tail. Alex felt her whole body flush.

โ€œDarlington,โ€ she had snapped.

โ€œMmm?โ€ he murmured against the back of her neck. โ€œWake up and fuck me orย cut that out.โ€

He froze and she felt him wake. He rolled off the bed, stumbling, tangled in covers. โ€œI didnโ€™t โ€ฆ Iโ€™m sorry. Did we?โ€

She rolled her eyes. โ€œNo.โ€ โ€œThose assholes.โ€

A rare swear but a deserved one. His eyes had been bloodshot, his face haggard. It would have been worse if heโ€™d known that the report she showed him over breakfast bore no resemblance to the one sheโ€™d actually sent to Dean Sandow.

The Manuscript tomb looked even uglier beneath a noon sun, the circle hidden in its brickwork seeming to appear then disappear as Alex approached the front door. Mike Awolowo waved her inside. The big room and the yard beyond looked airy, safe, all signs of the arcane buried deep beneath the surface.

โ€œIโ€™m glad you reached out,โ€ he said, though Alex doubted that was true. He was an international studies major and had the intense, friendly poise of a daytime talk-show host.

Alex glanced over his shoulder and was happy to see the place seemed empty. Now that Kate Masters was on Alexโ€™s suspect list, she didnโ€™t want to

complicate things. โ€œTime to settle up.โ€

Mikeโ€™s expression was resigned, the look of someone sitting in a dentistโ€™s chair. โ€œWhat do you need?โ€

โ€œA way to call back something. A video.โ€

โ€œIf itโ€™s gone viral, thereโ€™s nothing we can do.โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t think it has, not yet, but it could tip any minute.โ€ โ€œHow many people have seen it?โ€

โ€œIโ€™m not sure. Right now maybe a handful.โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s a big ritual, Alex. And Iโ€™m not even sure it would work.โ€

Alex held his gaze. โ€œThe only reason youโ€™re even up and functioning is because of the report I filed on Halloween.โ€

The night of the party, she and Darlington had stormed out of the tomb, or done their best to, Mike and Kate trailing after in their Batman and Poison Ivy costumes. Darlington was wobbly on his feet, blinking at everything as if it was too bright, clinging hard to her arm.

โ€œPlease,โ€ Awolowo had begged. โ€œThis wasnโ€™t sanctioned by the delegation. One of the alumni had a bug up his ass about Darlington. It was supposed to be a joke.โ€

โ€œNothing happened,โ€ said Kate.

โ€œThat wasnโ€™t nothing,โ€ Alex retorted, dragging Darlington farther down the block. But Awolowo and Masters had followed, arguing and then making offers. So Alex had propped Darlington against the Mercedes and made a deal, a favor for a softening of the report. Sheโ€™d described the drugging as an accident and Manuscript had faced nothing but a fine, when otherwise they would have been suspended. Sheโ€™d known eventually Darlington would find out, when harsher sanctions never materialized. If nothing else, sheโ€™d get a stern lecture on the difference between morals and ethics. But then Darlington had disappeared, and the report had never been an issue. She knew it was a punk move, but if she survived her freshman year, Lethe would be her show to run. She had to do things her way.

Awolowo crossed his arms. โ€œI thought you did that to save Darlingtonโ€™s pride.โ€

โ€œI did it because the world runs on favors.โ€ Alex rubbed a hand over her face, trying to shake a sudden wave of fatigue. She held up her phone. โ€œLook at her tongue. Someoneโ€™s using one of your drugs to mess with girls.โ€

Mike took the phone in hand and frowned at the screenshot. โ€œMerity?

Impossible. Our supplies are locked down.โ€

โ€œSomeone could be sharing the recipe.โ€

โ€œWe know what the stakes are. And we all have strong prohibitions placed on us. We canโ€™t just walk around talking about what we do here. Besides, itโ€™s not a question of knowing a formula. Merity only grows in the Greater Khingan Mountains. Thereโ€™s literally one supplier, and we pay him a very steep fee to only sell to us.โ€

Then where had Blake and his friends gotten it? Another mystery. โ€œIโ€™ll look into it,โ€ Alex said. โ€œBut right now I need to fix this.โ€

Mike studied Alex. โ€œThis isnโ€™t Lethe business, is it?โ€ Alex didnโ€™t answer. โ€œThereโ€™s a threshold for media. It varies for music, celebrity, memes. But if you pass it, no ritual can call it back. I guess we could try to reverse the Full Cup. We use it to build momentum for projects. Thatโ€™s what we did for Michaโ€™s single last September.โ€

Alex remembered Darlingtonโ€™s description of the society members gathered naked in a huge copper vat, chanting as it filled gradually with wine that bubbled up from some invisible place beneath their feet. The Full Cup. It had been enough to get a very mediocre single to number two on the dance charts.

โ€œHow many people would you need for it?โ€

โ€œAt least three others. I know who to talk to. But it will take a while to prepare. Youโ€™ll need to do everything you can to stanch the bleeding in the meantime or none of it will matter.โ€

โ€œOkay. Call your people. As fast as you can.โ€ She didnโ€™t like the idea of Kate Masters being involved, but mentioning her name would only raise questions.

โ€œYouโ€™re sure?โ€

Alex knew what Mike was asking. This was a violation of every Lethe protocol. โ€œIโ€™m sure.โ€

She was already at the door when Mike said, โ€œWait.โ€

He crossed to a wall of decorative urns and opened one, then drew a small plastic envelope from a drawer and measured out a tiny portion of silver powder. He sealed the envelope and handed it to Alex.

โ€œWhat is it?โ€

โ€œStarpower. Astrumsalinas. Itโ€™s salt skimmed from a cursed lake where countless men drowned, in love with their own reflections.โ€

โ€œLike Narcissus?โ€

โ€œThe lake bed is covered in their bones. Itโ€™s going to make you really convincing for about twenty-five to forty minutes. Just promise me youโ€™ll find

out where that creep got the Merity.โ€

โ€œDo I snort it? Sprinkle it over my head?โ€

โ€œSwallow. It tastes awful, so you may have trouble keeping it down. Youโ€™re going to have a brutal headache after it wears off, and so will everyone you came in contact with.โ€

Alex shook her head. So much power just left on the mantel for anyone to seize. What was in the rest of those urns?

โ€œYou shouldnโ€™t have these things,โ€ she said, thinking of Darlingtonโ€™s wild eyes, of Mercy on her knees. โ€œYou shouldnโ€™t be able to do this to people.โ€

Mikeโ€™s brows rose. โ€œYou donโ€™t want it?โ€

โ€œI didnโ€™t say that.โ€ Alex folded the envelope into her pocket. โ€œBut if I ever find out you used something like this on me, Iโ€™ll burn this building down.โ€

 

 

The house on Lynwood was two stories of white wood and a porch sagging beneath the weight of a moldy couch. Darlington had told her that Omega once had a house in the alley behind Wolfโ€™s Head, a sturdy stone cottage full of glowing brown wood and leaded glass. Their letters were still worked into the stone, but Alex found it hard to imagine parties like Omega Meltdown and Sex on the Beach in what looked like a cozy tea room for Scottish spinsters.

โ€œFraternity culture wasnโ€™t quite the same then,โ€ Darlington had said. โ€œThey dressed better, dined formally, took the โ€˜gentlemen and scholarsโ€™ bit seriously.โ€

โ€œโ€˜Gentleman scholarโ€™ seems like a good description for you.โ€

โ€œA true gentleman doesnโ€™t boast of the title, and a true scholar has better uses for his time than downing flaming Dr Pepper shots.โ€

But when Alex had asked why the frat had been kicked off campus, heโ€™d only shrugged and underlined something in the book he was reading. โ€œTimes changed. The university wanted the property and not the liability.โ€

โ€œMaybe they should have kept them on campus.โ€

โ€œYou surprise me, Stern. Sympathy for the brotherhood of keg stands and misplaced aggression?โ€

Alex thought of the squat on Cedros. โ€œMake people live like animals, they start acting like animals.โ€

But โ€œanimalโ€ was too kind a term for Blake Keely.

Alex took the plastic packet from her pocket and downed the powder inside. She gagged instantly and had to pinch her nose shut, covering her mouth with her fingers to keep from spewing the substance back up. The taste

was fetid and salty and she desperately wanted to rinse her mouth out, but she forced herself to swallow.

She didnโ€™t feel any different. Jesus, what if Mike had been messing with her?

Alex spat once in the muddy yard, then climbed the stairs and tried the front door. It was unlocked. The living room stank of old beer. Another busted couch and a La-Z-Boy recliner were arranged around a chipped coffee table covered in red Solo cups, and a banner with the houseโ€™s letters had been hung above a makeshift bar with two mismatched stools in front of it. A shirtless guy in a backward baseball cap and pajama pants was picking up scattered cups and shoving them into a big black garbage bag.

He startled when he saw her. โ€œIโ€™m looking for Blake Keely.โ€

He frowned. โ€œUh โ€ฆ You a friend of his?โ€

Alex wished sheโ€™d been in less of a hurry back at Manuscript. Just how was the Starpower supposed to work? She took a breath and gave him a big smile. โ€œIโ€™d really appreciate your help.โ€

The guy took a step backward. He touched his hand to his heart as if heโ€™d been punched in the chest. โ€œOf course,โ€ he said earnestly. โ€œOf course.ย Whatever I can do.โ€ He returned her smile and Alex felt a little ill. And a little wonderful.

โ€œBlake!โ€ he called up the stairs, gesturing for her to follow. He had a bounce in his step. Twice on the way up he turned to look at her over his shoulder, grinning.

They reached the second floor and Alex heard music, the thunderous rattle of a video game being played at full volume. Here, the beer smell receded and Alex detected the distant whiff of some very bad weed, microwave popcorn, and boy. It was just like the place sheโ€™d shared with Len in Van Nuys. Shabby in a different way maybe, the architecture older, dimmer without the clean gilding of a Southern California sun.

โ€œBlake!โ€ the shirtless boy called again. He reached back and took Alexโ€™s hand with an utterly open smile.

A giant poked his head out of a doorway. โ€œGio, you fuck,โ€ he said. He wore shorts and was shirtless too, cap backward like it was some kind of uniform. โ€œYou were supposed to clean the toilet.โ€ So Gio was a pledge or some other kind of lackey.

โ€œI was cleaning downstairs,โ€ he explained. โ€œDo you want to meet โ€ฆ Oh God, I canโ€™t remember your name.โ€

Because she hadnโ€™t said it. Alex just winked.

โ€œClean the fucking toilet first,โ€ the giant complained. โ€œYou cockshiners canโ€™t just keep shitting on top of shit! And who the hell isโ€”โ€

โ€œHi,โ€ said Alex, andโ€”because she never hadโ€”she tossed her hair.

โ€œI. Hey. Hi. How are you?โ€ He tugged his shorts up then down, removed his cap, ran a hand through his tufty hair, set the cap back in place. โ€œHi.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m looking for Blake.โ€ โ€œWhy?โ€ His voice was mournful. โ€œHelp me find him?โ€

โ€œAbsolutely. Blake!โ€ the giant bellowed.

โ€œWhat?โ€ demanded an irritated voice from a bedroom down the hall.

Alex didnโ€™t know how much time she had left. She shook off Gio the Lackeyโ€™s hand and forged ahead, making sureย notย to look into the bathroom as she passed.

Blake Keely was slouched on a futon, sipping from a big bottle of Gatorade and playing Call of Duty. He was at least wearing a shirt.

She could sense the other boys hovering behind her. โ€œWhereโ€™s your phone?โ€ Alex asked.

โ€œWho the fuck are you?โ€ Blake said, tipping his head back and assessing her with a single arrogant glance.

For a moment, Alex panicked. Had Mikeโ€™s magic powder worn off so fast? Was Blake somehow immune? Then she remembered the way the powder had burned her throat. She yanked the cord from the wall and the game went silent.

โ€œWhat theโ€”โ€

โ€œIโ€™m soooo sorry,โ€ Alex said.

Blake blinked, then gave her a lazy, easy smile.ย Thatโ€™s his panty-dropper grin,ย thought Alex, and considered knocking his teeth in. โ€œNo worries at all,โ€ he said. โ€œIโ€™m Blake.โ€

โ€œI know.โ€

His grin widened. โ€œHave we met? I was pretty wasted last night, butโ€”โ€

Alex shut the door and his eyes widened. He looked almost flustered but utterly delighted. A kid on Christmas. A rich kid on Christmas.

โ€œCan I see your phone?โ€

He stood and handed it over, offering her his spot on the futon. โ€œDo you want to sit?โ€

โ€œNo, I want you to stand there looking like an asshole.โ€

He should have reacted, but instead he just stood smiling obediently.

โ€œYouโ€™re a natural.โ€ She gave the phone a shake. โ€œUnlock it.โ€

He obliged and she found his gallery, pressed play on the first video. Mercyโ€™s face appeared, smiling and eager. Blake stroked the wet head of his penis against her cheek and she laughed. He turned the camera back on himself and gave his stupid, shit-eating grin again, nodding as if to the viewers at home.

Alex held up the phone. โ€œWho did you send this video to?โ€ โ€œJust a couple of the brothers. Jason and Rodriguez.โ€

โ€œGet them in here; make them bring their phones.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m here!โ€ said the giant from behind the door. She pulled it open. โ€œIโ€™m Jason!โ€ He was actually raising his hand.

While Blake scampered off to find Rodriguez and Jason the Giant waited patiently, Alex found the texts heโ€™d sent, deleted them, then deleted the rest of his messages for good measure. Heโ€™d obligingly named one of his photo albumsย Pussy Vault.ย It was full of videos of different girls. Some of them were bright eyed and had purple tongues, some just looked wasted, drunk girls with glazed eyes, their tops off or pushed to the side. One girl was so far gone only the whites of her eyes were visible, appearing and disappearing like slivers of moon as Blake fucked her, another with vomit in her hair, her face pressed into a pool of sick as Blake took her from behind. And always he turned the camera back on himself, as if he couldnโ€™t resist showing off that star-worthy smile.

Alex wiped the photo and video files clean, though she couldnโ€™t be sure they werenโ€™t backed up somewhere. Jasonโ€™s phone was next. Either he had a shred of a conscience or heโ€™d been too hungover to send the video to anyone yet.

She heard panting from down the hall and saw Blake dragging Rodriguez along the filthy carpet. โ€œWhat are you doing?โ€

โ€œYou said to get him,โ€ said Blake. โ€œJust give me his phone.โ€

Another quick check. Rodriguez had sent the video to two friends, and there was no way of knowing who theyโ€™d passed it along to.ย Damn it.ย Alex could only hope that Mike had succeeded in gathering enough members of Manuscript and that reversing the Full Cup would work.

โ€œDid they know?โ€ Alex asked Blake. โ€œDid they know about the Merity?

That Mercy was drugged?โ€

โ€œNo,โ€ Blake said, still smiling. โ€œThey just know I donโ€™t have a problem getting laid.โ€

โ€œWhere did you get the Merity?โ€ โ€œA guy from the forestry school.โ€

The forestry school? There were greenhouses up there with regulated temperature gauges and moisture control, designed to re-create environments from all over the worldโ€”maybe one just like the Greater Khingan Mountains. What had Tripp said?ย Lance and T had the lushest, greenest shit youโ€™ve ever seen.

โ€œWhat about Lance Gressang and Tara Hutchins?โ€ she asked. โ€œYeah! Thatโ€™s them. You know Lance?โ€

โ€œDid you hurt Tara? Did you kill Tara Hutchins?โ€

Blake looked confused. โ€œNo! I would never do something like that.โ€

Alex really wondered where he thought he was drawing a line. An ache had started to throb in her right temple. That had to mean the Starpower was going to wear off soon. And she just wanted to get out of here. The house made her skin crawl, as if it had absorbed every sad, sordid thing that had happened within its walls.

She looked down at the phone in her hand, thought of Blakeโ€™s girls lined up in their galleries. She wasnโ€™t done just yet.

โ€œCome on,โ€ she said, glancing back down the hall to the open door of the bathroom.

โ€œWhere we going?โ€ Blake asked, his lazy grin spreading like a broken yolk.

โ€œWeโ€™re going to make a little movie.โ€

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