The Fallen Ones (Holloway University #1)

13. Lily

Chapter 13

Lily

“ I ’m so nervous,” I confessed to Olivia as she teased the hairbrush through my locks.

“You’ll be fine once we get there. I think everyone is nervous the first time they go to Satan’s Hollow,” she replied with her usual enthusiasm. “Not that I would know, but I can only assume.”

It was the first time for both of us.

“How do I look?” I asked zipping up my long red high heeled boots before sliding my masquerade style mask down over my eyes.

“You look incredible, Lil.” She passed me my red devil horns. “Don’t forget these.”

I took them from her and placed them on top of my head. I felt silly for a second before I caught a glimpse of myself in Olivia’s bedroom mirror. A realization that no one knew who I was beneath my costume gave me a sense of confidence I’d yearned for. It was freedom. Relief. It made me feel like anything was possible.

“I can do this.” I breathed slowly before turning to Olivia.

“Let me just fix our lipstick and we’re good to go.” She reached over to the red lipstick sitting on her vanity and applied it across my lips after lining them in a slightly darker shade. Taking a pink shade, she applied it to hers before smacking her lips together.

“Look at us. I’m the angel this time around, and you’re the devil of the night.” She looked at me and laughed.

“We best take a cab over there. My parents would kill me if we drank and got behind the wheel.” She pulled up the app to order a cab on her cell.

“Yeah,” I managed to reply, but that familiar feeling of no longer having my mother felt like a punch in the gut.

“Sorry.” She looked at me with sadness in her eyes.

I forced a smile onto my face, not wanting ugly memories to dampen the night.

“Don’t forget this.” I passed her the angel halo to clip into her hair.

“Heaven forbid.” She giggled, making me smile.

Heaven forbid, indeed.

Laughter surrounded us as we made our way across the parking lot. We were soon met by the sight of Satan’s Hollow. My heart raced with anticipation as I pulled at my short dress nervously. The steps leading up to the arched doorway was flanked by two guys in dark jackets and masks, who stood with their arms crossed, exuding a mix of authority and casual confidence. We soon joined the line of entrants.

I bit my lip and found myself searching for a reason to leave. While I did feel so free, I was also still me, and I was terrified about all of this.

We surged forward a little. The words ‘Welcome to Satan’s Hollow’ became clearly visible on a plaque next to the door.

I turned to see Olivia adjusting her bra and pushing her breasts into the perfect position, a wide grin on her face.

“I’m feeling nervous, again.” I admitted as I fought the continuous urge to run away.

“Tonight is about letting go. It’s about leaving you behind and being whoever you want to be,” she replied with her usual enthusiasm, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Nothing ever scared Olivia. I envied that about her and wished I could find a way to live a little more dangerously. I knew tonight was my chance to do just that. I just wished Caleb were here to hold my hand.

“Be a devil, Lil,” she finished, adjusting her white mask.

I glanced around again. There was no way to know who was who. Everyone wore a mask or costume that had a way of covering their faces.

It was our turn to enter within minutes. The guards eyed us up and down behind their masks.

“Tokens, ladies.” One held out his hand.

I’d been so anxious I’d forgotten where I’d put it until I finally fished it out of the front of my dress and anxiously handed it to Olivia instead. It was a vibrant metal coin emblazoned with the Satan’s Hollow design of a skull with horns.

Olivia grinned as she handed him both tokens.

The second guy at the door reached out and handed us each a colored bracelet.

“For the rooms,” he said gruffly before backing away.

“Enjoy the night, ladies,” the other guy said, stepping aside to let us through. “Masks remain on. Removal of them means removal of you. No exceptions.”

“Right,” I muttered, holding my head high like I did this sort of thing all the time. We stepped into the mansion, the cool night air left behind us.

As we entered, the music hit me like a wave, crashing through the air and wrapping around me. A chill rushed through my body.

This was really happening.

The corridor led to a grand hall. It was lit by strobe lights cutting across bodies and illuminating others. I turned to Olivia. Her eyes were only visible as the rest of her face remained shielded behind her mask.

“This is insane.” I whispered into her ear.

I felt a wave of electricity race across my naked arms, sending a tingle across my neck and down my spine. My mind flickered between being on edge and excited. I could feel the euphoria of what was to come as I looked into the distance to see bodies dancing, clinking glasses, or making out with each other without even knowing who was behind what mask. A mix of chatter and lust filled the air as the bass of the music continued to beat in sync with the rhythm of my frantic heart.

“Come on. Let’s go further inside and dance,” she shouted over the music, grabbing my hand and leading me deeper into the room.

We weaved through clusters of people, the scent of alcohol, guys cologne, and sweet smelling perfumes worn by the girls mixed together.

We found a spot on the floor to dance. Overwhelmed, my body stiffened. I wasn’t used to crowds. I was so used to being alone or being with one or two friends at most. This was way out of my comfort zone.

“I need a drink.” I clutched Olivia’s hand and gave her a look of desperation.

“Hold on.” She took my hand and pulled me into her.

“Liv, I–” my voice was lost in the noise of the room.

A hostess carrying a tray of alcoholic shots approached us. Olivia instinctively retrieved two shots without hesitation.

“Here,” she said, handing one to me.

“What is it?” I asked, looking down at the pink liquid.

“Tequila Rose.”

Olivia gestured with her hand for me to drink. I watched as she threw hers back, swallowing the contents in one go.

I copied.

She took the empty glass from my hand and laughed as she placed them back on the hostesses tray.

“Good?” she asked and pulled me back closer to her.

I nodded. It was a creamy sweet flavor. Unfamiliar to me since I rarely ever drank alcohol.

“Now let’s dance. Just let go, Lily.”

A mass of bodies surrounded us. Everyone moved with the beat of the music. I slowly began to sway my hips and throw my hands up in front of me as I let the rhythm take over. It’d been a while since I’d been to a party, and I’d never been to anything quite like this before. Knowing what was to come later was never too far from my mind, but I knew I needed to relax. I knew this was just the start and the night was only just beginning.

I’d need more drinks before I was relaxed enough to dive in any further, so when more shots came around, I downed three to Olivia’s whoop of approval, her joining my binge.

The DJ called for the crowd to ‘get loud’ as he switched between tracks and increased the bass. The vibration of the music intensified as it tore through the crowded room and up through my heeled boots. Colorful lights continued to flash overhead, casting playful shadows on the walls. The lights from the carved pumpkins only added to the ambience. A silhouette of a trio of guys appeared to come and go on one side of the room with each flash of the strobe lighting. Intrigued, I spun around. My gaze landed on the trio who were almost as tall as the shadows they created. They stood taking space on one side of the room not mingling with any other guests. They wore skeleton masks with the mouth cut out and dark pants. Their bodies appeared to be completely covered in black paint. I could make out the outline of their defined torsos. They oozed an air of mystery, more so than other male guests who all seemed to be fully clothed.

Who were they?

They were certainly drawing attention from the girls at the party. I noticed I wasn’t the only one staring.

“I see you checking those guys out,” Olivia teased, nudging me with her elbow.

I grinned, nodded in agreement, and kept my focus firmly fixed on the masked trio.

They seemed to know one another by the close proximity the three of them shared, besides it was no coincidence that the three of them seemed to be wearing identical costumes.

What was it about a masked man that made him seem even more intriguing?

Deciding I needed to just loosen up more and enjoy myself, I drank another two shots, letting the sway of my brain take over.

As the night wore on, I could feel the alcohol loosening my inhibitions, and the music urging me to let go. The masked trio appeared to be watching me just as often as I watched them. At least that’s what I told myself as I danced against Olivia.

I felt the tension even with the crowd filling the space in between us.

I spun around, allowing my hair to fly and wrap itself across my face. A strangers arm found itself around my waist. I had no idea who he was behind a tinted green mask. He ground his body against mine, making heat whoosh through my body.

One of the masked trio stepped forward and another pulled him back. They appeared to be having a disagreement with one another.

The guy in the green mask held my hand and spun me around so fast that for a minute I lost sight of the masked trio. I tried to loosen his grip on my hand even though he was clearly trying to claim me for the night. I couldn’t help but want to escape and explore the masked guys at the edge of the dance floor. On the other hand, I wanted to see how interested, if at all, they were.

So I danced back against the green masked man, feeling his hard length press against my stomach as we rocked against one another. I’d never danced with anyone like this before. It felt liberating to do, but the longer the song wore on, the more I knew I wanted more than what he was giving to me.

The same guy from the trio stepped forward again as green mask moved his hands to my thighs as I danced against him, my back to his front. Once again, the masked man was pulled back.

Feeling curious, and maybe a little insane, I decided I wanted to see if it was really me they were watching. The thought they were angry on my behalf, that they were jealous, I had to get closer just to find out.

I seized my opportunity the moment the pace of the music changed. I danced and twirled my way out of green mask’s arms.

Soon I found myself dancing in the direction of the masked trio, glad I had liquid courage to fuel the move. All I knew was I felt compelled to close the gap between us.

I grabbed another shot off a passing hostess. I gulped it down without a thought and felt the burn in the back of my throat.

I wasn’t used to this party lifestyle at all, but I was feeling way too good to contemplate any of it.

“Liv–” I turned to where I thought my friend was standing only to find her making out with a mystery guy in an all white suit. Both their white costumes seemed to blend into one as his hands made busy work of her ass.

I can do this. I don’t need Liv for this.

I tried to convince myself as best I could.

I took a deep breath and continued to dance towards the guys.

One of the masked trio looked back in my direction. He was tall with tousled dark hair, although they all appeared to have dark hair. His mouth was visible and painted in a skeleton design, his ears, neck, and entire torso fully blacked out in body paint. There was something magnetic about him. He had an irresistible pull that made my heart race and my mouth feel dry.

The second masked guy turned to face me. I was right; his costume was identical to the first. His gaze felt familiar.

The third guy remained facing his friends until the first guy nudged him. He turned towards me and smiled, keeping his mouth firmly closed. He, too, dressed exactly the same as the others. A trio of skeleton masked men, a painted design across their mouths to match their masks, which I was certain extended to their entire faces beneath the masks, and whole defined torsos covered in black body paint. They reminded me of one of my gothic style paintings. The three of them were intriguingly stunning. So beautiful in fact I found myself drawn to them even more.

My anxiety caused me to pause as I fought with my fears and tried to offer a smile. I was sure my drunken self simply came off as awkward though.

The DJ called for the crowd to ‘go wild’, resulting in me being propelled forward. My heeled boots scraped across the marble floor as I stumbled. A hand reached out, wrapping itself around my elbow with a firm yet gentle grip, and another held onto my hip steadying me.

“Thanks,” I replied as I looked up.

It was one of the masked trio. His hand remained on my elbow. I looked down at my hip and realized that hand belonged to another of the masked strangers. My cheeks warmed as I realized two of them were with me. I could feel the heat radiating from their touch, and the chaos of the party faded into the background.

Both of their gazes locked onto mine, and for a moment, it felt like we were the only people in the room. I noticed a flicker of concern in their eyes as they glanced around, assessing the wild crowd who’d drove me forward into them.

The one in front of me used his fingers to move my hair from my face then fixed my mask back in place.

Heat rose in my chest. Panic had set in.

“Could you see me?” I asked, a shaking mess of nerves.

Without speaking, the one in front of me, whose eyes were firmly fixed on mine, shook his head and backed away, making my heart lurch at his distance.

I tugged at the hem of my dress nervously and worried I’d exposed my identity, but he said no, so that offered some comfort.

The second guy placed his other hand on the other side of my hip and turned me before he pushed me against the wall.

I fought to catch my breath as my lungs refused to cooperate and a stirring of nerves swirled in my stomach.

The guy fixed my devil horns back into position before pulling my hair from beneath the headband.

My legs felt wobbly. I was no longer sure if I was just nervous or something more. These guys had put me on edge even more than I already had been.

“I’m–,” I made to introduce myself.

The first guy placed his fingers across my lips and shook his head.

“Oh, sorry. I forgot. It’s a secret. Right. I guess you can’t tell me who my heroes are. I mean you guys just saved me from making a fool of myself.” I found myself rambling on.

The second guy placed his fingers to his lips and shook his head, while the first guy’s fingers stayed fixed on my lips while he leaned in and breathed in my scent.

The second guy leaned against the wall next to me. With his body almost touching mine, he traced his fingers down my arm, sending adrenaline coursing through my veins.

I watched him, captivated by the way his fingers took time to feel my skin, the way his eyes became bigger the longer I gazed into them.

“Who are you guys?” I couldn’t help but ask. I wanted to know; I needed to know.

“They’re just looking for a good time,” a guy passing by who would've otherwise gone unnoticed said. He laughed as he glanced back at the four of us.

“And saving me from getting trampled, apparently.” I tried to think of a quick response as I stood with an uncomfortable fluttering in my stomach.

The first guy took my hands and pulled me forward before casually draping them on his shoulders. For some reason it felt natural, familiar, easy. I began to dance as he guided me back onto the main area of the dance floor. The second guy closed the gap and danced behind me. The two of them pushed against my body. The third guy watched silently and leaned against the wall, not taking his eyes off the three of us.

I knew I wouldn’t forget this night—or the masked guys who’d saved me from the chaos.

It wasn’t until the song ended that the third guy finally joined us.

The three of them now surrounded me and passed me back and forth like a prize in a game. My heart raced with each of their touches.

“Are you guys really going to remain silent all night?” I asked as I was pushed into the third guy’s arms. He smirked down at me but didn’t say a word.

“Hey!” Olivia’s voice broke into the one-sided conversation.

“Um, one second,” I said, staring up into his eyes. Again, silence.

Quickly, I pulled away from him and went to Olivia, really hoping I didn’t seem rude.

“I would say I’ve been looking for you, but I got a little distracted.” She pointed and nodded her head in the direction of the guy in the all white costume.

“It’s fine,” I replied, feeling antsy.

“I see you’ve made some new friends.” She let out a giggle.

“Kind of.” I couldn’t even look at them without my nerves playing up.

“Come on, we get our keys soon.” Olivia took my hand and pulled me away from my trio of masked men.

All I wanted to do was run back to them, but I forced myself forward. I’d come here for my key, and I needed to finish what I’d started.

I really hoped I’d see them again though and wished with all I had that I’d end up in a room with one of them.

Was this really who I’d become? It wasn’t long ago that I’d freaked out on Jace because he wanted more, and now here I was at some kind of Halloween sex party. I kept Caleb’s words at the forefront of my mind. This could be exactly what I needed to get over everything. The experience. I could have sex without strings attached.

I followed Olivia’s lead and sat next to her at the bar. Drinks were flowing all around us. Rich students sponsored the event, meaning there was no cost and no limit on the amount of alcohol you could drink. I sipped on the fruity Malibu Beach cocktail Olivia had ordered for me and watched as girls sashayed their way over to the masked trio. I felt a pang of jealousy as the girls giggled and pushed out their chests.

Were they speaking to them?

What the hell– why hadn’t they said a single word to me? Maybe they were just being polite and weren’t interested in me after all.

The familiar feeling of being lonely hit me.

“Two shots, please,” I told the bartender, turning my attention away from the trio. I kept my conversation short and direct, unsure which one of my peers was beneath the dark full faced mask.

“That’s what I like to see.” Olivia praised me. She took a shot from my hand and knocked it back.

I threw mine back and swallowed fast as I tried to keep my eyes on Olivia and not on the masked trio, but I couldn’t. I saw that by now a group of six girls were fawning over them.

“Did you get his name?” I asked her and shot a glance at the guy in the all white costume in a desperate bid to distract myself from my jealousy.

“Nope. You can’t get names at these things,” she replied, pouting and squinting her eyes in disappointment.

“What if he’s your person?”

“If he’s my person he’ll find me outside of these wild Satan’s Hollow parties.” She patted my leg and tried to appear unbothered, but I knew Olivia. She wanted to know who the guy was she’d been making out with all night.

I smiled back at her, sipping on my cocktail.

She shuffled closer to me and whispered in my ear, “There’s Dylan Cambridge.”

“How do you know? He has a mask on.” I glanced in the direction she indicated.

“Dylan and the elites run this party. Every year they all wear the same golden demon masks and suits.”

“So they don’t care if people know they do this stuff?”

“Hell no, girl, they thrive on it. See the double golden bracelet on his wrist?”

I nodded.

“That’s Dylan. He’s the leader of their crazy ass cult.”

I watched as Dylan made his way over to my masked trio. It left me with more questions than answers.

He must have known who they were. Not that he’d tell me– I’d never have the confidence to ask him either.

My head was spinning as Olivia’s mystery guy in white approached.

“For you,” he said with his smooth as butter voice.

“What is it?” Olivia asked and accepted the gift he was handing to her.

“You said you wanted to check out of reality, right?” He grinned, sticking out his tongue before placing a white pill on the tip. “ Do as I do, babe.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I voiced my concern in a whisper only my friend could hear.

“It’s a party. We’ll be fine.” She took the pill and placed it on her tongue then handed me one.

I looked down at the tiny white dot sitting in the center of my palm. There was no way I was going down the same path as my mom… not with drugs.

“I can’t.”

“Girl, you can.”

“You two go ahead. I need the bathroom.” I made my excuse and slid down from the stool I’d perched myself on, and headed off in search of the restroom.

“Excuse me, do you know where the restroom is?” I asked a group of girls who looked me up and down without acknowledging my question.

I’d made it so obvious this was my first time at Satan’s Hollow but the place was huge. There was no way I’d find my way around without asking for help.

“Lost little demon?” A hand grabbed my arm hard and spun me around to face one of the golden masked elite members. I knew it wasn’t Dylan because he remained standing with the masked trio who’d helped me earlier.

“I’m looking for the restroom,” I squeaked out.

“This way. Follow me,” his voice came out deep and firm.

Hesitant, I did as he said and allowed him to lead me up a long staircase onto the second floor which led to over a dozen rooms on either side. This place was ridiculously huge.

He gestured to a room as we stopped outside. I paused for a moment before I entered the single bathroom and locked the door behind me, then I removed my mask. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and searched through my purse for my concealer. The room had been warm and caused my makeup to become patchy. I fixed my face and questioned why I’d felt an irrational jealousy over the masked trio getting so much attention from other girls. I had no idea who they were but the way they’d danced with me left me longing for more.

Once I’d composed myself, I made my way back down the hallway where the same golden masked man greeted me. I walked with him wordlessly down the stairs to the grand hall. Looking for Olivia, I felt overwhelmed, and for a fleeting moment I considered leaving the party. Vaguely, I heard golden mask talking to me, but my nerves were getting the better of me.

“It’s time, ladies, step forward and claim your key,” one of the elites in a golden mask and costume called across the hall into his microphone.

I exhaled and steeled myself. Running was what I’d always done, but I was desperate to stay just once.

This was that once.

So I stepped forward, ready to do just that.