Page 69 of The Masked King

“What’s your point?”

I turn around and make my way back to the car waiting for us outside the school. With Rome traffic, it was easier to walk. “My point is, they’re both vulnerable right now.”

In their own ways. I’m worried about Sofia because the sick bastards would capitalize on her name and sell her to the highest bidder. But I’m more frightened for Leo because he’s shutting down, and I know first-hand what damage bottling things up inside can do.

“I made Sofia promise not to entertain this Mateo guy again. But I think you should speak to Leo. He… needs someone to talk to.”

“Sure. And Enzo, be careful.”

I smile. “You know me.”

“That’s why I said it.”

I’m waiting for the private jet to take off on the tarmac at Rome Airport when a message pops up on my cell phone from an unknown number.

It’s a video. I turn up the volume and brightness, but the screen remains black.

A chill runs down my spine. This must’ve been recorded at JADED.

Then I hear a voice, barely more than a whisper as though all the sound has been sucked out of it, leaving behind only an echo of the words.

I glance at Luis across the table, and he shakes his head. He can’t decipher it either. I’m about to hit the pause button and ignore it when I hear a voice I recognize.

“You’re blonde. Your eyes are green, like a cat. No, not green, they’re hazel with flecks of amber.”

The words I said to Nyx the first time we met, when she asked me to describe her.

It’s followed by heavy panting. This must be when Nyx made herself come for me. Only, when I try to piece together the times we met, it doesn’t fit; she didn’t make herself come that time. The game had only just gotten started. They recorded our conversations, as I guessed they would, and are mixing them up for maximum effect.

“Game on, assholes. I’m coming for you.”

The recording is almost over when I hear something that makes my skin prickle.

“Enzo…”

I must’ve misheard, so I press rewind and play it again.

“Enzo…”

I hold the phone to my ear and turn the volume up to full.

“Enzo…”

Technology has made it easy to sound like she said my name, but there’s something else scratching away inside my skull.

Forget the raspy enhancement, the voice doesn’t sound like Nyx.

It sounds like Demi.

18

DEMI

I don’t know how long I’ve been held captive in this room.

I can’t remember a time when the room doesn’t spin each time I open my eyes, and nausea doesn’t feel like the norm.

I wake up to find a covered plate of food on the nightstand, the aroma making me salivate, but through the fug in my wooly-coated brain, I understand that I’m being drugged. The lights are blazing this time. I’ll eat, pass out, and next time I wake up, I’ll be in blackness with Brian’s voice playing through the sound system.