SCARLET CURSE OF VENGEANCE

EMBER

The bass thundered through the walls of the Delta Sigma house, so loud Ember could feel it vibrating in her chest. She stood on the front lawn, arms crossed over her cardigan, watching clusters of students stumble past with red solo cups and glazed expressions.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Ember muttered.

Maya looped her arm through Ember's and practically dragged her up the walkway. "Because you love me. And because you've spent every Friday night this semester in the library. It's criminal, Em. You're nineteen, not ninety."

"I have a paper due Monday"

"Which you've already finished. I checked your laptop." Maya's dark eyes sparkled with mischief as she pushed open the front door. A wall of heat, noise, and the smell of cheap beer hit them immediately. "Two hours. That's all I'm asking. Two hours of being a normal college student."

Ember wanted to argue, but Maya was already pulling her inside, weaving through the crowd of bodies that packed the first floor. The living room had been transformed into a makeshift dance floor, furniture shoved against the walls, colored lights strobing across faces she half recognized from lectures and dining halls.

She didn't belong here. She'd never belonged in places like this.

"Maya, wait" But her roommate had already disappeared into the throng, her laugh carrying over the music.

Ember stood frozen in the entryway, clutching her small crossbody purse like a lifeline. Students pushed past her, some barely noticing her presence, others giving her curious glances. She recognized a few faces from her English Literature class, but not well enough to approach them.

The logical thing would be to leave. Walk right back out that door, return to Sterling Hall, make herself a cup of tea, and finish re-reading Wuthering Heights. That's what the old Ember would do. That's what she wanted to do.

But Maya had been so excited. And maybe her roommate had a point. When was the last time she'd done something spontaneous? Something that didn't involve a carefully structured study schedule?

"You look lost."

Ember turned to find a girl with purple hair and a friendly smile holding out a red cup. "First Delta Sigma party?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Only because you're the only person here not holding a drink or dancing like the floor's lava." The girl laughed. "I'm Sienna. Sophomore. You?"

"Ember. Freshman. Well, technically I'm a sophomore by credits, but" She stopped herself. Already rambling. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize. Here." Sienna pressed the cup into Ember's hands. "It's just fruit punch. Someone spiked it, obviously, but it's not too strong. Helps with the nerves."

Ember stared down at the red liquid. She didn't drink. Hadn't ever, really, except for a sip of champagne at her grandmother's seventy-fifth birthday. But everyone here had a cup. It was practically a uniform.

"Thanks," she said, taking a small sip. It tasted sweet, with a sharp aftertaste that made her nose wrinkle.

"You'll get used to it," Sienna said with a wink before disappearing back into the crowd.

Ember took another sip. Then another. Maybe if she looked busy, she wouldn't feel so awkward standing here alone.

The music shifted to something with a heavier beat, and the crowd roared its approval. Bodies pressed closer together. The room felt smaller, hotter. Ember edged along the wall, trying to find somewhere less claustrophobic, somewhere she could breathe.

She found Maya in the kitchen, surrounded by three guys Ember didn't recognize. Her roommate's face was flushed, her smile wide as she laughed at something one of them said.

"Em!" Maya's face lit up when she spotted her. "There you are! I thought you'd bailed."

"I'm here," Ember said, raising her cup as evidence.

"That's my girl! Guys, this is my roommate, Ember. Ember, this is Josh, Dante, and Marcus."

The guys barely acknowledged her with quick nods before continuing their conversation about some basketball game. Ember nodded along, taking another drink from her cup. The edges of her vision felt slightly fuzzy now, the noise not quite as overwhelming. Maybe this wasn't so bad. Maybe she could do this stand here, smile, pretend to be interested in stories about sports and whatever else normal college students talked about.

"I'm going to find the bathroom," Ember said after a few minutes, her head starting to swim.

"Want me to come with?" Maya asked, though her attention was clearly on Josh.

"I'm fine. I'll be right back."

The first floor bathroom had a line six people deep, so Ember climbed the stairs to the second floor. The noise lessened slightly up here, though the bass still pulsed through the floorboards. A couple was making out against one wall, and Ember quickly averted her eyes, her cheeks burning.

She found a bathroom at the end of the hall blessedly empty and locked herself inside. The sudden quiet made her ears ring. She set her cup on the sink and stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes slightly glassy. How much had she drunk? The cup was nearly empty now, though she didn't remember drinking that much. Her head felt light, floaty, like she was watching herself from a distance.

Two hours, she reminded herself. You can make it two hours.

She splashed cold water on her face, dabbed at it with a paper towel, and retrieved her cup. When she opened the bathroom door, the hallway spun slightly.

"Whoa, easy there."

Strong hands steadied her. Ember looked up way up into the face of a guy she didn't recognize. Tall, broad shouldered, with dark hair and a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He was holding a red cup.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just the room's spinning a little."

"How much have you had to drink?"

"Just one cup. I don't usually I mean, I don't really drink."

His smile widened. "Lightweight, huh? Come on, let's get you somewhere to sit down before you fall down."

"I should find my friend"

"Is she the one with the black hair? Downstairs with those guys?" When Ember nodded, he continued, "She looked pretty occupied. My room's just down here. You can sit for a minute, get your bearings."

Warning bells rang somewhere in the back of Ember's mind, but they were distant, muffled by the fog settling over her thoughts. She did need to sit down. Her legs felt like jelly.

"Just for a minute," she heard herself say.

He guided her down the hallway, his hand firm on her elbow. The walls seemed to pulse with the music from downstairs. Or maybe that was just her vision blurring.

"Here we go." He pushed open a door, and Ember caught a glimpse of a typical college bedroom posters on the walls, clothes on the floor, a desk covered in textbooks.

She stepped inside, and the world tilted sideways.

TYLER

Tyler Brett watched the girl stumble into his room and felt a surge of satisfaction. Everything had gone exactly as planned.

He'd spotted her the moment she walked in that lost, wide eyed look that screamed virgin. The kind of girl who'd never been to a party before, who wouldn't know the difference between regular punch and punch that had been specially prepared.

He'd watched her drink from Sienna's cup good old Sienna, always helpful without knowing it and then he'd prepared his own special mixture. Waited for her upstairs. Perfect timing.

Now she was here, already swaying on her feet, her eyes glazed and unfocused.

"Why don't you sit down?" He gestured to the bed.

She nodded, moving like she was underwater, and sank onto his mattress. Her purse slipped from her shoulder, landing on the floor with a soft thud.

"I don't feel good," she mumbled.

"You'll feel better in a minute. Just rest."

Tyler locked the door behind him, pocketing the key. No interruptions tonight.

The girl Ember, he'd heard her friend call her was trying to keep her eyes open, but they kept sliding shut. Her head lolled to one side.

Perfect.

He'd done this before. Twice, actually. Both times at off campus parties where nobody knew anybody, and both girls had been too ashamed or confused to report it. The system worked. College girls got drunk at parties all the time. Who could prove anything?

Tyler moved closer, already unbuckling his belt. No hesitation.

He gently took of her pants then undressed her ,as he kissed slowly to her boobs, Ember was blacked out already. He went straight to business climbing on her and thrusting his big hard cock in her "fuck I was right she's so tight and clean just the way I like it" he moaned going gently and smooth as he quickened, holding onto her boobs and fucking her. "fuck he said letting out a light moan as he pulled out and jerked the rest off."

When it was over, Tyler stood and stretched, completely satisfied with himself. The girl hadn't moved, hadn't made a sound. She probably wouldn't even remember this. They never did when the dose was right.

He dressed quickly, then grabbed his phone to check the time. 1:47 AM. The party was probably winding down. He needed to get back downstairs, be seen, establish that he'd been around people all night.

Tyler glanced at Ember one more time. She was curled on her side now, breathing deeply. He grabbed a blanket from his closet and tossed it vaguely in her direction. Not because he cared, but because it would look better if someone found her. Like she'd just passed out drunk and he'd been a gentleman.

He unlocked his door, slipped out, and headed downstairs, a spring in his step.

Another successful night.