G.O.D.S: Gifted. Obedient. Deadly. Students. (G.O.D.S, #1)

by Jaye Pratt

Iridescent - Linkin Park Wish Wish - Cardi B Animal I Have Become - Three Days Grace Bully - Shinedown Sweet but Psycho - Ava Max All the Good Girls Go to Hell - Billie Eilish Bad Guy - Billie Eilish Graveyard - Halsey Nightmare - Halsey Flames - MOD SUN feat. Avril Lavigne Love Me Back - Ollie Kiss Kiss - MGK Don’t Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers Demons - Merkules Monster - Merkules Inside My Head - Merkules I’m Not Okay - Citizen Soldier Enemies - Shinedown I Miss You - Blink 182 Love the Way You Lie - Eminem Human - Rag’n Bone Man Creep - Radiohead Blowin’ Smoke - Teddy Swims Battle Scars - Guy Sebastian F*ck You, Goodbye - The Kid LAROI Erase You - The Kid LAROI Die for Me - Post Malone No Apologies - Empire Cast I think I’m Okay - MGK, YUNGBLUD This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race - Fallout Boy I’m a Mess - Bebe Rexha If You Want Love - NF

Walking in, I check my surroundings and notice a back exit through the bathroom area, the giveaway a green exit sign. What kind of serial killer would lure a girl to a café? Based on what I’ve read, most are likely to be attractive, so that’s a plus, and intelligent—more than I can say about my ex. They are also generally employed and educated. I’m really not seeing a downside besides the torture and death.

“Run, run, as fast as you can!” a male voice shouts. “I ain’t no fucking gingerbread man!” I shout back, slapping my free hand over my mouth. Brennan, my social worker, said one day my mouth will get me into serious trouble. Looks like he was right. I hope I make it out of here alive so I can hear him say I told you so.

I vaguely remember learning that the moonlight reflects the sunlight, so the bright side of the moon faces the sun and then something about the horns and drawing a line to the horizon to find which way is north. Hopefully, this random knowledge will get us to safety.

“Okay, this is your room,” he says, flicking on the lights. I can’t help the shock that takes over my face. This room is bigger than most houses I have lived in. “I am sorry I have to leave, but I have a new job with my father.” A gasp falls from my lips. He can’t let me get someone new. “You can’t leave.” “Jolie, you’re staying with my family. I had no choice, and I accepted the job offer before your placement here anyway. My father offered me a deal I couldn’t refuse.” How can I argue with that? I would choose money too. “Arrangements have been made for you to start school, and a uniform is in your closet. I’ve set up a phone, and it has all the numbers you will need already saved in your contacts. Our housekeeper, Petra, will be here every day; she cooks all the meals and will collect all your washing. I didn’t have time to organise any clothes for you, so my father has left you a credit card to get anything else you may need. Twenty grand is the limit—” I cut him off with a hand gesture. Twenty grand?! My brain scrambles to piece this all together. “Brennan, slow down a second, twenty grand? I could go to the second-hand store and twenty bucks would be enough.” He shakes his head. “Jolie, I knew you would hate accepting this, and I even asked if they could hire someone to buy things for you. My mother insisted you should pick out your own new things so that the style is you. I left a list of clothing stores you will need to visit. Living with the Myers is about how oth...

My emotions overcome me, and tears run down my cheeks. I normally don’t cry, but this is some Cinderella shit right here and I’m well aware my life isn’t a fairytale. There is always a catch; I just have to figure out what it is.

“Good girl. Now repeat after me. I will never go into Boston’s room again. If I do, Laughn can have his way with me.” He can’t be serious. “Go suck a dick!” I yell, despite having no desire to enter Boston’s room again after this. “Let’s not talk about sucking dicks. Now repeat. I will never go into Boston’s room again—” I cut him off, done with this craziness. “I will never go into Boston’s room again. If I do, the freak can have his way with me.” The asshole laughs. “Baby, freak doesn’t even begin to describe me.”

“I went into Boston’s room.” I laugh, trying to make a joke out of it. “Jolie, you didn’t,” he chastises. “Hey, I was alone in a strange house and needed something to sleep in. I only took a shirt and pants, but apparently he is even territorial about his clothes. They practically ripped them from my body, but never mind—I think I may be someone’s pet now.” “Please tell me Laughn wasn’t there.” I hear him curse a few times. “He was, and he’s one of a kind.”

“While you’re down there,” he states, lowering his fly. I scowl up at him from my hands and knees. “If you put it anywhere near my mouth, I will bite it off.” He doesn’t react to my statement, but he also keeps his dick in his pants. “Baby, you were made for me. I love it dirty and rough.” Laughn reaches from behind me and picks me up in one swoop, taking me back to his seat and depositing me on his lap. His long tattooed arms wrap around my waist, and I push against him, but he has a tight hold on me. “Let me go or I will bite you,” I snap. “Don’t make promises you’re not willing to keep.”

“What? Half the girls here before were topless.” I shrug, knowing damn well what I’m doing. I have no issues being naked in front of people. “Those girls are whores. They do not live in the Myers house, and they do not represent the family name. You do now. The way you present yourself comes back on us,” Boston says. “Well excuse me, mister high and mighty. I’m sure a party with half-naked girls and snorting blow off their tits would portray a nice image of your family, but my tits are not good enough?” I slip the black top over my breasts, flip Boston off, and storm from the room.

“Laughn, baby, which one is yours?” I point the stick to the cars. All five guys hang over the side of the fence, looking down at me. While I am raising the stick towards the blue car, someone yells, “The green one!” “This yours?” I ask, stepping towards the green car. He looks at me, his cigarette hanging from his lips. “This is for holding me down.” My first swing takes out a side mirror, and I don’t bother looking back. “And this,” I yell, “is for touching me without my permission.” I strike, taking out one of the front headlights. Someone screams in a high-pitched girly way. I look over my shoulder and the guys have vanished, all except Laughn. He is scaling the shrubs and I have about twenty seconds before he hits the bottom—if I’m lucky. I swing at the other headlight. “If any of you other assholes want to try me, bring it o—” My words cut off and everything happens so fast. A large hand with green tattoos wraps around my neck, and I swear my feet lift from the ground before I’m slammed on the bonnet. A loud crack ripples through me, and I’m sure his car will have a large dent the size of my body. “You crazy fucking bitch!” Laughn roars, his body pinning mine down. Sweat lines my brow. The smile is still on my lips. “You haven’t seen anything yet,” I whisper through the pressure on my throat, as we are joined by the others. Laughn’s body rests between my legs, his erection pressed hard against me. “I can’t wait for the next show.” Wait . . . what? Seriously?! This gu...

“We have a new student today. Jolie, why don’t you introduce yourself?” Having learned over the years that it is just easier to do as they ask, I stand. “I’m Jolie. Pretty sure you will all hate me—most people do after a while. I’m a foster kid from the wrong side of the tracks. The Myers family has been gracious enough to take pity on me for the next few months. What else . . .” “You’re a crazy bitch that smashes expensive-ass cars.” Cutting a scathing look at the kid that just spoke, I retort, “Take that as a lesson learned on Laughn’s behalf to never touch a woman unless you have consent.” “A good lesson indeed,” the teacher says, and I take my seat again. “Baby, the lessons have only just begun.”

Case is the one with the tattoo on his jaw and big stretchers in his ears, and he has a slight punk cross serial killer vibe.

Davis is the boy next door that murders you in your sleep.”

“Well Marlow is the mellow, ‘smother you with a pillow’ type.

Boston is the ‘kill you with his broody mood swings,’ or orgasms, guy—so

Laughn . . . shit, that crazy mofo would skin you alive ...

After English I have Biology, and just my luck, Laughn is in my class. He makes it a point to sit next to me, keeping his hands to himself. We work in pairs, giving me plenty of time to look at his body modifications. His tongue seems to be the most drastic, and while his contacts are weird as shit, I’m not as creeped out as I was the first time I saw them. His body is heavily tattooed with lots of colours, and they seem like old-school tattoos.

“Hey,” he says, pushing off the wall. “Hey back. I’m so hungry I could eat the ass of a low-flying duck.” Jimmie snorts. “You’re so weird. Let’s go get you some food and save those poor ducks.”

“So, you’re the new girl,” she says with a hand on her hip. Typical mean girl stance—I would laugh if it was any more cliché. “Yep, that would be me,” I say in a bored tone. “So glad we had this chat, but I have ducks to save.” Jimmie chuckles quietly from behind me. “Our chat hasn’t even started. I heard you had fun with one of our guys’ cars this morning.” “Nope, wrong person. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I match her stance, flipping my dark hair over my shoulder as an added touch. “Don’t play stupid with me, new girl. They’re our guys—you mess with them, you mess with us.” “It’s funny, I didn’t see any name tag on Laughn when he had his tongue down my throat, but I will be sure to look next time.”

“Shut up, nerd. No one asked you,” one of Chelsea’s lackeys sneers, and my last nerve is done. Lunging forward, I grab Chelsea by the throat, pushing her back until she hits the closest wall. One thing I find useful from my non-memories is the shit my body can do automatically with no idea of how or where I learned it. Fighting is apparently something I can do, which came in handy when my foster brothers used to slip into my room. “Take it back and tell Jimmie you’re sorry.” I ease the pressure so she can talk. “S . . . sorry,” she stutters. What amazing friends she has. I expected more of a fight in them, but they have all cowered away rather than help their queen bitch. “Jolie!” a voice booms. I know it’s Boston. I roll my eyes; here we go. “Baby, drop the girl.” Laughn’s sarcasm makes a smirk creep to my face. How have I grown fond of him already? “Fine,” I snap, letting her go. She gasps for breath and scrambles away, crying to her friends. Turning, I face the firing squad. “What did I tell you about representing my family?” Boston seethes, though I have a feeling his question is rhetorical. “Um . . . crazy is as crazy does?”

Well, it seems maybe I even pissed him off. His sudden change in attitude throws me off guard. “Fuck you,” I growl, pushing his hand from my chest. “I plan to—very soon. Now get in Brennan’s car and follow behind me. Run and you will regret it. You have zero idea what we are capable of.”

“I won’t bite . . . this time. We have just stopped off as I have to feed my snakes. Figured we could get it over with and get ready for the party before the others get home.” I nod slowly. Snakes. Baby steps. Deep breaths. “You want to feed those death noodles?” Laughn’s laugh brightens the dimly lit room. “Are you scared of snakes, baby?” I shrug. I wouldn’t say I’m petrified, but they can stick to their side of the glass tanks and everything will be good.

List of suspicious shit. 1- Weird note 2- Kidnapped and chased????? Was it them? 3- Brennan being there to save me. 4- Being fostered by Brennan’s parents. 5- Brennan being a God.

“So, a boy,” Brennan starts. He better not try to give the birds and the bees talk—surely he knows I dropped my skittles a long time ago. “Marlow gave me drugs,” I blurt out, pointing towards him, trying to deflect. “Seriously, I give up. You are all almost adults. Jolie, it may be best to not bring any guys back here, unless you want them dead. Laughn and Boston do not need to be bailed out of jail again.” “Fine, but I don’t see why they care. Boston doesn’t like me and Laughn keeps a pet girl,” I argue. “If Boston even talks to you, he doesn’t hate you, and Laughn doesn’t do anything to those girls that they don’t want,”

“You are now one of us, whether we like it or not. Brennan, for some strange reason, brought you here, and we protect our own—that now includes you by extension.” “What he said,” Case interjects before shoving half a muffin into his mouth with zero grace. “Bloody hell. This is why I never wanted brothers,” I huff under my breath. “Burn! You guys just got friend zoned,” Petra adds, walking through the kitchen with a mop in hand, high-fiving me as she passes by. “I really love her,”

“How far away is the nearest Maccas?” All their heads snap up as if I said something wrong. “Why?” Brennan asks cautiously. “Because I’m feeling queasy and greasy crap food is supposed to help,” I say back, confused by our exchange. “Plus, I could go for a chocolate frappe.” “The closest one is about forty minutes away if there’s no traffic. If you didn’t notice, McDonald’s is not the food of the people here,” Davis says. Of course it isn’t. All these rich people with their private chefs and eating out. “You go kick out your friend, and I will make you something to eat,” Brennan offers. I sigh and slip from the stool. “Sounds good. If I’m not back down in five minutes, assume he has lured me into a sex dungeon against my will.”

Weird note. 2- Kidnapped and chased????? Was it them? 3- Brennan being there to save me. 4- Being fostered by Brennan’s parents. 5- Brennan being a God. 6- Everyone’s reaction to me asking if Boston killed a girl.

I am the first to arrive after we all went and cooled off. Each of us has our own way of letting off steam. Getting stoned works well for me, while Boston and Davis would have hit the gym, and Laughn would have gone to play with one of his pets. Marlow probably took a nap; stress exhausts him.

“So, you’re not kicking me out?” The asshole laughs at my question. “No, I’m not kicking you out. I knew exactly what you were like before my parents took you in. Actually, I wanted to have a chat, and it’s a bit awkward.” Damn, he wants to talk about sex. “Oh, you want to have a sex talk? Don’t worry, my skittles dropped a long time ago, my rainbow is probably tasteless by now.” Brennan stares at me, realising his mistake straight away. “I won’t tiptoe around this just because you will make it hard for me.” “That’s what she said,”

His bare chest and freshly fucked hair scream exactly where he has been.

Screams ...

When your makeup is on, your mask is on. Don’t let your walls down for anyone other than us.

I nod, and we both exit the girls’ bathroom. Whispers start within seconds. “I thought he was gay.” “I thought she was screwing the Gods.” “Looks like you just got laid in the girls’ bathroom by a senior. Your popularity just skyrocketed.” I laugh at his wide-eyed expression. High school kids are stupid—they really don’t have anything better to do than spread rumours and gossip. “I’m glad my first time was with you,” he says, followed by a nervous laugh. “You’re a virgin,” I gasp.

“We just found something we lost a long time ago, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.” Case flicks his smoke to the ground, and I stomp on it. “You all have your knickers in a twist because you found something you lost? It must have been something pretty fucking special to have you all acting this wound up.” Case snorts, pulling me to his body. “You have no idea. Special doesn’t even begin to explain it.” I run my finger over the tattoo on his jawbone. I want to ask why he has the word “checkmate” tattooed on his face, but decide it’s better to leave it for another day.

List of suspicious shit. 1- Weird note. 2- Kidnapped and chased????? Was it them? 3- Brennan being there to save me. 4- Being fostered by Brennan’s parents. 5- Brennan being a God. 6- Everyone’s reaction to me asking if Boston killed a girl 7- Brennan’s note.

Powering my phone back on, I get bombarded with tons of messages. Boston Where the fuck are you? Laughn I love a good game of hide and seek. I flick through the rest of the texts. Case Can you text Boston back? He’s going to kill someone soon. Davis Just remember you willingly fucked him. Marlow Stage five clinger is looking for you. Boston I’m going to kill you if you’re not already dead. Brennan Call me. “Guard dogs much?” quips Jimmie, raising a brow. “One is now always on babysitting duty ever since I went to that party,” I whine as the sound of car engines rev outside. “I think they found you.” He laughs, finding this all way too amusing. “Yep, I better pack up, so they don’t cause a scene.”

A scream, along with the loud smash of porcelain, has both Jimmie and me racing downstairs. All five guys are standing in the foyer, Laughn swinging a baseball bat in the air like a deranged psychopath. I stop at the bottom of the stairs, arms crossed over my chest, narrowing my eyes and staring them down. “What the fuck are you doing?” I snap. “Oh, hey baby. That was an accident,” Laughn says, delight lacing his tone as he uses the bat to point at the broken vase. Jimmie and his mum are standing off to the side, Vicky shaking and in tears. I march up to Laughn, ignoring the others. My neck kinks as I look up to meet his eyes—the guy is too damn tall. “Say sorry to Vicky.” Laughn looks at me and then at Jimmie’s mum. “Sorry Vicky,” he repeats. “I will pay for the broken vase.” Amusement flashes through his eyes, wondering if I’m being serious. “I will pay for the broken vase,” he mimics, and poor Vicky nods. “For fuck’s sake,” Boston snaps. “Davis, get her into the car.”

I peer over at him and take in his boy-next-door charm, even though the Davis I’m getting to know is anything but. I wonder why he doesn’t have a body covered in ink like the rest. He seems so damn composed, and I find myself wanting to break him.

We all have our own way of dealing with the life we were dealt: I get stoned, Boston needs control, Laughn keeps his pets, Case drinks, and Davis, well his whole boy-next-door charm seems to be his thing.

“Get a clue, Jolie, but keep this to yourself because Mr Z is behind everything. Don’t trust anyone. Trace isn’t your friend. You know your guys, so trust your gut.” What the fuck? My mind is reeling. “I will help you as long as you stop Laughn from killing me. I have to finish this quick. I’m sorry.”

I got my first tattoo at thirteen, and I cried like a little bitch. We all got one at the same time. We always called her our wildflower, and when she died, we all had a forget-me-not tattooed over our hearts. A symbol of true love and that we would never forget her. Which was a crock of shit because as soon as we had a taste of freedom, we did whatever it took to forget the pain, which meant burying everything about her.

Everything will come crashing down around us and she will be gone once again. But this time, I will make sure she takes me out before she leaves—life without her isn’t one I want to experience again. I don’t care if that makes me the biggest pussy in the world, but I will burn everything to the ground to keep her close . . . or go down in flames trying.

“Good, let’s get this over with,” he huffs, walking away from me like he has a bee up his ass. “Will you hold my hand when they stick that plastic do dah up my coochie?” I ask, skipping up behind him. He stops abruptly and I run smack bang into him. “There will be no sticking of anything into anywhere. Just get a move on—I don’t have all day.”

Boston cranks the stereo as soon as we take off. “Holiday” by Naughty by Nature drowns out the silence.

“Let’s start with the basics, then. G.O.D.S was created by a guy—Mr Z—who basically trains us from when we are young to be weapons. We all have special skills. Within your team, you have Davis, the human lie detector, Laughn speaks for himself, though try electrocuting the bastard and he will just laugh at you—”

“We are a private organisation, and all members of a team have special skills. Five guys, one girl per team, with one handler for the guys and one for the girl until you complete your training. Team Hades is your team, except yours is special. You were all genetically made in test tubes or some shit. We don’t know details, but whispers say that the guys were genetically programmed to love Zircon, a.k.a. you. When you were around thirteen, you were killed,” he says, using his fingers to make air quotes. “Trace was your handler the day you died. Unlike most teams, Zircon had multiple handlers. Anyway, now you’re back, and everyone wants to know why. No one can ask because it’s top secret, but none of us forgot the day you died. Your death turned Team Hades into monsters. This mask of civility they put on for you is not the real them, and if I were you, I would be careful. Ask yourself, was Trace running from them or for them? A handler wouldn’t betray the organisation over something small. Unless there was a reason . . . or it was an order from the big guy himself,”

“Just watch your back and stay safe. Trust me when I say if you are her, they won’t hurt you. Zircon was the centre of their universe, but having her reappear is dangerous for everyone else. In death, she created monsters, and now that their heart has returned, they will protect it like Cerberus protects the entrance to the underworld,” she says, walking me to the door. “If I were to guess, I would assume that Mr Z did this to create the ultimate team. With you around, it made the guys softer than he expected, and after you were gone, he could mould them with greater ease. But that is just my opinion.”

It’s true, while we all have specific areas we are better at—where we are genetically designed to excel over the others—we all have some traits in common. Super endurance, no fingerprints, poison and disease resistance, bones stronger than most people’s, and the list goes on. We can still get hurt just like everyone else, but it’s a little harder. Laughn has next to no damn pain receptors, especially when he is electrocuted. Davis is a human lie detector. Marlow and computers talk the same language—there is nothing he can’t hack or find. Boston literally remembers everything he wants to remember; not like a photographic memory—this is more situational—but whatever he catalogues in that head of his is there forever. I have excellent vision in the dark, but fuck, as a result, I’m the one that gets sent in first and I sure as shit ain’t bullet proof—I have the scar on my shoulder to prove it. And that is only the quick run-down of our abilities.

Creed is Laughn’s creepy-ass brother, who was a handler once upon a time, but now his special skills lie with dead bodies, as he finds solace in the silence. There’s also Chester, a.k.a. our school guidance officer and Marlow’s brother, who they use as an extra set of eyes on us at school or when Brennan is too busy to babysit our asses. And then you can’t forget my dickhead of a brother, Kai.

I learned a few things last night. The Myers house is beyond huge, and I’m almost certain it’s haunted—or it could just be a draft. They also have a basement that is locked. Okay, so I also learned I’m a chickenshit and had to call Jimmie to talk to me until I fell asleep.