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My mother perished here, twenty-two years ago, at the hands of those who sought that greed.
What I witnessed that night should never have happened. I was an anomaly, as no child from a sacrifice should even exist. That night altered my brain chemistry and transformed me into the monster I am now.
I did not inherit this darkness; it was imposed upon me.
I am a new darkness—a new dark god—and I am about to take everything they have sworn to protect.
Every year, the interest from that trust moves to Dr. Garcia’s bank account, where she distributes the funds to the full members of the Order, including her family—some to Xander and some to me.
Talia Garcia is the guardian of that trust and controls this entire town. Everyone is in her pocket because she controls the finances.
Dr. Garcia, however, is getting quite old, frail even. Perhaps she only has a short while to live, and she’s relying on me to carry this legacy. Except…I’m not bound by that bloodline, even though that 600-million-dollar trust is about to become mine.
I stand back from that same circle two hundred and eighty years later. Images form in my mind of their younger selves, with solemn faces as my mother willingly walked into that circle.
In my arms, I hold Misty, who is wearing a hooded cloak. Her blonde hair peeks out from beneath the mask I placed upon her.
My brother scoffs nearby when he sees her. “He actually fucking did it,” he mutters.
Talia Garcia steps forward, raising her hand, silencing him. She looks wicked and old in her dark robes.
Talia Garcia—nee Vital—was once the strongest among us. Now, I believe Summer, who is hidden in the shadows, is the strongest among us. Summer watches as I carry Misty, who everyone believes is her, to a death ceremony.
There is no rebirth here; there is only death, greed, and insanity.
The scribe killed his wife and stole from his companions with no sacred purpose. He did it out of greed, preying on the weak in their moments of desperation, and knew his wife had eyes for the clergyman.
His insanity has been passed down for generations, manifesting in acts of murder. Once you experience it, there is no stopping it, as I have observed. And I am certain Summer carries that genetic trait, as did her father.
Talia approaches and kneels before Misty, her face concealed. She tilts her head as she beholds the blood on her fingers after lightly grazing the softness of Misty’s cheek before moving her fingers to the cut on her neck to feel her pulse.
Tonight, I’ve brought two women to the brink of death, and one I still need to bring back again. Misty is barely breathing.
She keeps her fingers on Misty’s neck for a couple of seconds before rising. Talia Garcia is a mastermind of chaos, manipulating events from a distance and has done so her entire life. She belongs to a completely different crazy. She is utterly terrifying.
Satisfied by the blood on her fingers, she disregards Misty and focuses her attention on me as she rises on her toes to reach for my face hidden deep within my hood.
“It’s done,” she declares loudly, so the entire circle can hear. She brings her lips to my forehead and presses a soft kiss, and I bow as a sign of respect. “You did well, Mikael.” Her voice is soft so no one else can hear the name she uses.
I smile tightly, my voice unrecognizable even to me. “My name’s not Mikael anymore,” I whisper back to her. “You cannot begin to understand what I’ve become.”
I blink and smile at her. The light from my torch reflects in her eyes. She observes me, her gaze flickering, but then she composes herself and stares into my eyes in fascination. Fear emanates from her, an emotion I know so intimately.
She exhales. “Of course. We will talk later.”
She steps back and turns to face the group, leaving Misty’s lifeless body in a heap.
Everyone’s heads are down, a hush falling over the cave as Talia takes center circle. “We have been summoned here tonight by a higher power. Our dark one requires a sacrifice from each of you. It is a small offering for the power and love He bestows upon us. Once you take a life, you are able to carry on with your existence. You have the freedom to marry, love, and support each other. However, it is important to follow the code, as we all belong to something sacred. Deviating from it will result in dire consequences.”
As we all learned from Xander’s mother.
“We are all equal; we are all his descendants, and we shall live in His image. Once I am gone, Lincoln will assume the role of the Guardian of the Order. He will wear the mask of obscurity and pass it on to whomever he chooses. He is the chosen one.”
Xander’s anger and jealousy radiates out of him. However, I did him a favor. This is not something he wants. He wants the parties, the money, and drugs; he doesn’t want this responsibility.
Everyone hastily leaves, except for Xander. He remains standing, observing as if he cannot believe he has lost control of what should rightfully be his fortune.
His focus is now entirely on the body everyone else believes is Summer. He hesitates for a moment, as if wanting to verify her true identity, but then he steps back and disappears into the darkness.
