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“I will let you go when I’m ready to do so.” He laughs, bringing one hand up to caress the side of my face. “You’ve ruined yourself, my love, and now Mr. Pruitt and I must cleanse you of the filth you’ve allowed to taint what belongs to me and our Dark Lord.”
“I don’t belong to anyone.” I yank again at the hold he has on me, but he’s too strong.
Suddenly I feel something piercing my neck and let out a sharp cry as everything goes blurry.
This is not good.
* * *
I come to slowly and am unable to focus on anything as I fight off the thick fog still lingering in my mind. I open my eyes enough to see that I’m still in the flower shop, but all the blinds have been pulled, and the lights are turned off. Candles are the only thing to light the area surrounding me. It takes me a moment to gather my bearings, only to realize I’m wearing nothing, and my arms and legs are stretched wide and bound to something. I don’t know what, though.
“Ahh good, you’re awake,” Mr. Pruitt says, stepping in front of me. “My Lord will be ready for you in a moment, but first, we must prepare you.”
“Prepare me for what?” I croak, a knot of fear threatening to choke me.
“For you to take your place at his side. As the last of the Chosen, the true bride of the Dark Lord, you are to be cleansed and placed on the altar where you belong. It is by your blood the Dark Lord will join with his vessel.”
Oh my God. This guy is delusional. Truly sick in the head.
“It is time.” The man I didn’t know the name of stepped forward, forcing Mr. Pruitt to the side. He holds a hand out to Mr. Pruitt, who hands him a wicked-looking blade with all sorts of designs forged into the sides.
He steps into my space and runs the tip of the blade against my skin. If I wasn’t tied up, I’d be shaking from the fear coursing through my veins in this moment.
I open my mouth to plead for him to let me go, but he and Mr. Pruitt start chanting. I dart my gaze between the two men and feel my heart thud hard and fast. So much so, I thought it’d rip right through my chest.
Mr. Pruitt comes even closer and pours something over my head. It’s warm, and it only takes me a moment to figure out it’s blood that he’s pouring. As he steps away, still chanting, the man directly in front of me pulls the knife away, only to slice it deeply against my skin. Not just once but five times. All in different areas along my chest and stomach.
Tears prick at my eyes, and I scream out in tormented anguish. I can only pray to survive what’s to come and have hope that, by some chance, someone saves me before it’s too late.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
GRIMM
“What the fuck do you mean you can’t find anything else out?” I snarl, getting in Pirate’s face. He’d been looking into that sick fucking group since we found out that Apricot was targeted.
“It’s just what I said. I’ve dug as deep as I can. Got what I could,” Pirate snaps, not backing down. “Those fuckers have done well in burying their shit. Whoever the asshole is, he’s damn smart and has had to have done his homework.”
“Fuck,” I yell, stepping away from Pirate, whirling around, and releasing a heavy breath. The other day Apricot had received another letter, this one at the shop, but I’d intercepted it before she saw it. Which was a damn good thing considering what was in it.
“Grimm, brother, you’re gonna have to calm down,” Viking states just as the front doors to the clubhouse are slung open.
Nevaeh rushes in, her eyes wide with panic.
“Babe, this is a closed party,” Maverick mutters and takes in her features. “You wanna tell us what’s going on and why you crashed in here.”
Nevaeh doesn’t look at Maverick as she seems to search through each of us until her eyes lock on me. “You need to get to the flower shop. Something’s going on.”
I don’t bother waiting around to find out what she has to say. There’s no way I’m sticking around. Instead, I take off in a dead run heading for the door. At my bike, I start her up and barely get the kickstand up before taking off with my brothers following suit.
Different scenarios play out in my head, and fear, unlike any other, threatens to consume my very soul. The one I thought I’d lost a long time ago. I shove the feeling down and allow the anger and rage to take over. I can’t allow any of the other emotions to take over. I need the rage to be able to focus and save my woman from whatever I’ll find at the shop.
* * *
I park right out front of the building and take in the covered windows as I swing a leg over, climbing off my bike.
“Brother, we gotta do this smart. Don’t know what we’re gonna walk in on,” Ice mutters. “Gotta know you’ll keep your head straight.”
“Nothing’s stopping me from getting to Apricot.” I clench my teeth together, round Ice, and stalk toward the door. I don’t bother with the handle. I lift my boot and kick the damn thing right off its hinges. I step inside and immediately see red at the sight in front of me.
