AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The lashes stopped as suddenly as they’d arrived. I sobbed, barely aware of my father leaving the room. How could he do this to me? To any of us?
When my tears finally ran dry, I straightened up, my movements stiff. With trembling hands, I pulled my top back down, wincing as the material brushed over the lacerations on my skin.
The mental and physical anguish had emptied my mind, and only one thought remained.
I needed Zayde, and I needed my brother.
No matter that they had both told me to stay away. No matter that even right now, they might be at each other’s throats.
I was going to them.
SEVEN
Slowing down, I steered my motorbike onto the tree-lined lane to my right, looking out for the tall, rusted iron gates. Behind me, the wheels of Cassius’ SUV rumbled along the overgrown track. My entire body was on high alert, ready for whatever the Hydes and their little group of overgrown children were planning.
All of us were prepared. These fuckers needed to be taught a lesson. If they thought they could lure us here and then get one over on us…they were about to learn that they were very fucking wrong.
We passed through the gated entrance of the huge, decrepit Victorian manor house. It was set away from the main town of Alstone, alone in the countryside, bordered by farmland on one side and trees on the other. From what Cade had told me, the house originally belonged to a lord who owned the surrounding farmland, but it had been condemned for as long as he could remember. It leaned to one side, the walls crumbling under the pressure. There were gaping holes where the windows had been, and if I were the kind of person who got scared by anything, the whole fucking haunted house vibe that this place gave out would be enough to have me running for the hills. Lucky for me, and unlucky for the Hydes’ Halloween plans, an old building didn’t even feature on my radar.
When I came to a stop outside the house and dismounted my bike, I pulled my helmet off and lifted my hood and tugged my skull bandana into place, leaving only my eyes uncovered. Cade came up next to me, also covered by his hood and bandana, speaking in a low tone. “There’s smoke coming from the chimneys.”
“Did you see the torches?” I replied, just as quiet, and he inclined his head in the barest nod.
“Yeah. They either think we’re stupid, or they’re trying to lure us in.”
“Seems suspiciously quiet.” Cassius’ voice sounded from behind us, and we both turned to face him.
Caiden straightened up, his voice turning to steel. “We knew it would be a setup, but we’re prepared. These fuckers will regret ever messing with us.” He glanced over at me, his face shrouded in darkness, thanks to his hood, but I got the message.
I spoke softly, knowing they’d listen. “Keep to the shadows. We’ll go inside, you two start the fire.” The two guys we’d roped into doing our dirty work both nodded, and then I melted into the shadows with Caiden and Cassius. It wasn’t a good idea to leave a trail, and as the sons of the most influential families in Alstone, we couldn’t afford to get caught up in any shit. Our guys were hand-picked by me and Caiden, unassuming and unremarkable in every way—they’d fly under the radar, and no one would remember them.
As they headed over to the side of the house, crouching down on the ground, and I heard the whoosh of flames as they lit the fire, my lips curved into an approximation of a smile.
Cassius, Caiden, and I entered the house, completely silent. The glow of moonlight from the open doorway was enough to illuminate a long hallway with cracked black-and-white tiles. A tarnished chandelier hung at a crazy angle overhead, swaying slightly, reflected in the huge, cracked gilt mirror that was on the wall to our left. Thick layers of dust and cobwebs were everywhere I could see, disturbed in places by the footprints of those who had come before us.
As we’d planned, we split up in different directions. Pointing the light of my phone torch at my feet, mostly covered by my thumb so it only gave out the barest hint of light, I took the stairs, keeping to the inside edges, away from the missing spindles of the banister, testing each tread with the toe of my boot to avoid the creaks. Clouds of dust billowed through the blackness that was swallowing me the higher I went, but my bandana kept it away from my lungs.
I climbed the stairs to the first floor.
A pinprick of light winked in the darkness, and it was like a beacon.
My steps purposeful, I headed for it.
* * *
The burning stings of pain in my back grew easier to bear the closer I drew to my destination. My eyes were swollen and gritty with the tears I’d shed, but that wasn’t important anymore. My only focus was getting to Zayde or my brother. I had no way of tracking Zayde, but Tim’s phone location told me he was around here somewhere. And I knew where he was, Zayde was likely to be.
My bike wheels wobbled, my feet slipping on the pedals as I cycled over a bumpy track. The little light attached to the front of my bike barely penetrated the thick, heavy darkness around me. It felt ominous, but the darkness was less frightening than the monster I faced in the light.
My father’s face flashed through my mind, the way there’d been an almost manic gleam in his eyes, how he’d immediately jumped at the chance to inflict punishment on me for something that shouldn’t have even been worthy of punishment.
Ihatedhim.
The realisation almost stopped me dead, and only the automatic push of my feet on the pedals kept me going as my mind reeled with the knowledge. I was anawfulperson. Who hated their own parents?
But now that the truth was out there, I knew that there was no way I could refute it.
I passed between two tall gates, probably wrought iron or something. Up ahead, I could see the shape of a huge, crumbling house, a black shadow backlit by the moon. My eyes caught a flash of light from one of the upstairs windows, and my heart rate increased, my breaths shortening as I drew closer.
