AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mackenzie writhes against her bindings, screaming bloody murder as she watches from the stone altar.
My vision darkens from his grip. I gasp for air, pleading with my eyes for her to forgive me because I failed her. Just like I failed my sister.
His grip finally loosens and my torso sags forward as I struggle for air. My arms are jerked overhead, and the shackles are removed and replaced by ropes that bind my wrists tightly, cutting into my skin.
Sucking in much needed oxygen, my brain begins processing what is occurring as I’m lifted off my feet. I’m suspended over Mackenzie, my feet dangling about two feet above her.
“Stop it, you fucking monsters,” Mackenzie screams, her eyes wild with fright and panic. “Let him fucking go.”
Orpheus’s vile laughter fills the cavernous room. “Neither of you are in any position to make demands.”
“Fuck you,” I grit out through clenched teeth. My breaths shudder as I hang there, my body in misery from the beatings and the ropes cutting into my skin. My mouth tastes like copper from the blood that runs from my nose, droplets running down my chin and onto my robe. “Mark my words, Orpheus. I willkillyou.”
Orpheus throws his head back, his laughter mingling with his followers.
“Boy,” he says when he finally regains his composure. “You’re delusional. Not only are you incapable of it, but the ritual will begin my transformation, making me impervious to harm until the ascension.” His eyes have a fanatical gleam in them as he stares at me and imparts his chilling words. “Once I ascend, not even your God or the devil himself could kill me.”
22
CHASE
As I hang there, the pain in my shoulders fights for dominance over the facial injuries I sustained from the beatings. But it’s nothing compared to looking down at Mackenzie, bound to an altar.
Orpheus opens the dreadful leather-bound book and begins chanting words in another language. I’ve never taken Latin, but one of the track team members did. He’d often say Latin words and then tell the rest of us what they meant. Now, I wish I’d taken it, so I’d know what they plan to do to us.
Rosario begins twirling and dancing around the altar, her movements so graceful I wonder if she’d studied ballet. My sister studied ballet from age five to nine until my mom’s health took a turn for the worse.
Three cult members begin lighting large, red candles while the fourth one grabs the three small skulls, reverently placing them at strategic points on the large pentagram surrounding the altar. Once he’s finished, he grabs the final two larger ones and places them on the pentagram.
Revulsion fills me that this sick bastard killed off his own family and kept their skulls for tonight’s ritual.
Orpheus continues reading from the book, the flickering candles casting eerie shadows on him. When he spreads his arms and yells, “I am the electus. The chosen ruler of the kingdom,” the flames leap around the room, and the book appears to catch on fire.
I’m pulled from my thoughts by Mackenzie’s screams. One of the cult members holds the blade of the knife to her dress and cuts through the lacy fabric until it’s ripped in half, exposing her bra and panties. I frantically kick my legs, trying to loosen the ropes.
Her scream tears through me as the blade digs into her flesh. I yell until I’m hoarse, cursing and screaming the vile things I’ll do to them for hurting her.
Orpheus descends the steps, and I glower at him, promising to rain down the torture and pain of a thousand years in hell. Rosario steps onto the platform behind him, removing his robe. His massive, ripped form is on display as he stands there, clad only in a pair of black pants and combat boots.
Intimidation makes me still, and I suck in deep breaths of the chilly air as I try to settle my nerves. I take in every bulging muscle and deep ridge, my mouth going dry as the harsh reality slams into me. I’m a lean, eighteen-year-old man, and although I’ve been in several fights in my lifetime, I’m no match for him.What chance do I have against a goliath?
As Orpheus stalks closer to Mackenzie, his arrogant gaze locks with mine. He gloats, seeing the intimidation all over my face. I take deep breaths, trying to settle my nerves, but the tightness in my chest as I focus on the threat several feet away makes my heart rate go through the roof.
As his fingers trail up Mackenzie’s silky thigh, intimidation is replaced by rage. I don’t care if I lose the battle if it means saving her.
Mackenzie’s screams fuel the adrenaline raging through my veins. I struggle against the ropes, not caring that they cut into my skin, blood dripping onto my head and then my face when I look up at the ceiling, studying the metal hook that the rope is threaded through. From my vantage point, it doesn’t look that thick, and if I keep using my weight and tugging hard enough, I think I can break it. Or cause the rope to weaken, fraying and snapping so I can get to her.
My eyes meet Orpheus as he chants, his finger tracing over the pentagram the cult member cut into her skin. He lifts his bloody fingers to his face, drawing a pentagram on his cheek, all the while staring at me like I’m a mirror he’s using to paint the perfect crimson mark onto his skin.
“You sick fuck,” I seethe, still twisting and working at the ropes. “I swear on my fucking life I’ll kill you.”
He straightens, his hands going to the waistband of his pants. My eyes bulge in horror as he yanks them down to his feet, his massive erection pointing at Mackenzie since he’s not wearing any underwear.
Oh, fuck, no.
The cult members cut her panties and bra from her body, exposing her porcelain skin for all to see. Her loud sobs pierce my heart like an arrow. Sweat pours down my skin, my body overheating like I’ve been lit on fire.
Orpheus traces his hand over the bloody pentagram on Mackenzie’s skin before digging his fingers into the wound, making her howl. Her blood drips from his fingers as he wraps them around his huge dick, stroking himself from base to tip, coating his dick with her blood.
