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Get her to the table.
Let’s see what four million dollars gets you.
Helene screamed and thrashed inside my head, fighting the men who pushed her head against the table and forced her legs apart. That shiver inside me turned to a quake of rage. “I find myself having thoughts of harm, especially to those who harm the people I love.”
“That’s only natural to have those thoughts. It’s the whispers of temptation that come from the Devil. You know that.”
I lifted my gaze to his. “And what if they’re not just whispers?” What if…they were screams?
No!
NO!
Get off me!
GET THE FUCK OFF ME!
Father Cassius gave me a soft, careful smile. “I think you’re stronger than you think. After all, you're here, aren’t you?”
“There’s bad men out there, Father.” I whispered. “Real bad men and they want to hurt and keep on hurting. They’re evil. They’re so fucking evil they make my skin crawl. They need to be stopped. They need to be…”
You ready to hunt, Priest?
He flinched at my outburst. “Listen to me. You need to forget about them. You need to listen to your faith. Your place is here, within these walls. That is your purpose. That is your future. Turn your back on all others except for God, including your brothers. Only God will lead the way…his way.”
A two-way radio hooked to his belt flicked to life, crackling faintly before he snatched it free and pressed the button to turn the volume down.
“His way is the only way,” Cassius repeated, giving me a ghost of a smile. “Now, I really must go. It’s late.”
I gave a nod as I watched him rise, the two-way clutched in his hand. I’d never seen a priest with one before. “Thank you, Father.” I lifted my gaze and met his stare. “I appreciate your words.”
He gave a nod. I could still hear the sound from the device, the sound faint, so faint, before he turned away and headed for the door that connected to the rectory. His steps hit harder, moving faster. I tried to drag my focus away, forcing my attention to those flickering candles.
Candles others lit when they prayed.
My knees no longer shook when I stood.
Cassius’s words took hold. He was right. This wasn’t my battle to fight. No matter how dangerous this became, I wanted to find our sister, to ease that weight on my soul. But this…this was different. This was…sin.
I stepped forward, picked up a long, tapered candle, and lifted it to the flame.
But that two-way nagged at me. The way he’d snatched it free, the look of almost terror on his face as he’d fixed his eyes on mine…because, for a second…before his finger pressed down I was sure I’d heard the words please, help me.
My head turned on instinct, finding that door shrouded in shadows. A door I knew as well as my own heart. I placed the unlit candle down and took a step. The urge to walk to that door was overwhelming. My hand reached for the handle, and before I knew it, I was inside, closing the door behind me.
There was no sound at that moment. Only the steady thudding of my pulse in my head. I walked along the dark hallway that led to the house in the back.
“No…no, please no!” A woman’s cry came from deeper inside.
“You fucking whore. You dirty, sinful fucking whore. Do you know what God does to filthy whores like you? Filthy fucking Daughters. He saves them, that’s what he does. Now wider…WIDER!”
I froze, stopping in the middle of the hallway.
Whack!
A muffled shrill scream followed.
“Filthy fucking cunt. It deserves to be beaten. Open your legs, Daughter. Open them or I’ll shove this cane all the way in your ass.”
