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I blink, and Elsie disappears, her features replaced by the stranger.
The six cult members chant some things before they pull out six small knives. I’m horrified as they make shallow cuts all over the girl’s skin. She’s trembling like a leaf, her silent sobs like a hand around my throat, choking off my air.
Jesus Christ in heaven. Stop this madness.
But it doesn’t stop. Her blood flows around them as the rest of the weird ass cult members sway from side to side, chanting.
The cult finally stops cutting her, and in unison, they lick the blades of their knives, tasting her blood. “Our sacrifice to the ultimate deity, Orpheus.”
He descends the steps, his face more demonic than I’ve ever seen, as he glides to the cross, gaze focused on his prey. It briefly rises to mine as I shake my head. A warning is in his dark irises as he raises the dagger and then plunges it into the girl’s heart.
I turn my head away, unable to bear it anymore. Mackenzie’s face is buried against the side of my arm, heart-wrenching sobs shaking her body.
Sick fucks.
Vengeance burns inside my chest as I keep my eyes on the floor.
I lied when I made a deal with the demon with the dagger. I plan to destroy this cult from the inside out, taking my girl far away from this nonsense.
41
CHASE
Orpheus slices the girl’s head from her body, the cracking of bones echoing inside my ear as he wrestles it from her body. Once he’s torn it from her spine, he holds it up for all to see.
Closing my eyes, I breathe in and out through my nose, guilt and remorse whirling inside me so fast I’m dizzy. It’s all I can do not to vomit. I didn’t try to stop this insane ritual, knowing the consequences would be brutally severe.
When Mackenzie dry heaves beside me, my eyes fly open, every cell in my body tingling from worry. She wipes her mouth with her free hand before her trauma-filled eyes meet mine.
Silently apologizing for the hell she’s enduring, I pull her against me, kissing the top of her head. I was right to make the deal with the fucking devil, who is celebrating on the podium, his band of insane puppets cheering and dancing like he just saved the fucking world.
I’d give almost anything to go back in time to the moment I realized Mackenzie planned to sneak out of the house to go to Alex’s party. If I’d had any semblance of an idea of the hellish trauma we’d endure a mere twenty-four hours later, I would have boarded myself in her bedroom with her.
But who could imagine such depravity? This is inhuman, a hellish underworld that we’re trapped in against our will.
As much as I’d love to chance it and take off running, the odds are stacked against us. And when we were caught, Orpheus would punish me in the most horrific ways by torturing Mackenzie before killing her, then me.
The cult members grab the next girl, who screams and kicks before they hoist her frail body in the air. I’ve never felt like more of a piece of shit in my life than I do at this moment. Standing idly by, unable to do anything because I knew what would happen.
I’m not a hero. A hero would sacrifice his girl to save the others about to endure a brutal death.
I’d sacrifice everyone in this fucking room before I’d let these assholes hurt her again.
My soul will just have to burn in hell for all eternity.She’s worth it.
Orpheus turns to Rosario, handing her the girl’s head. My eyes narrow, glaring daggers into his back.I’ll see you in hell, motherfucker.
I relax my features before Orpheus turns, his dark-eyed gaze locking with mine.
A commotion by the doors draws our attention. They fly open, and a blue-robed cult member struts inside, shoving a brunette girl. She’s sobbing, her long chestnut hair tangling around her face as she struggles against him.
My gaze immediately goes to Orpheus, who stares at the young woman for a moment, a malicious smile curling his lips before his eyes cut to Daemon. I follow his gaze, and all my questions are answered when I see the fury and betrayal on Daemon’s face.
Despite the upside-down cross painted on it, he visibly pales, his eyes rounded in shock. I don’t miss the way his lips mouth “Arianna” silently before he presses them together. He looks as though he’s seen a ghost.
As the cult member shoves Arianna forward, his head turns to mine. I recognize him immediately from our sparring match in the basement.Killian.
He gives me a cocky grin before turning his attention to Daemon. Smugness rolls off him as he shoves Arianna, then leans forward and grabs her, jerking her against his body. His behavior infuriates Daemon. It’s visible in the ticking of his jaw, his flared nostrils, and the hardening of his expression. His hands clench into fists, and his muscles are as taut as granite.
