Page 76

Elliott

Muted sounds echo all around me, the darkness refusing to fade as I try to force my heavy lids to open.

Even with so much effort I can't seem to keep them open for longer than a second. A familiar scent engulfs me, a scent that I haven’t smelled in a while.

I must be dreaming. My limbs won't move.

I feel plastered to the soft, cushioned fabric that lays beneath me.

Everything feels off. Where is Marcus?

Marcus!

The images of him falling to the ground, limp, covered in blood, return to me.

Where am I? Why can’t I move?

I try but fail again. My body not responding to my demands further aggravates me .

A blistering burst of pain cracks through me as my head is jerked to the side, yet I barely let out a cry with how disoriented I am. The peddling sting on my cheek grows.

"Wake up." A high pitched voice breaks through my dazed state.

No, it can't be.

Another slap and my eyes snap open, burning as if I shoved my face into a mound of sand. I blink rapidly to ease the pain but it only enhances the burning sensation.

"Mrs. Donovan?" My voice cracks as I say her name.

"Yes, it's me." She sounds annoyed. The only way I remember her sounding.

"Wha—" I look around the room I am in. The wallpaper is lined with floral print and lavender stripes. The smell of Mrs. Donovan's perfume reaches every corner of this room.

It takes me a moment to figure out where I am. This isn’t our home. No, I was in the cabin we would visit every time Mr. Donovan needed a break from the community and his duties.

"Oh, dear." She smiles weakly as she speaks to me.

Disappointment hanging from her face, "You really made a mess of things, didn't you?

" I can't speak as I lay defenseless on the twin mattress of the room they assigned to me whenever we would come here.

"You give them an inch…they take a mile.

" She continues, as she clutches her pearl necklace, using her hand to move it one pearl at a time around her neck.

She paces the room now, her heels cl icking against the wooden floor boards, echoing through the room like a ticking time bomb.

"We thought your bonding with Samuel would help you realize how much your family needed you, how much our people need you.

" She stops right in front of the bed. Leaning in close, she cups my cheek in her palm.

"But you screwed it up, Eden. Why am I not surprised?

" She slaps my cheek a few times before straightening up and continuing her pacing.

The tapping of her heels grows faster as she speaks.

"Your father was always a little too soft with you.

I told him it would ruin you, that it would ruin us, if he didn't stop. But did he believe me? No, of course not. You were Eden. The next to stand beside the leader of Everton. Hell, he wanted it to be you beside him at one point. But I knew Samuel wouldn’t let that happen.

No." She chuckles and my skin crawls at the sound I wished I'd never hear again.

Mr. Donovan never favored me or gave me special treatment.

Not by a long shot. He never gave me much attention or affection.

I was just there, keeping Samuel company.

He was always away with his duties for the Divine.

Helping Samuel learn to take over his spot on the Divine’s throne.

His priorities were to his people. They were the ones that groveled at his feet.

They treated him like a god, because that's what they all believed he was. A god, walking this world with them.

Mrs. Donovan smooths out her dress. "Good thing he is gone." My eyes widen, "Now I can make things right. "

I struggle to move my limbs but they won't listen to my internal screams. I don't know what Joshua gave me, but I can't seem to shake it off.

I hear the door handle turn behind her, and a grin spreads across her face. The dim light from the lamp resting on top of the night stand doesn't reach the door so I am blind to who is entering.

" We can make this right indeed." The figure steps through the shadows, coming to stand next to Mrs. Donovan.

His icy blonde hair comes into view before the rest of him. I attempt to pull on the ropes binding me to the bed frame. I need to get out of here, away from him .

Samuel's face blooms in the soft light, a crooked smile playing at the end of his lips.

He pats his mother's shoulder tenderly, like he is afraid to hurt her. "She’ll come back to us, we just need to be bathed in the Holiness of the Divine."

"Yes, yes. You’re right, Samuel." She nods rapidly, "All she needs is to be cleansed."

"Cleanse her from all the sin she let drench her soul and body while she was away." His voice deepens as he steps closer to the edge of the bed. He brings his fingertips to the hem of the night gown that I’m dressed in.

Where the hell are the clothes I was wearing ?

It was some shade of white, with silky fabric and long lace edges at the neckline and bottom hems. The sleeves were thin straps that hung from my shoulders. My hand twitches as his fingers trace up my inner calf. I want to kick him, smack him, do anything to get his touch away from me.

"Her sins are great—" his voice trails off for a second, watching his own fingers run along my skin. "She might need multiple cleanses." His eyes hood and he turns to face his mother who is nodding in agreement.

"Whatever needs to be done. Do it." She says, and turns to leave. I try to scream for her but it's useless, the gag in my mouth won't allow it.

"Mother." Mrs. Donovan turns back around, hands by her side, "Make sure Joshua brings it in. We’re not to be disturbed." He looks back at me with fire in his eyes, my own filling with tears of hate and terror. "I don't want to be interrupted while I purify her of her sins."

"Yes, Samuel." And with that, she is out the door.

Hot tears roll out of the corners of my eyes, my fingers itching to break the ropes free. Whatever they gave me is still in full affect, because my entire body remains paralyzed despite the roaring in my head to run.

Samuel grabs my face with one of his hands, rubbing a thumb along the stream of tears. "Shh, Eden. You don't need to be scared. I'm here to save you." The sound of his belt clicks undone. My whimpers turn into muffles as I strain against the gag.

Deep breaths invade my lungs, his thumb still caressing my cheek, "I'm going to make all of this go away.

" He straightens up, using both hands to pull down his dress pants before he unbuttons his perfectly ironed, beige button-up shirt.

He folds his clothes neatly before laying them on the end of the bed.

Dressed only in his boxer briefs, he climbs on top of me, "Eden.

" He states, as I do my best to turn my face away from him.

"I'm going to give you my seed now." He tugs the nightgown up over my hips, his breath hitches as he looks down on my bare body.

"I'm going to give you as much of my seed as the Divine tells me to.

" He is rubbing his cock through the fabric of his underwear now.

"As much as I need to give you, till you are cleansed of those men…

those demons ." He hisses out with anger, rolling his briefs past his cock.

He lines his engorged tip up with my entrance.

I can't move away, I can't fight back and the fear settles into my gut. I can’t let him do this again. My nightmares for the past couple of months have been nothing but this. Him taking a piece of me again, stealing a part of my soul that I don’t consent to.

"Those demons used your innocence. They brainwashed you to abandon your people.

" He thrusts into me, hard. A muffled scream tears out of me.

He drops his head to my ear, "I'm gonna make you pure again…

I'm gonna make it so you are once again worthy in the eyes of your people. In the eyes of the Divine. For me. "

The door creaks open, footsteps echoing through the room.

"I think it's only right that the biggest demon of all bears witness to the removal of your sins."

I watch as a figure is shoved to the ground.

No.

Caramel locks coated with matted blood are in Joshua's hand, as he yanks his head back. Honey irises lock with mine.

Kameron.

No!

His eyes dart around, unfocused as they take in the scene in front of him.

His eyes are bruised and swollen. A gag is in his mouth and judging from the failed attempts to get out of Joshua's hold, I know they had to have drugged him too.

My heart cracks as I see the realization flash across his features.

The nightmare has become reality. He thrashes around trying desperately to get away.

To get to me. Muted, muffled cries that I think are my name ring through the room.

Samuel looks to Kameron, evil overtaking every inch of his cold, empty face, "Watch as I take back what was always mine."

TO BE CONTINUED