Page 26 of Hysteria Rises (Dark Falls Hollow #1)

EIGHTEEN

MALAKAI

Curiosity piques, then slithers its way down my spine.

I can’t fucking believe my eyes. I’m astounded, honestly.

Pushing my hair back off my forehead, I leave my hand on top of my head, fingers digging into my scalp like a garden rake through fresh soil.

Motherfucker chose this watch shift for a reason for sure—for his very own personal reasons.

I cock my head to the side and my lips twitch, zeroing in on the way his ass cheeks clench as he thrusts forward.

His movements are sinfully slow. Calculated.

But not wholly under his control. It’s as if he can’t even fucking help himself.

He fucking knows I’m here. Yet, he can’t stop.

Watching as his body shakes, I wet my lips.

Is he really trying to pretend like he’s asleep or some shit like that?

But then he groans … and the illusion he’s going for fades as he buries himself inside her tight little body again.

Unable to tear my eyes away, I reach down, readjusting my dick.

How is she not freaking the fuck out? By all accounts, things didn’t exactly go easy for Hayze the other night.

Not that he told me as much, but I overheard him discussing the whole thing with Cross.

My jaw clenches, and I begin to sweat, remembering everything they’d talked about—how she’d shaken and cried out.

An orgasm. They’d forced one from her before Hayze made her submit.

I guess they were paying attention during the talk Nolan had with us years ago.

I’ve always thought it was odd for him to tell us how important a woman’s orgasm was and then in the next breath, we’re sent out into the woods to gracelessly fuck whomever we can in hopes we actually succeed in knocking our women up.

My mind jerks back and forth between that conversation and what’s happening before me, and I find I really fucking wish it were me there with my cock wet.

Finally, I can’t resist messing with Arrow any longer. “You’ve got balls, man, I’ll give you that. Fucking her when none of us have the go-ahead to do as we please and you know it.”

Wetting my lips, I continue jabbing at him. “I wonder what Hayze and Cross would think if they knew what you’re up to. Hell, what will happen when the Collective catch wind of this?”

In the lowest of voices, Arrow bites out, “Shut up.”

I practically snort. “No. Cross was given special permission to assist with her exam. Hayze was told to step in for Finneas because of his absence. But you, my friend … you and I were simply to keep an eye on her and bring her food and water. Nothing more.”

My gaze moves over the quietest of the firstborn sons as he continues to fuck the girl who’s been haunting my dreams. I’ve thought about little else than sinking deep into that sweet heat.

Her wet cunt is all I can focus on. There’s something about her indignant fire that has my full attention, but the odds of her letting any of us near her are close to zero.

I lock on Arrow’s backside again. Not while she’s conscious, anyway.

I huff out a breath. This is what I get for following the stupid fucking rules.

Working my jaw to the side, I stalk closer, my lip curling as I take hold of the bars opposite them.

Eyes shifting to the side, I note the open fucking cell door.

“Planning on just letting her go or something?”

All at once, our newest woman startles awake. Holy fuck, she’d actually been asleep. Twisting, she wrenches herself from Arrow’s hold. “Oh my god! What the fuck?” She scrambles away, turning around and yanking her gown down over her lower half.

That’s a shame. I purse my lips, the image of her bare ass burned into my retinas. It’s plump like a piece of ripe fruit. Fuckin’ delectable. And I’d like nothing more than to take a bite. She glares at Arrow, and for the moment, I’m entertained enough simply watching the explosion.

“What’s wrong with you?” she gasps out, breathing hard.

Dismay drips from Twenty-three’s voice, and it makes me want to laugh, because I gave Arrow more credit than was due.

She had no fucking clue what he was up to.

She must sleep like a fucking rock because otherwise, how she wouldn’t have felt his dick plowing into her is beyond me.

We share a bedroom and a communal bathroom, I’ve seen his cock. He’s fucking huge.

Her cheeks are pink as hell, though … and that leads me to wonder how she truly feels about what he’d been up to. She sucks in a breath. “Get out! Get the fuck out!”

I watch in amusement as Arrow throws his hands up to fend her off as she lunges at him, furiously slapping.

He gets to his feet, backing toward the opening in the cell.

There’s nothing for me to do but snicker.

I lift a brow, eyeing the spitfire who’s been raising hell around here.

“You really think it’s for you to tell him to get the fuck out?

Like this is your bedroom in your castle or some shit like that, princess? ”

“What the hell is going on in here?” My father’s voice crashes into all of us with the effect of a tsunami obliterating a cute little seaside town.

It has the mirth falling away from my lips and panic coating the features of the girl’s face.

“Why is the door open?” His gaze darts, questioning, from me to Arrow before it lands on the girl.

She practically trips over herself to shuffle back against the wall as far as she can get from all three of us.

“Son. Answer me.” Kiefer’s brow raises, and he narrows his gaze. I can tell things are about to go to shit. Well, I’m not going down, too.

A drag of air reaches my lungs before I gesture to Arrow. “He was inside the cell when I got here to check on her.”

“Is that right?”

I fold my arms over my chest, my head bobbing. Arrow’s got his back to us, but it’s fairly obvious he’s still tucking his dick into his pants.

“Come here.” The girl watches with wide eyes as Arrow exits the cell to stand before Kiefer. “Don’t lie to me. Did you put your cock inside her?”

Her intake of air is audible, but interestingly, she doesn’t say a goddamn word.

Makes a fair amount of sense, really. She’s been here for days now, and I can tell she’s intelligent—too fuckin’ whip-smart to have not figured out by now that it’s better to keep her mouth shut as she acclimates to this environment and how to survive the men here.

Some women learn faster than others. And that’s why some last longer.

My father’s brow raises as he looks from Twenty-three to Arrow, then when there’s no response from either, he storms into the cell and hauls her off the floor.

He turns, his gaze pinning Arrow with daggers.

“You will wait in the gathering room until we return. I’ll have a word with the others, and we’ll discuss your punishment.

Understood?” A moment later, he’s spun around, and with a gasp of dismay from her, he disappears down the hall.

My jaw locked tight, I stare at Arrow who looks like he’s going to absolutely lose his shit in the next ten seconds. He strides toward me, stopping on the other side of the bars. There’s an uncharacteristic snarl marring his lips. Hands to his head, he heaves out, “What have you done?”

My breathing is unsteady as I stare into his pale-blue eyes. “What have I done? What did you do, my friend?” I shake my head, then march off in pursuit of my father to see what’s going on. He doesn’t follow.

By the time I reach the women’s quarters, Kiefer is nowhere in sight. I take the stairs to the main floor two at a time, my heart near bursting. At the landing, I almost crash directly into Cross.

“Whoa,” he chuckles, putting his hands up between us. “What’s got your drawers up your ass?” His hazel eyes glint as they skirt over my features, but there’s no way in fuck he’s getting a damn thing out of me.

“Did you see which direction Kiefer went?” I shift in an attempt at sidestepping him, but the dick blocks my path. I shove past, but he stops me again, cocking his head to one side and eyeing me warily.

“Yeah.” He gestures toward the door. “Your old man took off outside with Twenty-three. Told me to stay here.” Before I can take another step, his hand clamps down on my shoulder in a firm, unrelenting grip. “He said all of us should stay here. What’s going on?”

Impatience practically vibrates from me, and I give an angry bellow as I shrug him off, throwing a glare over my shoulder.

This guy. Ever since I arrived here, he’s got his nose in my fucking business.

He’s always right where I am at every goddamn turn.

But I can’t afford to worry about him right this second.

My breath heaves out as an internal battle plays out within me.

Do I find out what Kiefer’s planning to do with the girl?

Stand back and watch what transpires from a safe distance?

Do I mention what went on downstairs in the cell or what the potential ramifications could be?

My father has a short fuckin’ temper on the best of days.

And this sure as fuck isn’t one of those.

So, no I won’t say anything right now. I’ll bring it up later.

Or I won’t. Whatever I decide is in my best interest at the time.

Gritting my teeth, my eyes flash as they connect with his.

“Maybe tell your boy to stick to what we’re told to do.

You know, like what has been hammered into me every motherfucking day since I arrived in this hellhole.

” The look of surprise and confusion on Cross’s face is worth every second I waste delivering the message to him. “Now, fuck off.”

Pivoting on my heel, I hurry to the side door and haul it open.

The temperature is decidedly cool, and the morning mist that so often shrouds our compound lies heavy in the air.

It’s actually more of a fog than anything else, but it’s damn fucking hard to see much beyond ten feet in front of my face.

I turn my head one way, then the other, searching for …

what, I haven’t any idea. I see no one. But then, I sense movement in my periphery, followed by an excited whoop off in the distance.

“Couldn’t stay inside like I told you to, huh?”

My head snaps toward my father’s voice, finding him standing a ways down against the stone exterior of the building eyeing me with a frown.

I drag a steadying breath into my lungs, treading cautiously.

“I only wanted to offer my help, sir.” There’s a stirring deep inside that tells me what happened today will be a new beginning.

Whether that’s a good thing or not remains to be seen …

but the ghoulish cast to my father’s gaze as he stares off into the forest is terrifying.

He raises a brow. “You wanted to help? Son, I have something you can do for us.” He pauses, studying me. “But what remains to be seen is if you’re up to the task.” His lip curls.

My throat going dry, I nod. “Of course I am. You can trust me.”

He takes a deep breath, beady eyes scanning over me from head to toe. “Well, if that’s true. And if you’re able to prove that you truly belong here—today—beyond a shadow of a doubt … then perhaps more things will go your way in the near future.”

I stare at him, unflinching. “You know I’ll do whatever you need of me. I want this way of life.”

Eyeing me intently, he finally gives a nod. “Follow. Honor. Nourish. Kneel.”

I drop to my knees and bow my head.