Page 28 of Hysteria Rises (Dark Falls Hollow #1)

TWENTY

HAYZE

Oh fuck. Arrow’s face has gone pale. I glance at Cross.

Neither of us knows if there’s any truth to this.

But— I blink. I can’t fucking imagine after the night I claimed Twenty-three that she’d actively tempt Arrow like they’re accusing her of.

It simply doesn’t fit. My gaze shifts, studying every stubborn inch of her expressive face.

She refuses to speak, and her anger permeates the entire room.

Our eyes connect, and all at once, I’m assaulted by memories of the way she’d shaken and cried out for me.

Of the pretty pink color still high on her cheeks as I slid from her body, spent.

And of the intense hatred she’d spewed following the act.

The spilling of my seed inside her—for me, it’d been mind-altering.

For her, possibly the same, but I suspect for different reasons.

This isn’t the time for it, but I begin to grow hard as my gaze roves over Twenty-three again.

She’s dressed in a shift that covers her to the middle of her thigh, hair a bit wild from her attempt at escape.

It’s tangled in a knot on top of her head, wispy pieces framing her delicate features.

Would she have actively attempted to seduce Arrow? I think that’s the right word.

Inwardly, I groan because I doubt that’s how it happened.

It’s way more fucking likely that whatever transpired between her and Arrow had everything to do with him.

I’ve known my friend since birth, and he’s been absorbed by the idea of Twenty-three from the moment she stumbled into our lives.

Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to let him handle checking on her during the night.

But why would the Collective claim she is at fault?

“Arrow,” Henry’s deep voice booms, jarring me from my thoughts.

“Tell us the truth. Now.” Arrow’s father has grown red in the face.

He’s an interesting cross between anger and embarrassment.

I’ve never fucking seen him like this. It’s unsettling.

Then again, I can’t remember a time when Arrow has ever stepped out of line.

My friend shifts on his feet, catching the back of his neck with one hand.

He tugs on it, as if pained, then slowly nods.

His voice is rough as his truth tumbles forth.

“I was there to look in on her. I—” His swallow is audible as he turns his head, glancing down upon Twenty-three’s blonde knot of hair. “I could not help myself.”

“Let me be sure we have this right.” Henry runs his hand down the bottom portion of his lightly bearded face. “Son, you’re saying you engaged in sexual intercourse outside the established parameters. You were unable to resist her advances.”

The girl glances up, eyes wide. She wets her lips, pursing them, but remains silent.

Interesting. I can see the cogs of a complex machine turning in her head—like the ones I’ve only studied in books.

My best guess is she’s trying to decipher how our commune is run and what her best course of action might be.

That’d be the smart thing to do, anyway. It’s what I’d do.

Kiefer gives a definitive nod, pointing at her. “She did, in fact, trick him into participating in acts we reserve for the most sacred of times. Devious little cunt.”

I sense that things are about to go south before Twenty-three even opens her mouth. She takes a deep breath, glaring. “I was asleep, you fucking dickhead.” Her chin tips upward, eyes narrowing as she scans the room, then makes eye contact with Arrow. “I didn’t—”

“Be quiet!” Henry thunders. “You invited my son into that cell with you.” A vein pops out on his forehead. “He will pay for his lack of control.”

Eyes wild, she shakes her head. “But there were—”

Before she can finish, Kiefer has closed in, his hand on her throat, fingers squeezing. “Not another lying word from your mouth.”

Seemingly in disbelief over this entire debacle, Nolan shakes his head.

“Let’s get on with this. Arrow’s admitted what he’s done and that he knew it was wrong.

He must accept the consequences. And Twenty-three not only was instrumental in creating this problem, but she ran.

She will be punished as well. Are we in agreement? ”

There’s a low rumble of approval, to which I tersely nod. Where the fuck is my father?

Fiery blue eyes practically bleed panic as they find mine, pleading. She quickly shakes her head. “No. I didn’t run. I was told—”

“Don’t make things worse.” Henry chuckles softly.

“If you hadn’t chosen to fight us at every turn, you’d know the way of the compound by now.

Instead, you rebel. You are worth nothing to us like this.

And who knows what you did to trick Arrow and lead him down this path.

” He nods. “Now my son will pay for your wickedness.”

“You’re fucking crazy,” Twenty-three boldly mutters, lifting her head, eyes blazing with hatred. “The entire group of you. Absolutely off-your-goddamn-rockers insane.”

“Watch your mouth, girl,” Kiefer growls, his voice lethal. “You speak with a fearless tongue. You’d do well to rethink that.”

Her face morphs from indignation to fear in a split second, and she sucks in a breath, eyeing him warily.

Nolan glances between them, then slices a hand through the air. “Enough. I think it’s best if we proceed. Hayze, on your feet. Your father would have done the honors. Instead, you will.”

From the startled look on Cross’s face, he isn’t any more aware than I am of what’s about to happen.

Makes sense. Our fathers very seldom ask for our opinions, much less our participation.

We do as we’re asked and mostly know what’s to be expected because our lives never veer too far from the beaten path.

We’ve always been taught that it is through our obedience and steadfastness to our commune that we would later be granted full rights to our lives here.

But this … this is a whole new era that we seem to be ushering in—with me taking my father’s place.

It has me feeling out of sorts. With my jaw tight, I join Nolan where he’s pulled a wood chair from the side of the room and has turned it to face the couch.

“I think twenty lashes will suffice.” His gaze bounces from Henry to Kiefer—who both nod—and then to me.

I exhale hard as a cold sweat breaks out over my skin.

I know better than to question Nolan, Kiefer, and Henry’s authority.

None of us have ever been involved in doling out any sort of punishment.

It’s simply not and hasn’t ever been our place to do so.

But now … Nolan slaps the cat-o’-nine-tails into my palm. Oh fuck.

Behind me, Cross whispers, “What the fuck is happening?”

My heart jerks erratically in my chest with every beat.

No. I glance at Twenty-three and Arrow, then run my free hand through my hair, slowly shaking my head as I attempt in vain to get a better hold on myself.

It’s still unclear what is being asked of me.

Twenty lashes. But who will receive them?

With my gut twisting uncomfortably, I wait with bated breath.

“Arrow, get up,” Henry murmurs. “Straddle the chair backward. Face the girl.” The command in his voice is unmistakable. And I’m certain Nolan and Kiefer left Henry to force his own son to endure this on purpose.

This is my fault. I exhale hard. Arrow has trouble sleeping, so when he said he was willing to go down to the cellar in the middle of the night, I hadn’t thought twice about it. I should have known better.

Kiefer bends at the waist to look Arrow directly in the eye. “You have the wrong idea about who this girl is to you. No matter what fanciful notion you have in your head—She. Belongs. To us.” Those last few words spit from his lips, each firing like a bullet. Lethal.

In a low voice, Henry firmly states, “Son, you know this. They aren’t to be touched unless we give that permission.”

Arrow’s lips twitch like he wants very badly to speak, and it’s anyone’s guess what’d come out.

I catch his attention with a sharp jerk of my head.

He can’t choose now to let his true feelings run rampant.

I’m suddenly convinced that whatever he has to say would be disastrous to let out now of all times.

I silently beg, Please, Arrow. Please wait until we can talk.

I’m still trying to make sense of what’s happening when Kiefer points at Malakai and gestures that he should come forward as well.

He joins his father, and a moment later, Kiefer collars the back of his son’s neck, roughly pulling him close before whispering in his ear.

Mal flinches, jerking back, then stares at Kiefer before shifting to look at Nolan, then Henry.

What the hell did he say to him? Malakai is a ruthless bastard at times, so the idea that he’d have this reaction makes me even more nervous.

His eyes only briefly flick over to me as his lips part.

“I—” His mouth snaps shut, jaw going rigid without ever voicing his thought.

He exhales hard through his nose, eyes drifting to Twenty-three where she remains kneeling on the floor. “I’m ready.”

Pulling a length of rope from his pocket, Kiefer quickly yanks the girls’ hands behind her.

She lets out a gasp, gaze crashing with mine, the light in her eyes dimming.

By the time he has her wrists bound, all the air has been squeezed from my lungs.

All the pieces click into place. Only now do I understand the full extent of what’s about to happen.

They’ll both be punished at the same time—Arrow in more than one way.

A stern mask has come down over Henry’s face, hiding whatever his true feelings are about this entire mess, and he crosses his arms over his broad chest as he huffs out, “Arrow, do you understand why this is happening, son?”

“I—” He draws in a ragged breath, pale eyes focusing on the girl before him. “Yes,” he bites out. “I accept my correction.” A rough swallow moves down the column of Arrow’s throat as he glances up at me.

I take a few deep breaths and attempt to convey with a single look what’s in my head.

I’m sorry. My jaw works back and forth as my chest clenches.

I don’t know how I’m going to do this. But I will because it’s my place to do so.

Yet again, I’m left wondering about the timing of my father’s disappearance.

My gaze skirts to Cross to get a read on his thoughts.

If he has any at all, he’s keeping them close to his chest. I don’t blame him, and keeping his opinions to himself is nothing new.

We’ll talk when we get on the other side of this.

I’m wrenched from my thoughts as Malakai kneels behind the girl, resting his hands on his thighs.

He’s an enigma, and most of the time, it’s hard to tell what he’s thinking, but even more so now.

My eyes narrow as I observe the way his lower lip is caught between his teeth. He lets out a slow exhale.

Cocking his head to the side, Kiefer flatly states, “You brought her back and have earned the right. But you’ll do as I said now, or I’ll do it.” After a slight pause he continues. “Go on, son. Exactly as I instructed.”

Malakai gives a firm nod then lifts Twenty-three’s dress.

“No,” she whimpers, practically pitching forward onto her face as she flinches away from him.

Grimacing, he spits on his fingers before running them between her legs.

She freezes in place at the contact. And true to what I’d expect of her at this point, she stares woodenly at the floor before unleashing her feelings on the matter.

After a wretched, gasping breath, she mutters, “I hope I get out of here someday so I can report you sick fucks.”

“Enough, girl,” Kiefer grinds out. “Malakai, Hayze, there have been enough theatrics.”

Making quick work of unfastening his pants, Malakai pulls out his stiff cock, and his eyes lift to meet Arrow’s before he growls, “What’s mine is yours.

And what’s yours is mine.” His eyes hold a vicious gleam as he notches his dick at her entrance.

He only hesitates a split second while she shakes her head wildly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“You can’t. Don’t,” she whimpers as tears flow down her cheeks unchecked.

“Get on with it.” I don’t specifically know if Kiefer’s speaking to me or Malakai as my gaze is focused on the hellish events unfolding before my eyes—events I’m about to partake in.

Dread turns my stomach. I lift my arm. And swing downward.

The whip practically whistles through the air before it greets Arrow’s back with a sharp-sounding crack.

I feel it cut deep into my very soul at the same time Malakai thrusts into Twenty-three.

I wince as she cries out, her body falling forward, her cheek meeting the wood planks of the floor.

Arrow mumbles only a single word, “One,” as he begins to count out his punishment.

My teeth grind, hating every second of this.

I train my eyes on Arrow’s reddening skin as I raise and lower my hand over and over again.

From this angle, I can tell he hasn’t taken his eyes from Twenty-three.

And when we’re in the thick of it, I pause for a moment, straightening, taking a few paces to the side so I can see my friend’s—my brother’s—face, and I swear he mouths two words. Sorry, siren.

Malakai continues, a muscle at the back of his jaw giving a vicious twitch with every sob that erupts from the girl’s lips.

Without asking for anyone’s input or permission, I make the decision to finish as quickly as possible while the rest bear witness to this terror. I lift my arm and bring it back down, counting for Arrow when he can no longer manage to.

By the time it’s over, there’s a thick silence in the room and the metallic taint of blood permeates the air.

And then Arrow looks up before meeting the gaze of each member of the Collective … and me. My gut twists as he manages to deliver the words expected of him. “Thank you for correcting me.”