Page 14 of Kraken (Hades Abyss MC #4: Mississippi Chapter)

Phoebe

The Prospect kept twitching, at first just his fingers, then I noticed him pacing and muttering to himself.

I didn’t claim to be an excerpt on behavior, but he seemed off.

Not just anxious over the current circumstances.

More like something else was going on. I glanced around, wondering if anyone else noticed.

The others were watching TV or talking. Despite what Kraken had said, I still felt like an outsider.

What had they called this guy? Morgan?

I wondered how long he’d been with the club.

It was obvious they trusted him, since he’d been left down here with us.

I couldn’t shake the feeling something bad was about to happen, and this guy was tied to it.

Being around Deuce’s club, I’d learned to watch for signs of impending doom -- usually mine.

This guy’s presence had everything inside me screaming I should run.

I couldn’t. I’d seen how this place was accessed, and there was no getting out unless a club member came to release us. Which meant Morgan was stuck down here with us too. I didn’t like that idea, at all. Speaking to the other ladies about it wouldn’t be wise. Not if Morgan could hear us.

I edged closer to Mara, hoping I could speak to her without drawing attention to myself. She’d decided to make everyone food and stood at the counter, chopping vegetables. I turned my back to Morgan and lowered my voice.

“We may have trouble,” I said.

The knife paused a moment before she resumed cutting. “What’s that?”

“The Prospect. He seems twitchy. I think something’s up.”

“Your man wouldn’t have put him down here with you if he’d thought the guy was trouble,” she said. Nothing I hadn’t considered myself. “Sure you aren’t making more out of this than there is?”

“It’s a feeling I have. I learned to trust my instincts when I lived with the Sadistic Saints. It kept me alive. Kept Ember alive, for that matter.”

“If there is something wrong, we’re all sitting ducks,” she said. “We just need to have faith in our men. They’ll protect us like they always do.”

I wished I had her faith. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Kraken, or the others.

But I knew the men they were up against. Deuce’s crew didn’t play by the rules.

They were underhanded, dirty, and got off on pain and suffering.

I knew Kraken had killed Deuce, but could he take on the entire club?

Leviathan was even worse. The VP would come for me. If anyone did, it would be him.

Somewhere above, there was a loud boom that made the very walls vibrate around us. My eyes went wide as I watched Morgan. His gaze flew to the steel door, and I knew he was anticipating something, but was it because of the noise upstairs, or something else?

Morgan’s phone rang and he answered, talking low at first, then louder. “I can’t! I don’t have access. Only patched members can get in here. It takes a damn retina scan.”

He muttered something else, then hung up the phone.

My gut clenched and bile rose in my throat.

He was working with the Sadistic Saints.

I had no doubts to that, but I didn’t understand why.

What was in it for him? Kraken’s men were so much better than Deuce’s crew.

Why would anyone want to be with those assholes?

Unless they were holding something over his head.

I wouldn’t put it past them. We still needed to find MaryAnne, assuming they still had her.

The two teen boys were alert, casting glances toward Morgan and the door every few minutes. It seemed they’d overheard. Even though they were the size of full-grown men, I hoped they didn’t try to do anything heroic. If someone did breach the bunker, I didn’t want any of these people dying.

It felt like hours passed, but I knew it hadn’t been very long.

Booted steps sounded outside the metal door, and when it opened I knew my hell was just beginning.

Two of the Sadistic Saints came in, tossing aside a set of eyes that I really didn’t want to contemplate.

I pressed back against the counter, wishing there was a way to run, to get Ember and just disappear.

I caught the gaze of the boys and shook my head, letting them know not to interfere.

It was my hope they’d take me and leave everyone else.

These women hadn’t done anything to deserve this.

Neither had I, but at least I’d survived it before.

Kraken had called me the queen, and I was going to take that to heart.

Sometimes a queen had to sacrifice herself to save her people.

Morgan pointed my way. My heart slammed against my ribs and I heard Ember crying. I didn’t dare look her way. I knew Jordan had her and would protect her at all costs. If they had to take me, then at least my daughter would be safe. Kraken would take care of her.

The men advanced on me. I lashed out with my fists and kicked at them, but the bastards only laughed at me.

“Look, our favorite little toy grew a backbone,” Pitch said with a grin. “It will be fun breaking you all over again. How many of us can you take at once? I’ve forgotten.”

I closed my eyes and fought not to pass out. They meant to reenact my first night with them. I’d survived it once, but I didn’t know if I could do it again.

Screwball grabbed his crotch. “We’re gonna fuck you so good. Make you scream. Make you bleed.”

I saw Jordan moving closer, and I held a hand out to her.

I didn’t need anyone else getting hurt. These bastards wanted me, and they wouldn’t stop until they had me.

I wasn’t special. Not to them. They got off on the pain they caused.

I’d been their favorite punching bag, their favorite little victim.

Kraken had shown me what life should be like, that good men still existed.

I only hoped he’d be able to move on when I was gone.

There was no way they’d let me live this time.

I turned my head, holding Jordan’s gaze. “Tell Kraken I’m sorry. Tell him…”

I shook my head and went with the Sadistic Saints.

Fighting wouldn’t get me anywhere. They dragged me up the stairs and outside the barn.

Pitch tossed me over his shoulder and made a run for the tree line.

They stuck to the shadows, moving swiftly through the compound.

In the dark recesses of the compound, Screwball peeled back the fence.

Pitch ducked through with me, and Screwball followed.

A truck waited nearby. They tossed me into the backseat before getting in and taking off.

I’m so sorry, Kraken. I love you.

I pressed my hand to the window and watched the Hades Abyss compound get smaller and smaller.

The truck hit the open highway and picked up speed, heading back to hell.

It wasn’t long before the sound of motorcycles filled the air and several Sadistic Saints zipped past us, with a few hanging back.

The club Treasurer, Brimstone, winked at me as he flew by. I really hated these men.

“Running off like that was stupid,” Pitch said. “Your ass is owned by our club.”

“I’m not anyone’s property,” I said. “Not with the Sadistic Saints. I belong to Kraken.”

Pitch turned to glare at me. “You’d be wise to never mention that fucker again. He killed Deuce. Carved him up. Left him on the bar for us to find.”

“He was only protecting me,” I said.

“Look how that turned out. Now we get to punish you. Not only for running off, but for your man killing our Pres. Shouldn’t have done it, Phoebe. You’re club pussy. You know your damn place. On your back with your legs spread.”

I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to cry.

I knew what was coming. It wouldn’t be pretty.

Would hurt a hell of a lot. They wouldn’t go easy on me.

Still, I loved the time I’d spent with Kraken, and I hoped he wouldn’t come for me.

It would be a suicide mission. I didn’t know if Morgan had stayed behind.

If he had, would he hurt the others? He wouldn’t want to risk the women telling the Hades Abyss what happened.

The miles passed and eventually, we pulled up to the Sadistic Saints’ clubhouse.

Pitch got out and yanked me from the backseat.

I stumbled as he dragged me into the clubhouse and threw me on the sticky floor.

The few who’d remained behind crowded around.

Looking in their eyes, I saw evil. If these men had souls, they’d been burned away long ago.

“Strip her,” Brimstone said.

“What about Leviathan?” one of the men asked. “He’ll want to have some fun with her.”

Brimstone shook his head. “He’ll get here when he can. This is all we’ve got right now. Everyone else is teaching those sorry bastards a lesson. Time to get the party going.”

Pitch reached down and started cutting my clothes off with a sharp blade.

The smile he gave me set a chill inside me, bone deep.

He flipped the knife in his hand a few times, then grabbed a fistful of my hair.

“I think you need a reminder of who you are. Every time you look in the mirror, you’ll remember. ”

He sliced down my cheek, and I screamed out. The way he laughed, I knew it’s what he’d wanted. My pain. Humiliation. He ran the blade down my other cheek, then went back to the first. I felt the blood drip down my face. Pitch shifted and looked at the others.

“Hold her.”

Hands closed around my arms and legs, someone pressed their weight down on my shoulders.

I couldn’t see through my tears, didn’t know who was surrounding me.

The blade dug into my chest. Blackness rolled across my vision.

Pitch took his time, carving me up like a piece of meat.

My blood soaked the floor and gathered in my hair.

I felt the jab of a needle in my arm, then bliss. No, no, no .

“That’s it. Good girl, Phoebe,” Brimstone crooned. “Toss her in her room. We’ll give the others a little time to get here. Then we’ll teach the bitch a lesson she’ll never forget.”

Someone lifted me, carried me down the hall, then threw me onto a mattress.

I floated, a haze settling over me where time had no meaning.

I was vaguely aware of raised voices. I rolled to my side, knowing I needed to clean up.

The last thing I wanted was infection to set in.

Assuming I survived this, anyway. If I didn’t, then it wouldn’t matter.

I managed to get to my feet and staggered my way into the bathroom.

The sight of my face horrified me, but it was the word he’d etched into my chest that nearly broke me.

Whore . The cuts were deep enough I knew they’d scar, especially since I couldn’t properly treat them.

Despite the burn from the soap, I cleaned my wounds best I could, even though I tumbled to the floor multiple times.

The drugs coursing through my veins made me feel like I’d walked into one of those funhouse tunnels, with everything spinning around me.

I rubbed ointment into the wounds before collapsing on the floor. The darkness crept in, until I tumbled into nothingness, my last thoughts of Kraken and my sweet Ember.