25. Chloe
Chloe
SEVEN MONTHS LATER
I t’s strange being back here. After killing Father Daniels, I never intended to return to the convent, but Zack was right.
I wasn’t content leaving the girls alone here with these monsters any longer.
Lucky for me, I have the best fiancé who isn’t afraid to get his hands bloody.
Neither am I. And what better time to get revenge than the night of our wedding?
Zack and I wait in the shadows outside the chapel for the Fathers to appear. It’s the middle of the night and a chill runs through the air. I had forgotten how cold it gets here. I pull my thick, black cloak tighter around my shoulders as I impatiently pace back and forth in the darkness.
They should be here any second.
“It’ll all work out. If they don’t come out here, then we’ll just have to sneak inside and slaughter them in their beds.
” Zack grips my shoulders reassuringly and presses me back against the rough stone wall of the building.
There’s a hungry look in his eyes, and I have to ignore it for now even though I really don’t want to.
“That’s going to be so much more riskier. I need to get to the girls without causing a massive panic. If just one person sees us, then?—”
He cuts me off with a deep kiss. Fuck, he tastes so good. There’s something about tonight that’s making him more irresistible than usual.
“Darlin’, don’t forget what else tonight is.” He gives me the widest grin.
Our wedding night.
My stomach flutters with excitement. “That’s impossible to forget.”
“You really think I wouldn’t give you the best damn wedding in the world? Our guests will come, and everything will go to plan. How about I distract you while we wait?” He slips his hands under my cloak and grabs my waist. His thumbs stroke against my hip bones and start to stray lower.
“Hands off.” I shove at his chest and flip us so he’s pressed to the wall. “You’re not seeing my dress until I’m walking down the aisle.”
“I bet it’s sexy as fuck. Give me a little tease. Just a flash.” He pouts and tugs at my cloak.
I wrap my hands around the back of his neck and push up onto my tiptoes. Even in my heels I’m still not tall enough to match his height.
“No,” I say before biting his lower lip.
He groans and I drag my hands lower, down the smooth fabric of his black suit. It fits him to perfection. He’s my shadow dressed all in black with a halo of white hair. He’s slicked it back with gel, and the whole sight of him has my mouth watering .
I’m eager for another kiss, but I hear a low murmur of voices, and my blood turns ice cold. My body completely freezes, and I forget how to breathe.
“It’s okay, you’re strong enough to do this, Chloe,” Zack reassures me, and I nod slowly.
“Those voices…They…they make me remember it all.”
“Good. Use those memories to help you give them what they deserve.”
Detaching myself from him, I peer around the corner of the chapel.
A dozen men dressed in black robes are coming this way.
Some of them chat among themselves with sick smiles on their faces, others stare straight ahead like they’re on a casual evening stroll.
The two at the back have their hands on a girl’s shoulders.
Her hands are clasped to her chest in prayer, her head pointed down as she’s led to hell.
Is this her first time or does she know what’s about to happen to her?
My palms sting, and I realize I’ve been squeezing my fists, digging my nails into my palms like I used to. I want to run over there and kill them all on the spot.
“Calm, little sinner.” Zack squeezes my shoulders and leans down to whisper in my ear, “Let them get inside, and then we can begin.”
He’s right. We’ve planned it all out. I just need to be patient.
Funny how he’s the one with his head screwed on this time.
Just like I knew they would, the Fathers and the girl head inside the chapel. The doors close with a heavy thud, and then I hear the lock click into place.
“What if they don’t drink the wine this time? They could already be hurting her. ”
“I’m afraid you’re just going to need a little faith, little sinner. This will all work out, I promise.”
We wait a few long and agonizing minutes before we make our move.
Earlier this evening, Zack and I entered the chapel to spike the communion wine with enough sleeping pills and LSD to immobilize all of the men.
From my past experiences here, the Fathers always have their fill of wine while they sit with their chosen girl, telling her how God has spoken to them, and that she’ll be filled with his light.
I remember the first time they said that to me, and I believed them. My mom had recently died, and I longed for any comfort. I thought those men could be actual father figures. As soon as I had nothing left, they stopped hiding their true intentions.
“It’s time,” Zack says softly. I look up into his caring eyes, and all the bad disappears. This man is the only person I’ll ever trust. I’m thankful for whatever brought us together, be it luck, fate or divine intervention.
Heading around to the back door, we quietly slip inside.
Zack fetches the duffel bag full of rope and knives that we hid here earlier and slings it over his shoulder.
He hands me a knife, and I pull my hood up as we make our way through the cold, musty rooms toward the main hall.
The door is slightly ajar, and the candles on the wall sconces help me to see a little inside.
A few figures stumble around, and others are slumped in the pews.
I push open the door just enough to see where the girl is.
She’s standing in only her underwear in front of the altar, trembling. Wine goblets are scattered around the feet of the men. None of them know what’s going on. The ones still standing can barely walk straight .
It worked.
I smile back at Zack who winks at me.
“Better get started. We have a wedding to attend.”
I take a deep breath, and straighten my spine.
This is it.
The heavy, wooden door creaks as I push it open, and my heels click against the stone floor. All heads turn my way as I step inside. Their faces are filled with confusion as they try to see who I am underneath the hood.
“What…what’s going on? This is a sacred place, you can’t just enter without invitation.
” I recognize the man as Father Stone. He’s old and frail, so I’m not worried he’ll hurt me.
He doesn’t stand a chance getting near me with Zack looking out for me, anyway.
A swift shadow rushes past me and Zack shoves the man into the nearest pew.
He groans and tries to get up. The man next to him, a new Father I don’t recognize, attempts to help him, but Zack stabs him in the gut and knocks him back down. Father Stone shrinks into the seat in fear as Zack starts to tie them both up.
Another Father tries sneaking up behind him, but I get to him first and plunge my blade into his ribs, leaving it there. He doubles over in pain, and I grab him by the collar to pull him to the pews next to Zack. Once he’s finished with the first two Fathers, he secures the one I just left.
Half a dozen of the men are knocked out by the drugs already, and only three remain on their feet.
Well, two of them are on their asses as pleas for their God to save them tumble from their mouths.
They’re all so pathetic. I was just a girl, a child, when they first terrified me into submission.
Now, I’m a monster of their making ready to watch them all tremble in fear.
“Somebody, please save us! Please, God, please!” The final Father runs to the main doors—he’s a young man I don’t recognize, perhaps he’s Father Daniels’ replacement. I step forward to stop him, but Zack stands in my way.
“I’ve got this one, darlin’. You go help her and the others. I’ll finish up here and be waiting for you at the altar when you’re ready.” He grabs the back of my head and kisses me. Both of us draw blood as we devour each other with our love.
It pains me to pull away from him, but our brief separation will be so worth it in the end.
The Father hammers against the door and frantically searches his robes for a key as Zack stalks up behind him.
Someone grabs my arm, and I startle, my head whipping around to face them.
“Who are you?” Teary eyes bore into me as the girl clutches desperately to my sleeve. She holds her clothes to her front with her other hand.
I let myself relax and give her a reassuring smile. “That doesn’t matter. What’s important is if you’re willing to put an end to all of this?”
She quickly looks around us at all the violence then nods. “I want to go home.”
I have to pry her hand off me, she’s holding on that tight. She stands there unmoving, staring at the Fathers.
“Don’t look at them. They’ll be dead soon. Put your clothes back on and we can leave.”
She gives me another shaky nod, and I end up having to help her dress. Once she’s ready, I take hold of her hand and lead her out of the back exit.
It’s deathly quiet outside compared to the cacophonous groans of suffering that echo inside.
“What’s your name?” I ask the girl as we hurry across the grass to the dormitories .
“Eliza.”
We reach the doors, and I ask, “Do you have family outside of here?”
“Yeah, my dad.”
“Is he better than here?”
“I think so. He has a drinking problem, but he’s never hurt me.” She swallows loudly. Her eyes welling with more tears. “Were they really going to…to…”
“Rape you? Yes. That’s what they do. You’re lucky they hadn’t already?—”
She sobs, and I stop.
“How old are you?”
“Seventeen.”
A bitter taste floods my mouth, and I swallow it back along with the memories that try to assault me.
“Just be careful when you’re on the outside. All those sick things the Fathers were about to do to you, all men are capable of them. Don’t let your guard down.”
We reach the bottom of the stairwell to the girls’ dorms. Before I can place my foot on the first step, a faint light appears at the end of the hall.