7. Alexis
Alexis
It took me over an hour to fall back asleep last night, tossing and turning, unable to get comfortable and slow my racing mind.
I don’t know which was more embarrassing, the fact that I pleasured myself in my sleep or that I got off on the thought of Derek breaking into my apartment and taking advantage of me.
Staring up at the ceiling, I ran my fingers through my matted hair and tugged at the strands. This was fucking ridiculous.
I kicked the duvet off of me and stormed into the bathroom to shower. Derek wasn’t even here and still managed to put me in a pissy mood.
I showered—aggressively—and then changed into a simple outfit of yoga shorts and a T-shirt.
When I entered the kitchen, I noticed a new vase of black roses sitting in the middle of the island counter and another red envelope leaning against it .
That wasn’t there when I got home last night…
I furrowed my brows as I approached the counter and picked up the sealed envelope. It looked no different than the last one, with the same black wax seal, a white rabbit, and a red letter A in the center of it.
Opening the envelope, I pulled out the cream-colored card stock. Again, the image on the back was a wine-stained circle and a painted red letter A. Flipping the card over, I read what was inscribed on the back.
I released a held breath and rested my forearms on the counter, hanging my head in what felt like relief. This was it then, another nail in my fucked up coffin.
I had sold my life to Charlotte and was released from that contract when Atlas killed her, so why was I so quick to sell my freedom all over again? It may be the need for a purpose bigger than myself—the need to be feared among men—a force to be reckoned with.
Lifting my head, I reached for the envelope again and pulled out the strip of paper, noting the location of my meeting.
I entered the coordinates into my phone, and at first glance, it looked as though the address was in the middle of a street, but after searching a little deeper, I found that it pointed to an underground tunnel that ran along the riverfront.
Specifically, a headrace tunnel underneath St. Anthony Main. It was an interesting choice of location for a simple meeting.
The headrace tunnels were used in the nineteenth century to divert water from the river above St. Anthony Falls to the various flour mills.
Now, they are the underworld of Minneapolis and, apparently, my meeting point with Anathema.
It almost begged the question of whether they had recently established their hideout in the tunnels or if it had always been there and gone unnoticed after all this time.
Tapping the corner of my phone against my lips, I chewed on my cheek. I had two days to make a final decision on whether to follow through with my plans or not. Showing up for this meeting would confirm my acceptance of their invitation, and once I did, there would be no turning back.
I dropped my phone on the counter, cursed, and speared my hands through my hair, pulling at the roots in utter frustration.
The one person I could talk to about this made it abundantly clear that they didn’t want me involved with Anathema and told me to stay away from them.
I was shit out of luck for help and ultimately alone in this life-altering decision.
Unknowing of what to expect, I dressed myself head to toe in all black, from my combat boots to my thick leather jacket; it was always a solid choice—the outfit we always wore on assignments for Charlotte.
Squaring my shoulders, I entered the headrace system through the basement of an abandoned building and followed my GPS to the coordinates I had saved earlier.
My reception was patchy, and my location kept going in and out the entire time.
I couldn’t help but feel like I could lose cell service completely and get lost down here.
The tunnels were cold and damp, and the smell of stagnant water overwhelmed my senses. Using my phone as a flashlight, I continued exploring, stopping once I had approached the coordinate marker I had been given .
Holding the light against my surroundings, there was nothing here. I was standing in the middle of a tunnel with no additional exits or passageways. The walls were marked with graffiti, but nothing that stood out as being related to Anathema.
When I checked the time on my screen, it was five minutes to midnight, and no one was here but me. I was alone in the dark, with nothing but the sounds of dripping water echoing on either side of me.
Fuck, this was creepy as hell.
If the overwhelming thought of initiation, selling your soul, or just how fucked up these people were, in general, didn’t scare you off from committing yourself to them, these tunnels alone would do that for you.
Warm air brushed across the back of my neck, causing the hairs to stand up, and I spun around, looking to see where it had come from or if anyone had snuck up behind me.
That was one of the biggest problems when it came to the dark; it could disorient and fuck with your head. Remove one sense—sight—and your others heighten to compensate.
The invitation instructed me to come unarmed and alone; I did and regretted every single second of it. If anything were to go wrong right now, I was completely fucked.
I felt the warm breeze caress the back of my neck again and growled, bearing my teeth.
Okay, fuck this.
“Quit fucking around with me; I’m here just as requested,” I yelled into the darkness .
Someone was here; I could feel it. Eyes lingering on my every move, enjoying the sight of me wriggling like a worm on a hook. “Show yourself, or I’m leaving,” I added, spinning around once more. I’ll be damned to be a mouse cornered so easily.
“Oh, come now, Alexis. We should be allowed to have some fun with our initiates from time to time. How would we know if you were worthy of joining us without ever testing your limits to their fullest extent?”
My breath hitched. I knew that voice, one that I hadn’t heard in over two fucking years. Fear and unease were lost to me; I was burning with rage as I turned and faced where the voice had come from.
“What the fuck are you doing here… Adrian .” I hissed, straightening myself, no longer intimidated by the darkness surrounding us. His name felt like acid on my tongue. I fisted my free hand, shining my phone’s light directly in his face.
Adrian chuckled and held his hand up to block the light from his eyes.
With a simple snap of his fingers, lights illuminated the tunnel on either side of us, and I dropped my phone to my side, turning off the flashlight.
Suddenly, we weren’t the only two here; he brought at least six additional members with him, all covered from head to toe in black cloaks and faceless masks. Adrian was dressed in a slick black suit as if he were the prince of darkness and deception himself. Very fitting .
“I’m here for you, of course. Our newest pledge into Anathema.” He smiled and held out his hands, presenting the two cloaked individuals behind him.
Unease was a bitter taste in my mouth. I knew Adrian was fucked in the head, but not to this extent.
I was never fond of him when he was dating Madison.
A manipulative asshole that controlled her in the worst of ways.
He bent her to his will, and she was too naive and blinded by her love for him even to notice it.
Chyler drew the short end of the stick, trying to protect Madison from his controlling and possessive behavior, and she still holds their breakup over Chyler’s head to this day.
“You have a lot of nerve luring me here. I told you the last time we saw each other that I wanted you to stay the fuck out of Madison’s life.” I growled, my words laced with venom. If I could spit acid directly into his face, I would. Melt that smug ass smile off his face permanently.
“I don’t see Madison here, do you?” Adrian took a step towards me, and I took one back.
He was far too comfortable with this exchange, and I didn’t want him anywhere near me.
His dark hair fell over half of his face, and his bright green eyes glowed in the dim lighting surrounding us.
He looked every part of the villain he truly was.
A monster that hid under your bed until the lights went out and you were at your most vulnerable.
I swallowed, glancing over my shoulder to see how much more space I could put between us before I was walled in by the rest of the members he had brought with him .
I was unarmed by request, but were they as well? Or was I no better than a rabbit trapped in a fox den? I hated being the rabbit. I was always the fox.
“Look, your first task is already set up for tonight. As far as I’m concerned, you have two options here.
You can either come with me willingly and begin your initiation into Anathema or turn around and leave.
” Adrian’s voice carried a subtle hint of irritation towards me as he held out his hand, and the four bodies behind me parted, leaving a gap to exit in the direction where I had come from.
He was baiting me; he had to be.
“It can’t be that simple. I know who you are; what you are.” There was disbelief and a slight tremble in my voice.
There was no way he would let me go knowing his identity. They could kill me right here and now, and no one would ever know. I would disappear… just like Monika, except no one would care or notice that I was gone.
Chyler wasn’t here anymore; she was too busy with Atlas. And Madison… Madison and I haven’t talked in months since she started dating again.
I was alone, on my own once again.
“It is, and you have ten seconds to decide. I don’t have all night.” Adrian snapped as he checked his Rolex and returned his gaze to mine. “Tick-tock, Alexis.” He added.
“I have questions,” I blurted out, hoping to buy myself some additional time to consider and weigh my options, even if it was mere seconds .
When I entered these tunnels, I was confident in what I was doing and what I wanted. I had brushed off Eli's warnings as if they were nothing. Unafraid of what was to come. But now that I knew Adrian was involved in all this, I wasn’t sure about my choice.
Could I work for someone like him? Why did he even want me to begin with?
He sighed and slid his hands into his pockets. His gaze examined me, determining if I was going to be a more considerable pain in the ass than he initially signed up for.
“If you come with me and start your initiation, I'll answer all your questions. The more you know now, the bigger of a nuisance you are to us… Which begs the question: Are you a threat or an asset to Anathema, Alexis?” He held his hand out to me with an expecting nod.
My pulse began to race, and my eyes bounced between his piercing gaze and his hand. I held my breath and knew this would be a decision I would eventually regret. I was jumping off the deep end into a pit with no way out.
But I had so many questions that needed answers.
I’m so sorry, Madison and Chyler…
Releasing my held breath, I placed my hand in his, and all of the light that once illuminated the tunnel went out.
Just like my fate, we were sealed in darkness, and I held back a scream.