24. Alexis
Alexis
Anxious wasn’t even close to describing my current emotional state. I took slow, deep breaths as I followed my escort into the basement of an abandoned flour mill. They haven’t said a single word since arriving at my apartment to retrieve me. The silence between us was unnerving.
Once we reached the entrance to the headrace tunnels, a torch was lit, creating an even more eerie sight to the darkness surrounding us, shadows dancing on the walls as the fire flickered. It sent a chill down my spine, but I wouldn’t let something as small as dancing shadows get the better of me.
“So—” I dragged. “Are you going to tell me why Adrian couldn’t come and get me himself?
Or why you are using a torch instead of turning on the lights like before?
” I couldn’t help myself. I was nervous and needed to say something, anything.
The silence was deafening, and I hated every second of it, giving a platform for my intrusive thoughts to stand on.
The dark-cloaked individual didn’t even turn to face me; they simply continued down the tunnel, descending further into the bleak, dark abyss. I bet they were also ignoring me simply because Adrian instructed them to.
“Can you at least have the decency to tell me how much further it is to the hideout’s entrance?” I sighed in defeat when no answer came as I dragged my heels along the rough gravel floor, kicking larger rocks as they appeared.
I don’t remember it taking this long to reach the main chamber of the hideout, but then again, I didn’t enter these tunnels through the flour mill the first time.
I must have entered somewhere significantly closer.
Why didn’t we use the entrance I took before?
It seemed like it would have saved us a lot more time and distance.
As we took another turn, the ghost of a person I had been following slowed down and turned to face a boarded-up passageway. Curious, I raised a brow as they held the torch out to me, and I took it from them without question.
They pulled the boards from the wall one by one and stacked them on the side of the passageway. A couple of the boards had the Anathema symbol burned into them, and one subtle symbol was carved into the side of the sandstone wall.
Did they do this every time they entered the hideout? Remove the boards and then put them back up when they are done. How did they seal the passage once inside? Or was it only sealed during certain times when everyone has left? Did none of the members live down here?
I couldn’t imagine Adrian, of all people, living down here. No, he most likely had a penthouse somewhere in the city, bathing in his riches as he watched the skyline from his patio jacuzzi tub—a corrupted king admiring his empire.
I had so many questions stacking themselves in my mind, but more important ones needed to be addressed as soon as I was face-to-face with Adrian.
Like, who the fuck was Abigail Brit, and why the hell was she so willing to die by my hand?
I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the events of that night—still not understanding why she laughed the entire time as if it were all premeditated.
Once the last board had been dropped to the side, my escort aggressively grabbed the torch from me and proceeded further down the passage. What the fuck was their problem? Again, no words were spoken.
“You’re welcome,” I muttered, rolling my eyes while still following them like a lost puppy, my eyes taking in the graffiti on the walls.
It wasn’t much longer before we entered the central room of the hideout. For the first time, the vast open space was filled with dark cloaks; it was a surreal sight. Everyone wore a faceless mask, and none of their features were visible—identities sealed in darkness and masks.
As I entered the room, I wandered through the cloaked crowd, attempting to reach the front where the dais was. It was quiet, not a murmur or a whisper among the numerous bodies. I felt like a ghost gliding through a graveyard of lost souls—a reaper among the dead.
There was no sign of Adrian, but I knew he was here somewhere in this crowd; the entirety of Anathema was gathered for a reason, and I knew he was the reason behind whatever was about to go down tonight.
Moments passed, and as I reached the dais, I looked up to find a pair of haunting green eyes set on mine.
I swallowed as his name left my mouth in a breathless whisper.
Before arriving here, I was ready to give him a piece of my mind and a few choice words, but now that he was standing in front of me, in front of all these people—he was more intimidating in person—a walking threat in an Armani suit.
Without a word, Adrian held out his hand to me, a charming smile on his devilish face, and without hesitation, I took it—his all-black suit, silk tie, and gentlemanly demeanor were enchanting and alluring.
If he weren’t the villain standing before me, I’d say my heart squeezed inside my chest for him.
But it wasn’t. It was screaming for me to run.
“Adrian—” I breathed with uncertainty.
I wasn’t usually this uneasy, but standing in front of a room filled with a couple hundred faceless bodies made this interaction overwhelming.
What was he doing? Was I in danger?
“Don’t worry, Alexis. You’re right on time. The show is about to begin.” Adrian’s silky voice whispered in my ear as I was pulled to stand next to him, a hand wrapping around my waist to hold me close. I cringed at the feeling of his arm wrapped around me; he was too close for comfort.
I swallowed before whispering, “Adrian, what is this?”
Why was everyone gathered here like this? And why was I at the front of it all? With him.
“Anathema—” He started, releasing his hold on me and turning to face the sea of dark cloaks. “We have a very special guest joining us for tonight’s execution ceremony.” Adrian grinned, looking down at me from the corner of his eye.
Execution? Oh fuck. Not my third task…
I parted my lips to speak, but Adrian continued before I could get a word out.
“As you all know, here in Anathema, we don’t discuss our work with anyone outside our community. We do not harm those we work with, and we certainly do not make deals with government agencies.” His voice was stern, commanding. The atmosphere underneath him was tense and intimidating.
A door slammed, and I turned my head to see two cloaked figures dragging a man with a hood over his head into the room. My heart began hammering in my chest as they brought him up to the front of the dais and tied his weak, battered, and bruised body to a thick wooden pole.
“My dear Alexis here has been given the honor of giving Jameson here the execution he deserves before all of Anathema. For he has broken all of our sacred rules, and every one of you knows what happens to those who break them. Death. ” His voice echoed throughout the massive room.
“There are no second chances in Anathema. It is do, obey or die.” Adrian’s voice carried such a weight, and I stared at the kneeling man in horror for what was to come.
His head sagged forward under the hood as if he had nothing left to give. The sick bastard put me on the spot, in front of all of his dedicated members, to end the life of a man who betrayed his oath. Fucking why?
What part of morally black and fucked up did you not understand? I know you aren’t that dark. Eli’s words rang through my head as I finally understood the magnitude of the situation I had put myself in.
I was dark, but he was right. I wasn’t as dark as them; I wasn’t as dark as Adrian. His black suit was more than just for looks. It was the color of his soul.
My eyes tracked their way back to Adrian’s toxic green gaze just as he stepped forward to pull the hood that covered Jameson's head. I sucked in a breath as I took in the man restrained before me, and my heart sank into a bottomless pit.
“Alexis, let me introduce you to your third and final task.” A palm pressed into my back, and I was pushed forward to stand less than a foot away from the young man on his knees.
I couldn’t pull my attention from Jameson as he tilted his head up, his blue eyes glistening with unspent tears, and the handle of a knife slipped into my open palm beside me .
“Do you understand the violations you have committed against your community?” Adrian asked him, and he nodded, his gaze not leaving mine.
“Adrian, I—” The words were a whisper, just under my breath.
“Sure you can, Alexis. This is what we do here. And if you can’t…” Adrian leaned in to murmur into my ear. “Well then, you are useless to us—just like him.” His words were harsh and unforgiving.
There wasn’t even a hint of sympathy in his voice.
He didn’t give a fuck. This was exactly what Eli had warned me about—the only way out of Anathema—death.
I guess I just never thought that I would be the one to deliver it to any of the existing members, not even as a task.
Rules are made to be broken, but not theirs.
I didn’t recognize the man before me, but he had to have been no older than Derek and appeared as though he wouldn’t harm a fly. Jameson didn’t belong here. There was nothing about him that screamed, ‘ I’m a murderous member of Anathema,’ and I could see the defeat written across his hollow face.
Jameson didn’t bother speaking; he knew what was coming and had no way out—acceptance of his fate. I’m sure he wanted this to all be over, to end his suffering and anticipation of what was to come. I hoped Adrian wouldn’t expect me to torture him.
Where was Chyler to take this burden away from me like she always did? Protecting me from the things I couldn’t bring myself to do .
Adrian has stated that this man broke all of their rules by discussing Anathema’s work, harming other members, and making deals with government agencies.