Chapter Eight #2
Taking a chance, I looked sideways at the row of men behind me. Most of them were now moving their hands in their pants. I gasped back a cry of distress and looked away, my gaze clashing with Martin’s, who gave me a confused frown.
My gaze unintentionally roamed to the stage where my father had mounted Kylie.
Her head was to the side, looking out to the crowd.
Her expression was blank, her eyes almost dead from emotion.
The only thing that indicated that she wasn't comfortable was the squeeze of her knuckles as she held onto the side of the bed.
They were white, the skin stretched from where she held on so tightly.
Tears came into my eyes and I loosened my fingers from my ears and heard the masculine grunts around the room.
It was the proof I needed to confirm that this wasn't normal or sacred.
It was perverted. I didn't know much about the world but my mother had taught me a few things that I needed to know to protect me from the men of the compound.
The only reason she'd bothered was because they'd wanted me to be pure to take over his role. A role that I suddenly didn't want.
The sound of my father's pleasure filled the room and I silenced it again, pushing my ears closed as hard as I could. I'd never seen him that way, even though he'd been holding the ceremony since I was born.
I'd been so wrapped up in my thoughts, I didn't notice the shuffling of feet until a pair of boots appeared in front of me. When I looked up, I gasped, the sound too impulsive to draw back. The men of the compound were queuing at the steps of the stage.
“What are they doing?” I whispered to Martin.
His gaze dropped sheepishly and he shrugged. “They're completing the ceremony. All men here are sacred, their touch will seal her purity and cleanliness.”
My mouth hung open and my eyebrows pulled low as I watched the first man approach Kylie.
“They can choose to kiss her, stroke her breast or slip one finger inside her.” Martin left me to go and join the back of the queue.
What the actual hell? Not only was she forced to endure my father, she had to stay still while forty men touched her intimately. No wonder the women of our group didn't talk about their ceremony, they were probably traumatized.
Getting up from my seat, I glanced towards the double doors behind me. If I could escape, I could do something about this atrocity.
“Brittney!' Chad – I would never call him my father again – shouted. “Don't you even think about it!”
My legs were moving, rushing up the slight gap between the chairs and the wall. The guards came after me, clambering through the chairs and knocking them with their broad legs.
There was commotion on the stage and I only hoped that I could distract the men from Kylie, leaving her free from violation. Or as much as possible, anyway.
Gasping in air, I reached the doors, my hand gripping the handle. Just as I went to pull, a guard’s arms wrapped around me from behind, yanking me away.
“You all need to leave!” My father ordered the men, who begrudgingly left the stage and made their way up the central aisle.
I struggled against Martin, who held me firm while the men left, glaring at me vilely.
I breathed as the final man exited, trying to calm my raging nerves.
Chad was pulling on his clothes, angrily muttering to himself.
I had to remember who he was and the power he had, over everyone.
If I wanted to stay alive, I had to play the role he’d given me, even if it went against every new fiber that was burning into my brain.
“You!” Chad spat, pointing at me with a shaky hand. “Come here!”
Martin dragged me over to the stage where I stood, docile and waiting for his punishment. It had been this way since before I could remember. This time though, it was different, I was finally seeing him for who he was and what he was capable of. It was scary.
Crouching on the stage, Chad looked down at me, staring into my eyes. “You’ve just ruined your friend’s chance of happiness. She’ll never be cleansed and it’s all because of you.”
My mouth gaped open as I looked to the back of the stage where Kylie sat on the edge of the bed, sobbing into her hands. Was Chad going to punish her for my indiscretion? Surely not?
“You did the ceremony,” I said, “She must be cleansed.”
Shaking his head, he leaned forward and grabbed the back of my hair, pulling hard. “You ignorant girl. I have to give her my seed for her to be cleansed. The men wait until I’ve finished and immediately validate her. You ruined that moment, and so, she will never marry.”
A loud sob exploded from Kylie as she jumped up and ran off stage, her nakedness reflecting in the light. Not only had she been humiliated at the hands of my father, I’d now ruined her life here at the compound.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered, meaning it for Kylie rather than my father, but letting him think otherwise.
“This is something that is not easily forgiven.” Chad pushed my chin as he released me, indicating that Martin take me back to the metal door. “You will pay for poor Kylie’s ruin.”
Not resisting when Martin walked me to the door, I ducked my gaze, fighting the tears that tried to push into my eyes. The door unlocked, the metal slightly into the wall to reveal the dark entryway.
“Try to do as he says,” Martin directed as he gently pushed me inside. “He’s the chosen one, remember?”
The metal ground behind my back, closing me into the secret wing again. I sighed and rubbed my hands over my face before starting the walk to the main hallway. As I came out into the entryway, I paused. Fly stood at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes hard.
“Did he hurt you?” His deep voice was dangerously gravelly.
Sighing, I shrugged and went to move past him. “Why do you care?”
His hand shot out and gripped my elbow, forcing me to stop beside him. I didn’t even gasp, too drained to fight him. Instead, I glanced up at him, my resolve weak.
“Did he hurt you?” he spoke through clenched teeth, “Because, if he did, I’ll make him pay.”
Our gazes locked and my heart skipped a beat. The protector in him had reared its head despite his hatred of me.
“So, because you hate me, it’s alright for you to hurt me, but not him?” I scoffed and tried to step out of his grip.
He held tight, still staring into my soul. “Yes,” he finally stated. “Exactly that.”
Releasing me, he took a step back. I had one foot on the first step and the other on the floor. I could choose to go nearer to him, to question his logic, or to disappear upstairs, away from the pain and confusion.
“If you’re going to hurt me,” I spat, ire suddenly filling my veins, “Do it now so he can’t!”
Cocking his head, he honed his gaze on me. “Oh, don’t worry, I won’t let him hurt you. And me? You’ll want to be hurt by me eventually.”
“Huh?” The noise burst from me as he turned, heading towards the front room.
He glanced over his shoulder and winked, the gesture so uncharacteristic, it threw me into a spin. God, he was handsome, brooding and strong. Oh… so that’s what he’d meant. Shit, I couldn’t get reeled into his games too, I had too much to lose.
Except, my body shuddered at the idea of him hurting me in the best way possible. I was doomed. So doomed.