Chapter 11
ALEXEI
I kneel behind a patch of briars at the edge of the woods, watching the dorm exit.
About twenty minutes ago, I woke up to Luke panicking as he talked to Brad on the phone.
“What?” Luke asked. “Brad, stop talking so fast. I don’t understand.”
I tried to get him to tell me what was up, but he was cryptic in that way he gets when it comes to stuff about the Sinners. But I could tell by what he said, and the worry in his expression, that something was wrong.
Very wrong.
“I’ll get Seth and Cody,” he said before agreeing to meet Brad at his room, and after he left, I tossed on my clothes and hurried out, taking the stairs since they were more likely to take the elevator.
Waiting in my hiding spot, I’m anxious to see if they’ll head into the woods for the church.
The Sinners don’t normally meet this late, but it’s been an unusual week.
They’ve spent more time at the church. I haven’t been as diligent in my duties since I got what I needed from the Saints, but I still have to keep up appearances because it’s entirely possible this stuff with Matteo won’t work out and I’ll be right back where I started, needing the Saints to help me.
A breeze rushes past me, and I shiver, rubbing my hands against the outside of the hood of my jacket, over my ears to keep them warm. God, it’s fucking cold out tonight.
About ten more minutes go by, and I’m starting to think they aren’t going out tonight, when the dual doors push open. Luke and Cody lead the way, and behind them are Seth, Brad, and…who the fuck is with them?
His arms draped around Brad’s and Seth’s shoulders, head slouched forward, they’re escorting someone along the pavement as they head along their route. I have this horrible feeling even before he raises his head.
Holy fuck. They’ve got Matteo.
I’m freaking out.
Did he accidentally say too much? Did they use some spell to figure out if we were watching them? But if that was the case, why go for Matteo and not me?
Although, if Matteo did say something, he wouldn’t have ratted me out. Even in the short time we’ve known each other, I know that much about him. But couldn’t Seth have pulled that from him against his will?
There are so many thoughts racing through my head as the Sinners haul him off into the woods. They must be taking him to the church.
I don’t have time to speculate. I hurry to the parking lot, hop into my car, drive around to the back road, then run along the path through the cemetery. I have to stop them from fucking with Matteo. But how am I gonna manage that?
I’ve got my pocketknife, so I could use that as a weapon, but how effective would that be against their powers?
I’m racking my brain for a solution as I come up behind the church and drop down in my spot, peering through the cracked boards covering the cellar window.
Matteo’s now in the middle of the pentagram, his wrists and ankles bound with rope.
They’ve got a rag in his mouth and rope bound around it as a gag.
What are you guys up to?
As Matteo struggles on the floor, Brad inspects his restraints.
“I said stop!” Seth shouts.
But Matteo keeps flailing about.
“Why isn’t that working?” Luke asks.
“He’s getting better at resisting,” Seth replies.
Seth’s power allows him to manipulate people’s thoughts and actions. From what I’ve seen, it’s incredibly effective, so I’m just as curious to know why it’s not working.
“I can stop him from resisting,” Brad says, seizing Matteo by his shirt collar, and hot rage sears through me.
I will fucking end you, Brad Henning.
I’m not thinking clearly right now. Just push to my feet and start around the church. This is a mistake—the rational part of my mind knows this. But whatever they’re doing, they’ll do to Matteo over my dead body.
As I navigate through the board they typically enter through, I accept that this could mean exposing my cover. I want to know the truth about my brother, but not at the expense of Matteo’s life.
I use my flashlight to light my way. When I find the cellar door, I trade the light for my pocketknife, drawing the blade. I open the door carefully, quietly, and start down the steps. There’s no way to do this without them seeing me coming up on them, so I just gotta be ready to go all in.
As far as I’m aware, Seth is my biggest threat. They all have powers, but they’re limited, not strong enough to take me on. Maybe I need to cover my ears until I can get to him and keep him from talking. That’s likely the only way I’m gonna get through this.
Great of an idea as that might be, I don’t know how I’m gonna manage that.
“How the hell did this happen?” Luke asks.
“Like any of us fucking know,” Seth snaps back.
I was right—they found out Matteo knows their secret.
As the guys come into view, they’re surrounding a squirming Matteo, too invested in restraining him to notice my entrance.
Brad manhandles him. “Stop fucking moving.”
Matteo turns and spots me. Red-faced, veins popping in his neck, he’s clearly been struggling for a bit. His eyes look strange, though. Darker than usual.
Have they already done something to him?
As we make eye contact, he increases his efforts, thrashing about, keeping their attention on him. He twists his head either way quickly, loosening the gag and calling out, “Let me go!”
I wonder if he did that to distract them, give me a chance. Regardless, now that I have an opportunity, I better not fuck it up.
I rush down the remaining steps, coming up behind Seth. I hook my arm around his head, clamping my hand on his mouth and using the other to depress my blade against his neck, pressing enough that he knows I mean business.
“I’ve got a knife,” I warn him.
“The fuck, Alexei?” Luke asks as I pull Seth away from the others so I can secure my hostage.
“Let him go!” I shout.
“Alexei—” Luke starts.
“No, you all are gonna shut the fuck up. I know what you guys can do, and I swear, if any of you says another word, and if you even open your mouth to try, Seth, I’ll shove this into your carotid artery, I fucking swear.”
The guys exchange glances, surely wondering why someone they considered their friend is doing this. Also, I’m sure, trying to figure out how they can outmaneuver me.
I’m shaking. Seth must know how fucking scared I am right now.
I haven’t thought this through. Was going off instinct, and I’m lucky to have succeeded this far. But if they call me on my bluff, they’re gonna realize I don’t have it in me to kill a guy. At most, maybe, I could maim him.
But they don’t know that.
I remind myself the only thing that matters is that I get Matteo out of here safely.
“Put your hands in your pockets, Seth,” I order, hoping that’ll keep him from trying anything, and he follows my command.
“Alexei, please,” Luke begs, and I push the knife deeper into Seth’s flesh, drawing blood, and Seth groans.
“Luke, we won’t have an issue as long as you let him go. Got it?”
Luke cringes, glancing between Brad and Cody.
“Don’t try to be clever.”
Luke’s gaze meets mine. I remember his concern the night I was impaled. “We can’t leave him!” he told Cody.
Whatever they’re doing, I can’t believe he’s all bad. “Please,” I beg, the word cracking as it escapes my mouth.
Luke and Brad exchange another look before Brad bites his lip and unties the rope they’re using as a gag.
“Alexei,” Matteo says, breathing heavily. “You gotta get me out of here. They fucking kidnapped me. What the hell are they going to do to me? Fuck.”
I don’t know if it’s the way his eyes look or how he’s speaking, but something’s off about him. It’s unsettling. What did they do to him?
“You heard him,” Matteo says. “Fucking untie me.”
As Luke and Brad exchange tense looks, Brad’s nostrils flare. Matteo twists around, exposing his bindings for Brad, who begins unfastening the rope.
My gaze shifts to Luke, who stares me down. He’s concentrating on something, seems like he’s trying to use his powers. “Stop it, Luke,” I warn.
My fingers are shaking a little more than before, and they steadily pull apart. I can’t fight them as my blade slides through to the floor.
“Now, Seth!” Luke shouts.
Seth springs into action, whirling around.
I try to pull away, but my arm that was holding the blade is locked in place.
Whatever Luke did is still affecting it.
Before I have a chance to react, I get a fist to the side of my face, one to the gut, then another to my face, so hard that it sends me to the floor.
I groan as I crawl to my knees, reorienting myself after Seth’s attack, and he comes for me, fists clenched.
“I’m not gonna let you bastards hurt him,” I say, fighting to get up.
I can see the rage in Seth’s expression. I’m no match for it, but I’ve got to try.
Luke rushes up to Seth and seizes his arm. “The fuck, he’s down, Seth. Leave him the hell alone!”
“In case you missed it, that shit was trying to kill me.”
Brad grabs him next, and Seth fights away from them before Cody throws himself in Seth’s path. “Stop it. Right now.” He doesn’t even raise his voice, but Seth halts in place, huffing.
Not the first time Cody has saved me. Although this time, I’m not convinced it was for a noble reason, but because he wants to find out what I’m doing here. What I know about the Sinners.
Brad returns to Matteo, dropping to his knees and securing his ropes.
We’re so fucked.
“Come on,” I tell Cody. “Do whatever the hell you’re gonna do to me.
I don’t give a fuck. But I want to know something, Cody.
In the woods. When that thing attacked me, why did you save me?
That’s the only thing that’s confused me about you guys.
I thought if you were just bastards who didn’t give a fuck, you’d have left me there to die, but you didn’t.
I deserve to know why before you do whatever you’re planning to do. ”
Cody tilts his head. “You remember that night?”
I nod.
“Fuck.”