Chapter 4
Chapter Four
THE HEATHEN
Noah wraps my hair around his fist and pulls me out of the van. When I fall to the ground, he lets go while laughing at me.
“Not so tough now. Are you, bitch?”
Wiping the blood from my lip, I attempt to get to my feet, and he kicks me in the stomach.
“I’m your Master, little sis. Until the Prophet tells me it’s time for the next phase-”
His blue eyes glare into mine, hatred staring back at me, and I know my death will not be quick or easy. I don’t bother asking what the next phase is because I’m not sure I want to know.
“Until then, you are mine to torture and fuck. You do nothing without my permission.”
Leaning down, he grabs my hair again and yanks me to my feet. The stinging in my head is more than I can handle, and tears spring to my eyes.
I walk quickly to lessen the pain as I attempt to figure out where I am, but I’ve never been here before.
I spot a large farmhouse to my right, but he keeps pulling me toward an old red barn.
It’s been beaten by weather and time. The red is faded closer to a pink in sections, and the roof has holes.
Is this where he’ll keep me? Exposed to the elements and wildlife?
He takes me into the filthy barn and kicks me again. Pressing my hand to my side, I try to push the pain away.
“Get up. Clothes off.”
I don’t know why I bother appealing to a side of him I know doesn’t exist.
“Please, Noah. I’ll do what you say, but please, not this.”
He steps closer to me and pulls his leg back as if he’s going to kick me again, but then stops.
“You have exactly five seconds to get up and do as you’re told.”
Standing up, I take my shirt off and think of my men. They’d be disgusted to see me now.
“If you’re a good girl, I’ll buy you a donut.” He says with a sneer.
I don’t respond because the control I had is gone. If I say or do anything he doesn’t approve of, I’ll be punished worse than he’s already planning. Noah is a mixture of the Prophet and Grave. Jedediah taught him scripture and punishment but it was Grave who trained him on brutality.
“Which of those guys have you been fucking? And don’t lie to me, wicked girl.”
I swallow hard and admit the truth.
“All three of them.”
He shakes his head at me while clicking his tongue in disapproval.
“The Prophet will be displeased when I inform him of your ungodly crimes.”
The need to roll my eyes is strong but I fight it. If they were men in my family it would be godly, but since it’s not it’s considered a mortal sin. One you won’t read about in the Bible.
He points to a metal rack behind him.
“Sit against it with your hands in the air.”
After I follow his instructions, he chains me to the metal as I shiver from the cold.
“We are in the middle of nowhere. They’ll look but won’t find you here.”
I bite down on my lip preventing myself from crying out for my men. Will they look for me after I left willingly with Noah? Are Knox and Carter planning a funeral right now? I don’t even know if Killian is alive.
“Is he dead?” I ask.
His lips pull into a wide grin, as if he’s only too pleased to give me the information.
“Your boyfriend? Yes. Grave? No, he said, to tell you he can’t wait to see you again.”
He winks at me, and instead of the butterflies with my guys, it makes me nauseous. When he walks out of the barn, I give myself permission to fall apart.
Tears fall down my face. I try to wipe them, but I can’t move my arms.
Why, Killian, why? I begged you not to fight. Now you’re gone, and it’s my fault.
“Killian.” I cry out as the pain consumes me.
Carter and Knox flash through my mind. Their suffering must be great.
“I’m sorry. I tried to tell him, but he wouldn’t listen.”
Noah comes back in and a chill runs down my spine, the trembling in my body uncontrollable.
“Who are you talking to, you crazy bitch?”
When I don’t respond quick enough, he charges for me. Standing in front of me, he pulls his fist back and holds it there. This is what he does. Noah’s two favorite things are fear and power. He has been like that since I can remember.
“M-m-yself.” I stammer pathetically.
Noah stands staring at me, his eyes dancing with amusement, making my stomach churn.
“You forgot who you were and who you belong to. But you won’t forget again.”
He walks away without another word but then comes back holding a tool used for branding cattle, and I scream.
“Noah. Please don’t.”
I already know I don’t have a choice. Jedediah ordered this. I remember the day he branded my mother. Her cries of pain could be heard throughout the house.
This may be the Prophet's orders, but Noah will enjoy it all the same.
“Not only will you remember-“
Noah sighs audibly, sounding pleased with himself.
“If by some miracle they find you, do you know what they’ll see when they look at you? Our used up whore. You belong to the church, wicked one. You are the property of the Servants of Christ.”
I turn my head away from him and imagine everything I’ll do to him when I get the chance.
He is going to be crucified along with his father. Carter will build the wooden cross for me. My men will be with me as I nail him to it. Both of them because Killian-
I can’t bear to finish the thought, but Noah interrupts my heartbreak.
He presses the hot metal to my stomach. The burning pain is blinding as I yell out for somebody to help me, and he laughs.
“There’s nobody here. It’s just us.”
He tosses the metal pole to the ground, and steps closer to me, his blue eyes reflecting pure evil.
“The Prophet will be here soon, but lucky me, sis. I get to fuck you first.”