Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
CARTER
Ilie strapped to this damn bed while Father Desjardins stands over me with a cross in his hands. Two nuns stand on the other side ready to do his bidding.
“You have allowed a demon to inhabit your body and take control. The demon has convinced you of trauma that never took place.”
He glances over to the nuns as I tremble while sweat pours from my skin.
“Sisters, touch him, so we may force this vile creature from the pits of hell out of his body.”
Sisters Agatha and Mary run their hands over my chest while chanting together like they’ve rehearsed my torture.
“I bind Satan, the spirits, powers and forces of darkness… I command in the name of Jesus Christ that all these satanic and demonic forces go to the feet of Jesus.”
Their hands burn me from the inside out, each touch only increasing the pain.
“Please stop.” I beg pitifully, and the priest nods his head, a joyful expression on his face.
“Yes, Sisters. It’s working, but we need more.”
He calls to someone in the doorway that I cannot see, and I feel as though I’m in hell. Tears blind my vision as more hands than I can count cover my entire body.
The burning intensifies.
I tremble uncontrollably.
If I believed in God, I’d pray for death.
“Someone make it stop.” I cry like the little boy I was long ago. Just like then, nobody saves me.
“Carter?” Heather says, snapping me out of the past. My eyes move to hers as I wipe the sweat from my brow.
“Are you okay?”
I nod as I release a shaky breath.
“I’m good, Little Heathen. Just the ghosts of the past.”
She skips to the shelf and exchanges the bloody paddle for a taser. The priest leans over as he shakes uncontrollably, howling in pain.
“Sit up.” Heather orders him, and he does his best to comply. Blood lightly coats the ground as he cries out.
“Please stop.”
I shake my head and chuckle, but the laughter isn’t sincere.
“That’s exactly what I said when you directed an entire room full of people to torment me.”
Heather holds the taser in her hand, aiming it at his dick and tilts her head at him speaking words I know I’ll hear again.
“An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Do you remember the next part, Father?”
His bottom lip trembles as he speaks through labored breaths.
“You’re taking the holy scripture out of context.”
The loud, repeated snap of the taser echoes in the barn along with his anguished cries.
“I’m a wicked little heathen. What would you expect?”
He doesn’t respond as she skips back to the shelf and places the taser down.
“Carter, what did it feel like when he forced you to be touched?”
She knows the answer since I’ve talked to her about this, but I answer her anyway.
“Fire. It felt like fucking fire.”
Her lips lift into a sadistic smile, and maybe I shouldn’t love it, but I do.
Killian always says how much he loves it when she’s pissed.
I always prefer to make her happy, but I see now what he means.
She’s gorgeous like this. Her long blonde hair is up off her neck, nestled in a tight bun on her head with a knife, of all things, holding it in place.
Her eyes are wild with the need for vengeance, and knowing our girl, she is not only doing this for herself, but for me, and it’s fucking beautiful.
We are equal. I’d kill for my Little Heathen, and she would kill for me.
Maybe we are both crazy. It doesn’t matter.
This is retribution. Those who harmed us will suffer.
The pain is now.
The end is near.
For him and the others.
“You will burn in hell, disgusting evil girl. Trash that should’ve been discarded at the side of the road.” The priest spits out. The blood pumps hard in my chest, control slips away, and I snap.
Pulling my knife from my sheath as I kick him in the jaw, his head snaps back from the impact as teeth scatter on the floor. Kneeling in front of him, I wrap my hand around his throat to hold him steady, but not to kill him. Not yet.
He opens his mouth to scream, and I slice his tongue so hard it hangs by a thread. Blood pours from his mouth, coating my hand.
“Speak no evil.”
As I plunge the knife into his side, I hear voices behind me.
“Carter,” Killian warns before the sound of her calm voice hits me.
“No. Let him get it out. He deserves this more than I do.”
He falls back with a gurgle and hits his head on the wood floor. I don’t stop. I can’t.
Pulling my blade from him I plunge it into him again and again. Blood pools around me as my brother's voice breaks through my rampage.
“He’s dead, Carter.”
I glance at Killian and nod as I wipe the sweat from my brow before rising to my feet.
Staring at Heather, I see no irritation in her eyes, but I have the need to reassure her anyway.
“That won’t happen with Jedediah. I will not interfere.”
She tilts her head and smiles softly.
“I know. This kill was more yours than mine. It happened exactly as it should have.”