Chapter 15
Phoenyxx
I’m exhausted, but I don’t dare lay down to rest. I remember what the sick fuck did to me in The Morgue while I was asleep.
Demon is out of his mind and unhinged. I knew there was something weird going on while I was in there, but this level of obsession? Nope, not one clue.
There is no way I'm willingly marrying that psycho fuck. But I’m smart enough to know pretending to comply could help me play the long game, and hopefully find a way to escape.
The door above me opens, and his footsteps sound on the stairs. I swallow hard, forcing my sarcasm down. He walks right up to where I’m sitting, cocking his head and just... staring. I stand up on shaky legs, not willing to be below him.
Demon has his hands behind his back, and when he brings them forward, I see he’s holding another white garment. Shoving it at me, he makes a sound of delight and smiles. I fight back a shiver, looking down at what I’m holding.
Oh, hell no.
It's a wedding dress.
Nope, fuck this. Revulsion brings vomit up my throat, and I gulp to keep it at bay.
“What is this for?” I ask, trying for a neutral tone.
“Our wedding, of course. Are you ready to be mine for all time?”
God no. This is not happening.
“Um, when? Do I get time to prepare?” I ask, eyes wide.
Demon slaps me, rage in his eyes. “This is on my timeline. I say when, not you.”
I can’t help the snark that rises. “You are unbelievable. What the hell even is your name?” I’m tired of calling him Demon. He doesn’t deserve such a powerful title.
Demon pushes me and I land on my back. He climbs on top of me, pinning me in place with his body.
I gulp air, trying to push myself backward away from him. There's nowhere for me to go. These shackles have me at his mercy.
He gets so close to my face, a slight breeze would bring his lips to mine. “Maxim, Little Bird. You are my suka, not theirs.”
I freeze. That's Russian. I recognize it from some of my Russian guys.
“Are you Russian, Maxim?” I tentatively ask.
Maxim grins. “Bratva, my darling. Impressive guess.”
That's not coincidence. Fuck.
“What do you want? Get off me!” I demand.
That was the wrong thing to say.
Maxim presses his lips to mine, hard, using teeth to pry my mouth open. I gag as he shoves his tongue inside. He pins me tighter with his legs, freeing one hand to trail down my body. He paws at my breasts through the scrap of a nightgown, then trails down to lift the bottom up to my hips.
Please... not again. No more rape!
Tears fall unbidden from my eyes, and I plead as I yank my mouth from his, “Please don’t do this, Maxim. Please!”
Maxim doesn’t respond, continuing his assault. He pries my legs open further, reaching underneath to grab my pussy. I slam my eyes shut, trying to block him out. His finger trails through my center, and he gets mad at my dryness.
“Why aren’t you wet for your husband to be?” Maxim growls low.
“You’re forcing yourself on me—again. Maybe on our wedding night it will be a different story,” I have to spit that last part out, the vileness of the words shaking me to my core.
I must play along to survive.
To my amazement, Maxim gets off me and stands up. I look away from the prominent bulge in his pants.
Instead of leaving though, he saunters over to one of the silver metal tables holding torture instruments. He picks up a few things, making a sound of approval when he finds what he’s looking for.
He carries it over, and smiles. “We can use this to signify our union as being eternal.”
I squint, not knowing what he is holding. “What is that?”
“A brand, Little Bird. I'm going to mark you. I've got a matching one. It's a permanent version of wedding rings. Forever mine,” Maxim whispers, making chills run down my back.
He yanks down his pants, and I squeeze my eyes shut tight.
Maxim roughly grabs my chin, making me turn back around. “Open your eyes now, wife. Or else.”
I crack open my lids, spotting the healing brand on his hip. It doesn’t look fresh.
“When...?” I struggle to get the words out. “When did you get that?”
Maxim smugly grins, crossing his arms over his chest. He still hasn’t pulled his pants back up.
“When I first met you in The Morgue, Little Bird. I knew upon sight you were meant to be mine.”
My mouth flops open, no words coming out. Each new show of his obsession shocks me even more.
This inhuman beast tortured me, raped me, put me through utter hell. I wasn’t scared of him anymore—until now. My throat goes dry and closes up. My stomach churns, and I can’t contain the panic attack.
I start to hyperventilate, the walls closing in on me. There are spots in my vision, and my fingers and toes start to go numb. I fight desperately to push it back, but it doesn’t work.
“You... you’re not burning me,” I try to shout, but it just sounds like broken-up garbles.
Maxim says nothing, just walks back over and pulls out a long tool of some kind.
He pushes a button, and flames shoot out of the end.
He holds the branding stick in the flame, until it turns dark red.
He comes back over, and my breathing is faster and choppier.
I'm on the verge of passing out, which may be a blessing. I can’t withstand this. .. I can't...
He grabs my still shackled leg, pulling me closer to him. He shoves the gown up farther, exposing me completely. He traces the area right above my pubic mound. “This is perfect.”
I whimper and whine, but to no avail. As he brings the brand closer to my skin, I finally lose consciousness.
Hunter
I decide to track down Cynthia, Valley, and Bryan, to fill them in on what’s happening. I'm itching to be with the other hackers working on this, but Pretty Girl would be upset if I didn’t tell her friends.
I head to the theater room, knowing how much my sister loved movie time with the girls. It’s a good place to check first.
I hear the murmur of voices inside. I walk in, narrowing my eyes to see in the dim lighting. A Marvel movie is playing on the screen. It looks like Thor.
Cynthia is giggling with Valley, while Bryan is watching the movie. The girls are talking about how hot Thor is.
I walk right up to them, and all three heads turn to look at me.
“What’s up, buttercup?” Valley asks, a smile on her face.
“Pretty Girl has been kidnapped by one of the masks, Demon.” I wince in sympathy, wishing I didn’t have to relay this news.
God knows my heart has dropped into my stomach. I’m sick with worry.
“What?” Valley screeches, shooting to her feet. Cynthia jumps up with her.
“No, my wifey... 11 can’t be gone,” my sister whispers, paling considerably.
The light in her eyes fades, alerting me to her mind buckling under again with the news.
Cynthia is shaking her head violently.
I clasp her upper arm, gently bringing her to me.
“I need to take care of my sister. Can you two hold up on your own?” I direct Valley and Bryan.
“I’ve got her,” Bryan says, his jaw set in a firm line.
“What are you doing to find her?” a trembling Valley asks.
I explain the plan to them.
She just looks me in the eye. “You’d better bring her back, Hunter. I mean it.”.
“You know I will see her back safe,” I tell her.
I turn, still holding onto my sister. Going back to my room to get her lucid again is the best idea right now.
She babbles incessantly, making no sense. My heart breaks every time she gets like this.
I am praying I can get her proper help once the bullshit stops.
Phoenyxx
I come back to consciousness with a gasp. The only thing I can feel is pain. The brand Maxim gave me hurts so bad, I almost cry out.
I gingerly lift the nightgown to look at it. He must have bandaged me up while I was out. It still throbs, electric jolts running over my pelvis.
The room is so dark, but there’s just enough light to see by, if I squint.
I yank on the chain still around my ankle, heaving a sob when I feel it still attached. I try to stand to see how far I can get. I manage to take a couple of shaky steps before the chain pulls taut.
I yell out with frustration. I am absolutely scared to death. I don’t even know if the sicko Maxim is down in this cold, dank basement with me.
“Hello?” I call out on a dry and scratchy throat, raw from screaming.
No answer. I'm alone.
Flashes of my guys whip through my mind, along with my friends.
I can't handle this. I'm not going to survive it.
I can’t take endless days chained up—not like when Synn's father held me captive.
I'm not surprised when I’m hit with another memory from childhood. Synn's father was completely obsessed with me—that much is crystal clear now.
Phoenyxx
Age 7
I can barely move. I've been inside this cage for so long.
My tummy growls. I'm so hungry and thirsty.
The bad man left me down here in the dark.
I push at the door as I try to shift, and it comes open. My mouth forms an “o”, and I try to scramble out.
There's something cold and hard around my wrist. Confused, I yank my arm and hear chains rattling.
Oh no, not again. Please, no.
I must have been bad. I don’t remember what I did. A lot of the time a word or a look on my face makes the bad man mad.
I shake with fear. If the door was open, it's a test. He does that sometimes. Tests me, and if I fail—I get punished.
I start to cry again, wanting my mommy and daddy so bad. Are they worried about me? I hope they're trying to find me.
Daddy is an important man. Mommy told me that before. I know they love me. But what if they forget about me? I've been gone so long.
My lip trembles as I cry. I pray to the big god in the sky to save me.
God, this feels too much like those dark times. I thought I’d be there forever, being abused and molested the rest of my life.
Hoodie Boy came—Synn—but I was left with the Solomons, abusers and monsters themselves.
They have to find me. I want to go... home.
Wherever my chosen family is at feels like home to me. I know I have a real family to find, but the only thing I can think about now is my guys and my two besties, Valley and Cynthia.
Razor