Chapter 4 #2
“Yes,” I said, tone eager, adding a pleading look to my face.
What fucking initiation? This is going to hurt.
Ethan searched my expression and though I didn’t let my satisfaction show at his frustration when he found no reaction other than enthusiasm, I still felt it. He was using this to check my dedication, my loyalty.
If he asks me to suck his fucking Earth God dick, I’m killing him.
Unease slithered through me as Ethan’s eyes shifted to satisfaction. “Then kneel. Put your hands upon your head. And prepare thyself to take the Earth God’s gifts into thyself.”
The. Fuck?
It took every ounce of willpower to kneel before this swine. The planking was hard beneath my knees, grounding me as I raised my hands to the back of my head.
Ethan moved behind me, but I kept my eyes forward, refusing to follow him. I kept the stupid, eager smile on my face. The whole compound is watching you. It went against every instinct I had, letting an enemy around to my six, but it was what I had to do.
The cheers of the crowd made my eyes narrow.
I’d watched a documentary once where they’d reenacted a medieval hanging.
The crowd had acted much like these people.
Though here it was mostly the men interacting.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a trio of young boys with savage grins on their faces.
They’d edged in closer to the stage to watch the show.
I knew whatever was coming wasn’t going to be good. For me at least.
A flash of blue caught my attention and I zeroed in on Sloane again as she shifted from foot to foot. Unease was radiating off her and it was enough to let me know that whatever was coming was going to be bad. Anger filled her eyes, but this time it seemed to be on my behalf.
“Hear unto me, my laws. Obey them and be rewarded. Break them and face my wrath!”
So. Fucking. Dramatic.
Sloane’s plump lips twitched into a smile and I wondered if I’d just said that aloud? No. Ethan would have gone nuts if I had. He seemed to be waiting for something.
“I hear you!” I yelled. There were smiles from the crowd. Seemed to be the right answer.
Ethan continued. “No lying with children!”
The stupid smile I was wearing fell off my face and I almost turned around to face him.
What the fuck had he just said? My muscles tensed, the question fleeing my mind when I heard something whistling through the air.
Pain exploded over my back as the crack of a whip sounded near my ear.
Fire licked over my skin as I felt my t-shirt shred beneath the tail of the weapon.
This motherfucker is whipping me.
Disbelief held me still through the first two commandments. I didn’t even hear Ethan’s words anymore as rage crept in. I was seeing red, ready to burn the fucking world for the disrespect, when I caught sight of Sloane again.
She watched, sadness filling her expression, as the whip cracked again and again across my back. These assholes didn’t believe in ten commandments. No, that was too easy. There were twenty-fucking-one.
I focused in on her eyes, locked my gaze onto her.
There was something more than sadness there.
She was pleading with me. Don’t stop or you’re dead.
It was written on her face. Don’t beg, don’t run, don’t stop, or Ethan will kill you.
I knew it as surely as if she were whispering the words directly to me.
The agony was causing black spots to dance on the edges of my vision. I’d be damned if I’d black out. I wouldn’t give this fucker the satisfaction. I was going to have to ask someone what these commandments were later because, other than the first, I hadn’t heard a damn thing.
Ethan stepped in front of me, signaling for me to rise. “Welcome to The Order, Brother Derek.”
People cried out in congratulations, but I ignored everyone. Their voices were taking on a tinny quality, letting me know I was hitting the edges of my limit.
“I’ll expect to see you tomorrow at nine a.m. for your introduction.” He walked off, barking something as he did.
If his introduction was anything like the initiation I was going to end up losing my shit less than twenty-four hours into this plan. Hands grabbed me, steadying me.
“Easy.”
The soft voice had me looking down. Sloane wrapped my arm over her shoulders, and I followed along as she brought me down off the stage.
I was moving on autopilot. Even when I wasn’t completely functional mentally, it was hard for me to take my eyes off her.
She was so goddamn captivating, a momentary distraction from the agony.
“I’ve never seen anyone make it through that and stay conscious to the end,” she said, giving me a quick peek before looking down at the ground again. “Most pass out. Others run, or beg. It’s a good thing you didn’t do that.”
Her voice was soothing and it made me want to close my eyes.
My tongue was thick inside my mouth, preventing me from speaking.
I don’t ever remember being this out of it.
My back had gone mostly numb after the first few lashes, but I had a feeling he hadn’t used a gentle touch.
I didn’t even want to think about what my back looked like.
We made it into a building and before I knew it I was face down on a bed. I didn’t want to give in to the fight, but unconsciousness dragged me down.