Page 8 of Temptation
Like a kaleidoscope, those memories I never wanted to revisit started pushing forward. Like Pandora opening that box of tragedies, I opened mine while looking into his eyes.
I could almost taste my tears from that night—his violent touch and the pain slicing through my body all the way to my soul. He ripped me apart. He showed me that the stories about demons lurking in the darkest parts of night were real. He made me feel scared, out of control, fucking terrified. He carved me up and left me there to bleed.
He wasn’t my brother anymore. I couldn’t see the soft smile I always loved so much, or all those memories where we laughed together.
All I could see was a stranger coated in colors of pain and terror, and for the first time, I had no idea what to do.
In two strides, he came in front of me, and like in slow motion, he dropped the mask he was holding to the floor and his hand lifted up all the way to my face, while the other one holding the dagger lifted all the way to my chest.
My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Words I wanted to say stood lodged inside my throat, too fearful to make an appearance.
The cold tip of the dagger pressed to my chest, and with delicate moves, he started dragging it down between my boobs all the way to my stomach, and finally to my pussy. His thumb stroked my cheek—lovingly, tenderly even—but there was no mistaking the sinister intentions shining from his orbs.
I could almost see his thoughts now. I could almost taste the depravity seeping from every pore in his body, and I was a prisoner.
“Are you going to kill me?” I asked, frozen in place. “Are you going to kill me like you killed all those other girls?”
“Kill you?” He took a step backward with shock written all over his pretty face. “Why would I kill you?”
“Because you killed them,” I blurted out, unable to help myself. I understood now the signs, the messages, Kane’s warning and the impending doom constantly hanging above my head. I understood now those looks of his and the touches I couldn’t decipher, because brothers shouldn’t look at their sisters in that way.
But I never thought he would be the one to kill me. I never thought he would be the one to destroy me.
“Little One,” he protested and took a hold of my hand and pressed it against his chest. His heartbeat was steady and strong—calm. He was calm while every single nerve in my body screamed at me to run. “I killed them for you. I killed them for us so that we could finally be together.”
For us?“What?” I tried pulling my hand back, but he held me imprisoned and my strength was no match for his. “What are you talking about?”
“Those girls.” He took a step forward, crowding me, keeping me in the same spot. “They sacrificed their lives for the greater good—for us.”
“Let go, Dylan,” I gritted out, but he was relentless. “What are you talking about?”
“Now our Union will be blessed by His Unholy Majesty.” He smiled as if what he did was the normal thing to do.
“What Union?” I asked again, trying to pull away from him. “You’re fucking crazy, Dylan. Let go of me!”
“Shhhh.” He pressed a finger against my lips and dragged the dagger all the way to my throat. The cold tip laid on top of my artery and if he decided to, he could end me now. “You will look so pretty in red,” he murmured absentmindedly, staring at the spot where the dagger kissed my skin. “Painted in the colors of violence and my eternal devotion to you. Painted in colors of love and pain. So perfect. So pure. And mine.” He lifted his head up, desire written all over his face. “You’re going to love this next part, Little One. You’re going to adore it.” He smiled and looked toward the entrance, where the two guards stood. “Bring her in!”
The chanting suddenly stopped, and one by one, like a choreography, the masked figures turned toward the altar and turned their heads down.
A different chanting started echoing around us. A sinister touch on my skin made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Before I could understand what was going on, Dylan pulled me toward the altar, all but dragging me with him.
“This is going to be magnificent.” He snickered at the same time that the door opened.
I looked over my shoulder and shuddered at the sight in front of me.
They were dragging a girl with them who had the red mask on her face. She was in a dress similar to mine, only hers was black.
Her sudden shriek made me jump in the spot, but Dylan’s grip on my hand never loosened.
“Don’t worry, darling. She won’t be able to hurt you anymore.”
She?“Who?” I swallowed hard and continued rushing after him. “Who is that, Dylan?” He pulled us behind the altar so that we could face the entire room. “Who are they bringing?”
I’d died a thousand times over the last two years.
My soul crumbled, cried, screamed, and shattered, touched by filthy hands, clawed by monsters surrounding me.
But none of it could prepare me for this.
