His hand slipped into my hair and, wrapping it around his fist, he threw me to the floor. My scalp screamed in pain as I was roughly pushed between Styx and Rider, who were braced on their knees with heads down.
As I hit the floor, the sheet covering my body slipped away and a pained hiss slipped through Styx’s teeth. I risked a glance to see him glowering my way; death stalked his hazel eyes as he stared daggers at the man above me… the man who was staring at my exposed flesh. I was bare, for all to see. The room grew silent and I heard Rider suck in a sharp breath. When I glanced up in his direction, his brown eyes roved lustfully along my frame.
The man in charge walked to the door and grabbed my black robe from the peg on the back of the door. He threw it at my face.
“Cover yourself, whore,” he ordered. With shaky hands, I wrapped it around my body, tying the belt in a double knot.
“Put your hands behind your backs.” I did as ordered but the leader rapped the butt of his gun on the side of Styx’s jaw when he refused. “All of you! Now!”
Tears ran down my cheeks as Styx reluctantly did as he was told. I could see his throat working, his chest heaving and his lips shut tight. He was trying to speak. He was trying to speak but could not. My heart broke for him.
I met his seething stare and tried to reassure him that I was okay. It did not work. The tendons in his neck pulsed with rage and his face turned bright red.
Three of the men took ties from their pockets and, roughly grasping our wrists, bound them together. The plastic ties were too strong to break.
We were now their captives.
Rider swayed and leaned against me, his body covered in blood and mud. He was so tired he could barely hold his head up straight.
The men in balaclavas stood over us. All dressed in black, they aimed their guns at our heads but Styx kneeled up straight, defiant, his eyes promising revenge and retribution. Even outnumbered, Styx’s strength and courage shone through.
The leader saw the challenge in Styx’s stance and laughed a long, harrowing laugh—my blood turned to ice. That laugh. I would recognize that laugh anywhere.
A whimper escaped my throat and the leader of the hooded group turned his head in my direction. He walked toward me slowly and crouched low. I sensed both Rider and Styx stiffen. The two men I loved most flanked me. But they could not protect me from this man. I believed, no, I knew he would find me in the end.
The man slowly lifted his hand and swiftly removed his balaclava. All of the air in my lungs left my body. “Brother Gabriel,” I hissed through clenched teeth.
I could hear Styx grind his teeth in anger beside me as Gabriel smiled the widest smile; his hand stroked his long, brown beard.
“Salome,” he said very slowly, my name a curse on his tongue. “You’ve been a very bad, very insolent woman.” He tutted and waggled his index finger in my face as though reprimanding a simple child. “We’ve been searching for you for a very long time.” He turned to the others and laughed. “And here we find you, soiling yourself with his seed.” Gabriel pointed at Styx. “In the place we despise the most… with the people we have been working so hard to bring down.”
I did not understand what he was saying. How could The Order know of the Hangmen? How had they been trying to bring the Hangmen down? I flashed a glance to Styx; his expression mirrored my confusion. I remained stoic toward Gabriel, my face acquiring the same blank expression I had adopted for many, many years. I was proficient in the art of hiding my emotions.
“Now here’s what’s gonna happen,” Gabriel announced, interrupting my inner musings. “You’re gonna come back with us. You’re gonna shut that mouth like a good lil’ woman and repent for your whoring ways. You’ve tainted your purity with this sinner.” He snarled and curled his lip. “You still have his semen dripping down your thighs.”
One of the men pushed his gun barrel along Styx’s temple. Styx looked ready to erupt in fiery rage.
“Then you’re gonna finally marry Prophet David, as revealed by the Lord, and seal our people’s place in Paradise.”
I inhaled a shaky breath and closed my eyes, only to snap them back open and glare straight into Gabriel’s eyes. “I will do as you have requested,” I meekly conceded. I had to swallow the lump rising in my throat when Styx thrashed around in protest. The guard struck him on the stomach with his gun. Styx took the hit without a flinch.
I pleaded, “Let Rider and Styx go. Please.”
Gabriel laughed. “Now, Salome, that’s not your call to make.”
“Please! They are innocent. Just let them go!”
One by one, the brothers in the room revealed their faces—all the elders: Gabriel, Noah, Moses… and Jacob. His gray eyes fixed on mine and he stalked toward me, stopping behind Gabriel, then smiled wide. I felt as though hundreds of spiders were crawling over my flesh and I shuddered in revulsion.
“Salome. We meet again,” he hissed, coldly.
“Jacob,” I spat out, disgust coiling my stomach. His years of abuse flooded into my mind’s eye. I squeezed my eyes, trying to stem the flow of horrific memories: the touching, the taking… the shame.
With a roar, Styx jumped to his feet and charged at Jacob. I screamed as Styx launched into him, and in a tangled mess, the two of them hit the floor. Styx maneuvered himself to stamp his foot across Jacob’s jaw. I heard a dull popping sound, followed by Noah swatting his gun on the back of Styx’s head. Styx crumpled flat to the ground.
Jacob jumped to his feet, holding his injured jaw and I watched as he clicked it back into place. Jacob made to charge at Styx and Rider edged closer to me, his large chest shielding me from view.
“Enough!” Gabriel ordered. The brothers instantly froze. “Secure him to the bedpost!”
Brother Noah pushed Styx into the bedpost and tied him securely. Styx thrashed wildly, but the bed did not move. I met his wild eyes and mouthed, I love you.
Styx stilled.