Page 15 of Unhallowed

Killian’s face as he comes.

* * *

I was warned by Draven that I’d be naked and uncomfortable, with my face painted as a skull, and blood from a girl on my arms. But he never said I’d be surrounded byrobedpeople. That this is some kind of Halloween ritual, I’m assuming.

There are at least fifty of them standing in black robes, their faces covered, surrounding me and twelve more naked girls. We’re in the middle of the woods, and there’s nothing here except huge trees and a circle, and the girls are in it with me. The circle we’re inside of has a star—or pentagram, as they called it—and it’s carved into the dirt. There’s also an eerie silence that has the hairs all over my body standing on end—as well as the chill in the air, it’s cold as fuck. A group of thirteen men begins to walk toward us, all carrying a staff.

One of them pulls the robe hood down, revealing black hair and blue eyes, much like Killian’s. In fact, they look almost the same with their straight noses and full lips. “Welcome toCinis.” The man with a booming voice begins. “I am yourDux, and tonight we will be giving back.” Giving back? What the fuck does that even mean? “But we will also be adding one more person to the Family tonight.Oneof these women gets to live.”

A chill runs down my spine at his words and a low chant begins, something in another language that I can’t decipher. I look around at the other girls whose hands are bound and realize I’m the only one who is not,again. This isn’t right. All these women that came with me on the plane look fine, well-fed even, but something just feels off—like there’s evil in the air. An ominous feeling that has me tensing.

The twelve other men surrounding us have silver snakes on the back of their robes. I can only see them because of the way they’re walking clockwise around the circle, chanting something low that I still can’t decipher. One, two, three turns and they stop abruptly, tapping their staffs against the dirt.

The snakes immediately make me think of Killian’s and Draven’s tattoos, and I look around once more to see if I can recognize anyone, like Killian or Draven.Anyfamiliar face would bring me comfort right about now.

Black robes, circle, pentagram…

That’s all I can see.

There’s fire everywhere. Four bonfires to be exact—one to the North, South, East, and West of the huge circle. And when I look at the crowd behind the twelve men guarding the circle, all of them are carrying torches. I want to know what they plan on doing with all this fire, but then again…I don’t think I can handle it.

“I want to thank you all for coming to this retreat, and if you are not a newcomer, welcome back. We meet here every year for The Festival of Fire, to perform our ritual.Cinishas been happening for hundreds of years, and even two of the Presidents of the United States have been part of us. That being said, only those who belong in the Inner Circle will participate, but you are welcome to do as you please with each other.” Something tells me that no good can come of tonight, and I will be witnessing something fucked up and depraved. “But we’re going to start with the first ceremony, the most important one tonight, before we drink the blood and our inhibitions are compromised. Then we can all have some fun.”

TheDuxbegins to rearrange the bound women around me until they’re forming the entirety of the circle—lying down—and I’m in the middle, the robed men around us unmoving, not breaking the circle. There’s one of them that overlaps though, inside the circle right in front of the rest, but I cannot see his face as his hood is up. I’m assuming it’s Draven though.

I look at the man in front of me,Dux, now lowering his knife to a woman’s forearm. “This ritual is a sacrifice—a show of power. Wearethe most powerful men in this country. And as you all know, the most effective sacrifice is that of a virgin, and the blood is the vehicle that we will reap from. Power.Essence.” He stops and looks straight at me, then slices the forearm of the girl in front of him, from wrist to elbow. She whimpers but doesn’t move, clearly under the influence of something. I close my eyes for a beat and then open them again, tears trailing down my face. When I open my eyes though, he’s going from woman to woman, slicing their wrists. Moans and whimpers filter through the air, and a sob threatens to claw its way up my throat. What the fuck did Draven get me into?

I look up at him and notice he’s unmoving, his stance wide, seemingly relaxed. Bile rises but I swallow it down. Is this really the man I’m marrying? Has he done this before? Is he okay with this? My stomach contracts as a sickening feeling takes over my body, and I’m dizzy as I stand here in the middle of the pentagram.

Blood pours out of the girls’ wounds, and as if the dug up pentagram is a channel, the blood all pools in the middle. Where I am. My feet are warm and sticky from the blood, and it gathers between my toes, which are now crimson-black. Nausea threatens to take me out, a gag taking over my body, and I breathe in slowly through my nose. Is this the marriage ceremony? What it consists of? What the fuck?

He takes the wrist of the very last girl and slices again, pushing up to stand. “I slay thee in the name and to the honor of the high and powerful being. Please accept this sacrifice and serve us faithfully, for better sacrifices are coming.”

Then he looks at me again. “Kneel.” TheDuxcommands, and when I look around and no one moves I realize it’s because he’s talking to me. I slowly lower myself, trying not to show anyone more of myself than necessary, but that just forces me and the blood to become more acquainted with each other. I gag again. “Hurry up,pulchra. They’ll bleed out before we get to play with them.”

At that, I feel everyone’s eyes on me, and they’re so quiet I can hear their erratic breathing. As if they’reexcitedabout this. My face burns as I finish getting to my knees and close my eyes again. I can’t see this. God, help me. But I steel my spine anyway. Only a little bit longer and I’ll be able to get out of here, I think. Draven never really explained what happens after the ceremony. If we get to just leave. It was a lengthy car drive to get here though, one in which I had to be blind-folded because I’m not part of the Inner Circle and women aren’t allowed to know its location. It’s a men-only show.

I try to control my breaths, willing the heaving of my chest to slow. It does me no good to feel out of control, to not be able to gather my wits in this situation. I need a clear head to be able to get through it, and with Draven I can get through anything.

Anything.

Right?

“Tonight we will seal the union between my son and his new wife, and we invite her into our Inner Circle. She will take place inSanguis, the ceremony where she will offer herself up to her husband, blood and flesh. He will take his vows and she will become his, until death. This union will never be broken, as it is blessed byHim, and it is the most unholy of unions that He blesses.”

I open my eyes to see the robed figure step up to the circle, walking toward the middle to meet me.Draven. My breath stutters in my chest and my heart begins to pound as I hear the squish of his footsteps in the blood. He then drops to his knees in front of me, his face still obscured by the robe.

My nostrils flare with fear, a coldness seeping into my bones. I don’t want to do this. I don’t think I can. I mean, their wrists are slit for fuck’s sake. But what happens next? To them? Tome?

“Breathe.” A whisper, and I do. I take a deep breath that makes my chest expand and my heart slow down. “It’s almost over.”

I relax slightly, looking at the ground. There are two chalices and a knife, and suddenly my heart rate triples. It was a terrible idea to look, and now I entirely regret being a snoop. But not really, because I’m going to have to have my eyes open for this. So I raise my chin and square my shoulders, not caring how scared I am.

“Look at me, baby girl.”

I do, and my blood freezes in my chest, ice traveling through my veins and all the way to my dead heart.

No.

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