Page 46 of Obsession

“So you knew who it was when I pointed them out?” she asked.

“I did and mentioned it to the sheriff and mayor before telling them to come here.”

Hollis, her eyes wide but not fearful, nodded slowly. The veil lifted from her gaze, and she began to see the perverted tapestry of Raven’s Vale, woven with threads of blood and terror.

“Understand now?” My voice was low. “This is my kingdom, our kingdom. And these are the rules you play by.”

I watched her, the realization dawning, and something feral uncoiled within me -- a mixture of pride and possession. She was truly becoming part of my world, part of the very sinews that held Raven’s Vale together.

“Beyond these streets,” I said, “there’s a world that doesn’t give two shits about the poor bastards with no direction. But they’re mine. They work for me. They breathe because I allow it.”

I leaned forward, elbows on knees, hands clasped together as if in prayer -- though I’d never once believed in any god. “They scout the gutters, the dark corners of nowhere towns. Find the lost ones, the hopeless. Offer them a ticket to Raven’s Vale. A second shot at life, or the closest thing to it.”

My eyes flicked to Dalton and Rawlins. “The sheriff here, mayor too, they play good Samaritan. Jobs, roofs over their heads, all the things people want. Some bite the hand feeding them and end up on the streets again. Their choice. Our rules.”

Hollis watched me. I could almost hear the cogs turning in her skull as she pieced together the grim mosaic of our world. Her eyes began to harden with the same resolve that coursed through my veins.

“Riot --” she started, but I held up a hand, cutting her off.

“Listen, Doll. This is the belly of the beast. You’re in deep now. And there’s no crawling back out. Not for you. Not for anyone.”

I saw it then -- the shift. The moment her spirit snarled and snapped into place beside mine. She understood the game, the unspoken creed we lived and bled by. And she’d stay by my side, helping me keep the status quo.

“Got it?” I asked, gauging her, testing the mettle I already knew was there.

“Got it.”

“Welcome home, Hollis.” My lips twisted into something that might’ve passed for a smile in another life. “To Raven’s Vale -- where the damned find their calling, and the wolves run free.”

“But how does no one find out what’s going on here?” she asked.

“Those who live outside and know of me and this place are loyal. Some of them I saved by killing the monsters hurting them. It wasn’t intentional, but the end result was nice. They make sure no one speaks of this place, and no one comes searching for the three of us.”

“And people willingly come here, even knowing they may die?” she asked.

“Hollis, people die all the time. If they stayed out there, living in the filth, then they would find their end soon enough. At least here, they have a chance.”

She pressed her lips together in a tight line. “I didn’t. I was born here, abandoned here, and never hurt anyone. So why was I chosen as a sacrifice?”

I grinned. “Because I asked them to choose you. From the moment I saw you, you caught my eye. Something about you called to me. It was the first time my initial reaction wasn’t to slit someone’s throat. Call me curious, but I decided I wanted to play with you a bit. See if I could figure out what made you special.”

She paled a little and glared at me. “I’m not a toy, Riot. I know you often talk about me like I’m one, but I’m a living, breathing human.”

I leaned closer to her. “Oh, but you are one, Hollis. You’re my toy. If you’ve already forgotten, I can take you upstairs and remind you.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she narrowed her eyes at me. I loved seeing that fire in her.

“Now you know how things work,” Kane said. “And because of how we run things, your baby will always be safe here. Whether they’re like you or Riot won’t matter. There will be a spot for them in Raven’s Vale.”

Her shoulders sagged and she nodded. “All right. I get it. And thank you for explaining things to me.”

“Did you say baby?” the mayor asked.

“Yes. Hollis is pregnant with my child.” I stared at the two men. “Which means you are to protect her at all costs. Anyone says something rude to her, looks at her wrong, or so much as bumps into her, I want to know about it.”

“Riot, I think that’s going a little far,” she said.

“I don’t. You’re mine. No one is allowed to hurt you except me.”

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