Page 28 of Beautiful Dark Temptation

From beneath the hood, I could see they werewearing the same style of boots and a robe. I couldn’t identify anyof them by their faces, but I’d been living with them long enoughto guess by their height. And there weren’t only five of them. Thearea was filled with candles and people.

I had no clue what the sacrifice meant, butI knew what scapegoat meant. Either we all took the blame for whathappened, or one of us did. And it had been my idea. “What right doyou have to do this? Because we won?”

“You were deemed cheaters. You did notfollow the rules of engagement.”

That threw me for a loop and I started tolaugh. A hysterical bubbly laugh that had me sucking in hard justto take a breath, the bag making it harder. “There are no rules ofengagement in the real world, you psycho bastards!” A blow met myface and I fell on the ground. Dasher had been leaning on me, so hetoppled on top of me.

“Tomás,” he said. “I’m so sorry.”

I hated all of them. Something deeply rootedin my soul. “Don’t,” I said to Dasher as we were hauled back ontoour feet.

“Trickery is judged by the trickster,”another voice said.

Charity let out a sob.

“The gods have spoken. Vanity will be madehumble. By water, fire, and air, the others will fall.”

A chorus chanted the same thing.

“You people are insane!” I said, through thepain.

“Chose your scapegoat or you will all fall,”the robotic voice said.

“It was Tomás,” Charity cried. “He said I’dbe protected.”

The words stung. It had been Ashton whopromised Charity would be safe, but it had been my plan. I had ledthe coup and had to take responsibility for it.

“Fuck that, we all agreed,” Dasher putin.

“It washisplan, man,” Ashtonadded.

“Dasher, come on.” Micah now. And he soundedthe way we all sounded. Afraid. Leading by fear apparently workedtoo. “We all have to agree, or we’ll all be exiled.”

“No!” Dasher yelled. I could tell he wascrying.

I hung my head. Hell, seven months ago I wasready to die via bodyguard. I hadn’t wanted to be here. I hadnothing. Nick wouldn’t miss me. He probably thought I was dead too.The realization that I was alone buried itself so deep inside of methat I saw nothing else.

“Ashton’s right. It was my plan. Let themgo.”

“No!” Dasher screamed. “Fuck them to hell.No!”

I turned to the sound of his voice. “Dasher,come on. We are better than all these fuckers. We know what truesacrifice means. We protect the most vulnerable. Do it forCharity.”

She started sobbing harder.

I heard his sniffles for a moment as if hewere right there. I’d hug him if I survived this. Not likely.

“Goddammit, okay. Tomás. It was his plan.Fox, I’ll never forgive you for this. Ever.”

I heard their grunts as the others weremoved away from me. I wish I could say that I was brave. That Istood my ground and hadn’t pissed myself.

But I’d be lying.

Chapter Fourteen

Tomás

The return to the light hurt. All over. Itstarted with my eyes. Then slowly branched out along my skin to mychest whenever I breathed. Once my mind got on board that I wasn’tdead, the other pain started registering. My throat felt raw. Icouldn’t tell if it was from screaming or from the noose they hadtied around my neck.

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