Page 6 of Beatitude

“Taking rides from strangers is dangerous.” He lets out a surprised laugh and it makes me crack a smile.

“Really? So I guess you’ve never used a ride-share before?” Tapping my finger to my chin I think for a moment.

“Hmm… I suppose. So do you have a rating system.” He snorts and shakes his head.

“You’re funny,”

“I’ve been called worse.” I smirk before looking at his car again. “Alright fine,” I relent.

“Well don’t hurt yourself with all that excitement.” He laughs lightly. “I do have heated seats.” I’ll admit, that’s a luxury my frozen body would love right now. Opening the door I slide in, my body shivering as it makes contact with the cool leather seat. Belial closes his trunk before going to the driver’s side and sliding his large frame behind the wheel. He pushes the button to start the engine and turns on the seat warmers.

“Thank you,” I whisper, feeling overwhelmed by his presence. The sedan is average size but he takes up so much room. “I wasn’t kidding about having nowhere to go though so if you want to take me to the hotel down the street, I’ll probably hang out in the lobby until I’m kicked out,” I half joke while sipping on my coffee.

“Sounds like a terrible use of a day,” he mutters while sliding his hand down to his door pocket. Maybe he has sugar packets in there for his coffee?

“Well, I don’t really know what I’m going to do yet so it seems like my only option.”

“I can think of a better one.” he smirks while giving me a sideways stare. I blush, figuring he’s implying sex. Damn it, I should’ve known better.

“Oh, well…I mean I’m flattered bu—” His hand slaps over my mouth as I feel something sharp go into my neck. It only takes a moment for my body to go weak. I stare at him through my rain splattered glasses as my mind tries to get my body to fight. It’s no use though. Devon was right, oh my god that fucker was right. Men are only out here to hurt me, to use me and I have no one to blame this time but myself for getting into this stupid car.

“Sleep my angel,” He coos softly as my eyes grow heavy. “There’s this beautiful trail a little way from here I’m sure you’ll love to see when you wake up.”

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,”I groan while banging on the hood of the trunk with my shoe.Perfect Everly, you happy now? You’re being kidnapped and this guy is going to kill you because you got into his fucking car.I have no idea how long I’ve been out this time, but I do know I need to pee and my back and arms are killing me. I feel like I dislocated my fucking shoulder from being held up from the branch while he…

I blush at the memories of his cock, his tongue and his words. He didn’t scare me, not the way he should’ve. No, I felt challenged—alive. And I wanted so much more at that moment.Ugh, I’m disgusting. Aroused by someone wanting to kill me? Yeah, I’d love for a shrink to have a crack at that one.

“Let. Me. Out!” I bang in between each shout before feeling around again for the release lever. I’ve seen enough crime documentaries to know there should be one around here.Enough documentaries to know about a trunk release but not enough to keep yourself from getting kidnapped.I feel a plastic handle and pull it, causing the trunk to pop open. I nearly scream in delight until I realize he’s pulling over.Fuck, does the car alert the driver if the handle’s been pulled? Whata useless feature!The car stops and deciding it’s now or never, I kick the trunk hatch open before falling out and landing roughly on the road. Standing up, I waste no time, running down the nearly black, completely deserted road.Really? I couldn’t be on a freaking highway?

I turn into the tree line and start running as fast as my sore legs will move while trying my damndest to hold my bound hands out in front of me. “Everly if you trip, so help me god,” I growl to myself as I continue to run. Each stride is more painful than the last. The drugs in my system are making me feel heavy and my legs hurt from kicking that trunk. After what feels like an eternity of me weaving through trees to lose the asshole, I hide behind a tree to catch my breath. My body is shaking from the adrenaline, drugs, cold or a combination of the three—I can’t see anything and my lungs are on fucking fire. My breathing stops as I hear something echoing in the distance.

What is that?

There it is again. It’s a high-pitched clicking sound; like metal maybe? The sound is familiar, I just can’t think of…

I freeze, the noise is right behind me, and I know exactly what the noise is—a zippo lighter. It opens and closes, again and again. Its owner sighs as they lean against the other side of the tree. I hear them strike the lighter and the smell of a cigarette fills the air as they inhale deeply.

“Having fun?” he asks, and I nearly piss my pants on the spot at Belial’s calm, almost bored tone. I pull my lips inward to stop the cry from escaping. He may not know I’m here, he could be guess?—

“I can smell you,” he says, still sounding bored as he takes another pull from his cigarette. “You see, when your job, yourlife’s work, is tracking and hunting, your senses become a little more heightened. And then when one sense goes out, like sight for instance.” He flicks his lighter again before coming around the tree to face me, only the small flame giving us any light source. I shrink against the tree and force myself not to scream. “Well, you know how senses work. Now, care to explain why you ran into the woods, alone, in the dark? Sweet Angel, you have no idea the type of predators that are out here. I could protect you from most, sure, but what if something came along that I couldn’t fight? Or it got to you before I could? It would destroy me to watch you get hurt.”

“You’re fucking psychotic!” I scream out, my voice breaking. “YOU are trying to hurt me!”

“No—” His voice is sharp, like a warning before letting out a chuckle of annoyance. “No, I am saving you. I am freeing you. Freedom is not without some pain and sacrifice, sure. But what you get at the end is salvation.”

“Oh my god, you’re fucking nuts! Enough with your bible shit! I’m not an angel and you’re no devil. You are a fucking sick, twisted man who needs help and I’m the idiot that took a ride from a stranger. There is no godly work happening.”

“Godly work?” he repeats on a laugh as he puts out his cigarette. “Godly work, godly work. Tell me,Pip, do youbelieve in the Christian’s bastardized version of God?” He cocks his head to one side, the glowing cherry illuminating his face just barely.

“I-I guess?” I reply nervously. Is this it? Is he going to kill me?

“Right, because of course you do, pretty young girls like you, go to church three times a year, right? Figure that’s good enough but of course you also plan to marry in the churchso it’s fine. Dunk your two point five kids in the holy water while some old fuck who just got finished getting blown by the alter boy raises his hand to the heaven’s and tells you that your children are now welcome in the Kingdom of Heaven. Meanwhile, those preaching ‘god’s work’ are out here killing, stealing, raping. His children are starving while his flock is nestled in all safe because they give their thirty percent in order to have their spot in the clouds, sound right?”

“I-I… Belial, I don’t understand! Why are you telling me this? What does this have to do with you kidnapping me? I haven’t gone to a church since I was a kid!”

“You said you believe in God, think of this as his plan.” My bottom lip quivers as I realize he’s going to drug me again. He’s going to drug me and throw me back in that trunk and… I can’t. I can’t do it again.

“Please,” I beg weakly. “Belial, I don’t know what’s happened to you, if I’ve done something at some point to cause this but, I’m sorry?—”

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