Page 39 of Daddy's Sinner

Looking into his eyes, I know he means every single word. He would burn this entire compound, sacrificing everything for me. But would I do the same? That doubt stops me from jumping to accept his offer, to give him the okay to destroy everything, even though that’s all I want.

As he steps closer, the sound of footsteps and rustling leaves fill the air, snapping us both out of our trance. I push Matheo away. “Go. I’ll find you,” I promise. He reluctantly pulls away and disappears into the shadows.

A familiar voice cuts through the night; it isn’t the Prophet’s, but that of an equally monstrous figure. One I’m too familiar with. I brace myself as his grin appears in the dim light filtering through the trees.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Gabriel sneers, his eyes cold and calculating as they lock onto me. I straighten my spine, refusing to show any weakness in his presence. Then I notice the wound on his face and grimace.

“Just taking a walk,” I reply, my voice steady despite the fear coursing through my veins.

Gabriel steps closer, his movements predatory and deliberate. He tilts his head to the side, studying me with a smirk playing on his lips. “A walk, huh? In the middle of the night, in the woods, with a forbidden lover perhaps?” he taunts, his words like venom dripping from his tongue. I clench my jaw, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.

Gabriel circles around me like a shark scenting blood in the water. “You know the rules, Marisol. You belong to the Prophet. Your duty is to serve him and follow his commands,” he says, his lips curling into a sinister smile. “You know what happens to those who disobey, Marisol,” he purrs, stepping closer until I can feel his hot breath against my skin.

Every instinct scream at me to run, to flee from the danger that stands before me. I scan the woods, praying to whatever god that Matheo is out of here. One thing is being caught by an enforcer, but this asshole is the second—the Prophet’s right-hand man and the next in line to have me if anything were to happen to the Prophet.

Gabriel cups my face tightly. “I should fuck you right here. He wouldn’t know. Maybe I should kill him and have you anyway. You’re mine, and I need you to stop behaving like a Jezebel,” he sneers. I spit in his face, the rage coursing through my veins making me fearless. But his backhand caused me to fall to the ground, and the air knocked out of me. Grabbing a fistful of my hair, he brings my face close to his. His tongue licks up the blood on my lips, and I struggle to breathe, my lungs screaming for air. He leers down at me, his eyes ablaze with a mix of desire and possession.

“You’re mine,” he growls, his voice low and menacing. “You belong to me and none other.”

My heart beats wildly, fear and anger coursing through me. I struggle against Gabriel’s grip, kicking and fighting to break free from his hold. “Let me go,” I seethe, my voice trembling with defiance. “You have no right to touch me like this!”

Gabriel laughs, his eyes gleaming with triumph. “Oh, but I do. I have the Prophet’s authority, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. You’ll be mine eventually, and I won’t have a used-up whore.” He groans as he hikes up my dress, his fingers slipping between my legs. To my horror, I’m still wet from Matheo, and that only fuels his sick desire. “Fuck, Sol,” he breathes, fingers sinking into my folds. “So wet. What were you doing out here, Sol?”

“Get off me, you fucking monster!” I scream, thrashing against him. But he’s too strong, his grip tightening in my hair like a vice.“Defiance doesn’t suit you, Dove.” His voice lowers, almost a purr. “This isn’t like you. Makes me wonder... what’s got you so worked up?”

Gabriel’s words grip my mind, revealing a truth I’ve been trying to deny. My life has always been centered around serving the Prophet, and the Lilith within me has been nothing more than a burden. But now, with Matheo, I’ve experienced a taste of freedom, of true connection. The Prophet’s rule has left me feeling trapped and isolated, but with Matheo, I’ve felt alive.

Unwanted tears fill my eyes as Gabriel releases me, stepping back to survey his work. “Go back with the maidens. Next time, you will be punished.”

Sinner

Iwatch from the sidelines as the asshole touches her. I wish I could see his face, but I can’t. His voice sounds familiar, but it could be anyone’s. My hands ball into fists as I bite back the urge to go over there and breakevery bone in his body for hurting her. He will die by my hands, I determine then.

My heart pounds in my chest like a wild drum, matching the rhythm of the barely suppressed rage that threatens to burst forth from within me. But she holds her own. My little demon spits in his face and doesn’t yield. Deadly fucking angel.

I can almost taste the metallic tang of my vengeance, a bitter cocktail of fury and protectiveness. But I’m trapped, rooted to the spot like some cowardly bystander. A sick knot forms in my stomach, like I’ve swallowed a cannonball whole. Yet my girl fights him as he walks her back to the compound. I’ll kill them all.

Walking around the woods, I scan the perimeter, making sure I memorize the layout. For what I have in store, I need to ensure we can make it out alive with those who are innocent.

As the chill of the night wind seeps into my bones, I feel my resolve hardening like forged steel. Silently, I move through the dense undergrowth, taking note of deadfalls and patches of loose ground—potential traps for the unwary, but a golden opportunity for those who know of their existence. My main priority is having access to the maidens, especially if she is going to be here. I take a deep breath in. Blowing this shithole to the ground is the best possible outcome. Burn it all, bring them hell on earth—that’s what they deserve.

My thoughts race through a thousand strategies, discarding most as too risky or unlikely to succeed. Stealth is my ally here, the guile of the hunted fox turning upon the hounds. I have no illusions about the odds stacked against me, but I keep moving and plotting.

Moonlight dapples the forest floor, casting eerie shadows that play tricks on my eyes. I’m grateful for the darkness; if anyone spots me now, it could blow all my carefully laid plans to smithereens. I can’t risk that. I throw my head back, taking in the night sky. Soon I’ll free her from these demons and show her true salvation. True worship.

I follow the sound of voices, leading me to the men in white robes from earlier. They talk amongst themselves, celebrating their blessing—Marisol’s purification, their gift for their undying loyalty or stupidity. I seethe as I count the men not that it mattered, they are dead.

I clench my fists, the veins throbbing under my skin. Their laughter pierces the night, a sickening revelry that will soon be drowned in their own blood. Rage boils within me, a volcano waiting to unleash its wrath.

I move closer, careful to avoid snapping twigs or rustling leaves. Fuck it. One of them is dying tonight, and unfortunately for him, this asshole, who moved from the group, will do. I creep behind him as he pulls out his cock to piss behind a tree. Poor bastard doesn’t hear me until my blade pierces his throat.

His sudden gasp is swallowed by the night, and the soft thump of his body falling doesn’t reach the ears of his comrades. For a moment, I stand over his quickly cooling form, my heart pounding with a sickening thrill. The smell of spent urine mixes with the coppery tang of his blood.

Blood spurts from the fatal wound, warm and pulsating, coloring his white robe a shocking scarlet. Terror hangs in his eyes as he grasps at the knife, clawing futilely as he chokes on his own blood. I tsk, and with one swift yank, free my blade from his throat, wiping the blood on my pants. Another idiot stumbles upon me— this poor soul will visit hell before the grand finale.

With a swift, brutal swing of my blade, I plunge it into the man’s larynx before he can even register my presence. A harsh gurgle emerges from his throat, his hands clutching at the wound as life drains from his eyes in mere seconds. His body collapses onto the bloody grass, his hands still clawing at his throat in a futile attempt to staunch the flow.

I watch as life flees from him, the world narrowing to the red creeping on his robe and the bitter smell of death.

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