Page 2 of Moonlit Choosing Ritual

Mom opened the door and narrowed her eyes. “What happened to her?”

“She did five laps on the track,” Josh made up the silliest excuse.

“Thanks, Josh,” my mother said and pulled me inside, slamming the door in his face.

“Mrs. Fogel!” he shouted and knocked on the door. But she ignored him and I got another dose of that black tonic.

This time when I woke up, I felt… broken. Like a soulless husk.

Chapter 1

Kimble

I saw his fist swinging in my direction. It hit my temple and I slid ten feet away on the wet ground of the forest floor, a scream ripping from my mouth. I almost blacked out, feeling warm blood trickling down my skin.

Through the pain, the only proof I was still alive was the rain pounding against my limp body. One of his accomplices scooped me up and carried me to their jeep. As he threw me into the back seat, he muttered, “You hit her too hard, idiot!”

“She was running wildly!” the other one hissed. He started the jeep and sped off, muttering curses.

I don’t remember anything after that and succumbed to the pain throbbing in my head. Nightmares of amber eyes and wolves chasing me hounded me.

I peeled open my eyes to a dimly lit room, my eyelids still heavy with the vestiges of nightmares. Was I alive or was I in hell? I tried moving my arms and legs but couldn’t. They were tied to the bed with ropes. I licked my chapped lips and let out a feeble cry of help. “Anyone there… help…”

The door opened immediately and my kidnapper walked in, his dark piercing gaze chilling me to the core, his muscular frame intimidating. He was wearing a black shirt and black slacks, his expression cold.

He sneered as he untied my hand, assessing the wound on my head. “It’s healed,” he said. It hadn’t. My head was pounding. “You’re supposed to be up on the stage in two hours.” He leaned toward the side table and gave me a bottle of water.

I gulped it greedily, water spluttering out of my mouth. Once I was done and wiping my lips with my hands, he slapped somered lingerie into my lap. “Wear it. Madam Nella has sent it specially for you,” he growled.

These people had come to my house and kidnapped me because my mother wasn’t able to pay her debts. You see, she was an addict. Neglected me for years. Forced various liquids down my throat.

Somehow, I managed to get into a community school and was about to graduate. When Mom’s “clients” would come, she’d lock me in a cupboard so they wouldn’t see me. I’d stay quiet until she let me out again.

I was a month short of my eighteenth birthday and had collected enough money to leave this fucking town by waitressing in a local restaurant for the last two years. But just as I was about to leave Mom for good, she sold me to Madam Nella to clear her debts.

These bastards had been waiting for me at my home. One look at them and I ran for my life, racing through the woods behind our shabby cottage. But they’d got the better of me, so here I was.

“Where are you taking me, Brute?” I asked, trying to appear tough, but shaking visibly.

Brute narrowed his eyes. “You’ll be auctioned today.”

I clenched my fists. “Don’t…” I murmured. “I’ll pay my mom’s debt.”

He grabbed my jaw hard and shook my face. “Just fucking get ready. Now!” He shoved me back and got up to untie my legs.

“Please…” I urged through my tears, which broke the dam of my hope and rolled out uncontrollably.

The door opened again and an old woman with a walking stick walked in. Her cold gray eyes narrowed on me as she watched me like a hawk through her netted black veil. She was wearing a black silk blouse with a black pleated skirt that fell toher calves. Her white hair was tied in a neat bun hidden behind a hat.

Brute rose to his feet in fear. “Madam Nella, I was getting her ready,” he said in a clipped, tense tone.

“Please let me go,” I begged through wet eyes.

Without looking at him, she said in an icy voice, devoid of emotion, “There’s no escape from here, Kimble. You better accept your fate. Your mother owes me a million dollars. By selling you to the wolves, I’ll be able to get at least half of that. Put on that lingerie so the bidders can see your assets.”

A million dollars? Wolves? My jaw dropped. “I’ll do anything to repay you, Madam Nella. Don’t do this to me.”

She gave me a once-over and signaled, with a jerk of her chin, for Brute to get me ready for the auction. As soon as she left, Brute untied my legs and walked out. “I’ll be back in an hour.” He closed the door behind him and I heard the distinctive click of the lock.

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