Page 76 of The Preacher's Pet

“Position the blades, close your eyes, and say the words ‘I release myself from your power’ three times before you cut the string.”

I do exactly as he says, then snip the string in two.

“Good girl,” he praises me, and I swear I feel myself becoming wetter. “Hold still.”

I remain in position as he moves around me with the smoky bundle of herbs, muttering things under his breath. With all three of them wearing masks now, and the room flickering in candlelight, I can’t help but feel as though it will work this time.

“Are you ready?” he asks.

I nod, too nervous to speak.

“One last thing. What’s your safe word?”

“Anchovies,” I answer immediately. I’ve been repeating the word to myself over and over so I won’t forget it. I know how important it is to be able to tell them to stop if I need to.

Cain goes to the door of the water tower and opens it, revealing the trees beyond. It’s almost a full moon, so the world is lit in a silvery glow.

“You need to head away from the college,” Cain says. “We can’t let anyone else hear us and interfere.”

My heart is in my throat. “I understand.” I think of something. “What if I get lost?”

Those days of wandering through the wilderness after I’d run from the commune suddenly come back to me. How terrified I’d been that I was going to die. How hungry I’d been. How I’d been covered in insect bites and scratches and scrapes. I know this isn’t the same, but it’s impossible for me not to think about it.

Malachi steps in, his voice coming from behind his white mask. “We won’t let you get that far away from us.”

“We don’t plan for you to escape,” Cain growls.

A shiver goes through me. I’m really doing this. I’m going to let three masked men chase me through the woods at night, and when they catch me…

My mind flitters across all kinds of tantalizing, erotic possibilities, and the understanding that I am one hundred percent going through with this solidifies inside me.

Dirty little whore,the Prophet’s voice hisses in the back of my mind.Even hell is too good for the likes of you.

Shut up!I want to scream back, but I know I’ll look crazy in front of the guys.

Maybe I shouldn’t care. This whole thing is crazy, after all.

Three men,the Prophet continues.Dirty slut.Your flesh will be scorched for eternity, blackened and peeling so no one will ever want you…

I glance at the Preachers. “I need to go. Now. I need to run.”

Roman steps forward. “Go.”

With a burst of energy, partially pushed on by the Prophet’s voice, I sprint for the door. On my feet are my white slip-on ballet shoes, and they’re not designed for running, but it’s not as though I’m actually going to run a marathon or anything. I burst out of the water tower, and I’m in the fresh air, the chill of the night on my skin. My nipples pucker beneath my dress and goosebumps rise on my arms. I’ll warm up quickly enough, I’m sure.

I glance over my shoulder at the door, and my throat closes on an unreleased scream. These aren’t the men I thought I knew watching me. Instead, there are three big—huge in Cain’s case—men wearing masks, with their arms crossed over their chests and heads cocked to one side. I can’t see their expressions because of the masks, but I can feel the electric danger coming from them, and I realize, perhaps too late, that I might not know them as well as I had thought.

Pivoting, I justrun.

As I’d been instructed, I veer away from the college and instead run deeper into the woods.

I don’t need to pretend I’m scared. My last glance at the Preachers was terrifying. They had looked dark and malevolent, with the looming water tower standing guard over them, like some sort of entity.

It’s dark, and I’m alone. My dress whips around me as I run, and my breath heaves in and out of my lungs. Around me are the night sounds of the forest—animals I can’t identify calling to one another.

I strain my ears for any indication that the Preachers have come after me yet. Three big men crashing through the woods shouldn’t be hard to hear, but there’s nothing. My stomach flips with fresh nerves. Are they still waiting? Trying to give me a decent head start? I hope they don’t let me get too far ahead. Anything—or anyone—could be out here.

Fear is like ice in my veins, but I push on. I remember what they said about this needing to be as real as possible in order for it to work, and I’m definitely scared. Not of them yet, though. I’m still thinking of them as the men who are going to save me.

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