Page 59 of Doesn't Count

“No, I don’t think we ever will be.” I agree.

“I hate you.” She tells me.

“I hate you too. Go to bed, Eris.”

My resentment from earlier slowly fades, expelled as if she’s exercised the demon right out of me. She can kiss every single man she ever meets, but she’ll be thinking of me when she does.

Ash is lying to herself, pretending like what we do in the shadows doesn’t count, only I know it does. And knowing that, I sleep like a fucking baby.

Chapter Seventeen

Khaos 14 Years Old

Before I can get up to leave, a rough fist strangles my thin shirt, tugging me back down onto the pew. Worship was over, the nave emptied now only leaving me, Bordeaux, andFather.

He glides over to me as if floating on a cloud of self-righteousness, his red cloak unmoving at his feet. With those black, beady eyes he inspects me from head to toe, assessing my sins. Only the sins here are very different from those out in the real world.

With a boney finger, he caresses my face, pressing gently against the ripe bruises. I am the problem child, the non-believer, the only one that sees that this is a CULT, but no one seems to understand that. They are all here willingly, as if the name doesn’t give it away. Who willingly follows the Church of Satan?

I flinch away from his touch, wishing I could just go home. I want to be with my real family, my own mother, my own father, but I haven’t seen them in a very long time. I’m almost certain they’ve given up on me.

“Sit my son, let’s talk.” He gestures for me to sit, but it’s not like I have a choice because Bordeaux shoves me down anyway.

My ass plops down on hard wood, aching from the contact andFatherinvites himself to sit next to me. I try very hard now a days not to let him get a rise out of me, though sometimes it's difficult.

“Did you learn anything from today’s sermon?” He asks.

“We’re all human.” I answer monotonously.

I’ve learned that it’s best just to give him what he wants otherwise his ginormous pet pig, also known as Bordeaux, will make sure I regret my decision.

He nods. “Yes. Good. That is all Satan wants you to know, that we are human. What we want is natural and it’s okay to act on your instincts. It’s why you have them.”

I glare at him with a hate more powerful than a nuclear weapon, one that I want to shove down his throat and watch as it explodes, liquifying his body to the point where he’s just red slush.

“I saw you with May yesterday. The way you looked at her.” He gets to the point.

I sigh. May is probably my only friend here, if you can even call her that. Her parents are devoted Satanists and have worshiped here for almost her whole life. Despite that, she seems relatively normal, so from time to time we hang out together. Mostly when I’m not holed up in the basement cellar repenting for my lack of devotion.

My muscles tense when Father nods his head at someone by the entryway. I turn my gaze to follow his and in walks just the girl he’s talking about.

She looks nervous, twirling her long, blonde hair that’s tied back in a ponytail. She’s wearing a simple white dress and looks as innocent as ever. Her eyes catch mine, but I look away knowing this can’t be good.

“May! My darling daughter. Come.” He pats his thigh, and she obeys.

I cringe when she plants herself on his lap, the sight disturbing.

“You’re of age now, am I right?” He asks.

She nods, “Fourteen.”

“Well, we need to start getting you prepared then, and I know just the boy to help.” The devilish smile he aims at me churns my stomach.

He climbs to his feet, waving at Bordeaux to follow him.

“You know what you have to do.” He waggles a finger at her.

She nods, smiling at him as they disappear out the door leaving the two of us behind.

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