Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
“She’ll be sold,” he murmurs, the desperation in his voice making me want to scream.
My teeth grind together tightly. “No. I won’t fucking allow it.”
“But they’ll know it was you, and your father will never—”
“To hell with him,” I whisper into his ear. “I didn’t let her go so she could get taken and sold. She belongs to us, and we will track her down and take her from their fucking claws.”
A smile slowly spreads on his cheeks. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“What’s this?” Blaine’s standing in the door opening, clutching the banister as he sways his hips sideways. “Concocting evil plans to rescue a certain damsel in distress?” He holds up his hand and looks at his nails. “And to think I just got my nails done. Such a pity I’m going to have to stain them with the blood of our enemies.” A filthy grin spreads on his cheeks. “I’m so ready. When are we going?”
I grip Caleb’s shoulder and look at them both, licking my teeth. “Grab your guns and knives. Let’s show them the demons of Tartarus. Tonight, we feast on their fucking bones.”
ARES
It was easy to find the location they took her to. My father has a whole host of contacts at his disposal, contacts I could easily swipe from his laptop at the casino. Just a quick five minutes in and out of his office while he was too busy chatting up new clients at the blackjack table, and I know exactly where they’re keeping her.
These Bones Brotherhood have so many different locations all over the country, but only a couple of them actively sell humans, and two near Crescent Vale City. One of which just got raided by the Skull & Serpents and Phantoms to find Lana Rivera.
And of course, my father has a contact at the nearest location, so I’ve already called them and asked if they sell petite blond-haired girls, posing as one of his clients. No names. Just the description is enough for them to offer me and my two friends a seat at the auction.
I shift in my seat and look around the room to try to gauge just how many I need to kill in order to succeed. Fifteen guards at the very least, just for this room. There must be far more beyond the doors where they keep the prisoners, as well as in the multitude of offices, and multiple standing guard near each exit.
Caleb leans sideways to whisper. “How much longer do we have to wait?”
“I want her to be safe first,” I whisper. “After, you’re free to kill whoever you want.”
He licks his lips, antsy at the prospect of unleashing his violence on these poor souls.
I smile. They won’t even know what’s coming for them until it’s too late.
And I will happily take my last shower in a spray of their blood.
Crystal
My whole body shakes as I huddle in a corner, just like the others.
I have no clue where I am or how long I’ll remain.
The moment I was shoved into that van, all my senses went into overdrive, but the blindfold they put around our heads made it impossible to know where they took us. They only let us take it off once we were in this cell, where we’ve remained.
I promised my father I would never fear the life I was given, but I can’t stop the terror from slowly eating me alive. I wasn’t scared of the Tartarus boys, but the prospect of being sold to someone I don’t even know, someone of any age, of any type, makes all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
When the door opens up again, I hide into a pillar, hoping they don’t pick me as one of them steps inside the cell.
“You.” The guard’s stern voice isn’t what makes me look.
It’s the gun pushed into my skin.
“It’s your turn. Get up.”
With my heart beating in my throat, I crawl up from the floor and the guard grabs my arm and shoves me toward the door. I take one more glance back at the other people in the cell before the door is shut.
“Where are we going?” I mutter under my breath, already regretting having asked a question.
He pushes the barrel into my back, and I’m very conscious of the fact that I could be taking my last breath at any moment. That this could be my last few steps before I’m sold to the highest bidder. Before my body no longer belongs to me.
We walk into a long hallway and go left, toward a crooked, wooden staircase in the back.
“Up the stairs,” the guard growls, shoving me forward.
Above me is a bright light shining down onto a stage.
“Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to.”
Oh God. It’s happening again.
“Do as you’re told or you will feel pain. Understood?”