The Initiation (Darkness Within Duet 1)

He knew she had a bond with Jett. They were quite happy being alone together, and nothing seemed to scare her when it came to his knife fetish. In fact, she’d started bringing him fruit so he had an excuse to always have it in his hands.

Buck made her laugh, even when she clearly didn’t want to.

What Draven had come to see with her, was if they didn’t help her through her craziness, she was constantly sad. The darkness clung to her like shadows refusing to move on.

Fortunately, for the most part, the pointing fingers and whispered rumors were no longer circling.

Which brought him back to now.

Buck and Jett were with Harper and per their father’s instructions, he and Axel were watching torture, to prepare them.

“No decision yet.”

“You think she’s going to accept what we have to offer?”

“Only time will tell.” Part of him still expected her to run screaming. Himself, and his three friends. The four of them, bound to one woman. United as one. It was a long shot. A couple of women had enjoyed playing with them, but long term, he doubted it. Besides, they all came with their baggage.

Part of it was this: if Harper wanted to leave Stonewall, she wouldn’t be able to once she accepted the four of them. Being part of them meant her life would remain here. She’d never go without, but her life would never be the same.

“Please, I’m begging you,” the woman said. “I’ll do anything.”

Draven watched as Axel’s dad slid the blade across her neck. Blood seeped down from the wound, coating her dress.

“I don’t allow scum to live.”

The woman died seconds later, her body jerking as the last bit of her life’s blood leaked out of the cut. The bitch had only been trying to steal dope while the men had wanted more, and tried to make a deal with the cops.

For the men, Draven waited as they were hacked to pieces while they were still alive. They started on their dicks, removing their balls and shoving them into their tongue-less mouths.

“This is gross,” Axel said.

“Yep.”

Once it was over, the lesson was learned and they were free to go.

Climbing into Axel’s car, they took off, heading back to Harper’s house. Neither of them spoke while they traveled the first half an hour. They didn’t need to talk as they processed what they’d seen.

Their fathers were also giving them a warning. Taking on Harper was fine, but she needed to learn to keep her mouth shut or she’d suffer the consequences just like them.

“You ever wonder why our dads haven’t killed our moms?” Axel asked.

“No reason to? Boredom? They’re worth more to them alive than dead.”

“I’ve seen the way my dad looks at my mom,” Axel said. “He spends most of his time wanting to murder her.”

Draven thought about the cook.

No matter how many women Alan fucked, he always came back to her, to the cook. To the woman he wouldn’t allow to move on. He also knew that his mother wasn’t allowed to be mean to her either.

Strange.

He hadn’t really thought about it until then.

“It doesn’t matter why they don’t kill them. They’re useless to them anyway.” His own mother was often on drugs or halfway down a liquor bottle. It wasn’t like she was part of the conversation or even the world half the time.

“What are we going to do about Ben and the jocks?”

“Wait and see what their attack is going to be. Keep an eye on Harper. I saw the way Ben was looking at her. I don’t like it.”

“Harper’s really fucking beautiful.”

“You sound shocked,” Draven said, laughing.

He pressed the button to push the window down, pushing his arm out to the wind as Axel drove.

“I guess I’ve found easy chicks more … entertaining.”

“You’re not wanting blue balls. That’s all it is.”

“True. True. I like to have my dick serviced. You think this is going to work with us? The four of us, one of her.”

“With time. She’s broken at the moment and needs time to heal.” He had no doubt she still saw her mother’s lifeless body, even when she didn’t want to. That kind of shit stayed with someone.

“Do you think her father will stay away?” Axel asked.

“You’re full of the questions today, aren’t you?”

“I just watched a guy have his dick chopped off, and dismembered. It affects a guy’s head. You know that shit always does. I don’t even want to think about it, and yet it’s the first thing I see right now.”

Draven smirked. “Think about all the chicks you’re not going to fuck.”

“We’re weird. You know that, right. Real fucking weird.”

“That’s our charm.”

They arrived back at Harper’s place. Her father would arrive soon enough. For now, Draven had made sure he knew not to touch Harper again. He’d already fucked up her life enough. The least he could do was not strike her.