Souls Unfractured (Hades Hangmen 3)

Flame sucked in a quick breath, but said nothing in response. Another sweep of cold wind whipped around the lawn, and I pulled the blanket up to my chin. Shifting in my seat, I turned to curl up in Flame’s direction.

Flame’s head was resting against the high back of the chair. As I drank in his large frame, his dark hair and beard, his heavy covering of tattoos and his many piercings, I found myself feeling more at ease than I had in weeks.

“I am happy you are back, Flame. I found myself at a loss without you.”

“You did?”

“Completely lost. You… you are the only person that ever makes me feel safe. When you were gone…” I trailed off, unable to express how his absence made me feel.

Flame groaned. “Maddie…”

My heart beat hard at the desperate tone to his voice. “Flame,” I whispered back, his dark eyes trapped mine.

The air was static between us, a thick fog shrouding where we sat. My heart beat erratically, and unsteady breaths slipped through my lips. Then a voice called from the side of the house, shattering the moment.

“Maddie?”

I looked behind me, only to see Lilah rushing into the clearing.

My eyebrows pulled down. “Lilah?” I shifted forward in my seat. “Are you okay? It is the middle of the night. Why are you here?”

Lilah approached, then her steps faltered when she saw Flame at my side. I blushed, fearing how this would be perceived.  Finding her composure, she waved her hand. “You are needed. We all are. Ky has received a call from the compound. He has the truck to take us there.”

I got to my feet, wondering why we could possibly be required, then I felt Flame standing behind me. Lilah glanced over my shoulder, and I sighed in relief when I heard, “I’m coming too.”

Lilah turned on her heel and I followed suit, Flame shortly behind. As we came to the front of the house, Mae, Styx, and Ky were there. All eyes turned our way as we walked through. Ky looked to Flame and said, “Fuck, brother. Shouldn’t you be sleeping or some shit?”

I heard Flame’s deep breathing, and he spat, “I’m coming with you.”

Styx shook his head, and Mae watched me with narrowed eyes. Ky broke the awkward silence. “Let’s get the fuck to the clubhouse.”

All of us got into the truck, Flame jumping in the bed at the back. And in silence, we set off onto the country road.

When we exited the truck it was to meet a crowd, including Tank, Beauty, Tanner, Bull, Smiler and Letti. All of them turned our way when they heard us approach. I stayed close to Flame’s side. There were too many men. Too many people. They made me feel nervous.

“Everyone clear the fuck out!” Ky ordered, seeming to understand. The rest of the men and women I did not know walked into the clubhouse.

Beauty stepped forward. “She just turned up. We were all drinking in the bar when we heard her fucking screaming from outside. The young bitch is in a real fucking state, banging on the front gate, raising hell and all she keeps asking for are the three Cursed Sisters of The Order,” Beauty pointed at Lilah, Mae and I, “And that’ll be you fucking fine ladies.”

“What?” Mae whispered in disbelief. Mae moved forward, Lilah following closely behind; she pushed past Tank and Bull. I heard her gasp, then say, “It is okay. We will not hurt you.”

Beauty saw me stand back near Flame. She waved her hand for me to move closer. I hesitated, then Beauty insisted, “Come on, darlin’, she’s been asking for y’all personally.”

I stepped forward and walked in front of Beauty to stand next to Mae. I abruptly stopped. Immediately, my heart tore itself into shreds. A young girl. Maybe fourteen or fifteen, dirtied, cut and bleeding, dressed in a ripped and soiled long gray dress. The staple gray dress from The Order. Her white headdress was half hanging off her head, her dark blond hair underneath pitted with mud. And her eyes, her deep blue eyes were glassy with fear. She had backed into the corner of the gate, her hands out, trying to keep people at bay.

I saw her eyes flare when Lilah, Mae and I stood before her. On a pained sob, she fell to the ground, her hand covering her mouth. Lilah looked to me and I could see the panic on her face.

Mae, however, just inched forward, her hands held out too. “Be calm,” Mae soothed. The girl froze. “My name is Mae,” Mae explained. She pointed behind at us. “This is Lilah and Maddie.”

The young girl’s bloodied lip quivered and she asked, “Are you the Cursed Sisters of Eve?” My body jolted as she called us by that title, but Mae just nodded her head. “We used to be. I am Salome. This is Delilah. This is Magdalene,” Mae explained, pointing to Lilah and I once more.

The girl released another sob, her frail shoulders hunched over. “I found you,” she whispered brokenly, through her tears. “I really found you.”

Mae looked back, questions evident in her eyes. Lilah joined Mae, and crouched down to meet the young girl’s eyes. “Do you have a name?”

The girl seemed to steady her breathing, and said quietly, “Sarai. My name is Sarai.”

Lilah smiled gently. “Sarai, can you tell us what has happened. Where you have come from?”

Sarai straightened, wincing as she moved her legs. Without her speaking a word, I knew she had been violated. I felt like screaming out loud. She was a child. That awful place had hurt another child.

“I… I have come from New Zion. I managed to escape.” Sarai closed her eyes for the briefest of moments, then met Lilah’s eyes, and said, “They kept hurting us. They kept doing things to us. Bad things.” I fought back nausea as she spoke, knowing the feeling all too well. “Some of the girls had spoken about the Cursed Sisters that had escaped. Many of the girls talk of how you got away… and when… when… when they hurt me… hurt us tonight, we ran too.”