Our eyes locked, and then Beau walked swiftly to the door and opened it.
“Your presence is requested at a Trial in one hour sharp,” came Mrs. H’s voice from beyond the door. I couldn’t see her because Beau’s big body was blocking the way. When he turned around, she was already gone, but he was holding a white box in his hands.
My heartbeat started fluttering. And not in fear of whatever might be in store at the Trial.
No, my heart started racing because a Trial likely meant I’d finally get to sleep with Beau again. My sex contracted even at the thought of having him deep inside me once again.
Beau was busy ripping open the box. He frowned down at it, then he turned it toward me. It was completely empty.
I shrugged. “So they want me naked. That’s nothing new.”
Beau nodded, looking away from me and swallowing. “Yes. I’m sure it will be fine.”
Was he thinking about it too? How he’d fuck me tonight? Or was he worrying about the baby, because that’s all he thought of me as now—just as an incubator?
“I’ll let you shower first,” he said, turning so that his back was to me.
Infuriating man.
I stomped past him and turned the shower on hot. If only I could wash this man right outta my hair.
16
Beau
I could tell tonight was going to suck simply by looking at the faces of my friends, Montgomery and Rafe. They were in their new silver robes, and their eyes revealed all I needed to know.
Abilene and I were fucked.
We were in the ballroom again, which was a room I had grown to detest since being an Initiate. Oh, how times had changed from the days of being a young boy playing in this room and not being able to wait until the day I was old enough to be a member just like my good ol’ dad.
My good ol’ dad who avoided eye contact with me when I entered the room with a nude Abilene by my side.
There was a reason why my father wasn’t an Elder. I never knew what that was or why he never tried for the position. My father did not lack ambition, actually quite the opposite. So, there must have been another reason.
Maybe tonight would give me a peek as to exactly why. Maybe he chose his path and becoming an Elder was just too dark of a trail to walk for him.
The room was empty tonight. Free from naked women and horny men. Tonight was going to focus on Abilene and me only. The members and the Elders were the only ones present… unless you counted the Devil.
The Devil was most certainly present. I could feel him.
There was a very large contraption in the center of the room. It was a glass container about six feet high and wide enough to fit a person inside. No doubt Abilene or I would be that person. On top of the glass box was a black container that covered the top and went all the way to the ceiling. My guess was something was inside the upper half and would be dropping its contents down on whoever stood in the clear box.
I didn’t have much time to really process what was about to occur because the Elders began pounding their canes against the white marble floor. Beat after beat, their cadence being the only hollow and deafening sound in the elegant room.
Members flanked behind Abilene and me, and an Elder moved forward and took Abilene by the arm. He led her to the glass box and shoved her inside, closing the door loudly. My heart nearly stopped, watching her stand with her arms by her sides, awaiting what was next.
She had such pride and strength. Her head was held high, and if she was afraid, she didn’t show it in the slightest. If anything, she had an expression on her face that screamed: Give me the best you’ve got, motherfuckers.
Naked or not, the woman didn’t appear vulnerable in the slightest. She was prepared for battle, and I had never been more impressed with another human being in my life as I was with her. She glanced up above her for any sign as to what would come, but we both had no idea what would be dropped upon her.
The canes continued to beat, and as they did, other Elders emerged with silver rope in their hands. They began wrapping the glass box in the ropes, tying knots as they went.
They were trapping Abilene in the box with the knotted ropes.
Slowly and methodically the glass box morphed into silver. A silver serpent nearly swallowed Abilene whole.
Deep in my bones, I knew this wasn’t going to be good. I could see that the only way of getting Abilene out of the box was by undoing everything the Elders had just done. Every knot, every twisted weaving of the rope would have to be untied to free her.