The Initiation (Darkness Within Duet 1)

Blood.

So much blood.

Pulling out of her memories, Harper found herself walking toward the abandoned park. It was abandoned because it normally had tape around it, red tape advising, not telling, people not to go inside.

How dangerous it was.

A kid had hurt himself on one of the rides, which was why it was so dangerous.

It was still light out, and as she stared at the red tape, the sign saying not to enter, she touched it.

“Always be a nice girl, Harper. No one wants a bad girl.”

Tears filled her eyes, and stepping past the red tape, she walked into the park.

Her heart raced.

To some this was just a little rebellion, but she needed this. To glide past the red tape to see what was beyond.

The swing that had snapped still lay on the ground. According to gossip in the town of Stonewall, the kid had screamed for an hour before the ambulance arrived.

Some women were so saddened by the sound. Others were pissed off that it polluted their nice ears. How dare a child scream?

Just past the park was a small wooded area. The woods, even now, was a place where teenagers made out and lost their virginity.

Having never had a boyfriend or anything, seeing the woodland called to her this time. Her rebellion was not even complete as she stepped across the park and went straight into the woods.

It was still light out.

No boy had ever looked at her, ever wanted her. Being a virgin had felt right to her.

Her mother would often say, when you meet the right boy, you’ll know. You’ll give yourself to him without a single care in the world.

Lies. All of it was lies.

When she heard voices and moaning, Harper didn’t stop. She didn’t turn around and pretend she hadn’t heard them. She kept on walking, only stopping as she saw them.

The four guys who went to her school.

They didn’t possess a name for their little group or gang. No one else was allowed to join, or at least, they were, but had to pass a series of tests to do so.

Others had given them a name: Fearless.

They didn’t give a fuck about breaking the law, about hurting people. They were a law unto themselves, and because Axel was one of the richest kids in town, they got left alone.

Draven and Axel were both from wealthy families. Their wealth came with a lot of rumors, a lot of assumptions that it came from the mafia or illegal means.

She didn’t know the truth.

Staying away from bad boys all of her life, she never looked toward them, never cared what they did or didn’t do. It didn’t matter to her.

Buck and Jett came from her area, the wrong side of town. They didn’t give a shit about conforming.

No one would speak out against the four of them, even the teachers if they saw what they’d done, right in front of them.

Staring at them now as they stood around someone, she wondered what it would be like to have no cares in the world, to not worry about what others thought.

Draven was the tallest and biggest of them all. Girls wanted him. Boys hated him but would bow down and respect him.

They walked the school halls and owned the place.

Fearless.

Watching them now as Axel kicked whoever was on the ground, she felt her heart pound. They were kicking someone. The person on the ground whimpered, begging for mercy. She should help them.

“Please, please, I won’t do it again. I won’t.”

Draven drove his foot between the guy’s legs, silencing him.

Again and again.

“You keep your filthy cock to yourself, do you hear? The next time you think to touch a girl without her permission, you better be ready for me coming for you.” Draven grabbed the guy’s head, lifted up a handful of dirt, and shoved it into the guy’s mouth. “You will be silent about what happened here. I hear a pervert like you doesn’t do well in prison.”

The guy whimpered.

“You going to be my bitch now?”

The man nodded.

“Good. There’s not going to be a next time, is there?”

Another shake.

A sinister, sick smile came across Draven’s face. He didn’t care that he was hurting the man. All he cared about was that he was on top.

She couldn’t look away.

Suddenly, as if he sensed her watching, he looked up. She stared into his green eyes, and couldn’t move. With his gaze on her, he grabbed the guy’s dick and started to twist it.

Stepping back, she couldn’t avert her gaze.

“This now belongs to me.”

The threat, the violence, all of it took her by surprise.

She took another step back and another.

Now all four guys were looking at her.

She didn’t run though. Turning on her heel, she left.

****

“We need to go and stop her?” Axel asked.

Draven stood at the edge of the woods, watching the rounded ass of Harper Miller as she left the park.