Cain grabbed me by the handcuffs. His dark words haunted me. “Time for the fun part.”
But will it be fun?
Shaking, I mumbled, “Just kill me now. I won’t give you the address or any information on her.”
“You think I should just kill you?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know.”
“Please.”
“Actually, Phoenix, I would like to give it an honorable try.” He guided me away from the kitchen and toward his bedroom. “In fact, I’ve been known to get the best confessions from the most unlikely of men.”
Trembling, I breathed in as much courage as I could. “I could get the money from her and give it to you. I swear.”
“But I would have to wait four days.”
“They would go by so fast.”
“I doubt you would think so.”
I blinked. “W-would you keep me alive for those days?”
“I’m still thinking about it. I just don’t know how much control I would have with you around me for so long.”
What the hell does that mean?
He led me up the steps to his altar bedroom.
No. No. No.
His huge bedroom came into view. Moonlight spilled through the stained window, painting a shadowed cross at the center of the bed.
I felt like I was about to be sacrificed on some sick cult’s altar.
And then suddenly, we continued past the bed.
What? He’s not going to rape me?
I sighed in relief.
Okay. But where are we going?
He stopped us at the wall on the other side of the bed.
Why are we standing in front of a wall?
I looked at it. The surface was a simple, bright white. There was no art, markings, or anything else hanging on or around it.
Still, my heart boomed in my ears. My legs trembled, threatening to make me fall over.
What’s going to happen next?
Cain raised his hand and placed his palm on the wall.
O-kay.
Red light glowed under his hand. A beep sounded next. The wall slid open, showing a dark room inside.
Oh, God. What is this going to be?
Terror pumped fast in my veins.
Cain spoke, “Lights.”
The space illuminated.
And I screamed from the sight.
Chapter 8
Soul Coffin
Phoenix
I
struggled to get away from him. “No, God!”
“God won’t come for you here.” Cain gripped me hard and dragged me into the small room that looked to be some serial killer’s play area.
It was frightening to behold.
The walls were this dark metal that was orange and rusted. Where there weren’t old brownish-red bloodstains, there were scrape marks and scratches.
A large hook dangled from the ceiling.
It could have easily been in a horror movie. There would have been no need to add any props. Cain had everything on a rack in the far back—a chain saw and two axes, a sword and long spear. Next to it was a steel table with a black shelf above it, full of different types of knives and needles.
What is this fucking place?
Earlier, I’d been ready for death. In some way, it sounded inviting.
Now, I clung to the idea of living.
My need for self-preservation kicked in. And I knew it was too late to try, but I couldn’t stop myself.
“No!” I shoved at him. “No!”
He picked me up with no problem. I kicked at his legs. He took the attacks like it was nothing like his body was made of armor.
“Please, Cain!”
“We both want things, Phoenix.” He carried me over to the hook and raised me in the air. “You know what you can do to stop this.”
“C-Cain. . .” I frantically searched around. “L-let’s just talk about this in—”
“Oh. We’re about to have an amazing conversation.” He lifted me higher and placed the cuffs chain on the large hook.
I looked up and shook my wrists. “No. No. No.”
He snapped the hook closed.
“Cain, come on.” I dangled from the ceiling. My toes touched the floor, but not the heels of my feet. “This isn’t necessary! Just give me the days. I could—”
“Look around, Phoenix.”
Terrified, I scanned the space again.
I brought my view back to that damn metal shelf full of horrific, sharp things. “Oh, come on! Are those surgical instruments at the top?”
He smirked.
“P-please.” I looked right in front of me. There was a large mirror hooked onto that metal rusted wall, as if Cain not only wanted to watch himself cut people, but he needed them to see it too.
What is wrong with him?
“No. No.” I turned my view to my cuffs locked to the hook. “Why, God?! It could have just been a bullet to the head or—”
“God isn’t here.” Cain grabbed my chin and put my view back on him. “Stop trying to talk to Him.”
It might have been stupid, but I countered, “G-god’s everywhere. And. . .”
He raised one eyebrow. “And?”
“H-he’s going to. . .kick your ass for doing this.”
A dark chuckle left him he repeated. “Take a good look around, Phoenix.”
I avoided glancing at the shelves of sharp objects again and turned my attention to the floor. Below me, there were three drains in the floor, rusted with blood. “J-Jesus Christ.”