Twisted Steel: An MC Anthology: Second Edition by Elizabeth Knox (top 5 ebook reader txt) 📕

other second I have to brace myself from slamming up and down. I don’t want to end up knocked out before we even get back, I might end up dropping my weapon if that happens.

After about an hour of driving the trunk opens and they pull me out. They put the gag back in my mouth and slap the blindfold on my eyes so that I can’t see the entrance of the compound. My heart is racing in my chest, I have no idea what type of penance Emerson has in store for me. Every other time he has caught me I had only ran away. This time he caught me in bed with another man. He even threatened to kill me, something he has never threatened before. I must really be of no use to him now. He probably is only bringing me back so that he can show the other women what happens to those that try to leave the compound. I’m going to be made an example of.

“Prepare her for the bath,” Emerson speaks calmly and the acolytes begin to strip me. They only threw a robe over me, since when they found me, I was naked in bed with Wyatt. The stripping was a quick ordeal.

“You shouldn’t have run,” the acolyte in front of me says as he swipes his hand over my body in his poor attempt to check if I have any weapons. “Gaia demands that we sacrifice in order to make the world great again. You know that, Delaney. You shouldn’t have run.”

I don’t say a word, I can’t. Before they started taking my robe off I managed to sneak the screw in my mouth. I can only hope that I will have the chance to use it.

“Let’s go, Emerson is waiting.”

The two guards walk on either side of me. I’m naked and am paraded through the halls. A long wooden walkway with cells on either side. All of the carriers are out and watch me. They follow behind the guards in a procession of sorts. We are led into a large room, one that I’m so very familiar with. It’s the room where I will do my penance. In front of me is a large metal bath. Even from where I’m standing, I can see the thick liquid bubbling and rolling with heat. My feet stop where they are and the guards have to drag me along. I want to cry out but I know that if I do the screw in my mouth will be revealed. They intend to put me in that tub. They are going to boil me to death in tar. Fear like I’ve never known before rockets through my body. I should have ended it myself when I had the chance. I should have just stuck the screw in my throat like I planned.

I thought I would have a chance to wait for Wyatt. Even if he managed to get out by now there is no way that he is going to be able to find me in time. Every time I told them the compound was in a basement they seemed to not understand or not believe. They don’t even know where I am. I’m truly on my own here.

“Children of Gaia, please gather around. There is a lesson here for all of you to learn. This carrier has been chosen by Gaia but instead of taking that blessing she has chosen to reject her calling. She has chosen to live a life of evilness and deceit. She has lain with another man and has sullied her temple. It isn’t up to me to say, I pray that the merciful goddess will spare her sinning soul.

Have you anything to say before you complete your penance?” Emerson pushes me further toward the tub.

There is nothing more that I can do, the time for me to take my own life has passed and the chances of Wyatt finding me is nil to none. At least I can go out telling all these sheep their shepherd is nothing more than a crazy murderer. I press my hands to my face making it seem like I’m crying for a second. I need to get the nail out of my mouth.

“Your faith is being abused. Emerson is nothing more than a religious extremist. His ego is so inflated he actually thinks that a goddess chose him to spread his seed. Have you noticed that all the women who fall pregnant disappear? That is because he kills them once they give birth and he realizes the child is nothing more than human. You are just sex slaves for him. Don’t let him blind you. What good is faith if you can never question it?” A sharp blow to the back of my head stops my tirade.

“Blasphemer,” Emerson snarls behind me.

The rest of the guards stand to the sides of the tub leaving Emerson and myself in the front. This is going to be the only chance I would have to attack. Even if I only got to the first door I had to try.

“Children, bear witness to the . . .”

I didn’t want to hear his voice any longer. I think I’ve lived through enough sermons. I take the long nail and holding on as tightly as I can I swing my hand back toward him and it plunges into his side.

“Ahh, fucking bitch!” he screams out and falls backward, trying not to fall off the platform. I jump off and dash toward the exit of the room. The room is in complete shock and it’s that shock that allows me to get to the front door. Then I hear the footsteps and screaming. They are coming for me. I don’t have time to open the doors to the newer carriers and I’m sorry about that but I need to get free myself. If I get out then I can get people back here to get them out. I run down the