Corruption of the Heart (The Corruption Series Book 1)
Page 13
“You know if you shut up long enough to let me finish you might actually learn something. There is a hidden door in my closet that leads right into the bedroom.” When I found it I didn’t understand why my aunt would have something that seemed to be for a child but now I am thankful it was there.
“That’s brilliant Lilith,” Odin said. “Let’s go.” With Odin leading the way we crawled through the tiny space into the next room. Once everyone was in the room Odin and I headed over to the window and everyone else barricaded the door. Odin tried to open it but it wouldn’t budge. “It’s nailed shut.” Looking around the room I found a flat metal bar that we could use to pry the window open. After a few struggling pushes on the bar the window came open enough for Odin to slip his fingers underneath it. He pulled it open and a loud squeak escaped from the window frame. Everyone in the room went silent hoping no one heard us.
After Odin was sure no one noticed, he looked out inspecting the bridge. “It looks like it can only hold one of us at a time. I will go first to make sure it is safe. After I am across Lilith you go next.” He grabbed me pulling me in for a kiss before he climbed out of the window. I watched him cross until he faded away into the trees. I waited anxiously until I saw the bridge stop moving.
“Guess that’s my cue,” I said, looking over at Parker. The hurt he had in his eyes instantly made tears burn at the rims of my eyes. I looked away without saying a word and climbed out of the window. Crossing the bridge, I could hear the tainted vampires below the trees walking around. The quieter I tried to be it seemed the louder I was. A branch cracked under my foot causing the vampires below me to go quiet. I could hear my heartbeat pound louder and louder in my ears. My breathing began to quicken and escape in loud puffs. Once the vampires began moving around again I quickly made my way to the other side. Odin was standing at the edge of the bridge waiting for me.
“Oh my gosh, that was scary,” I said.
Taking this moment to be alone with me, Odin pulled me into him wrapping his arms around me. “I love you Lilith.” He leaned into me kissing me on the forehead. “And I am glad you chose me, but are you sure this is what you want to do?”
“I love you Odin and yes being married at eighteen is scary as hell, but if I have to do it I want to do it with you. So yes, for the last time I am sure.”
Ok is all he managed to say before Bristol came into sight. Once the rest of the group made it across, we climbed out of the tree house. We walked through the woods going straight, hoping it would lead us as far away from the house as possible. It wasn’t far from the tree house when we reached the end of the woods. “We should be able to get to my house if we circle back through the other side of the clearing. It will take us right back by the vampires, but we can get my car,” Odin said.
“How are twelve of us going to fit in your little car? My jeep is just around the corner,” Latham said. “There wasn’t anywhere to park when I got home earlier, so I parked around the corner from Lilith’s house.”
“Do you think we can get to it without being seen?”
“Yeah. I wasn’t able to park anywhere near her house.” So instead of heading left to circle back through the woods to go to Odin’s we went right and prayed we didn’t run into anyone while we headed for Latham’s jeep.
Without any complications or without being seen we made it to his jeep. Before jumping into the driver’s seat Latham opened the back hatch to let some of the guys pile inside. Dex, Tristian, Brant, Calder, and Gunnar climbed in the back. After Parker closed the hatch, he ushered Bristol and Tuls into the backseat. Once they were in he climbed in and waved for Ambi to sit on his lap. Reluctantly and rolling her eyes she finally climbed in. Odin shut the door for them and he sat in the front seat. He looked at me and smiled.
I started making my way over to him when out of nowhere someone grabbed me and ran away with me in their arms. It happened so fast I almost hadn’t processed what just happened. I screamed for Odin. I saw him jump out of the jeep to follow, but he wasn’t quick enough. I was thrown into the back seat of a car and the driver drove away before Odin could reach me. I watched as he ran back to the jeep and he disappeared from my sight. “You are a hard person to keep up with,” a man said from the front seat. When I turned to see who it was I was completely shocked to see my aunt sitting in the front seat next to who I assumed was Jacan.
“Why are you doing this?” I asked, more to my aunt than to Jacan. “How could you let them take me?”
She turned around in her seat staring daggers at me, “If I were you I would be happy to be the sacrifice for Slaaneth.”
“I will not be his sacrifice. Let me go,” I screamed as I tried to open the door to jump out, but the doors wouldn’t open.
“Now, now, little girl. You will be the sacrifice. You are the only one that can set my master free,” Jacan said.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere where no one will hear you scream,” My aunt said, followed by a demonic laugh.
“Why do you hate me so much?” I asked with hurt in my voice.
“I don’t hate you per say. I hate what you will become. Your kind took my Sammie from me and I will not let you turn. Slaaneth has promised that if I deliver you to him he will wipe your entire kind of this earth. He is sending them all to a hell they will never escape.”
“Who is Sammie?”
“Sammie was my boy,” she said, with anguish in her voice. “And your people took him from me.”
“What people?”
“Not now Edith,” Jacan said. I tried to pay attention to every turn he took. And I especially paid very close attention to the scenery. After driving straight into the middle of nowhere for what seemed like forever we finally started passing different places. I noticed a big red barn on the left side of the road. Then there was what looked like an old mill, a water tower and some old junk tractors on my right. Jacan took a couple sharp rights and then a left before pulling down a hidden dirt road.
Chapter Twenty
Jacan pulled up to a big brown barn and turned off the ignition. I noticed that the paint was starting to chip and there were a few rotten boards at the base of the barn. It also looked like termites were starting to eat the rest of the barn away. It was definitely a weak structure, but they were right, the place was deserted and no one would hear me scream out here. In the distance the sun was beginning to set. I knew it wouldn’t be long before they would kill me. They didn’t have much time left. I just hope Odin would find me before they sacrificed me for Slaaneth.
Jacan and my aunt stepped out of the car. Jacan opened the back door and pulled me out of the backseat so roughly he caused me to fall out and land flat on my face. I could feel blood begin to pour from my eyebrow and I could taste the blood that was dripping from my lip. I heard moans in the distance and that is when I noticed the red eyes staring back at me. We were surrounded by the Tainted Ones. They could smell my blood. They wanted it. They craved it.
“Let’s get you inside before they decide to attack you,” Jacan said. “It will be much more fun inside anyways,” I spit at him causing blood to splatter on his face. He backhanded me busting the other side of my lip before he licked the blood off that landed on his lip. He inhaled, and his eyes rolled back before he said, “Oh my, you my dear are sweeter than I ever imagined. I can taste your power in your blood. Too bad you will never know your power.”
Feeling violated I tried to pull away from him. I was no match for his strength though. He held onto my arm even tighter. I’m sure there will be a bruise there tomorrow if I survive this. He pulled on me making me walk into the barn. It was lit with multiple lanterns that were placed around the room. I noticed a few pitchforks and shovels hung on the wall to my left. On the wall to my right I saw some rakes in different sizes and two sickles, one had a short handle for short distances and one had a long handle. Instantly, I started thinking of a way I could escape. If I could get to any one of those tools
I would be able to defend myself and maybe even be able to get out of here.
My aunt noticed me eyeing the sickles, “Don’t even think about it Lilith.” They continued walking me over to a stack of hay bales. They were lining the back wall but oddly there was a few that were sitting loose in a perfect square in front of the tall stack. My aunt began moving the loose bales while Jacan held onto me. Now it made sense as to why the bales of hay were sitting there like that, they were covering up a hidden door.
My aunt pulled the door open to reveal a set of stairs leading underground. Jacan pushed me forward nearly throwing me down the stairs. My aunt led the way while Jacan followed behind me. Once we were at the bottom of the stairs they led me down a dark hallway that led to a room with a dungeon style door. She pushed the door open and motioned for me to enter. Once inside they lit some lanterns and fear filed me as I realized what was about to happen to me.
I recognized the objects that were placed around the room from something I learned in my History class. We had a pop quiz labeling different types of medieval torture devices. Back then I was so excited that I got a one hundred on my quiz but now I wish I didn’t know what any of these were. I knew what was in store for me and panic was beginning to take over. I was horrified.
Chains hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room. The Rack was what scared me the most. It would be the thing that caused me the most pain. A Rack is a torture device consisting of rectangular wooden frames that is slightly raised from the ground. It usually had a roller at one or both ends and just my luck this one had a roller at both ends. The victim’s ankles are fastened to one end while the wrist are chained to the other. A handle and ratchet mechanism attached to the top roller was used to tighten the tension on the ankles and wrist. Basically, pulling the wrist one direction while pulling the ankles another. It caused extreme pain, dislocate joints, and snapped bones. In some extreme cases they sometimes pulled them until the person split in half.
Next to the Rack on a table was the Thumbscrew. It is also a torture device where they would place the victim’s thumb and fingers in it and twist it until they were crushed. Lying beside that was a Lead Sprinkler. The torturer poured molten metals, oils, or boiling hot water in one end and then would sprinkle it onto the body causing severe burns. Sometimes they pour it into the victim’s eyes making them go blind. There were several other devices in the room but none I could name.
Jacan walked me over to the chains hanging in the middle of the room. When we got closer I noticed there was cuffs attached to the chains. He pushed me forward grabbing me by my wrist. He placed a cuff on my wrist causing me to scream out in pain. The insides of the cuffs had spikes sticking out that dug into my skin. Blood poured to the floor as he placed the second cuff on my other hand. My aunt tightened the chains, so my hands were above my head.
Tears burned at the rims, but I refused to let them fall. They could hurt me all they wanted but I wouldn’t cry in front of them. Jacan walked over to a table I didn’t even notice that held an assortment of knives. He grabbed one and ran his finger along the knife's edge feeling its sharpness. He walked over and cut my hoodie off of me. He then cut my tank top off causing my bare chest to hang in the open. Why hadn’t I put on a bra?
“Please don’t do this,” I begged. They laughed. My aunt grabbed something that looked like a wrench but with sharper pointer ends. Once she was closer I recognized that device too. It was Heretic’s Fork. It is placed between the breast bone and the throat just under the chin. It is then secured with a leather strap around the neck. I knew that if I dropped my head or moved in any way this device would pierce my chest and throat killing me. She forcefully placed this device on me.
“Now Lilith if I were you I wouldn’t move your pretty little head,” she said with a grin. “We will be back soon. We must prepare for our masters return.” Before she left the room, she turned and looked at me, “Oh and Lilith, which would you prefer, red or black?” realizing I couldn’t talk she began to laugh, “Oh yeah. I’ll choose for you then.”
Once the door closed and I was alone the tears I refused to let fall began streaming down my face. I was praying Odin would find me in time. It had to be at least eight or nine by now. I didn’t have much time left. I tried to slide my hands out of the cuffs, but the pain was unbearable and every time I moved my hands it made my chest move which caused the Heretic’s Fork to poke into my chin and chest a little. The blood that ran down my arms were beginning to cause my arms to itch which was a whole other form of torture in itself.
I heard a key unlock the door and they stepped back in the room. My aunt was holding what looked like black lingerie and Jacan was holding boiling hot water. Panic overflowed in me. Why did I have to know what these torture devices were? Why couldn’t I be clueless, so I wouldn’t know what was coming? Jacan sat the water down on a table and rolled it over in front of me. He grabbed the familiar knife and cut my pants off including my panties. I was completely naked in front of them and I was mortified.
Jacan began filling the Lead Sprinkler with the hot water. He screwed the top back on and flicked the sprinkler in my direction causing the hot water to instantly sear my skin. I wanted to scream but couldn’t. I was forced to hold in the pain. “Now Lilith, Edith tells me that you like to cut yourself. This should be a piece of cake for you,” My aunt laughed and Jacan sprinkled more water at me. I felt a rage build up in me and the tears instantly stopped. I stopped fighting and let him do whatever he wanted to do to me. I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of seeing me in pain. “Aw now Lilith that isn’t fair. Guess I need to step it up a notch.”
My aunt walked over and said in the most devilish tone, “My turn.” She grabbed the Cat of Nine Tails off of the table and began to hit me repeatedly in the back. She didn’t stop hitting me until my skin broke and blood started pouring down to the floor. She ran her finger in my blood then put it to her mouth to taste me. A moan of excitement escaped her throat. “Mmmmm you are sweet.”
Jacan came back and looked at me, “She is starting to get weak. That’s enough for now. Clean her up and get her ready. It is almost time.” My aunt removed the Heretic’s Fork and cuffs. I instantly fell to the floor. She grabbed me by my hair and dragged me over to a metal tub, like you see in the olden days, and made me climb in. She poured the bowl of hot water over my head. Luckily it had cooled down a little while she beat me, but it was still too hot. She threw a rag in my face and said, “Clean yourself up. You are weak and pathetic. Just like your parents.”
I washed the blood off trying not to winch at the stinging the water caused on all of my cuts. There wasn’t much water in the tub and it wasn’t long before the water was full of my blood. “I can’t wait to watch Slaaneth sacrifice you.” Anger filled me, and I felt a sense of power take over my body. Without control of my own actions, as if someone took over my body, I stood in the tub and looked over at my aunt and began chanting:
By hells and Satan’s sight
By all that is right
Curse this bitch and take away her sight
Force her to stare at but eternal night
And face life without light.
By hells and Satan’s sight
By all that is right
Curse this bitch and take away her sight
Force her to stare at but eternal night
And face life without light.
My aunt began to scream. “I can’t see. What did you? How?” I stepped out of the tub and walked over to the her. I grabbed her and placed the cuffs on her wrist. I tightened the chains putting her in the same position she put me in. I calmly walked over to the table and grabbed the same weapon she used on me. I listened with pleasure as she screamed in pain from me hitting her with the Cat of Nine Tails. I heard the key turn in the door and another chant began to roll off of my tongue as if I knew exactly what I was saying:
Hell, come devour thee
Let their spirit never free
You have done bad to me
Hell, come devour thee
Hell, come devour thee
Let their spirit never free
You have done bad to me
Hell, come devour thee
Jacan collapsed to the floor screaming in agony. My aunt began to scream for help. I walked over and grabbed the lingerie she laid down and put it on. It was the only thing I had to wear since Jacan cut my clothes off. I walked over to my aunt, kissed her on the cheek, and said, “Remember no one can hear you scream down here.” Before walking over to Jacan’s crippling body, I grabbed the necklace from my jeans pocket. I then walked over and watched him writhe in pain. “Aw this should be a piece of cake for you.” I grabbed the keys to the door and to the car from his pocket and locked them inside. I headed for the stairs when I heard a commotion coming from up above me. I could hear yelling but couldn’t make out the voices.
I walked closer to the stairs and I heard Odin yell, “Where is she?”
“ODIN!” I screamed. “I am down here.” The door flew open and Odin looked horrified at the sight of me. I hadn’t noticed that my wounds had started bleeding again.
“Lamia Mea, are you ok?” he asked as he helped me up the stairs.
“I will be,” I lied. I knew I would never be the same after the torture they put me through.
“What happened?”
“Can you take me home first? I will explain everything when we get there.”
“Of course.” He wrapped me in his jacket and led me to Latham’s jeep. “Where are Jacan and your aunt Lilith?”
“In there.” He started to walk back to the barn, “Odin, leave them.” He walked back to the car and let out one whistle letting the group know that they got what they came for.
Everyone piled into the jeep same as before, except this time Odin made me get in first causing me to stand kind of over into Latham’s face. The lingerie didn’t help the fact that my boobs were stuck in his face until Odin got in the car. Respectfully Latham closed his eyes and turned his head until Odin said, “Let’s get out of here.”