Suddenly, with the loud creak of metal grinding metal, the double doors at the back of the van opened, and the brown-haired man who touched my leg stretched out his strong arm and clasped his hand around the rope at my feet.
I scrambled to get away, but there was nowhere to go. With an almighty pull, the man dragged my legs forward, then aggressively heaved me out of the van, releasing me once through the doors. I hit graveled ground with a thud, my cheek scraping against the dirt.
“There, one beautiful bitch found at the Hangmen compound,” my captor said curtly. Hearing the shuffle of feet by my head, I looked up to see several men surrounding me, but from my position, I could not see whom.
Feeling a hand run over my hair, I stiffened.
“This is not her!” somebody snapped. “You were to retrieve the woman with black hair, the woman belonging to Styx, the president!”
Dread raced through my limbs.
Mae? The captors were meant to have taken Mae.
“Our instructions were to take the hottest bitch at the compound. We all agreed this was her. Bitch made her capture easy too. Down at the river, sprouting all kind’a religious shit, just waiting for us to show up.”
Strong fingers wrapped around my bicep and I was hauled to my feet. Letting a pained wail leave my mouth, I squeezed my eyes shut at the agony shooting through my arm. I swayed unsteadily as I fought for my balance on tied feet.
A silence engulfed me, save night owls hooting and crickets chirping. My heavy breathing sounding like a hurricane in the quietness. I bravely opened my eyes and all the air in my lungs whooshed from my chest, leaving me empty, startled… in complete and utter shock.
Five faces stared at me. Five men dressed in sacred white tunics, all with long hair and beards of various colors. Five faces I recognized, their identities etched on my mind. But two of them were identical… I was so confused.
My eyes dipped and, in a shaky voice, I greeted, “Father, Brother Luke, Brother Micah, Brother…” I trailed off, not knowing what to say in greeting to the other two men.
A finger slipped below my chin and lifted my face. I was met with the brown eyes of Brother Cain. But these eyes seemed harsher than the last time I saw him all those months ago. His mouth seemed sterner. He seemed changed. “B-Brother… Cain,” I whispered.
Brother Cain shook his head and bared his teeth. “I am Brother Judah, whore.” He pointed behind him to another man, another Brother Cain. “That is your new prophet, my twin brother… Prophet Cain.”
Letting out a sharp gasp, my eyes widened. Prophet Cain had ascended? Prophet Cain had… survived? We all believed he had—
Prophet Cain stepped forward, interrupting my musings. His face seemed less harsh than that of his twin, but I was not fooled. Mae had told me about Cain, a man she grew to know as Rider.
Prophet Cain placed a hand on Brother Judah’s shoulder and Judah stepped back. Prophet Cain turned to me and asked, “Do you remember me, sister?”
I dropped my eyes and replied, “Yes, my lord. Although I only met you once, I remember you.”
“You are a Cursed? You are Delilah? Am I correct?” Wincing at that name, I reluctantly nodded my head. “Yes, my lord. I am a temptress, a sinful woman of Eve.”
“Do you know of this woman, brothers?” Prophet Cain asked the men behind him.
Shivers ran down my spine, and I suddenly felt nauseous waiting for the answers.
“We do, Master,” someone answered. A cough sounded as the speaker cleared his throat. “She was previously my daughter, until she tempted Brother Luke and Micah, and Prophet David proclaimed her to be a Cursed. The devil lay with her mother in her sleep. We did not know this until she was six. She is sin personified.”
“A Rapunzel whore,” Brother Luke said viciously.
“Brothers, calm,” Prophet Cain, said, seeming annoyed at the brothers’ tones, before turning back to me and holding out his hand. “Come, sister. You best return with us to rejoin your people in your new home.”
Unable to hide my surprise, my head rose to meet the gazes of the brothers. I asked, “Our people? They survived? We still have a commune? I was led to believe everyone had died.”
Brother Judah stepped forward and gripped my long blond hair. I resisted screaming out loud. I was being punished. I had spoken out of turn, to an elder, and I was being punished.
“You listen to me, whore! Our people survived and we are stronger than ever. The Lord brought you back to us and away from those impure men you have been living with in sin. Your soul can only be saved by the Lord and his chosen people. We, your people, are united strong and on a crusade for the Lord.”
Prophet Cain, stepped forward and pulled Judah’s hand from my hair. “Judah! Calm down!”
Brother Judah released me from his hold and my scalp throbbed. I cast an appreciative glance at Prophet Cain. “My apologies, sir,” I mumbled and instantly warred with my emotions.
Our people lived. They could rid me of my evil and save me. Finally, I could be rid of this devil-spawned sin… But all I could think of was Ky—Ky’s beautiful face, his smile, his long blond hair that I could tangle my fingers in, his soft beard, his piercing blue eyes… his smile… his beautiful smile that he only had for me. Lord, Ky! I wanted him…
“Where is Salome?”
My gaze collided again with Prophet Cain’s. “Answer me, sister. Where is Salome? Is she still at the compound? And Magdalene? Is she there, held captive by those sinners too?”