Deviant

Chapter 24

Rowen

Thick tension hangs in the air as we walk toward the decaying mansion. Everything about it makes my skin crawl and yet, my feet continue to walk toward it, like it’s calling my name.

“I don’t like this, I don’t like this one bit,” Chris says nervously, voicing aloud what we are all thinking and feeling.

“What’s not to like? Just because this is the place where we’ve been sent to die, doesn’t mean it’s not a good holiday spot?” Andy jokes halfheartedly, as he wraps a protective arm around Harper.

“I’m scared,” I hear Lucy whisper to Lucas.

“I know, babe. We all are,” he whispers back, unable to comfort her, coaxing Elias’s jaw to clench so loudly that even I hear it tick.

We all stop at the base of the stairs, fear starting to get the better of us.

“We’ve come this far. It’s not like someone is going to come out with a red carpet for you idiots,” David jokes, the only one that seems pleased to have finally arrived at their destination.

“Hold up,” Elias orders before David has a chance to place his foot on the first step. “Just hold the fuck up.”

He runs his fingers through his hair, pausing momentarily to ensure he has our undivided attention.

“This better be good, Larsen. Time’s ticking,” David says, pointing at a now faceless watch just to be a dick.

Elias shows him his middle finger and then looks each and every one of us in the eye.

“I know you all are scared. Even shit-for-brains over there is shitting his pants. He’s just better at hiding it. But we have to pull our shit together. Yes, we have no idea what lies behind those walls, except for the fact that whatever it is, is sure to kill eleven of us.”

“Not the pep talk we were hoping to hear,” Andy says, doing a cutting sign with his hand to indicate Elias should keep all the death talk to a minimum.

“Right. What I meant to say was… fuck these assholes!” Elias blurts out. “Just because our town made sure to send us gift wrapped to them, that doesn’t mean we have to go out like chumps. I say fuck whoever is waiting for us behind those double doors. I say fuck ‘em all. If this is the way we go down, I say we go down swinging.”

“Yeah! Fuck ‘em.” Andy shouts, throwing his middle fingers in the air directed at the mansion.

“If my man says fuck them, then I say, let’s do it.” Harper joins in, throwing her middle finger up high for all to see.

“Fuck them in the ass,” Chris chimes in.

“Without lube!” Big Mike piles on.

“Fine. Why the fuck not,” Ruby mumbles, throwing her own middle fingers in the air.

Even young Abbie, who I haven’t heard curse in all the time I’ve known her, flicks up her two middle fingers.

I happily join in by adding my middle finger to the mix, my chest beaming with pride with how Elias was able to give the group back their dignity, with such a simple act of defiance.

He didn’t offer us false hope. He didn’t even sugar coat that the probabilities of us dying here are all but certain. What he did was so much better. He gave all of us our self-respect and pride back.

The way my heart begins to pitter patter in my chest is troubling, but I ignore it and squeeze Abbie’s hand instead, to give her that little piece of assurance she needs that, no matter what awaits us behind those doors, I’ll be right by her side.

With new resolve, we start climbing the stairs to the mansion’s entrance.

“Honey, we’re home!” Andy shouts once we take the last steps, Harper slapping his chest in reprimand, though she’s the one who can’t stop giggling at his antics.

Just as David is about to knock, the front door swings wide open, preventing him from doing so. We all take a step back as a man in his late fifties, dressed in a butler’s costume, steps outside. His thin frame and ghostly appearance are accentuated by his glassy white eyes. Even without the ability of sight, he exudes a frightening aura.

“Welcome. We’ve been expecting you,” he greets politely.

“Did he say ‘we’?” I hear Ruby ask Mackenzie just as two young women about my age step behind him. Taken straight out of a Stephen King novel, the girls could almost pass for twins. Dressed in plaid black and gray skirts, white blouses, and knee-high socks, they stare at us with blank expressions, almost as if they can see right through us.

“My name is Henry, and I will be your guide and servant for the remainder of your stay. Five and Seven tend to the domestic chores of the household, but they are more than prepared to aid you with whatever needs might arise during your short time with us.”

“Five and Seven? Do we even want to know what happened to Six?” Harper whispers, fear back in her voice.

“Please, come in. There is much to discuss as I’m sure you have many questions.”

We all look at each other as Henry and the creepy twins turn their backs on us to return into the house.

“Fuck this,” Big Mike utters before sprinting into a run down the long flight of stairs.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” we all hear Henry call out, causing Big Mike to halt his step and turn around.

“Yeah? What are you going to do about it, old man? Stop me?”

Henry doesn’t even flinch as he takes out a whistle from his vest pocket and blows on it. Seconds later, a dozen foaming-at-the-mouth rottweilers appear down the steps, looking like they haven’t been fed in days. Someone must have trained them not to run up the stairs, unless otherwise instructed, but something tells me that they wouldn’t think twice about tearing Big Mike limb from limb if he so much as stepped one foot on the ground.

“Well, that settles that.” Andy claps before taking Harper by the hand and leading her inside the house.

We all follow suit, throwing a last glance over at Big Mike as he continues to consider his options. He must decide the risk isn’t worth the reward, since seconds later he joins us in a large open hall, only for his jaw to drop to the floor when he encounters the same thing we do.

In complete contradiction to its outside exterior, the mansion’s entry hall boasts soaring ceilings adorned with an intricate crystal chandelier that cascades light across the marbled floor, reflecting the opulence of its surroundings. Just on the left side of the large hall is a sweeping staircase, flanked by ornate columns and lush arrangements of fresh flowers. Rich tapestries line the walls, telling stories of elegance and history, setting the tone for a home that is both inviting and magnificently luxurious.

Immediately, I’m reminded about a quote I read in a book once that said the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist. From the outside we knew exactly what hell was awaiting us. But now that we’re inside the belly of the beast, it wants to trick us into believing that this is a safe space. That no devastation can come from such an illustrious home.

“Look up,” Elias whispers in my ear.

I do as he says and again admire the large chandelier hanging just above our heads.

“Not there, Roe. There,” he pulls my chin to the side.

I swallow hard when my gaze lands on cameras in every corner of the large hallway.

We’re being watched.

Of course, we are.

“Five and Seven will show you to your rooms so you can freshen up before dinner. Once you have been properly fed, we will discuss what you can expect from your stay with us.”

“If it’s all the same to you, sir, we’d all much rather know now what we’ve got ourselves into,” Lucas says politely.

But just as the question is launched at Henry’s feet, all our watches begin to vibrate and make a loud sound.

Follow Henry’s orders.

Or else.

“So where are our rooms exactly?” Lucy asks, placing a hand on her boyfriend’s chest before he pisses anyone off that he shouldn’t. “Upstairs maybe?”

Seven tilts her head for us to follow her and Five up the staircase.

“The fuck was that?” Andy whispers over to Elias as he and Harper continue to walk in front of us. “The watches never did that shit while we were hiking up here.”

“That’s because we didn’t have eyes on us before,” Elias explains, discreetly pointing to the cameras. “Careful with what you say from this point on, too. I wouldn’t put it past them to have listening devices hidden all over this place.”

Andy takes the advice to heart, sealing his lips shut and tightening his grip around Harper’s hand.

Once we all reach the first floor, Seven points to David while Five points to Chris, urging the two to follow them into opposing hallways.

“Why aren’t they talking?” Abbie asks curiously once the twins have left.

“I think because they can’t,” I assume.

“You think they’re mute?” Harper asks, listening in on our hushed conversation.

“I think so, yes.” I nod.

“Great. Not creepy at all that our lives depend on a blind old fart and two mute deaf chicks,” Big Mike says.

“I didn’t say they were deaf,” I scold him for his poor choice of wording, but he no longer looks interested in anything I have to say.

Seven returns to our little group before Five does and chooses Mackenzie to go with her next.

“Babe, I know this isn’t sexy or anything, but I think all this anxiety is giving me the runs. If you don’t want to share a room with me, I’ll totally understand,” Andy says, grabbing hold of his upset stomach.

Harper places a hand on Andy’s cheek and says, “If you think you’ll get rid of me that easily, think again.”

“Fuck. I think I just fell in love with you a little.”

“Only a little?” Harper bats her long eyelashes at him.

I avert my eyes from the two lovebirds as they kiss, giving them space to have their moment.

But when Five returns, my back goes ramrod straight when she points to me next, waving her hand to follow her.

I take a step, only for Elias to grab me by the arm to stop any other from taking place.

“What are you doing?” I ask, trying to get him to release his grip.

“Like blondie said, if you think you’ll get rid of me that easily, think again.” He then turns his steel gaze toward Five and says, “Where she goes, I go. Understand?”

Five’s gaze bounces from me to Elias before giving a consenting nod.

I wave Abbie and the others goodbye and start walking down the long corridor. Five doesn’t look back at us once, completely focused on her task.

I school my features not to show any signs of my unease as we continue to walk down the hall until Five comes to a halting stop. She then opens the door to our left and tilts her head for us to go inside. But just as we’re about to, she pulls on Elias’s sleeve and points to his watch.

“I think she’s trying to say that we can’t leave the room until the watches tell us to.”

She nods, confirming my assumption.

“Great,” Elias grumbles, aggravated.

“Thank you, Five,” I say with a smile, coaxing a little one of her own to peek out.

Elias, though, isn’t as friendly and slams the door on her face.

“What did you go and do that for?”

“Stop being so goddamn nice to the people who intend to kill us, Roe. It sends the wrong message.”

I roll my eyes at him and decide to take in the room instead. Just like the rest of the mansion on the inside, it has all the luxuries one would expect from a five-star hotel, instead of the house of horrors it actually is. The lavish suite boasts an expansive layout adorned with plush silk drapes and intricate crown molding, creating an air of opulence and decadence. Soft, ambient light filters through two slender windows, illuminating the elegant furnishings, including a king-sized bed draped in luxurious linens and an opulent sitting area in front of a marble fireplace.

But neither Elias nor I are fooled by such extravagances.

“You get the impression that this place was carefully curated to lower our guard?” I ask Elias while walking over to the bathroom and finding that it’s just as decadently designed, with its marble soaking tub and dual rain showers.

“Can you think of any other reason?” he grumbles as he opens a bedside table drawer.

“It’s like the outside of this place was purposely made to look like a decaying haunted house to keep strangers away, while the inside is decorated to keep its prey from leaving.”

“I couldn’t put it better myself,” he says, still sounding distracted as he looks under the bed.

What is he up to?

“I think I’ll take a shower before dinner,” I say, setting my backpack in the corner and then rummaging through it for some clean underwear and clothes.

“Is that an invitation?” Elias smirks as he continues to open drawer after drawer, cabinet after cabinet.

“Definitely not. I might not have said anything when you demanded to share a bedroom with me, but us taking a shower together is where I draw the line,” I lie, frustrated, since apparently, he has other things preoccupying his mind right now.

“Shame. Shower sex is some of the best sex,” he replies on autopilot, while still scouring the room for God-knows-what.

I bite my inner cheek, hating that my mind immediately jumps to wondering how he would know something like that.

Because he’s done it before, that’s why.

And not with you.

“What are you doing?” I ask, exasperated, when he continues to look around every nook and cranny of the room.

“What does it look like? I’m looking for cameras or bugs hidden in the room.”

“Oh,” I mumble, embarrassed that I didn’t think of that. “And did you find any?”

“Not yet,” he says, still focused on his mission.

“Well, I’ll be in the shower if you need me.” When he gives me another preoccupied nod, I can’t help but frown, leaving my clothes on top of a nearby chair so I can storm off to the ensuite.

I guess a part of me was actually hoping that he’d refuse to follow my orders and join me in the shower to teach me how shower sex differs from regular sex.

But my frown quickly flips upside down as I strip off my clothes and smell Elias’s scent still on me. I know that sex with Elias should be the last thing on my mind right now, but memories from last night are still playing in a loop inside my head. And as I lavish my body with the sweet-scented body wash, I’m saddened that I’m washing away all traces of him. The only things I have to prove that last night wasn’t a dream are the small bruises and bite marks he left on my skin.

Once I’m fully washed, I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around my body, while I use another to dry my hair. When I reenter the bedroom to get dressed, I find Elias lying down on the bed, his arms under his head, staring straight at me.

“Did you have a good shower?”

I nod.

“Did you find any cameras or audio devices?”

He shakes his head.

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“On the one hand, it’s good that they’ve left us at least one part of the house where we can have some privacy. On the other…”

“You don’t trust their motives,” I finish.

“Not as far as I can throw them.”

I drop the towel I used to dry my hair on the edge of the bed and look around the room again, wondering if this isn’t just some fancy cell.

“Come here,” Elias orders, his tone gruff and unyielding.

“What if I don’t want to?” I challenge.

“I said… come here.”

My heart starts to jackhammer in my chest, knowing that he means business. Slowly I walk over to his side of the bed, while maintaining a good distance from him.

“Closer.”

Memories of playing a similar game on his porch a couple of weeks ago come to the forefront of my mind.

Was it only a few weeks ago? It feels like a lifetime has passed since then.

Just like I obliged him on that night, I concede again now, taking a few steps closer to him. The devilish smile on his lips gets me all sorts of hot and bothered, though you wouldn’t know it by the composed expression on my face.

“Closer.”

I take another step. Then another. And once I’m within arm’s reach, he lifts me off the floor, grabbing me by the waist and gently placing me on top of him until I’m straddling him.

“We need to talk,” he says, playing with the hem of my towel before looking me in the eye.

“If it’s about last nigh—” I start only for him to place one finger at the center of my lips to silence me.

“That’s not what I want to talk to you about.”

“Oh,” I frown, hating that he can hear the disappointment in my voice.

“We’ll have plenty of time for that later. But right now, I want us to set some ground rules.”

“Okay.”

“Whatever these assholes have in store for us, I want you to stay close to me at all times. If by any chance we ever get separated, at any time, stay in one spot and I’ll come find you.”

“Okay.”

“That’s it? Just okay? You’re not going to challenge me on this?” he asks, sounding surprised that I’m being this obedient.

“I already told you. I want you to be the one that kills me. But that can only happen once I’ve made sure that you have won The Scourge. I promised Nora as much.”

“You promised Nora?” he snarls. “Nora is dead. She can’t hear your promises anymore. I need your blind obedience more than a ghost does.”

“And you have it. As long as I get what I want in the end. No matter what happens, you have to be the one who kills me.”

“Oh, don’t you worry, I will,” he says angrily.

Even though I shouldn’t, I think I fall a little more for him with that one promise.

“Thank you,” I say, sincerely grateful that he’s going to give me what I most desire in this world.

He continues to stare at me, opening his mouth to say something but then closing it shut a second later. He then slides out from under me, making me fall to the other side of the bed.

“Where are you going?” I ask, confused by his hot and cold changes in demeanor.

“Off to take a shower, and no, that wasn’t an invitation.” He then points to a wardrobe off to the side before entering the bathroom. “There’s a bunch of new clothes for you inside there. Knock on the door if our so-called hosts decide to summon us before I’ve finished.”

And with that he slams the door on me, leaving me more than just a little confused as to why he’s so angry at me all of a sudden.