Screams.
“The Blackheart brothers will stay with us from time to time,” he went on. “That’s the cost of what they’ve done for me. They will need to use the place, but of course, I’m sure my brother will eventually find out about it and think it’ll be a perfect facility to use for the college too.”
I glanced over then, so many questions running through my mind. What did they do for him? What college? Why would they need to use it?“Why?”I asked instead.
He studied me for a moment before turning back to the road, his eyes narrowing.
After a moment of silence, I realized that it was a question he wouldn’t answer.
I was his wife now, but that did not mean I had a right to know him.
I leaned back in the seat, returning my attention to the road. Azrael may not have been truly a part of that church, but something told me there were some rules that would remain the same. He would keep his secrets from me. He would use me whenever he needed. I would obey everything he said without question.
But he had also unlocked something inside of me that I never thought I was capable of feeling. He gave me power, and he had told me how much he liked the fight.
I was right, things had changed now that we were married.
He mentioned screaming, I held no doubt that one of those screams would be mine.
~ ~ ~
Sometime later, the two bikes in front of us finally turned, and we followed.
We drove down a paved road, so new that there was not a crack that I could see as we slowed.
It was windier than the road we were just on, the trees hugging us on either side. One lane, which I suppose made sense if it led straight to our house.
Ourhouse.
All of this felt like a dream and the beginnings of a nightmare I would never escape.
Ten minutes later, the trees and pavement opened up, the house not coming into sight until after we were practically in front of it.
I leaned forward, taking in the beautiful architecture. It was dark and just as haunting as the trees. There were pillars and arched windows and old black lampposts lining the entire area. It reminded me of the stories my mother told me of the beautiful church in a place called Cologne, Germany called the Cathedral Church of St. Peter.
I had never seen it, I didn’t even know where Germany was, but this place gave me the same feeling those stories had.
It was a place where bad things happened, and no one ever escaped.
Azrael parked the car and shut it off, the motorcycles pulling up on either side of us.
He got out and walked around, offering his cane to help me out.
I slid my hat on as soon as I straightened, gazing up at the beautiful, deeply terrifying house.
“What do you think?” Havoc asked, walking over.
“You outdid yourself,” Azrael commented, heading for the stairs that led up to the front doors.
I followed after him, trying to absorb everything I could on my way, the three men following after us.
Azrael unlocked the front door, but not with a key like my old house. There was some sort of pad next to the front door. He put his thumb on it before the locks slid over, allowing the door to open.
Azrael stepped to the side, his eyes locking with mine.
I turned to the doorway, glancing at that pad as I stepped over the threshold of the house. I wondered if I would ever be able to unlock the door.
The first thing I did was inhale. It smelled sofresh. So clean. It felt like I could breathe here.
