Chapter 31: Alluring Darkness: Chapter 31

I jerk awake as hands grab me from all sides. I try to yank my arms away and kick my legs while a scream of surprise builds in my throat. But before it can erupt, duct tape is slapped across my mouth.

It’s pitch black inside my dorm room since it’s the middle of the night, so I can’t see properly where my attackers are. My pulse thrums in my ears as I fight blindly to get free of their grip.

Pain pulses through my body as I’m thrown down on the cold stone floor. Before I can recover, someone plants a boot on the side of my head while someone else sits down on top of me and twists my arms up behind my back at the same time as a third one grabs my ankles. I struggle futilely as they tie my wrists and ankles together with rope.

Because of the boot on the side of my head, I can’t see my attackers’ faces. But I’m not stupid. I know exactly who they are.

After giving Eli the antidote earlier this afternoon, I left him and his brothers on that field while the cure for the poison finished working its magic. The glares that followed me when I walked away were so lethally furious that they could’ve set the world on fire.

I knew that the Hunters would be coming for revenge. I just hadn’t expected it to be this soon. But then again, if there’s one person that wouldn’t need more than a few hours to recover from a near-death experience, it’s Eli Hunter.

The weight on my back disappears as the person who was sitting on me stands up. But before I can do anything about it, someone bends my legs up towards my ass. My heart hammers from the adrenaline as they hogtie me.

Then they step back, and the boot at last disappears from the side of my head.

I wiggle on the floor, but the ropes keep me mercilessly trapped, so all it accomplishes is to make my sleep shirt ride up and bunch around my waist. Since I was sleeping, I’m only wearing a large t-shirt and a pair of panties.

The stone floor is cold underneath my bare thighs as I try yet again to somehow get free of the ropes. It’s useless. Since there’s tape over my mouth, I breathe deeply through my nose as I twist my head to look at my captors. But all I manage to see before someone blindfolds me are black boots and dark pants.

My stomach lurches as one of the Hunters lifts me off the floor and throws me over his shoulder. The hogtie is so tight that my body can barely bend, leaving my muscles straining in the awkward position. I growl a curse that the gag muffles.

The sound of doors opening and closing joins the thudding footsteps. Then cool night air washes over me. Gravel crunches underneath boots. I listen carefully as I’m carried a short distance away from the building that houses the dorm rooms.

A trunk is popped open.

If I hadn’t been blindfolded, I would’ve rolled my eyes.

In the trunk? Seriously?

A muffled huff rips from my chest as I’m unceremoniously tossed into the trunk before it’s slammed shut, locking me in. While trying to wiggle into a somewhat more comfortable position, I wait for the sound of car doors being opened and closed. To my surprise, only one is.

After what is presumably the driver’s side door has been closed, the car is started. I jerk to the side as the driver does a sharp turn before speeding away.

Lying there in the trunk of a car, gagged, blindfolded, and hogtied, I can’t help but feel that this is a bit overkill. I don’t know what he’s so upset about. It was just a little poison. Just a tiny little murder attempt. He is clearly overreacting.

At least this will make sure that Eli’s attention never slips from me back to Connor. Which means that my stunt had the desired effect.

My body shifts to the side again as the driver eventually stops the car. I listen as the door is opened and then closed.

After another few seconds, the trunk is popped open. I draw in a deep breath through my nose as fresh air finally floods the space. Then I’m hauled out and thrown over a broad shoulder again. My muscles groan in protest from the restraints, and I mutter through the gag, but my abductor just continues walking.

Another huff tears from my chest as I’m dumped on what feels like a forest floor. Grass and leaves and twigs scrape against my bare skin as I wiggle on the ground.

For a few seconds, nothing happens.

Then my captor starts untying the ropes. I stop moving since I very much want these restraints off me.

Relief floods my limbs as the ropes are finally pulled off. Pushing up to my knees, I roll my shoulders and wrists before reaching for the blindfold and the gag. To my surprise, no one stops me as I pull them off and toss them to the ground.

I blink as I’m met with blinding light.

Once my eyes have adjusted, I realize that it’s the headlights from the black Range Rover parked a short distance away. The light from it is the only thing breaking up the blackness in the otherwise dark forest around me.

Tilting my head back, I at last meet the gaze of my captor.

Eli Hunter is staring me down with an unyielding expression on his face.

A thrill races down my spine, and the irrational part of me that doesn’t process emotions the way it should is kind of turned on by this whole situation.

“Get up,” he commands, his voice dripping with authority.

I slowly climb to my feet while rubbing the tender skin around my wrists. My shirt is still half bunched around my waist, so I smooth it down so that it covers the top of my thighs again. A few crushed leaves fall from my shirt and flutter to the ground.

With that hard look still in his eyes, Eli throws a shovel at me and then jerks his chin towards something behind me. “Dig.”

Since I’m not the world’s most coordinated person, I barely manage to catch the metal shovel before it slams into my chest. I shoot Eli a glare as I straighten it in my hands. Then I turn to look behind me.

Surprise flickers through me.

There is a shallow grave behind me, no more than a foot deep.

With my eyebrows raised, I turn back to meet Eli’s gaze. Does he actually think this will scare me?

“Dig,” he orders again.

I lift the shovel.

And then swing it at his head.

He yanks up his arms, blocking the strike with his forearm and using his other hand to rip the shovel from my grip. Lightning flashes in his eyes as he locks them on me. I just grin back at him.

For a second, he almost looks a bit impressed. Then he tosses the shovel at me again and pulls a gun from the back of his waistband. I catch the shovel while he raises the gun and aims it at my head.

“Dig,” he repeats yet again.

“If you want a grave, dig it yourself.” I throw the shovel to the ground before his feet. “In case you didn’t know, I’m not a fan of manual labor.”

Something flickers briefly in his eyes again, but then he lowers his gun to his side and scoffs. “Fine, a shallow grave it is then.”

Because of the cool night air, and since I’m not wearing a bra, my nipples are hard and poking at the thin fabric of my shirt, so I cross my arms over my chest as I raise my eyebrows in an exasperated gesture. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting a bit?”

“No.”

“It was just a little poison.”

“It’s not about that.”

“Then what’s it about?”

Cold fury seeps into his eyes like ice. “You dragged my brothers into it.”

I frown at him. “I didn’t poison any of them.”

“You humiliated them.” The carnal rage in his voice sends a pulse through my chest. “You made them get down on their knees and beg.”

Oh. So that’s the problem. Clearing my throat, I start a sentence that I don’t know how to finish. “I, uhm…”

“No one humiliates my brothers like that. No one disrespects my family like that.”

Aw, crap. I almost heave a frustrated sigh because I know exactly where he’s coming from. If someone had done that to Connor, I would have reacted in the same way. It’s the entire reason why I’m here doing all of this, after all. To protect my brother.

Oh well. Too late for regrets now.

As if his words alone had summoned them, another Range Rover pulls up next to Eli’s. Car doors are opened and slammed shut. Then they’re walking towards us, their bodies only dark silhouettes in the light from the headlights.

“So now you’re going to kill me, huh?” I say, sliding my gaze back to Eli. Flashing him a smile, I lift my shoulders in a nonchalant shrug. “Best get on with it then. Because if not, I have somewhere else to be.”

“Oh, princess.” A cruel smile curls Eli’s lips. “I’m not going to kill you.”

The words should have been comforting, but the expression on his face sends an involuntary spike of alarm up my spine and tells me that I should be very worried. I let my arms drop back down to my sides, readying myself for whatever is about to happen.

From the corner of my eye, I see his brothers arrive and flank him on both sides, but I keep my eyes on Eli because it feels like I’m going to miss something important if I blink now.

With that vicious smirk on his lips, Eli raises the gun again and points it to his right. “I’m going to kill him.”

I snap my gaze towards where he’s pointing.

My stomach bottoms out.

Dread spreads through my limbs like cold poison as I watch Kaden and Rico force a tied-up and gagged Connor to his knees next to Eli. My brother’s eyes are wide with shock as he stares at me.

No, no, no. This can’t be happening.

My heart thunders in my chest, but I force my voice to remain bored as I look back at Eli and let a confused expression descend on my features. “Why did you bring one of your classmates here?”

“Cut the crap, Raina.” Eli cocks his head, a knowing glint in his eyes. “Did you really think I didn’t know who you are? That Connor here is your brother?”

I swallow, but I remain silent because I don’t know how to talk my way out of this.

“Why do you think I’ve been calling you princess?” Eli continues. “You’re Harvey Smith’s daughter. That makes you practically royalty at Blackwater.” His mocking smile is a slash of white. “Even if you’re shit at everything you do.”

“I, uhm…”

“I have to admit, it was a ballsy plan. But did you really think I didn’t know that you enrolled at Blackwater and keyed my car on your very first day and messed with me on purpose every chance you got just so that I would forget about your brother and come after you instead?”

My gaze darts to Connor. If I thought his eyes had been wide before, it’s nothing compared to now. Utter shock and disbelief pulse across his entire face as he stares at me with eyes as wide as dinner plates. He tries to say something through the gag, but only muffled noise comes out.

“Of course I knew,” Eli says, answering his own question. “But I didn’t mind. Because you’re much more fun to torment and…” A sly smile tugs at his lips as he rakes his gaze up and down my body. “Fuck with.”

My heart slams so loudly against my ribs that I can almost hear it echo through the dark forest around us.

“But you crossed a line yesterday,” Eli continues, his voice hardening. “When you brought my brothers into it.”

Panic flashes through my chest, and I whip my gaze over the four men before me. Jace is standing on Eli’s left with a wide grin on his face and a baseball bat on his shoulder. Kaden and Rico are on his right, standing on either side of Connor. Both of them keep one hand on my brother’s shoulder, forcing him to stay on his knees.

Plans whirl through my skull, but none of them offer a clear solution for how I’m supposed to fix this, so all I manage to do is to shake my head and press out, “No. No.”

“And now, you will pay for that,” Eli finishes.

Sheer terror crashes over me as he places the gun against the side of Connor’s head.

“No!” I scream.

On the ground, Connor struggles against his bonds but Kaden and Rico just tighten their grip on his shoulders.

I take a half step towards them, but Eli tuts and shakes his head at me while pushing the muzzle harder against Connor’s temple.

“What do you want?” Even I can hear the desperation in my voice as I plead with the devil before me. “Do you want me to beg, Eli? Is that it? Because I will. I will do anything you want.”

His eyes dance with wickedness as he holds my gaze. “No, I don’t want you to beg. I want you to grovel. I want you to kneel and crawl and kiss our boots and grovel for our fucking mercy.”

Connor shouts something and struggles hard, but I can’t look at him because there is only one way out of this and we both know it.

Throwing all sense of pride to the wind, I immediately drop to my knees and crawl up to Eli’s feet. Then I kiss the top of his black combat boot.

“I’m sorry.” Moving my head, I kiss his left one as well. “I’m sorry.” With my palms pressed against the ground, I keep my head bowed over his feet as I plead. “I should never have involved your brothers. Please, I’m sorry.”

“Then beg their forgiveness as well,” Eli declares.

I move so that I’m kneeling in front of Jace, and then kiss his boots as well. “I’m sorry.”

“I said, beg,” Eli orders, echoing my own words from that gun range yesterday.

“Please, I’m begging for your forgiveness.”

Above me, Jace chuckles. When he says nothing else, I take that as approval and move on to his brothers. Crawling over to Kaden and Rico, I kiss their boots and beg their forgiveness as well. Connor struggles and screams from behind his gag, but there is nothing he can do.

Once I’m done, I return to my place at Eli’s feet. Leaves and twigs stick to my bare legs, but I can barely feel it.

Raising my head at last, I meet his gaze again. Smug victory glitters in his golden eyes, and a smirk stretches his lips. And if the bulge in his dark pants is any indication, he’s extremely turned on by the absolute control he wields over me right now. If my brother’s life hadn’t been on the line, I might have been too. But with Eli’s gun still against Connor’s temple, all I can feel is dread and desperation.

Challenge dances in Eli’s eyes as he stares me down. “Good. Now that you’ve apologized, I suggest groveling for mercy.”

“Please, Eli, I’m begging you for mercy.” I look up at him with pleading eyes. “I’ll do whatever you want if you let Connor walk out of here.”

He arches a dark brow. “If I let him walk? Do you think this is a negotiation?”

“No.” I shake my head furiously. “No, I’m sorry. Please.”

“You call this groveling?”

I want to scream in frustration. I know that he’s doing this on purpose. That he’s finding fault in everything just to make me more panicked and more desperate. But it doesn’t matter, because I will do whatever he wants anyway.

Bending over, I slide my hands towards his boots and press my forehead to the ground before his feet. “I’m begging you, Eli. I’ll do anything you want. Anything you say. I’ll spend the entire night on my knees at your feet, licking your boots clean, if that’s what you want. Just please, please, let my brother walk out of here unharmed.”

“What are you begging for, princess? Say it. The exact word.”

“Mercy. Please, mercy.”

Deafening silence falls over the dark forest. I keep my forehead pressed against the ground. The scent of grass and soil and crushed leaves fills my lungs as I draw in shallow breaths. My heart slams against my ribs and my pulse pounds in my ears as I wait for Eli’s judgement.

At last, he snaps his fingers. “Look at me.”

I raise my head and sit back on my heels again. Dark amusement shines in Eli’s eyes as he watches me in silence for another few seconds. He must have lowered his gun at some point because he’s now holding it down by his side instead. Hope and relief flutter behind my ribs.

“Better,” he says eventually. Then a vicious smile spreads across his lips. “But not good enough.”

In a flash, he raises his gun to Connor’s head.

And pulls the trigger.

“NO!” The word tears from my lungs with enough force to almost shatter my vocal cords.

I lurch towards my brother.

But then freeze as time stops moving.

For a while, all I can do is stare while silence roars through my ears like a deafening storm.

Then reality crashes into me and time rushes to catch up again.

Two steps away, Connor has barely finished flinching. He blinks hard several times while shock pulses across his features. Then he sucks in a sharp breath through his nose.

I stare at him. No blood. No gaping hole in the side of his head. No brains splattering the forest floor.

With stunned disbelief still clanging through my whole soul, I drag my gaze back up to Eli. “You… You didn’t…”

“Blow his brains out?” With efficient moves, he detaches the magazine and shows it to me. Empty. “No, I didn’t.” Then he smiles and draws his hand along my jaw and under my chin in an almost loving gesture. “Because you groveled so prettily.”

I think I might have forgotten to breathe, because I suck in a desperate gasp.

Eli slams the magazine back in place and then presses the cold muzzle against my forehead. “But if you ever come after my family again, there will be bullets in this gun next time. Do you understand?”

With shock still ringing in my skull, I nod jerkily.

“Answer.”

“I understand,” I blurt out.

“Good. Now, thank me for sparing your worthless lives.”

“Thank you for sparing our worthless lives.”

Eli lets out a dark chuckle. He watches me for a little while longer, as if drinking in the sight of me this desperate and submissive. Then he turns on his heel and jerks his chin at his brothers.

Without another word, the four of them start back towards their cars.

Connor slumps forward the moment Kaden and Rico release his shoulders. I crawl over to him immediately and yank the duct tape from his mouth.

He gasps in a breath. “Raina.”

“Are you okay?” I ask while scooting around him so that I can start untying the ropes around his wrists and ankles.

Disbelief flashes in his gray eyes as he turns his head to stare at me over his shoulder. “Am I okay? Are you okay? You’re the one who…” He trails off.

Behind us, car doors slam shut. The sound of it echoes across the forest. Then two cars are started.

The light from the headlights shifts across the trees as Eli and his brothers reverse their Range Rovers.

Then the forest is plunged into darkness as they drive away.

I blink against the blackness while my fingers continue fumbling with the knots.

For a while, neither of us speaks.

“That’s why you enrolled,” Connor says at last. His voice shatters the fragile silence and sends a ripple through the woods. “Not because you thought that I wasn’t enough. Not because you were trying to take my place.” He swallows thickly. “You did it to protect me.”

Suddenly, I’m glad that I’m struggling to untie the knots because it means that I get to stay seated behind him so that I don’t have to look into his eyes. Emotions well up inside me, ones that I can’t handle because I’m not good with emotions, and I don’t want him to see that.

“Of course I did,” I reply softly. “I would never become a good hitman. I will never be able to restore our family’s reputation. But if I can be a shield for you while you do it, then that’s what I’ll do. You have been carrying our family’s burden alone for far too long.”

“Raina…” There is pain in his voice.

At last, I manage to undo the knots. I gently slide the rope away from Connor’s wrists and ankles, and then slowly get to my feet. But I remain behind his back while I try to compose myself. My brother doesn’t let me, however, because he immediately shoots to his feet and spins around so that he is facing me.

Surprise pulses through my chest as he throws his arms around me and pulls me tightly against his firm body.

“I’m sorry,” he says into my hair. “I’m so, so sorry, Raina. I’m sorry for what you’ve had to endure because of me. And I’m sorry for being so fucking shitty to you.”

Wrapping my arms around him, I hug him back. “It’s okay.” Those emotions that I’m still trying to get a handle on clog up my throat. “I would do anything for you. You know that, right?”

“Yes, I do.” He pulls back. Reaching up, he draws his fingers through my hair and hooks it behind my ears. “And I for you.”

I don’t know how to handle the endless familial love in his eyes so all I do is swallow against the thickness in my throat.

As if Connor can sense that I’m struggling, he immediately shifts into a lighter tone as he flashes me a smile and says, “Did you really key Eli’s car?”

Relief flutters through me. After the night we’ve had, I need some time to process all of my emotions. Connor probably does too. He almost died, for God’s sake. So joking and teasing each other feels like the safer bet right now.

“Yeah,” I say as I start forward. Since those bastards drove off and left us here, we’ll need to walk back to campus on our own. “I carved Small Dick Energy into the side of it.”

A genuine laugh rips from Connor’s chest, and he turns to stare at me with complete bafflement in his eyes while he falls in beside me. “You did what?”

“The dude drives a Range Rover. I figured he’s gotta be compensating for something.”

Connor laughs again and shakes his head before throwing his arm over my shoulder. “You’re crazy, sis. In the best possible way.”