Page 19 of Anathema
Adrian stepped up behind me, close enough to wrap his hands around my body if I were to run but far enough away that I didn’t feel the urge to punch him in the face.
While I may have been reckless at heart, I wasn’t completely crazy; he outnumbered me with the entourage he brought with him. Assuming they were all men, I couldn’t fight off all seven of them alone, and I wasn’t dumb enough to even try.
“This is the heart of Anathema’s hideout, our central meeting and initiation space. Feel free to get yourself acquainted with it. If you pass your task tonight, you'll be here more often than not.”
He tucked his hands in his pockets and strolled past me, his arm brushing past mine, as he moved to where a raised dais sat below the rabbit symbol.
“I’m sure you are already curious as to what your first task will be,” He added, turning to face me as he rested his hand on the back of the chair that had been strategically placed in the center of the dais.
“You said you’d answer my questions if I came with you. I’m not doing anything until I get my answers,” I demanded, slowly approaching where he now stood.
The air in this room was stale and cold, making the hairs stand at the back of my neck. The overwhelming feeling of wrongness was an understatement for this place.
“I did. By all means, ask away. I’ll answer what I can.” Adrian was so casual about our interaction that it was as if we were old friends just catching up after years of disconnecting. It was both strange and uncomfortable.
“Who are you?” I started. I might as well get the easy questionsout of the way.
He had to have been someone of high importance or status here; I don’t see any other reason why he would be dressed to the nines while everyone else was draped in cloaks and masks.
“Adrian Valtores,” he said with an amused chuckle, and if that didn’t send me into a rage spiral, I don’t know what else would.
Adrian was playing games with me and enjoying every fucking second of it. It wouldn’t surprise me if this whole recruitment and initiation were a complete load of bullshit, and he was looking for an easy way to take me out and get Madison back—always a selfish prick.
“You know what I was asking, Adrian. Who are you to Anathema?” I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring daggers at him.
“Ah. That all depends on who you ask. To give you the short answer, I am the founder, leader, and God here.” And if his smirk could grow any wider, it would fall off his freshly groomed face.
God?I couldn’t help but scoff at his self-proclaimed deity status. Adrian, ever the charismatic, manipulative piece of shit. The man who treated his woman as if she were beneath him in all aspects. God, my ass, I fucking hated him.
“What is Anathema?” Trying not to let my hatred consume me just yet, I moved on to my next question. I knew vaguely who they were from Eli, but I wanted Adrian’s explanation. I needed to know precisely the extent of the fucked up situation I had landed myself in.
“That should have been your first question, Alexis. Why don’t you come and sit, and I’ll tell you all about us and what we dohere.” Adrian grinned, patting the back of the chair next to him, and I shook my head.
Absolutely fucking not; I knew a trap when I saw it.
“I’ll stand, thanks. Continue.” I gave him a pointed look, not giving even an inch. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, placing his hands on his hips.
“Knowing you, I’m sure you’ve been doing your own research after receiving our first letter. Anathema is a group of pitch-black assailants that handle the dirtiest jobs for a price. We don’t discriminate in the jobs we procure unless the client can’t afford the cost.”
“What do you mean by thedirtiestjobs?” I furrowed my brow at the question.
Was there anything dirtier than murder? I was already lost and confused.
“Let me give you an example… Say a client discovers that his business partner has been initiating under-the-table deals and pocketing the profits. The client wants that partner eliminated without question. We give him our price, and if he can afford to meet it, we handle his problem.” Adrian smiled, pleased with himself and his line of work, “But we’ve also had smaller—more petty—clients requesting something as simple as taking care of an individual’s partner, wife, or husband, simply so they could sweep in and take them for themselves.” He shrugged at the last part as if blind murder for love wasn’t a big deal.
What the actual fuck?
“And you want me to what—go around putting bullets into people’s heads for no reason other than instruction? I don’t dotorture. You’ve got the wrong girl if that’s what you want.” I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips in consideration.
Was I actually considering this?
While who they were made sense, what they wanted from me was still unclear. I never performed senseless acts of murder like this for Charlotte; every job had meaning, and every client was vetted before service, so I don’t know precisely what his angle was with me. I’m sure there were a million other people more than qualified to go around ending lives for the simple fuck of it.
“The client-paid targets are not what I’ve selected you for. I need your hacking and computer skills for a much bigger picture.” Adrian’s teeth sparkled white in the light as he gave a smile that didn’t meet his eyes. “However, I need to test your morals before we move further to ensure we are both on the same page.” He snapped his fingers, and two cloaked individuals entered the room, dragging in what looked to be a woman with a dark hood over her head.
The strangest part was that she was…laughing?
I tilted my head in question as they dropped her into the chair beside Adrian. Her hands were secured behind her back at the wrists with a zip tie, and her body was covered in dark black and blue bruises, some fresh and some partially healed. She looked as though she had the shit kicked out of her, so why was she laughing like a psychopath? On second thought, I didn’t want that answer.
