Bloodshed (Order of the Unseen, #1)(49)

“That might be so,” Killian begins. “But for the time being, this is how it has to be. We owe that much to Felicity, don’t you think? After all… this is all for her.”

Turning my back to them, I rest my palms against the wall, releasing a sharp breath.

I’ve heard the stories. They’ve drilled it into all of our heads.

Poor Felicity.

“If it gets to the point where we have no choice but to tell Quinn, then we will cross that bridge when we get to it,” Killian lets out, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. “All I ask is that you give this some more thought. Put your obsession with her aside, and get your damn head together—”

“Obsession,” I let out with a cocky laugh, clenching my jaw tight. “Fine. Quinn will remain where she’s been her whole life. In the dark. For now.”

“Keep me updated, cousin,” Killian lets out, heading for the door.

“Yeah, yeah… cousin.”

With that, he and the guys make their exit, leaving only one, dim lantern on the table. Apollo and Asher stay behind.

“The dirtbags that burned in the haunt,” Apollo begins, hesitating briefly. “You said they deserved it.”

“They did,” I assure him.

“What did they do?” Asher asks, intrigued.

“Awful shit, man,” Micah responds. “You’d have to actually hear her story and see her wrists to understand. They put her through hell.”

“So, we sent them there,” Jensen finishes with a cold smirk. “Now they’re getting ass fucked by the devil himself.”

And the twins chuckle. “Damn right,” they say in unison.

“Tread lightly, Damien,” Apollo cautiously warns. “It’s obvious how you feel about her. How you’ve always felt about her since the very beginning. You’re way in over your head.”

“Don’t go too deep,” Asher finishes, and they turn away from us, disappearing through the doorway, their black clothes blending in with the night.

After a few minutes of me pacing the room, and playing out different scenarios in my head, I can’t seem to silence my racing thoughts.

“You good?” Jensen faintly asks from somewhere behind me.

“Does he look good?” Micah questions, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Eat me.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“I need some air,” I blurt out, heading for the door. “I’ll text you guys later.”

“See what you fucking did?” Micah growls. “You pissed him off.”

“For the love of God, Micah, will you shut the fuck up?” Jensen groans.

They continue to argue from the safe house until I’m far enough away that their voices fade. Finally, for the first time in a while, I’m alone.

This night definitely took a turn.

As much as I hate to admit it, and want to tell Quinn the truth, Killian did make a valid point. For the time being, she’s better off not knowing. Because when she does find out the truth, about who she is, her perfect little world will come crumbling down around her.

Her pure, and completely innocent heart will shatter.

…But we’ll be there to pick up the pieces, and put her back together again.

I’ll make sure of that.





I was only eighteen at the time when my uncle explained everything to me, holding nothing back. He knew I hated my father, and he also knew I could handle it.

After all… I was his nephew. His own flesh and blood.

To him, that meant something. That meant everything.

Family ties had sealed my fate.

Order of The Unseen was originally founded by my uncle. He despised my father. His own brother. And that’s why he recruited me.

He knew that I would do anything to get under my father’s skin. Payback, for everything he put my mother through.

Put me through.

Shortly after I took my oath into the society, I found out the full truth about my father.

Him being second in command and co-founder of a deranged cult based out of Salem, Massachusetts. A man named Eli is their sadistic leader. Soon, after that, everything about our life began to make sense. All the late nights he spent away from home while I was growing up, dedicating all of his time to a local church.

My fucked up so-called upbringing finally made sense.

All of the murders he made me witness.

The murders he made me commit.

Him raising me to be a killer myself, in hopes that one day I would join him and his fucked-up cause. Really join him. Help the Hallowed Divine fulfill their sinister plans.

Whatever they may be.

From their dark, callous rituals, to not only animal but human sacrifices, normal people would label them as a cult.

A satanic cult.

Although, of course, they call themselves The Hallowed Divine.

Except, there’s nothing divine about what they do. They hunt the homeless. Take innocent civilians as their victims. All ages.

Even children.

And after all these years, they’ve yet to be caught. None of the disappearances have ever been pinned on them. There are far too many corrupt cops in this town.

We still know very little about their true intentions. But at one point, we had a few people on the inside that we used to our benefit. What we do know is that if you join them, you never find your way back out. As soon as you are one of them… you’re as good as dead.