Fourteen Abel

Epic failure once again. I'd promised myself to never let Tobias's presence affect me in any way, but that was shot to shit. Literally; the proof was in the load I spilled on the floor of the wet bathroom stall. But what was I supposed to do? His hands were all over my body, manhandling me in the best way possible. His tight grip was irresistible, his deep commanding voice was alluring. I wasn't going to admit it to him, but I fucking loved every second of his dominance.

I didn't even bother to hose the floor down as I was in a hurry to tuck my cock back into my briefs, pull my shorts up, and head out before they sent someone to check on me—or worse, Tobias checked himself. It'd been a great call, since he was already on his way when I exited the bathroom. Shame coursed through me when I spotted him. Not for thinking about his mouth wrapped around my dick, but for pleasuring myself, which Orcus had ingrained in all of us was wrong. "Cast all your temptations for pleasure away. Focus on your contributions to our community. You have a purpose—a purpose much bigger than you have ever imagined—so never let your own needs force you to lose sight of your calling. Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good," Orcus had said once, and versions of the same poison were taught in our classrooms growing up. He'd made us remorseful for doing the most natural and personal things. Every deed that didn't contribute to his well-being and the cult's ultimate goal elicited a sense of guilt thanks to Orcus's masterful manipulation.

"How much do you trust them?" Tobias's question had come out of nowhere, but my answer didn't. I trusted all of my friends. We'd shared the same misfortune of being raised within the walls of this prison that we hoped to break away from. The sooner the better. Why did he want to know?

Shrugging off his question, we walked in silence but not in peace. I could sense him studying me from the corner of my eye, boring into my restraint. I need to get away from him.

"Ready to continue?" Tobias asked.

"Yup."

Tobias's eyes were on my bare abs, a grimace on his face when I looked up. This man clearly had issues, and none of them should be mine. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Now, where were we?"

"My stance," I reminded him, resuming the position of before my bathroom detour.

"Right," he said. "Southpaw position."

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, unsure what he meant. This was all new to us. Martial arts was a recent addition to our weightlifting, running, and boxing routine. An addition that was overkill, in my opinion. But, like most of the tasks Orcus had us do, we would use this to our advantage. This would only make us stronger, more prepared.

"That's what that position is called. Since you're left-handed," he explained, pointing at my slightly forward left foot. "It'll give you an edge against right-handed fighters."

"Why do I need an edge? And who are the other fighters?"

"Just trust me, okay." Tobias stood behind the punching bag, bracing it firmly. His biceps and forearm muscles flexed. He nodded to my wrapped hands. "Gimme your best shot."

That I could do. I focused my attention on the bag, pretending it was Orcus and Napoleon. I summoned all of my frustration into one powerful strike. My entire body vibrated from the punch. I could feel it in my core, loosening the pent-up frustration and fury buried inside. The next hit followed before the chains attached to the bag had a chance to stop rattling.

Tobias staggered back but remained standing, a smirk curving his lips. He had to be impressed. My form might be shit and my knowledge about fighting was nonexistent, but my strength made up for it. "Not bad," he said.

Not bad? That was more than not bad.

"I can work with that," he continued when he resumed his position behind the bag. "More."

With the urge to keep impressing him, I sparred with the punching bag, each blow harder than the last, until my arms punished me with a burn that felt like they were about to fall off. Blowing my wad then exerting all my energy to show off wasn't the smartest choice, since I had no clue what else Orcus had in store for us today. But seeking Tobias's approval of my brute strength would be worth all the pain later. Maybe he'd stop calling me a kid and start treating me like a man. It shouldn't matter what he thought of me, but it did.

The second part of my training with Tobias pushed me out of my comfort zone. Especially when he had me pinned to the padded surface, my legs apart, one hand on my back while the other one stretched to my side, under his vise grip. No way I was tapping out. He was on top of me with all his weight: his chest against my back, his crotch against my ass. I wiggled to free my body from his restraint, my ass cheeks rubbing his groin.

"Fuck," he moaned.

Something hard pressed between my ass cheeks. I swallowed hard. Was that a fucking boner?

Tobias jolted, peeling his body off mine. He scooted away from me and sat on the floor, creating more space between us.

I put my head in my hands, avoiding his eyes, afraid of what I would see in them. Maybe repulsion. Confusion.

"Hey, are you okay?" Tobias asked.

"I'm all right," I answered, keeping my eyes on the floor.

"Look at me."

I tried so hard to detect any hint of disgust in his voice, but his tone gave nothing away. It was neutral and unaffected.

"Look at me," he repeated.

Slowly, I lifted my head and met his eyes. Thankfully, I didn't see anything but concern. I released a shaky breath. "I'm okay."

"You're gonna need more practice freeing yourself," he said. His breathing was labored, sweat all over his face. He bent his legs, pulling his knees up so I didn't get a chance to check if what I felt was his erect dick. Whatever I felt was long and hard.

My internal struggle intensified as the morning session continued. Physical contact with Tobias was an unavoidable part of the training, and although his touch wasn't intimate, my brain had a mind of its own. Every time our bodies connected, whether in a hold, a sparring match, or a demonstration, I couldn't help but feel a magnetism. It wasn't just his strength that drew me in. It was the way he carried himself, with confidence and competence. I found myself stealing glances at him when no one was watching, my heart racing a little faster every time our eyes met.

I tried to shake off those distracting thoughts. Tobias only wanted me to become a better fighter; nothing more, nothing less. I had to remind myself that the closeness was simply part of the drill, not an invitation to be bold. Despite the losing battle, I kept my focus on the practice. The sooner I could master this, the faster he'd be off my balls.

My face turned a shade of red as I stumbled to the floor. I couldn't help but feel inadequate next to Tobias, and the presence of the other coaches only amplified my embarrassment. I had to persevere if I wanted to improve. "How'd you learn all this?" I asked after he'd helped me back on my feet. He'd again proven his skills when his last maneuver had me on my back on the padded floor, wincing. He had techniques and power I could only assume was from years and years of training.

"My other life."

"Other life?" I asked, confused by his answer. "How many lives do you have?"

"Just this shitty one." Tobias's features hardened. That dark expression that crossed his face when I asked him about his wife returned. "You did great today. See you tomorrow."

And with that, he left.

I wanted to know more, but he was gone before I had the chance to ask. His absence was probably for the best, I reminded myself. Tobias and I played on different teams.

One blow of the whistle and the morning practice session ended.

A different set of guards, including the ever-creepy Napoleon, was waiting for us when we exited the gym. I scanned the room for Tobias, but he was nowhere around.

"Who are you looking for?" Napoleon asked. His voice made my skin crawl.

I ignored his question and found my place in front of the six-person lineup.

As we were escorted back to our room, I divided my attention between memorizing the hallways and the locations of Orcus's men guarding the premises. It'd been days since we'd heard from the rest of the guys at the North Compound, and we were in desperate need of an update.

We were drenched with sweat, our clothes clinging to our worn-out bodies. "You have five minutes to get your asses showered," one of the guards, posing as a trainer, ordered. Like always, we followed.

The bathroom fogged up from the steam of our collective showers. Each of the six stalls was occupied. I chuckled when moans cut through the sound of running water, followed by another grunt, accompanied by slapping skin coming from a different stall. It was amazing how none of that turned me on, but one touch from Tobias had me nutting. I purposely avoided tugging my cock because I didn't have the time I wanted to please myself. After five minutes of the three Ss—shit, shave, and shower—the six of us exited the bathroom with towels wrapped around our waists, a swarm of muscles filling our bunkroom.

Guards stood in front of our bunkroom door, talking into their radios, casting cautious glances at us.

Seven sat across from me, his hands fidgeting.

"You good?" I whispered.

"Yeah," he said. His eyes bounced between the guards and me. "Tell you later."

***

Last Year

Tomorrow should be one of the happiest days of my life, when I finally become an adult, but my eighteenth birthday brought nothing but fear. Fear of being taken away from Maddy and Mom. Fear of what was waiting for me on the other side of the compound. Fear that I might never see my dad again.

"Abel, are you here?" Maddy called. I was sitting in my closet, hoping it would shield me from Orcus's men, but I knew that nothing could stop them. They would find me as long as we were here.

"I'm in here," I said. Light flooded into the closet when my sister opened the door.

Maddy kneeled in front of me. "I'm sorry," she said. "I wish you didn't have to go." At sixteen, she knew what was looming ahead for me, and, like me, was forced to grow up too soon. That was life within the walls of this prison they called The Creed.

"Me too," I uttered softly. Who was going to watch out for Maddy? My sick mom? Who was going to look for Dad? The three of us were all we had.

"I'm so scared." She lunged toward me and held on as if I was her lifeline and she was drowning. "I don't know what I'm gonna do without you."

I needed to be brave for my family, even though I was petrified. I took a deep breath and tightened my embrace. "I'm gonna ask you to do something for me, okay?" She nodded but kept her head close to my chest. "Look at me." She peeled herself off me, her red, shiny eyes focused on mine.

"I'm gonna need you to be strong, okay?" I cradled her face with my hands, wiping her tears with my thumbs.

"I don't know if I can," she admitted, shaking her head.

"Yes, you can. I believe in you." We didn't have a choice. "I need you to make sure Mom takes her pills." My heart squeezed knowing tonight might be the last night I'd spend with them. "Stay away from trouble and blend in as much as you can." I didn't want Maddy to be the subject of the guards' attention. The thought of something happening to her made me feel sick.

"I don't want you to go." She buried her face in my chest, soaking my shirt with her agony.

"I don't wanna either, but it's not up to me." It was so unfair. Maddy and I didn't sign up for any of this. Helplessness threatened to paralyze me, but instead of dwelling on what tomorrow would bring, I focused on the present with Maddy.

"I'll try to be as brave as you," she whispered.

Brave. If she only knew the truth.

I sat on the sofa, my eyes trained on the door of the trailer home assigned to our family. I didn't sleep; instead, I spent all night writing notes for Maddy to make sure she had all that she needed to survive, until she was old enough to make her own decisions. She would take over my place as the head of our family. "She's only sixteen." I balled my fist, slamming the leather cushion, channeling my anger. "I'm so sorry, Maddy."

As the sun made its daily appearance, a truck engine roared to a stop in front of our house. Chains clattered; dogs barked. Heavy footsteps neared and, seconds later, the banging on the door rattled the framed pictures hanging on the wall.

Maddy came out of her room and rushed toward me. "Abel!" She clung desperately to my side. "No!"

The pounding on the door continued, louder this time. "Open up!" someone called.

"It's okay." I tucked Maddy's hair behind her ears and stood to answer the door, stopping when Mom came out of her room, expressionless. "Goodbye, Mom," I said, kissing her cheek.

She stood still, her unseeing eyes trained on the floor. I wondered if she knew what was about to happen to our family.

Someone kicked the door, busting it open. Three burly men wearing the cult's guard uniform stormed inside. One of them scanned the place, then marched toward us when he spotted me. He yanked the collar of my shirt and tugged me behind him.

"Please, don't take him," Maddy pleaded, her voice cracking.

But they remained unmoved, their expressions stoic as they dragged me outside, their hands like ropes closing around my arms. I cast a helpless glance at my mother, but her face remained detached.

"Mama, do something!" Maddy cried, her voice rising in desperation as she turned to our mother for support.

But our mom remained rooted in place, her silence deafening.

"Abel!" Maddy sprinted to me and pulled my hands.

"It's okay, Maddy. Let go," I said, forcing a smile. I fought to maintain my composure, my eyes locking onto hers, silently urging her to be brave. "Remember what I told you?"

"I'll be strong," Maddy said between sobs.

"That's right."

The guards ripped us apart; Maddy's hand slipped away from mine.

I allowed myself to be taken away, each step toward the waiting truck feeling like a nail in my coffin. And as the door slammed shut, the weight of my sister's tears finally broke me, and I crumbled.

***

Dusk came in a hurry, and we spent most of the afternoon slacking on our beds because we rarely received a break. Once the guards finally left us alone, Seven rose to his feet and sat next to me. He clearly had something to say that he'd been holding in since we arrived here days ago. The rest of the guys followed suit and huddled around us. Four peeked into the hallways before closing the door on his way back. "We're clear," he said.

"What's up?" The suspense was killing me, even though I had a hunch about his secret.

"I know about the plan. I've been meaning to tell you, but those fuckers won't leave us alone," Seven answered.

"What plan?" I knew what the plan was, but Seven could be talking about a different plan.

"Come on, Nine."

"How long have you known?" I asked, assessing his knowledge.

"The guys told me the night before we were picked."

I wasn't aware of Seven being brought in. Not that I had a problem with it, but a little heads-up would have been nice. "Who else knows?" I asked, looking around at the guys.

"All of us here," Four said.

I remained quiet, mulling over this new information. "We need to find a way to get one of us out of here to check with the others," I said.

"How are we gonna do that?" Two asked.

Everyone's attention was on me. I had been the de facto leader of our group since we were separated and was still adjusting to the new role. The responsibility of keeping them and our plan safe bore down on me.

"They need to know what's out here," Seven said.

I agreed with him, but this was all new. None of the guys who were taken away before us managed to come back. We needed to let them know what was behind those walls and deep in the woods.

We started talking at once, bouncing ideas. It wasn't until Seven looked up and stopped short, staring at the door with wide eyes and mouth shut. We followed his line of sight. We never heard or noticed the door open.

Tobias entered the bunkroom and the chatter fell silent, our whispered conversations dying out like a gust of wind extinguishing a candle. His eyes swept the room, taking in our shocked faces. He closed the door behind him. "Listen," he began, his voice low and urgent. He directed his attention to me. "You're probably wondering why I'm here."

"It crossed my mind," I said with a shrug, hoping my nonchalance manifested in disinterest in my voice. We were in the middle of planning; he had to go.

Undeterred, he continued. "I came here because your dad asked me to get you and your family out of this place."

The guys were speechless. I'd mentioned how I knew Tobias the day he showed up in the cult, but I didn't think they'd anticipated the revelation of his sudden appearance. How could they when I didn't?

"What?" My heart sank at the mention of my dad.

"I've infiltrated The Creed," Tobias continued, as if the task was a piece of cake. "I'm not one of the guards. And don't ever mention this to anyone, do you hear me?"

Choruses of "what the fuck" echoed around the room, confusion written on every face.

My head was spinning. "When did you talk to him? Where is he? Is he safe?" Why did Dad ask Tobias for help? Why didn't he do it himself?

"I don't know where he is," Tobias answered.

"What do you mean you don't know? You just said you spoke with him."

"I talked with him last week, but he didn't tell me where he was. But he wants you and your family out of here."

That wasn't news to me. He'd been trying to free us from Orcus's grip for as long as I could remember.

"There's gonna be shit coming your way, so I need you to trust me," Tobias explained, closing the distance between us.

"You want us to trust you?" I stood and met him halfway, a scheme formulating inside my head.

Tobias pointed his finger at me. "I need you to trust me."

A thought occurred to me. Maybe he could take me back to the North Compound without being noticed. Tobias could be our key. "You want me to trust you?"

Tobias raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.

"Then you have to do something for us." It was a long shot, but I had to try.

"I don't take orders from anyone, kid." He clenched his jaw. "Not from fucking anyone."

The guys must've sensed danger with the change in Tobias's demeanor, because they all stood behind me, ready to fight.