Twenty-Six Abel

The night was winding down and still I was wide awake. I blamed Tobias and all the ways he'd disrupted the organized chaos within the walls of The Creed, and how his touches kept me craving more. He'd been the center of my thoughts when I was awake and the subject of my dreams when I was asleep. Our barracks somehow felt empty these past few days, even though nothing had changed.

I tossed back my blanket and sat up. I was ashamed to admit that I'd been waiting all day for Tobias to make his appearance. Being in his presence was the only bright side of being isolated from everyone I loved, no matter how fucked up our relationship had become since we'd reunited. I leaned my back against the cool cement wall, thinking about the hurt in his eyes the last time we saw each other. I wished there was a way I could ease his pain—make him smile, forget his sorrow and whatever else was bothering him, even if it was temporary—but I had my own problem. One that was bigger than me. I banged my head softly against the wall to ground myself and regain my focus.

My family was relying on me. The guys were depending on me. I would never let them down.

The clock struck midnight, so I closed my eyes, picturing Tobias. I imagined him stripping down seductively, putting on a show while undressing until he was in nothing but his underwear. He licked his palm and snaked his veiny hand underneath his boxer, his inviting mismatched brown and hazel eyes never leaving mine. Tobias's forearm muscles flexed as he gripped his shaft.

My cock perked up; my balls tingled. I could use a quick release right now—jacking off never failed to put me to sleep. I rubbed my cock through my briefs. "Mmmm," I moaned, sliding my palm over the fabric of my underwear, the sleek tip of my dick poking out of the waistband. I cupped my balls, massaging my taint. This was exactly what I needed. I hooked my thumb under the waistband, but before I had the chance to free my dick, my attention drifted to the soft shuffling of feet coming from the hallway.

Fucking guards. "Damn it," I muttered. I quietly jumped from my bunk and headed to the door. The other guys had been out for hours and I didn't want to wake them.

The strides halted in front of the ajar door. Anticipation surged through my veins at the prospect of Tobias stopping by, but it was immediately replaced by dread when I remembered the last creepy encounter with Napoleon. My skin crawled at the reminder of his unwelcome perusal. Please be Tobias.

The metal door creaked when I pulled it open; I paused before checking my friends' bunks to see if they'd awakened. Thankfully, they were knocked. I lifted the heavy door from the ground while pulling it open at the same time to minimize the scraping.

Unexplainable warmth burrowed in my chest when Tobias greeted me. He stood outside our room expectantly. It was as if he knew I'd be waiting for him this late. "You came," I whispered through the ball of emotions lodged in my windpipe. My heart filled with joy and I couldn't help but smile. It was all I could do to stop my pathetic ass from rushing to wrap my arms around him.

"Jesus!" He blew out a breath when his eyes found my stiffy.

"Oh shit." I covered my crotch in a lame attempt to hide my boner from him, but it was too late.

Tobias and I locked eyes and, for the briefest moment, he flashed a similar gaze my parents used to share. He snapped his head down but not before his lips mouthed, "Fuck!" He turned his back to me, shaking his head as he headed toward the exit. "Let's go outside," he said.

"Okay. Give me a sec." I tiptoed to my bunk, pulled my tank top over my head, and slid into my pants. I laced my boots, my hands shaking with anticipation. Excitement filled my senses, reels of our previous encounters flooding my thoughts. "Where are we going?" I asked when I returned to him.

"Just follow me." He strode toward the exit like he was in a hurry to get the fuck out.

I dashed behind him discreetly to avoid betraying our presence. It was surprising how eager I was to be outside with him. Old me would've been apprehensive about the consequences of being caught, but standing behind Tobias drowned out all my worries. I won't let anyone hurt you, he told me once. I believed him. My trust for him fueled my every step. "So, where're we headed?" I asked again, elbowing him when we were side by side.

He glanced my way with raised eyebrows and a tight jaw. "We need to talk."

"Okay …" The way he uttered those words didn't exactly sound like he'd be up for another round of fun. "Talk about what?"

Tobias peered behind us before unlocking the door with his key. "Not here," he said. "Anywhere but this godforsaken place." He gently closed it behind us.

The night was cool and damp, a summer storm rolling in from the west. We crept out of the woods, the same way we did when he took me out for the first time. Only this time, we didn't stop. We continued walking, passing through unkempt pathways, sometimes hopping over large fallen trees.

"Brrr, it's cold." My teeth ground as I shivered. My tolerance to temperatures below fifty degrees was nonexistent. "It's supposed to be fucking summer," I whined, not caring if it made me sound like a wimp. I was built like a brick, but I still hated the cold.

Tobias stopped walking and turned around to face me. His features were under the shadow of a tree so I couldn't read his expression. "Are those the only clothes you have?"

"This tank top is all we get," I answered, rubbing my arms for warmth.

"It's not even that cold." Tobias stepped closer, pulling his shirt over his head, mirroring my earlier imagination. I could never get tired of staring at his impressive chest and seductive tattoos. I wanted to run my tongue over every inch of his skin. If he'd let me, I'd worship on my knees. "Wear this," he said with a slight hesitation. Tobias tossed his shirt to me, which I caught before it landed on the ground.

"What about you? Aren't you cold?" I asked. It took everything I had to not sniff his shirt like a perv.

"I'm used to the cold," he said, turning his back on me. "Put that on."

I did what I was told and trekked behind him. Following allowed me to ogle his ass, back, and shoulders. Even though we moved through the shadows, I couldn't miss his deliciously muscular physique. For as long as I could remember, he'd always been in great shape. Muscles like those required a lot of work. I wondered what he did for a living. Dad once told me that Tobias worked odd jobs. Whatever work that was, it must pay him well, because I remembered his big house next to a giant barn that sat in an apple orchard, in the middle of nowhere, where he married his wife.

Guilt took residence in the pit of my stomach, causing me to stop walking when I remembered his late wife. Aurora. Remembering her set my emotions in a tailspin. I was the worst person. Selfish. I knew he was straight, I knew he was grieving, but still I seduced him. Kill me now.

"What now?" Tobias confronted me with a forceful exhale. We were standing in a small clearing, bathed in the dim moonlight peeking through the dark clouds. "What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes raking my body from head to toe. His annoyance was replaced with concern. "Are you hurt?" He took three long strides to reach me and held my shoulders, then checked my arms and legs. "Are you still cold?"

"I'm okay," I said, yanking my arm back, even though I hated the absence of his touch. His touch made me feel at ease. Safe.

"Then why did you stop?" Tobias searched my eyes, but I didn't have the courage to meet his stare.

"Nothing." I shook my head. "I'm okay." Get it together, Abel. You're all over the place. "I'm fine. Lead the way." I motioned to the nonexistent trail.

"Abel, look at me." Tobias's voice was soft but determined.

I ignored him. "Let's go," I urged.

We hiked through the woods in silence but not in peace. He glanced my way occasionally, uneasiness increasing between us.

Tobias wasn't leading me to one of the gates to sneak out or one of the walls to scale. Instead, we passed through bushes of wild plants as we hiked up a ridge. At the top was a huge flat-top boulder where we could look over the forest below. If he is at least bisexual, am I good enough for him? I doubted I could even compare. I had nothing to offer him. "How do you know this place?"

"Doesn't matter." His perma-frown was back. Even his temperament was ice-cold. A gust of wind swept around us, tousling Tobias's hair and carrying with it an unsettling tension.

"Then why did you bring me here?"

"There's somethin' you need to know." Tobias stared at the trees below.

"And what's that?"

"You're not safe here, Abel."

"I know that," I blurted. Was that all he had to say? It wasn't the revelation I thought he'd disclose after bringing me out here. I could've told him that none of us were safe at The Creed. None of the chosen ever came back; and people around us disappeared without a trace. Who knew what the hell happened to them, especially to those like my dad, who had defied Orcus's made-up rules. I hoped he was somewhere safe; I couldn't bear to lose another parent. Although I still physically had my mom, mentally and emotionally she was gone. I blamed Orcus and his cult. "I know that already."

"No, you don't." Tobias faced me but kept an arm's-length distance between us. It was probably for the best, because he was irresistible, even as I was reeling from my guilt. I was a moth to his flame. "Orcus has something fucked up planned for all of you. They're leading you to the slaughterhouse." He rubbed his face with his palm. "Fuck!" he cursed. "I'll kill that motherfucker when this is all done."

"What do you mean?" I asked. Did it have anything to do with us being plucked from the rest of the Center Compound? Why would Tobias want to kill Orcus? We had our reasons, but what was his?

"Orcus is bringing guys from outside the compound to fight you and your buddies to death." He gritted his teeth, flexing his jaw. "For fucking fun and money." The cadence of his breathing increased, and he started pacing.

"What do you mean?" My head was spinning from his words.

"You fight in that fucking ring until one of you is dead." He pointed to the compound below. "Someone dies is the only rule."

Clouds continued to drift, casting us into darkness. A shiver ran down my spine. We had an idea how sinister Orcus and The Creed were, but I didn't know they were that evil. Everything was starting to make sense—the rigorous training, the martial arts, the way they'd been feeding us. It was as if a bucket of ice had been poured over my head. My body shook, and I staggered back until I bumped into one of the trees. I don't wanna die here. I sat on the ground and pulled my knees up. "Are you sure?" I asked, resting my trembling hands on them.

Tobias towered over me. "Positive."

"What if … What if I win? What happens then?"

Lines on his forehead deepened. He was deep in thought, as if he hadn't expected my question. "I don't know, kid."

I ignored the last word. This wasn't the place and time to have a tantrum over the fucking word kid.

"I need to get you and your family out of here tomorrow," Tobias declared.

"What? No!" I said, shaking my head. "What about the others?"

"What about them?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"There's no fucking way I can leave them here."

"Forget them. They can fend for themselves. You have to worry about yourself and your family."

Hell no. Everything I did was for my family. All the sacrifices I made and the pain I endured were so we could one day get the hell out of this place. "Fuck you!" I stood and pushed his bare chest, surprised that he let me. Just when I thought I finally had Tobias figured out, truth slapped me in the face. Despite his tough persona, I had convinced myself that there was goodness buried deep within him. But I soon realized that I had misread and misjudged him entirely. How could I be so wrong? "They might mean nothing to you, but they're my friends. My other family," I seethed. "That's what we fucking do here. We watch each other's backs." I tapped his chest where his heart was. My dad's frantic calls to Tobias years ago, desperately asking for his help, flooded my brain. "Unlike you, who abandoned Dad. What a best friend you are!"

I knew that was unfair, especially after learning about his wife, but I wouldn't let anyone, not even Tobias, talk about the guys like they were insignificant. I wouldn't treat them the way this cult had treated us—worthless.

Something dark came over Tobias. Someone I didn't recognize took over his features. He grabbed me by the neck, so I fought back using the lessons he'd taught me against him, but the fucker was too strong and sneaky. I stepped on a loose rock, which caused me to fall on my back, momentarily knocking the wind out of me. "What the fuck did you say?" He was over me before I could recover, his big hand on my neck like a vise.

"You heard me," I said. "He was waiting for you, but you never came."

"You don't know shit!" Tobias's words sprayed my face with spit.

I wiggled my arms, but they were pinned by his knees. My breathing became labored, and I struggled to speak. "I won't leave my friends here the way you left my dad." It hurt to breathe; my vision started to blur. The world around me began to fade.

Tobias's hand loosened. I gasped for air; my surroundings materialized into my periphery.

Horror flickered across his face, replacing the fury that had consumed him, and was swiftly followed by an expression of guilt and hurt.

Tobias pried his legs off my body and sat down, twigs and leaves crunching with his weight. He looked down at his hands before peering at the canopy of trees below, which was hiding the cult. He balled his fists, ready to strike at any moment.

I coughed and touched my neck. My heart ached at the sight of Tobias, but my loyalty was with the guys, and I needed to let them know. "I gotta warn them." My voice was hoarse.

"And then what, huh?" he asked with a humorless laugh. "What's your plan, kid? Since you know everything."

"You have no idea what we can do. We might be young, but we can take care of ourselves."

"Then fucking go! I don't care." Tobias stood and walked closer to the edge of the boulder. "Y'all can die here. I'm out."

His brutal words stung. I thought he cared—but what did I know?