Stranded Ch. 08

"This is going to be one of your daily duties so pay attention." He pulled two mugs down and a small ceramic bowl, lifting the lid to reveal sugar cubes.

"I like three sugars and little bit of creamer. I have a weakness for Hazelnut when I can get it. Is there a particular flavor you like?" I did, peppermint, but I wasn't going to give him any information he could use against me, at least not if I could help it. The less kindness he displayed, the easier it was for me to remember he was the bad guy. I didn't want him doing anything else to make me feel more comfortable. I didn't want to get comfortable, I didn't want to 'get used' to it; I just wanted to go home.

"No, I do not."

"Now, when you are filling my Thermos, add in the lid filled with creamer and nine sugars." Would he think me sarcastic if I were to ask to take notes?

"You'll also be expected to cook more. I don't mind sipping coffee while I wait for breakfast, but if I get to the end of my cup and it's not ready...well, I suggest you get up a little earlier to give yourself enough time to have it done." Breakfast was hardly a meal I even ate, what exactly was he expecting me to cook? I was a college student, didn't he know my diet consisted of pizza, Ramen and beer?

"Don't look so sour, you're a decent cook and you'll learn as you go. I could probably have Aunt Em come out and show you some recipes. Fetch me the frying pan." He pointed to the cupboard beside the stove. My hand fell across the cast iron skillet and I noted it as a potential weapon for later. I pulled it out and set it on top of the stove while Sam grabbed a carton of eggs, a package of bacon, some cubed ham and half bag of shredded cheese. He set them on the counter and pulled out the salt and pepper shakers, they were small little Coca Cola glass bottles, pure novelty.

"I like my eggs scrambled, I add different things depending on what I'm in the mood for, but I chose to keep it simple today. Just a sprinkle of each. Bread is in the bread drawer, I like four pieces, lightly toasted. Can you manage that, or do you need me to show you how?" I pressed my lips together to prevent myself from responding out loud and just nodded. He stepped back and I took a shaky step forward. I focused on the task and ignored the fact he was practically breathing down my neck, watching over me. I could feel the pull of my skin, but not the pain the accompanied it. I moved around the kitchen with a familiarity that frightened me, I shouldn't know where he kept the mixing bowls or the whisk.

"How many eggs do you want?" My question brought a pleased smile to his face and I wanted to smash it with the hot frying pan. Could I pick it up and swing fast enough before he realized what I was doing? It was heavy, so I would need both hands to manage such a task.

"At least four but add a couple extra for yourself. We have quite the morning ahead of us, going to need the fuel. Over time it will become second nature, since you were raised with heathens, it may take a little longer than some wives. You'll have some freedom on what you want to make and serve. My only must is my coffee."

"And how does He like his coffee?" Sam's eyes darkened slightly, he didn't seem to like to think about his other half much. Could I even call it his other half if they were two separate beings? Well, it's not his better half.

"Black. But he's rarely awake this early, it's not something you have to worry too much about." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. He wasn't the one who had to deal with Arioch, only the aftermath. If I was going to learn about one of them, I knew it would serve me well to learn about the other. Keeping all the information separated was going to be the hard part. The sound of the door interrupted further conversation and I watched him disappear down the hall.

"Ready!?" I began buttering toast as Sam let Dale and his two sons inside. He led them into the dining room through the living room and I kept my eyes on the eggs being cooked before me. I jumped a little when a felt a cold wet nose press against me and I leaned down to greet Hank.

"You may as well have a seat, I haven't even fed the hounds yet and if they hunt on an empty stomach they get distracted by small prey." My hand absently found its way to my collar bone, had they been hungry the day he set them after me?

"I told you I was coming early, you should have been better prepared." Dale grumbled as he made his way to the dining room table and sat down.

I took a few seconds to gather myself before I continued my task. The eggs had finished, and the second set of toast had just popped up. I didn't look up as I shuffled past Dale's sons and closer to Sam. Sam wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me in closer, kissing my temple.

"Had my hands a bit full last night, this one here tried to run again." Dale glanced my way as though he was looking to me to confirm it. Sam reached down and lifted my dress enough to show the bottom half of the bandage. Dale scowled and looked back to Sam.

"Where are your wife's long johns? Why isn't she dressed properly?"

"Because this is my house Uncle, and I run it my way. If you have a problem, take it up with the conclave." Sam dared.

"Whether or not I contact the conclave is going to depend on you and what today's search brings." Dale replied evenly.

"KitKat, prepare the men some coffee while I feed the hounds." I immediately looked up at him wide eyed, he was going to leave me alone with his family, again!? He cupped my face in his hands and stared into my eyes for the longest time before he kissed my forehead.

"You have nothing to fear, they will behave like gentlemen as long as you don't try to run. I'll be quick." Before I could protest further, he turned around and was gone. I kept my eyes on the cupboard as I pulled down three more mugs. I had wanted him to stay so badly I had almost balled my fists in his shirt. I hated that I felt like I needed him to make myself feel safe I hated needing anyone!

"Would any of you like cream or sugar?" I asked softly. I thought for a moment perhaps it was too softly and was about to repeat myself when Dale suddenly stood. I could feel my heart racing faster with every step closer he took, but I kept my eyes forward while I reached for the coffee pot. My hands trembled slightly, but I managed to fill them all without spilling.

"If you tell me the truth right now, I will make sure you are exempt from any punishment the conclave hands out. The Lord rewards those who are truthful. But if you continue with this lie, there will be nothing more I can do to help you." Exempt, I liked the sound of that, but I also knew I couldn't trust a single word that was uttered past his lips. What would I be exempt from? Being married off to the next male of 'proper' age? If Dale was anything like his sons, he was the last person I could trust!

"Punishment for what? Has my husband done something wrong?" I questioned as I began adding the three sugars and two creams that Sam had asked for. Dale leaned in close enough his lips almost brushed my ear and it took all my self-control to remain standing still. He was using his large size to intimidate me, so I locked my knees to prevent them from shaking and held both my hands against the counter to keep myself propped up. He spoke low, voice barely above a whisper.

"I know damn well the two of you aren't telling me the truth. I got a wife at home that is beside herself because nobody has heard from my boys since the night of your wedding. I want answers dammit and neither of you seem to have any of the right ones. I think you know more than you're tellin'."

"So, that was a no on the cream and sugar?" I felt frozen in place, I could see Sam down with the hounds, doing his usual check over of lifting paws and feeling their ears for mites while they chowed down on kibbles. Dale suddenly wrapped one arm around my torso, pressing my back against his warm chest. He held the other over my mouth, muffling my scream. Hank was suddenly there beside us, teeth bared, growls emanated from his chest. He didn't move forward, but I also wasn't fighting yet.

"Shhh! Don't get too excited, I ain't gonna hurt you! I just want you to listen to me very carefully, because if I find out that you and Sammy are lying to me...that you did have something to do with my boys' disappearance...I will make you beg me for death before I am through with you. Nod if you understand me." Tears pricked my eyes as I fought not to squirm and force him to tighten his grip. I nodded. He slowly released the hand covering my mouth, leaving behind the taste of stale sweat and tobacco, his other arm remained wrapped around me. There was great strength in his grip, he held no qualms using it to remind me of my place.

"Now, with all that said, is there anything you wish to tell me? Because I won't offer you another chance."

"Please, I don't know where they are," I protested feebly, voice barely above a whisper.

"Are you sure about that!?" I nodded and he let go with a sigh. Dale grabbing his mug and sat back down as if the whole ordeal had never happened. I saw Sam heading back up and I took a moment to gather myself while Hank pressed himself against my legs. I rubbed the top of his head, grateful for his willingness to at least try and stand up for me. I didn't want to be the reason for any more turmoil, so I ran a hand through my hair, straightened my dress and wiped my eyes dry. I just finished handing the boys their mugs when I heard the creaking of the screen door. Sam grabbed his mug with a smile as he leaned against the counter, eyes shifting around the room.

"KitKat, allow me to introduce you to my cousins, Barnabas and Ephraim." Barnabas looked a lot like Dale except he had his mother's dark coffee brown hair and a rather pronounced unibrow, he was also a bit on the hefty side. I was guessing Mary as his mother, and it was easy for me to pinpoint Ephraim's maternal figure, he shared his mother's obsidian black hair, her soft chin and high cheekbones. Both carried themselves as though they were older than their baby faces betrayed them to be. Both wore button up shirts tucked into their jeans, hair short and combed neat. I didn't like the way they were leering at me, it made my skin crawl and I shuffled my way back to Sam, allowing him to draw me into his arms.

"Have you had breakfast? I could have the wife whip you up something real quick." I clenched my teeth, I didn't want to cook for his cousins, I didn't want to cook for him either.

"We ate before we left the house. How long is it going to take the mutts to eat?" Dale demanded, sounding impatient.

"I'll give them ten more minutes. Do you mind if we eat while we wait?" Dale shook his head and finished his cup of coffee in two gulps. He stood and fetched another while Sam set my plate down across from him, leaving me two chairs away from Dale.

"Uncle says you boys came of age, I am sorry I missed your birthdays. My hands have been rather...full." I felt both their eyes on me again, but I kept mine down on my plate. Stopping every few bites to sip more coffee. At least there are still some small niceties left in life. Neither replied and we ate the rest of our meal in silence. By the time we had cleared our plates the hounds were finished, and Sam fetched us both shoes from a locked cubby beside the basement door. He was even kind enough to tie my shoes so that I didn't have to lean forward and pull against my wound.

"You got the items?" he asked. Dale opened a freezer bag he'd brought and pulled out three pillow cases, each sealed in a separate bag. Sam nodded, but didn't offer to take them. Instead he grabbed my hand and led the way towards his hounds, giving Hank a quick command to stay. He called out the pair that seemed to be the Alphas of the pack, Odin and Freya, locking the door behind them. They both immediately came towards me, Freya stopped just inches from me, baring her teeth and growling while Odin tried to bury his muzzle between my legs. I went to push and heard a snarl, so I froze.

If I didn't move, they wouldn't attack, wasn't that the rule? No, Stupid. That's a T-Rex. Sam let out a sharp whistle and they both sat down with their attention turned in his direction.

"Gimme the pillow cases," he held out his hand and Dale handed over the bag. Sam pulled out all three and held each beneath the dog's noses. They buried their snouts deep, inhaling the boys' scent. When Sam thought they'd had enough he put them away and whistled again.

"Hunt!" Both hounds planted their noses to the ground and were off. They didn't run, but they moved fast enough that I was having a hard time keeping up. If I took large steps, it stretched the brand and even though I wasn't in pain, I was afraid my skin would tear open. Every so often Odin would circle back, making sure we were still following before heading back off towards the trail. My stomach felt full of lead and my heart seemed to flutter in my chest. What if they did lead them right to the grave? Would they notice the ground was uneven? Sam slowed down enough to walk beside me, reaching for my hand and I let him. I found it comforting, the loneliness of my situation was starting to weigh me down. There was a warm breeze and I noticed the slightest changing in the color of the leaves; fall was approaching. It didn't take long to reach the clearing where Judas and John had caught up with me just a couple days earlier. My eyes frantically searched our surroundings, looking for clues, while praying I found none. Odin and Freya circled the area several times, sniffing several trees; no doubt where blood and brain matter had once been, but eventually they moved on and while we were only a few steps behind, Dale took another slow look around. How had they gotten rid of it all? Had Skye stood out here and scrubbed the outdoors? Would I find the faint scent of cleaner?

I could see the suspicion in his eyes, things just didn't feel quite right, and he seemed to sense it. Sam squeezed my hand tighter and was scowling at me when I looked up at him. I kept my eyes forward, the message was clear; if anyone was giving anything away, it was me. I was too nervous, too unsure what we were going to find on our lovely excursion. How was I supposed to trust he'd taken care of everything? We approached a rather familiar looking tree and my anxiety rose several notches. This was it, we were close. I started to feel dizzy and I became certain we were about to be found out. But when we turned around a small curve I was taken aback at the sight. Above the mass grave were two large bucks, their antlers had already been removed and were laying on the giant blue tarp beneath them. The creatures were dangling from their back legs, there was a giant slit from their groin to their throat, puddles of blood and guts beneath them. I could tell by the congealed blood they had been there awhile. The dogs approached the pile of organs, tongue slipping out to taste the fresh meat but with one snap of his fingers, Sam had them sitting off to the side with rapt attention. How long had it taken him to train them so well? How had he trained them? The same way he trained wives?

"Guess we didn't wait long enough after their meal, I'm sorry Uncle."

"Try letting them sniff again, maybe they got it out of their system." Sam looked like he wanted to argue but instead he did as the older man requested. Dale sounded desperate. Sam reopened the bag and let the dogs bury their noses in the fabric a second time.

"Ready? Hunt!"

Both dogs circled around but stopped beneath the deer again, their lifeless eyes having gone white long ago. Barnabas and Ephraim stepped forward and began poking them, causing their large bodies to sway by their hooves and Dale cursed.

"We could wait a while and try again. Maybe after they've had more time for their food to settle. See if they won't get so easily distracted." Sam offered.

"I don't think that is going to help us Sammy, I think you are sabotaging our search."

"And I don't think anything I say is going to make you believe otherwise, so I won't waste my breath. I want to help you find them, just tell me what I can do."

"Let me speak to the psychopath! I want to hear what He has to say about it." Dale demanded.

"That's not how it works, you know that." Sam replied darkly.

"Tell me, why do their trails lead all the way out here?"

"Maybe when they couldn't have my wife, they took their frustrations somewhere else..." He didn't need to say it, we knew to whom he referred.

"Answer me one last question, why keep the deer, all the way out here?"

"Keeps the scavengers away from the house and the dogs." I could see him resist the urge to roll his eyes. How carefully had he planned for those answers? Had this been in Arioch's plan since the beginning or was it put together last minute?

"I would like to speak with her now, see what she had to say about it." Sam nodded and led the way to his mother's little shack. The odd bird could be heard, but otherwise there was little other noise except for the muffled voices coming from the bubble TV.

"Oh Mother...you have guests." Sam called out as he opened the door and entered without so much as a knock.

"But Father, I thought she was dead." Barnabas argued.

"And as far as anyone else is concerned, she is." Dale replied.

"I don't understand, how is she still alive?" asked Ephraim.

"Because Sammy has a weakness, boys. I agreed to help keep her a secret and in return Skye deflowers my boys when they come of age. Which is why I brought you, now c'mon boys, let's go make you men." My stomach dropped, they were going to rape his mother and Sam wasn't going to do a damn thing to stop them. Just as he hadn't done a damn thing to stop Marcus or his brothers; in fact, he had sipped his whiskey and watched them. Dale and his sons walked in, leaving me to close the door behind us. There was a faint scent of bacon and coffee.

"Go on and sit while my wife fetches you iced tea." Sam gave me a small push towards the tiny kitchen and while I still felt faint, I didn't argue. I pulled out three cups and poured them each half a glass. Didn't they just have coffee? It kept me at a distance, so I wasn't about to argue. Sam made his way into Skye's room, leaving me alone with Dale and his boys again. I passed them their glasses and sat down at the opposite end of the table, the seat that was furthest out of reach.

"Do we have to?" Barnabas asked under his breath. He glanced at Skye's room and paled.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of a little old woman." Dale teased.

"She has killed 6 of us father." 8 now. But I couldn't very well say that out loud.

"Which is why it must be done. The heathen must be punished for her wickedness. It is our duty, as the chosen. Isaiah 3:11, 'Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, for what he deserves will be done to him'." Deserves? Was this the same garbage Sam had been fed during his childhood? It must have been disorienting to spend ten years in normal society and then suddenly get torn away from the only world you know and thrust into this hellish limbo. It was no wonder he was being torn in two. He was no different than the wives who were ripped off the streets and god only knew where else. I felt a spike of intense rage roll through me. How were these people getting away with this?! They lived a fair distance away from civilization, so I was sure that made things easier. They also seemed to be self-reliant, so that meant less interaction with the real world.

But I knew for a fact that nobody deserved this, not even if God himself came down and told me to my face. No divine being would approve the things they were doing. If Sam's great-great granddaddy had truly been 'chosen', then I was certain he made it all up to justify his monstrous ways. Dale's words brought no comfort to his son, who looked whiter than a bed sheet. I understood, I had witnessed Skye's murderous ways first hand. I had been certain when she hit me with the butt of her gun that I was never going to wake again.