Thou Shall Not: A Dark Ten Commandments Anthology

by Michelle Brown

  Jessica leaned forward and vomited; the sound of her retching drowned out by Dennis’ agony. My stomach revolted; my gaze frozen on the surreal scene playing out in front of me.

  The more Dennis struggled the worse he made it. Blood squirted from his eye-socket onto Draven’s chest as the blade worked back and forth, digging deeper and deeper.

  “Stay calm,” a soothing voice spoke from directly behind me. One I recognized.

  I began to twist to confirm who it was, freezing once more when Draven lifted a tiny ball still partially attached to its host. Corbin held the goblet just beneath the mutilated socket, catching some of the blood as it ran down Dennis’ cheek.

  His other eye got nearly the same treatment, this time being completely removed and untethered. The mass of followers filling the Rothwell began to cheer before beginning to speak in unison, the same words in the language I didn’t understand.

  Draven brought the eyeball to his mouth, dragging his tongue over it before tossing it down, his eyes finding mine as he did. The churning in my stomach became too aggressive, bile traveled up my throat, expelling over the side of the alter as I leaned over.

  The men beside me forced me back into a sitting position, one wiping my mouth with a white cloth already on hand.

  They kept hold of me, making me watch on. Silent tears burned down my cheeks, chants grew louder. The blade used to remove Dennis’ eyes so casually dragged across his throat to put him out of his misery. His naked body slowly slumped to the floor, his blood pooling inside the Sigil.

  Draven began speaking again, louder now to be heard over the whispered chant, his bloody hand moving in sync with whatever he was saying. I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

  I stared down at my sister, knowing there wasn’t any way to save her. When Toby was dragged forward next her entire body convulsed with sobs.

  He was positioned nearly on top of Dennis’ body, forced to stand instead of kneeling.

  Draven said a few more words before proclaiming in English, “We take the tongue, we take the genitals.”

  No, no, no. I squeezed my eyes shut, desperately trying to block out the next set of screams. I’d never heard a man, a human being make the kind of sound Toby did. When he fell silent, I dared to look, almost relieved I couldn’t see the front of him.

  My relief lasted only long as it took me to realize there were two people left in front of the alter. My best-friend, and my sister.

  “It had to be done.” The voice behind me explained, their tone still soothing and gentle.

  Draven looked right at me again, speaking to his people. I opened my mouth to beg, plead, say something to stop this but a slight nod of his head had a hand covering my mouth and the two robed men taking hold of my arms.

  Jessica screeched, kicking and screaming when she was grabbed next, blonde hair flying wildly around her face. Taylor curled in on herself, tugging at her hair.

  Icy terror sunk its claws into my chest, sweat dribbled down my back, dotting my brow. I struggled to the point it felt my bones would pop out of place from the pressure. Beatrice approached my sister, helping her from the floor, flashing me a friendly smile before half carrying her off into that fucking darkness that swallowed everything.

  “We take everything else!” Draven declared, slamming the knife into Jessica’s lower stomach.

  I screamed, the sound muffled by the hand still clamped over my mouth and the deafening chants now filling the Rothwell.

  His green eyes bore into mine, a sadistic smile on his face as he dragged the blade straight up.

  He sliced through muscle and flesh, leaving Jessica’s insides to spill out. Her body seized, dropping to the floor in convulsions once her throat was slit, the cut so deep it looked as if Draven wanted to take her head off.

  Bloodied and cock standing erect, he slowly made his way back to me, smile going from sadistic to predatory. I was forced down by the men at my side the one at my back having disappeared altogether.

  Once I was positioned on the alter flat on my back, Draven began speaking again, I tuned it out, flinching when a pair of scissors appeared to cut the gown from my body. With nothing underneath my skin pebbled from the cool air inside the church.

  I blinked and he was at my side, the palm of his hand flat on my stomach, burning my flesh with his touch. He glanced down at me with an almost tender look in his eyes before addressing the room again.

  “In Nomine Dei Nostri Satanas Luciferi Excelsi! In the name of Satan, I call upon the forces of Darkness, and the infernal powers within! Join with us, we say, to make this union a matter of record so that our brethren, our family, our society can bear witness and lend support!”

  Corbin passed Draven the chalice and took the blade, moving to stand at my head, off to the side so the room could see what was going to happen next. The men pinning my wrists tightened their grip.

  Draven leaned low and whispered in my ear, “This is the part where you scream.”

  My body began trembling, breaths coming in choked rasps as the icy terror clawing at my chest sunk into my veins.

  Standing straight once more, he began to speak more satanic bullshit. “We call upon the element of blood to serve us, for we are Leviathan!”

  Corbin brought the tip of the blade down to the center of my forehead, rubbing my hair affectionately as he began to carve, piercing my flesh as easily as Draven had done my friends.

  I screamed, pain receptors almost making me go numb. Draven took advantage, dumping the contents of the chalice into my mouth, down the length of my torso, stopping at my pussy.

  Choking on the thick, metallic liquid I gagged, feeling it all come back up. Draven pressed his hand over my mouth, forcing me to keep it down. Blood spilled from my forehead, running down over my brow to mingle with blinding tears.

  Draven moved again, this time positioning himself between my legs. He leaned down to speak to me again, the heat from his body seeping into mine.

  “This is the part where I make you come harder than you ever have before.”

  “I’m going to take what belongs to me now, and only me.” His lips skimmed down my jaw line, kissing between my breasts before pulling my right nipple into his mouth, teasing the hardening nub with soft nibbles before moving to the left one.

  He dragged his tongue down my body, taking his time to touch me everywhere just as he’d promised, licking the blood off in the process. My legs were lifted over his shoulders, warmth breath fanning over my clit when he reached the spot that dripped with betrayal.

  Corbin and the blade disappeared, and I shut my eyes. My head was throbbing, blood still rain in rivets down either side of my face.

  “Your pussy smells so sweet, Athena,” Draven murmured loud enough for me to hear about the excited whispers growing in volume.

  His tongue came out, sliding up and down my slit, pushing into my pussy a little deeper with each stroke until he was full blown fucking me with it, plunging it in and out of me. I squeezed my eyes tighter, biting down on my inner cheek to silence the sounds ready to pour out.

  I could feel all the eyes in the room on us, sense the blood-filled lust clinging to the air. The pad of Draven’s thumb found its way to my clit, he gently began strumming away, rolling the bundle of nerves until I lost my battle. A mewl fell from my mouth, he smiled against my pussy.

  He continued the languid assault a few minutes longer, rising with a growl seconds before I came. His strong hands grabbed my legs, locking them around his waist. The head of his cock brushed my entrance, I shuddered, lids fluttering open. I found myself unable to look away from the man staring down at me.

  He leaned down again, lips finding their way back to my ear. “I’ve waited so long for this,” he rasped, thrusting himself fully inside me.

  My lips parted, a gasp escaping. The intrusion burned, forcing my pussy to stretch to accommodate his size. His cock filled me to capacity. He pulled out, then slammed back in, earning a moan.

  “Fuck, y
es,” he groaned.

  His hips flexed, rolling in a way that made me feel every solid inch of him. I whimpered, curling my fingers into my palms. He began to move, fucking me in earnest. The sound of slapping skin could almost be heard of the deafening hymn surrounding us, his people cheering him on.

  His fingers dug into my thighs, he lurched down, closing his mouth over my right tit and biting like an animal.

  I screamed, feeling my pussy clench from the pain and the pleasure that came with him pounding into me.

  My brain went fuzzy, hands found their way to strong biceps, then to sweaty shoulders. A pair of utterly soft lips pressed to my mouth, a tongue finding the entrance it sought. My chest heaved, sweat and something sticky clung to me like an extra layer of skin. A hard surface caused friction on my back, scraping away at me bit by bit. Someone began to moan, loudly, their sounds of pleasure rising in volume.

  Without warning an intense heat pervaded up my spine. My pussy contracted; nails dug into flesh. It took a while after for the weight between my legs to vanish.

  I began to feel as if I were floating. A soft voice whispered in my ear. I knew it to be the voice of the devil, and he said to me, “I am thy master. I am thy god. I am thy Sheppard. And thou shall hail to me eternally.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Athena

  Opening my eyes, all I saw was a starless sky. I blinked, knowing something wasn’t right. I couldn’t move my body.

  My head was cradled in someone’s lap. Something soft was beneath my back, the warmth of a heavy blanket lured me into a sense of calm. Inhaling, the smell of sea-salt flowed into my lungs. A thumb stroked my cheek, and memories began to sift through my subconscious.

  A sob caught in my throat and a soft hushing sound came from above me. I didn’t look at him, I couldn’t. Someone else knelt next to me. I recognized the jacket and forced my head to turn, needing to be sure.

  Kyle’s easy-going smile filled my vision. “It’s okay Thea. It’s over now.”

  I tried to speak but nothing came out.

  “You were given something to keep calm on the trip. Don’t worry, it will wear off soon,” he explained, sounding chipper.

  Trip? I formed the word with my lips as best as I could.

  The soft voice from before answered my soundless question.

  “We’re going home now, Athena. Home to your new life.”

  There was nothing I could say or do. I resumed staring at the sky for a few seconds, summoning the courage to look at the man who’d taken me in more ways than one. Even this took more strength than necessary.

  His beautiful eyes stared into mine, and my world came tumbling down. He was a devil in disguise, taking me straight to hell.

  The Ninth Commandment

  Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

  Perfect Denial

  Ally Vance

  O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!

  Walter Scott, Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field

  This story is set in England where the legal age of sexual consent is sixteen years old.

  Prologue

  Lillian

  Perfection is a heavy weight to bear. If only they knew the true depths of the rot festering inside my father’s soul...the darkness hidden beneath his outwardly attractive appearance. Maybe, if they knew the truth about my family, then they wouldn’t be so quick to invite him into their homes and lives. In the eyes of this community, my father is an honest, sinless man, but what they all see is a fucking lie.

  Landon Gray knows the truth. But he’s just like me: trapped and corrupted by the harsh rules this town enforces on us all. He’s just as broken down beneath the weight of expectation that demands we remain pure of heart and soul. He’s my other half, for better or worse...bound together by the game of truth and lies we’re forced to play every day of our lives.

  It feels like it’s been a long time since we were innocent, young children playing together in our front gardens. Our parents encouraged the friendship, and when my mum passed away, leaving me and my dad behind, I began to spend more and more time with Landon.

  The biggest lie Landon and I ever tell is the one about the true extent of our friendship. When we first sealed our fates together with our bodies and souls, we’d no idea it was only the beginning of our spiralling journey into a dark madness with no way out.

  As we grew older, Landon rebelled against his parents and our community’s way of life, and eventually we were told not to see each other any more. Of course, it didn’t work; it only pushed us closer together. I was the angel, and Landon was the devil...one of us pure, the other corrupted. If only they knew the truth. Lucifer was the most beautiful and brightest of the angels, yet he fell. The only difference between us was that no one would ever know I’d fallen, because every truth that departed my tongue was a carefully concealed lie...all but one.

  Chapter One

  Lillian

  “Lillian!”

  Great, my father is calling me. It's Sunday and time to go to church. It's time for me to pretend to care and don the mask of innocence I'm forced to wear in front of everyone. I hate everything about this tight-knit community of wolves in saint’s clothing. No one knows the truth, though; the truth about what goes on under my father’s roof, and how every single member of our congregation is completely fucking blind to it.

  “Lillian!” he calls again, sounding closer and angrier.

  Letting out a weary sigh, I answer before he gets to my room, “Coming, Dad!”

  I quickly throw the covers off and climb out of bed; my bare feet and toes sink into the soft carpet covering the floor. Hurrying over to my built-in wardrobe, I pull out a modest dress while casting a longing glance at the darkest corner where I hide the outfits I'd much rather be wearing.

  “Are you ready yet, baby girl?” My father’s voice coming from the other side of my bedroom door makes me jump, and my heart beats just a little faster. Don't come in.

  “I'll be down in a minute, Dad. I'll meet you at the car,” I tell him, praying he goes back downstairs.

  If one could be molested by a gaze, my own fucking father has done it over and over again, and he shows no sign of stopping. Everyone thinks we’re such a perfect family: the sweet daughter and the holy father. It’s all a fucking lie. If only they knew what really lay beneath the surface. Hatred brews in my soul. I’ve no love left for the man who raised me, or the God who has failed to protect me. I bite down on my tongue when I pray for salvation; the only one who can truly save me is myself. If my mum were still around and had any inkling of where my father’s thoughts linger, I’m sure she’d castrate the monster who sired me.

  It’s only recently I’ve realised why he encouraged the connection between me and Landon as we grew older. It was all a clever ruse to hide the fact that he lusted after his own fucking daughter. But Landon and I are entwined together by more than a lifelong friendship, and it makes my shadowed soul sing. He is my truth among the lies.

  Landon did everything in his power to intervene when my father started showing an unhealthy inclination towards me, and our relationship nearly paid the price. My father told Landon’s parents that I could no longer see him, because he was a bad influence and was corrupting me. But I've long since been corrupted, and it wasn’t by Landon.

  One day I'll make my father pay for his sins. I’ll expose the lies he tells to protect his filthy secrets; those seemingly innocent touches and lingering hands. I've seen the way he watches me. He's never violated me in any lasting way, thank God. But I’ll be turning eighteen soon...I’ve a feeling it’s only a matter of time before he acts upon those perverted desires of his. When that moment comes, I’ll make him sorry he ever fucking entertained the depraved and sickening thoughts I can see hidden in the depths of his eyes.

  Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath to calm my racing heart. I pull on a plain burgundy cap sleeve dress, a pair of black pumps, and quickly brush my hair before
tying it into a neat ponytail. Everything must look perfect with the lie kept firmly in place. I open the door to see my father standing on the other side with his back against the hallway wall. He’d waited...I suppress a shudder when he looks me up and down, slowly appraising the plain outfit I’m wearing. I cast my gaze downward, not wanting to see the way his eyes darken, or the subtle leer twisting his face.

  I’m not afraid of him...at least, that’s what I tell myself. I know which battles to fight and which to pass by, and I’m choosing to ignore the ticking time bomb living under our roof, for as long as possible. I know what will happen if I cut the wrong wire.

  “Let’s go, baby girl,” he says, trailing the backs of his fingers down my bare arm, and I ball my fists, tamping down the urge to slap the endearment from his filthy mouth.

  I haven’t been his ‘baby girl’ for a long time, not since I turned sixteen and the loving, fatherly looks became lecherous, and the gentle, caring touches started to linger for longer than they should.

  “Okay, Dad,” I quietly reply, and his name turns to ash on my tongue, leaving nothing but an acrid taste in my mouth.

  There’s no sweetness in lies.

  Chapter Two

  Lillian

  Time drags slowly by as Pastor Frollo preaches his weekly sermon, then asks us to retake our seats while he guides the community in prayer. Nearly every member of the small town of Stonewood is gathered in the church, I’m feeling suffocated by their presence and my father’s proximity to me. When we take our seats, my father brushes his leg against mine and rests his hand on my knee, squeezing it before trailing his finger against my skin beneath the hem of my dress. I stiffen in my seat, not daring to breathe while his hand is on me. After what feels like far too long, he finally removes it.

  No one interferes. No one sees the true intent behind his touch. All they see is a loving father sharing a moment of peace and bonding with his daughter in front of God. We act out our roles well, and no one ever suspects what lurks behind the face of this angel, and the devil in his Sunday best.