THIRTEEN

DAMON

It all happened so fast.

One minute, Selena said something about rules. The next, Camilla was being dragged out of the door by a hefty man who rushed into the room like he had been art ablaze.

"Follow me," Selena had ordered sternly and I had no choice but to do so.

Even if I wanted to resist, the look in her eyes and the firmness in her voice was enough warning for me.

So, as I tried to remain calm, I followed Selena whose sight was trained intently on Camilla.

Camila was so close to being dragged on the floor like a dirty rag as the tall, buffy man pulled her along mercilessly.

I felt bad for her for a minute but when I recalled how forceful she was earlier, I just hoped that moment wouldn't escalate into a rigorous and bloody one.

Soon, after many steps were taken, we were far into the exquisite building and away from the noisy party on the ground floor.

My steps soon came to a halt as I watched the man open a door on the right. It was one of the many doors on the long corridor that we were in.

Once we stepped inside, my eyes bulged with perplexity.

While the room took the form of a classroom, it looked nothing like a normal classroom. Yes, there was a whiteboard with words written on it in red ink, but it was not a normal classroom.

While the seats were just eight comfortable-looking couches, on the stools beside the seats were different types of weapons.

At first, I thought it was we had walked into a BDSM classroom because of the whip my eyes caught. No, it was a display of weapons that could end a person's life in seconds.

As I swallowed hard and hoped once again that the whole Camilla situation wouldn't turn ugly, Selena's said to me, "Sit over there. Camilla go and stand over there."

I was directed to one of the red leather couches while Camilla had to stand directly in front of an archery board. Her body covered most of the coloured circles that made the board perfect for archery.

The man who had dragged her stood in a corner, his arms folded as his receding hairline gave the blub above him a chance to reflect on his forehead.

I tore my eyes from the man as my ears picked a sound beside me.

As my nostrils caught a whiff of Selena's scent, I noticed her finger scanning through the gathered weapons.

On the stool beside me was a hammer, dagger, a spiky ball and strangely, a pair of chopsticks that looked like they were made out of iron.

A closer look at the chopsticks revealed remnant blood stains on the tip of one of the sticks.

I swallowed hard again as I tried not to lose my shit.

Selena walked past me and toward the couch behind me. She picked the bow and arrow which rested peacefully on the small piece of furniture.

Looking exquisite and ancient, the bow settled in Selena's hold perfectly. She placed the arrow correctly and with the weapon facing down, she walked toward Camilla.

"Young lady..." Tsk... Selena sure speaks like an old lady sometimes.

Instantly, she looked my way and my heart almost jumped out of my chest. It was almost as though she heard my thoughts. "Damon Jones, can you read the eleventh item on the board?"

Maybe she didn't have a special ability, but she sure knew how to scare the shit out of a person.

"Uh..." My sight quickly darted to the board. I didn't realize my palms were sweating till I slid them over the cuboid-like leather arms of the couch. "Rules..." My mind read the rest of the heading. "Number eleven; Non-consensual sex within the gang is prohibited and punishable."

Okay... I think Camilla is in big trouble.

My eyes quickly darted through the twenty rules written on the huge board. Most of them were regular rules.

Rules about weapon use, fights within the gang, respecting the leaders, and so on.

But one rule caught my attention.

Rule number five- No chocolates are allowed in the Damish Gang.

Chocolates? But, why?

When my attention shifted to Selena, I realized that I had zoned her voice out.

"... you have to be punished for that," I heard her say to Camilla whose eyes cowered with fear.

Now, the bow and arrow were pointed at Camilla. Selena began to take steps in the backward direction. My eyes followed her as her back almost kissed the door.

When she finally stopped, Camilla closed her eyes and I watched, the hope that things wouldn't get worse still within me.

I don't think I will be able to handle seeing a woman being pinned to an archery board.

Oh, no. I won't be able to handle it.

My dreams will definitely turn into nightmares.

Oh God, what have I brought myself into?

My eyes narrowed and twitched occasionally as the moment grew tenser and tenser.

Soon, a whooshing sound filled the air. The arrow flew fast and without mercy. I didn't know when I closed my eyes but when I heard a small thud, I had to open them.

Selena wore a small smirk on her lips when I looked her way. Slowly, as they do in those horror movies, I turned my head towards Camilla, my heart thudding.

The arrow had hit...

Oh. The arrow was just above her head. It was a close hit. Some strands of her newly done hair were wrapped around the length of the arrow which settled into the small round object above Camilla.

"You are suspended for two weeks. I hope you know what that means," Selena said to the woman. "I must not catch you doing certain things or else you will get the good old punishment."

The good old punishment?

So... there's a punishment worse than having an arrow pointing at you?

Wow. I have indeed outdone myself. I have dragged myself into a huge mess and I can't come out of it because I have people to protect. Besides, if I come out of this mess, I will find myself in a huger one and I may lose my life and family.

"Take her out," Selena said to the man who had been standing quietly and without a reaction.

Of course, the man must have seen worse.

Once those two were out of the room, Selena walked towards the desk that was positioned close to the whiteboard.

She took out a glass and a bottle of what looked like whiskey from the desk's drawer.

As the sound of rushing liquid filled the room which I soon noticed lacked a touch of natural light, Selena said, "I hope you have taken note of the rules? We might look like a loose organization to the people, but we have a system and I need you to respect it."

"I don't see any reason why I wouldn't respect it. I don't wish to have an arrow or a gun pointed at me."

She chuckled as she took a sip from the glass cup. "You are cute," she said to punctuate her short laughter.

I was about to ask about the chocolate rule and some other things when she said, "I think you should go home. The tour can happen some other time. And yes," she hissed as she settled her lower body onto the desk, "some packages have been sent to your house."

My brows quirked instantly.

"Relax." She smirked. "They are not drugs or anything illegal. Most of them are clothes and shoes. I included a new phone as well, I observed you hardly use the one you have because it is in a bad state. "

She was right. I don't take the phone with me anymore. It's a pitiful sight.

"You should consider opening another bank account as well. Your monthly payment can be made into it. Any-"

"Are you treating me like a charity case?" I had to ask.

"No." She stared at me intently from where she stood. "This is what we do for every person that joins our gang. I won't have anyone that works for me looking underpaid. Don't worry, I didn't pick stupid-looking outfits."

"You picked them yourself?" I was indeed surprised. "Why?"

She shrugged as she took another sip from the cup which she had swirling in her hold.

"I just wanted the best for a good-looking man that will be working for me."

A smile befell her lips and I instantly felt the way I felt when I first saw her.

I felt trapped but in a good way. For some reason, I wanted to keep staring at that smile. For some reason, I wanted time to still so that I could relish how pretty she looked.

Okay... Am I insane?

Quickly, I got up. "I guess I should go home and sort out the packages. "

"You should. See you at TIANOR tomorrow."

"Hmm," I grunted as I rushed out of the room before I could have one of those weird moments again.