The Most Powerful (The Hidden)

Chapter 4 (The Memory Of You)

Trix reached his hand to touch my face after laughing about his cannibalism. I immediately stabbed his hand with one of my many daggers hidden in my clothing. He threw away, grunting in pain. But then he did the most horrific thing....

He licked the blood from his hand after pulling it out of the open wound. His grin cascaded tremors of fear throughout my entire body. Carrie suddenly shoved him backwards, where he fell unsteadily on his chair.

"We are not done," Carrie stated, looking at the other two guys that I hardly noted. They sat near the group, one obviously a bit artificial. The other looked like a model as well, but in a natural sense. The blonde guy's hair was definitely dyed/bleached.

"Neal Sandra," the macho one looked annoyed, the compulsions driving his response to be truthful. "Both parents are dead. They died three years ago."

"And how did they die, Neal?" Carrie pressed. He tried to restrain his answer, yet failed epically.

"I killed them."

"How?"

"I strangled my father with my bare hands," his voice shook, causing the redhead in the group to hysteria physically. It was written all over her face. She thought he was something else, I guess... Something other than a sociopathic killer. "He was a lying, cheating scumbag. So I took his life, alongside his little whore."

"Damn, that's messed up," Coleman spoke up, making Neal twitch with a tick.

"And your mother?"

"She killed herself... to escape me. She thought I was insane." He was ready to have a mental breakdown, and I involuntarily gave my opinion.

"I can't blame her," I mumbled. Neal looked at me, ready to unbuckle, yet somehow didn't. Trix stared bewildered at Neal. Like he finally saw his reflection, or his version of it. I bet they'd make the best of friends. Both fucked up in the head, and doesn't really give a damn about it.

"Braeden, your turn," Carrie said after scowling at me.

"I don't want to," he sassed, making Carrie's friendly expression form into a deadly one. She straightened up, putting on a fake smile.

"Tell us about your life, now." At that, Braeden strained not to fall into the mind control's ways. But even Ethan (one of the most strong-willed people on the planet) couldn't resist it.

"I was raised to be picture-perfect. My mother used to dress me up, use makeup for blemishes, excetera." Leah looked intrigued, half-smiling as though there would be something to laugh at. "After I hit puberty, she put me through sex trafficking." Leah's smile quickly faded, everyone still. He closed his eyes, as though wanting to escape his nightmare. " 'Pretty boy', 'fuck boy', those are names that I found most common. She's rotting in jail anyhow."

"And deserving of it," Leah commented, patting him on the back like he was some kind of bro.

"Are we done here?" I asked, Trix staring at me like I was on his new and profound menu.

"Not yet," Carrie smirked, looking to Katherine. Katherine gazed anywhere else but her, hoping she would pick on someone else. "Katherine, you're the only one I will ask considering you're the one with the biggest pride." Katherine flicked her eyes to Carrie, her facial expression growing of rage. "Do you love Ethan?"

"Why are you asking me that?" She snapped, no hint of any other emotion.

"You strive for loyalty, correct?" Katherine sat back, growing bitter. "And he's the only one who can guarantee you complete loyalty. The only one who can handle your personality. And he needs you." Katherine rolled her eyes, trying to conjure up an excuse of some sort. "Let me ask you again: do you love him?" This time, she compelled her.