The man’s name was Brother Noah.

“Stand! Immediately!” Brother Noah barked loudly, making me flinch and cower.

All three girls scrambled to their feet, and I was instantly taken aback by their beauty. They all had long dark hair, huge eyes, and the fullest of pink lips. One looked older than me, one was about my age, and one was younger. The youngest one had the biggest green eyes I had ever seen.

“Jezebel, Salome, Magdalene, this is Delilah,” Brother Noah announced.

I looked behind me.

Who was Delilah?

The three brunettes curtsied and greeted me as one. “Welcome, Sister Delilah.”

All eyes were then on me.

“Excuse me, Brother Noah, you are mistaken. My name is—”

Pushed forward with a hard thrust, I stumbled into the room, where the eldest of the girls caught me before I fell, the action cutting off my words. Her hand instantly wrapped around mine. I stared at the clasped hand and instantly felt comfort in her presence, the first bit of security I had felt in days.

Brother Noah moved to walk out the door, leaving me alone with the dark-haired girls, but not before he looked my way and stated, “Now that is where you are wrong. You are no longer worthy to bear your previous name. For your namesake was a pure woman, a deserved wife of Isaac, a woman in the Lord’s favor.”

I swallowed loudly, and the girl beside me squeezed my hand tighter.

As I stared at Brother Noah, he smiled icily and his brown eyes flared as he pronounced, “From this day forth, you are to be called Delilah. You are Satanic, born of evil and a fallen sister… You, Delilah, are Cursed.”

*****

Ky

“And that is how I became sisters with Mae and Maddie. That is the day I began my schooling under Brother Noah’s celestial tutorage. It was the day I learned to be obedient and… accept that I was less than everyone else.”

Feeling the biggest ache in my chest, like some boa constrictor was choking my fucking heart and lungs, I flipped my hand and gripped hold of Lilah’s. Yanking on her hand, I couldn’t help but pull her close to me. Ignoring her shocked face as she crashed into my chest, I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck. Our faces were barely apart. As I stroked my thumb along her cheek, Lilah’s eyes hooded at the touch and her warm breath began to speed up.

“You listen to me, woman, and you listen good. You ain’t inferior to me or any other fucker just ‘cause some twisted pedo wanted to keep you trapped in that cult. Just because your old man touched you, his friend touched you, then a stupid fuck of a kid got his first boner and lost his mind. You’re worth a fuckload, Li, more than any brother or slut here. You eat with me, walk with me, not two fuckin’ feet behind, and you never let yourself do otherwise. You ain’t a Cursed bitch in this club. You getting that, sweet cheeks?”

Lilah’s blue eyes were huge as I spoke. “Yes,” she replied. I should’ve pulled back, but I couldn’t. Instead, I inched my lips forward, hearing her sharp intake of breath, her eyes squeezed tightly shut.

She weren’t ready. She was just so fucking fragile. So fragile that all I wanted to do was protect her, never let her outta my sight.

Fuck me, but she had me enthralled. I was eating, sleeping, and breathing for this very beautiful but very broken bitch.

Moving from the direction of her mouth, I ran my lips over her cheek, my bottom lip dragging on her soft skin. Lilah completely lost control of her breathing and her skin was hot to the touch. As a moan slipped from her mouth, I pressed a trail of kisses down to her chin, my lips brushing past hers.

“Fuck, Lilah,” I rasped out, chest heaving, all my control gone.

Lilah’s eyes snapped open and she stilled. Her tongue lapped around her lips, and I lurched forward to taste them, but Lilah pulled back, my hand dropping from the back of her head.

“I must… I must pray.” Lilah stumbled to her feet, took off for the embankment, and dropped to her knees, spreading her arms out wide, and five minutes later, head thrown back, she was in full flow, mumbling that bullshit “language with God.”

Lighting up another smoke, I sat back against the rock and stared, still tasting her vanilla skin on my lips.

Chapter Ten

New Zion, Texas

Prophet Cain

My people were here in their thousands as I walked down the aisle to the ceremonial altar. Men, women, and children all bowed to the floor as I passed, blessing my name and speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit filled them with his love. I held my breath¸ trying desperately not to show my nerves.

Judah walked behind me, praising the people’s devotion with his hand on their heads, and the elders followed doing the same.

I approached the stage where three attractive young females awaited. They dipped their heads as I stood before them. Placing my hand on the top of their heads, I blessed each one.

“Rise,” I instructed. They immediately did as I asked. A red-haired woman stepped forward and gestured to the pulpit and the microphone.

I saw Judah nod at her in approval and had to ebb a smile. Judah had told me he was interested in a female. I assumed this was her.

“Your name, sister?” I asked, and her eyes widened in surprise. It still took me back by how my people were around me. They praised me, worshipped me, and I felt completely unworthy of it all. An imposter.

“Phebe, sir,” she replied with a slight tremor in her voice.

“Thank you, Sister Phebe,” I said, smiling.

As a blush crept up her cheeks, she covertly cast a glance at Judah. He indicated with a dip of the chin that she had done well. Sister Phebe beamed her joy.