Chapter 1

The noise continued through the night. My sister's screams of pain had turned into explicit panting by first light.The louder she was, the more excited those men became. They let out beastly, feral growls.When morning came, the men filed out of the bedroom and shoved a stack of bills into my mom's waiting palm, saying, "New ones do make good rides, after all." After that, they'd leave with satisfied looks on their faces.My mom, Helen Greene, would see them off with knowing smiles, bowing like she was some lowly maid. "If you enjoyed it, come again."After sending them off, she turned and fixed her gaze on me as I lit the fire under the stove for breakfast. She bit out in a hard tone, "Stop gawking, you brat, and take hot water up for your sister. It'll be your turn in two days, you whore!"I carried a pot of hot water and last night's leftovers into Rebecca's room, only to be scolded by Mom again. "Damn brat! Rebecca isn't supposed to have anything but her tonic from now on. Do

Chapter 2

Rebecca couldn't go down to the fields, so it fell on me to take up all the farm work. Mom was particularly hard on me too. "Get to work, you damn brat! We're already short on manpower as it is. Keep slacking off like that, and we'll starve!""Mom, I'm tired. Can't I take a break?" The sun hung high overhead, scorching me alive as I worked the fields. One fainting spell followed another as I toiled, but Mom still whipped me."Stupid, lazy brat!" she spat. "You can lie in bed and enjoy life like your sister does after you become a rabbit-woman!"Half a month later, Rebecca was expecting bloodstones.Mom was beyond thrilled, but even more men filed into Rebecca's room than before."Well done, Rebecca!" Mom then turned to look at me, and her tone took on a rare, soft edge. "You're 16 now, Everly. Let me give you a coming-of-age present!"Yes, it was, indeed, my 16th birthday today.Mom grabbed a pouch of aromatic spices from the cupboard. "Men only like women who smell nice and swe

Chapter 3

I lay still in shock until they pried the sheer drapes open, their shadows looming over me.Suddenly, Rebecca's screams rang out from the room next door. Mom barged into my room, barking at the men, "All of you, come with me! Rebecca's about to deliver the bloodstones!"The men groused with obvious reluctance, "But we already paid twice the usual amount!"Mom grabbed them by the arms. "Oh, please, it's not like this brat's going anywhere! If Rebecca swallows the bloodstones, all our time and hard work will go to waste!"It was only then that the men snapped to their senses and sheepishly hurried into Rebecca's room down the hall.I pulled my clothes on immediately. I'd just gotten out of bed when I heard Rebecca cry sharply from her room, "Get out! Get out of here! Get out, now!"She sounded as if she were chasing the men away, but not quite.It didn't take long for Rebecca to deliver the bloodstones. Mom's eyes were gleaming with excitement as she set those bloodstones on a tra

Chapter 4

I shook my head vehemently. "No, I didn't! I didn't kill those men! I swear, I didn't kill anyone!"Mom spat. "Rebecca saw everything! You killed those men! Looks like you've learned to lie through your teeth, you bitch!"The three men surrounded me like wolves and violently ravished me. All I felt at that moment was searing, white-hot pain.A whole night passed before the men dragged me out of the ditch in my half-dead state. I was covered in mud.The woman who'd been hiding in the mass grave had been captured alongside me. They threw us into the same underground cellar and shackled our wrists and ankles. I was still bleeding. The woman was curled up in the corner. She took in my half-dead state and finally scooted toward me.She tore a piece of fabric from her already-ragged clothing to staunch the bleeding.I was in so much pain that moving felt impossible. I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my face."How did this happen? Did you take advice you shouldn't have?" th

Chapter 5

Genevieve cut me a look, and I returned it."Be good now, sweetheart. You'll do as I say, won't you? Come on, all you have to do is kill her. Do it, child," Mom coaxed me, her tone kind and soft as I gripped the ax.Genevieve backed up. "Don't listen to her, child! She's not looking out for you!"I clutched the ax tightly and slowly approached Genevieve. Mom beamed in satisfaction. "Yes, that's it! Kill her, Everly! Kill her, and you can come home with me!"I looked down my nose at the woman on the ground. "I'm sorry."Genevieve's lips moved. I had no idea what she was saying.Suddenly, I whirled and swung the ax at Mom. She'd had her guard up against me too, and quickly backed away."You damn brat! How dare you disobey me?" Enraged, she was about to call for backup through the cellar door overhead when Genevieve lunged forward to clamp a hand over her mouth. She pulled the chain of her wrist shackles against Mom's neck, strangling her.Mom struggled against Genevieve with all

Chapter 6

Genevieve wasted no time in raising the ax, pressing it against the man's throat. "Drive, or I'll chop you up!""You again, Genevieve? Damn it! I thought someone might have messed you up until you died!" the man cursed, reaching out to drag her out of the trunk.I immediately grabbed the scythe in the trunk and brandished it. "Don't move! Do as she says!"The man quieted when he saw that we were both armed with blades. Genevieve said calmly, "If you want to live, drive us away from this hill and drop us off. Or I could always cut you up now, then drive away in your car."I've taken driving lessons before, you know, so don't think I have no idea how to maneuver a car!"The man sneered, "If you know how to drive, why not kill me now and hijack the car?"Genevieve didn't rise to the bait. "Stop yapping!"The ax had sliced through the man's skin, and blood began to bead from the cut on his throat. He finally relented. "Alright."He started the car again and drove toward the foot of