Chapter 3

I needed to know the full extent of their plan. I crept through the quiet mansion, my bare feet silent on the cold marble floors. I found Caleb in the private chapel on the estate grounds. He was kneeling before a makeshift memorial he had built for my family, his head bowed in false prayer.

The "Preacher," a man I' d seen with Caleb before, stood beside him. He was a charismatic man who spoke of faith and healing, but his eyes were cold and empty.

"The souls of the hundred you sacrificed are too much for Jennifer' s weak heart to bear," the Preacher said, his voice a low hum. "The life force is tearing her apart. The only thing that can stabilize her now is the heart' s blood of a newborn Pact Keeper. It contains an immense, pure life energy that can anchor the souls."

Caleb didn't even hesitate. His voice was steel.

"Fetch my wife. We'll induce labor."

The Preacher held up a hand. "The child is only seven months along. Inducing labor now could kill them both."

Caleb' s response was brutal, stripping away the last shred of the man I thought I knew.

"No one is more important than Jennifer. I can always find another wife and have more children."

The Preacher nodded slowly. "A premature birth is risky. The energy might not be stable. It is better to wait until the baby is full-term. In the meantime, we can use the mother' s blood. Mixed into ink, it can be used to write prayers of longevity for Jennifer. It will sustain her until the child is born."

I backed away, a silent scream trapped in my chest. My foot caught on a loose flagstone. I stumbled backward, my arms windmilling, and fell into the estate' s decorative swimming pool.

The shock of the cold water was a physical blow. A sharp, cramping pain tore through my abdomen, and I felt a gush of warmth. I looked down and saw blood clouding the water around me.

I didn't scream for help. I didn't fight. I let myself sink, welcoming the darkness. I wanted to lose this child, this child conceived in a lie and destined to be a sacrifice.

But Caleb heard the splash. He burst from the chapel, his face a mask of pure panic.

"Sabrina!" he screamed, diving into the water without a second thought. "Hold on! The paramedics are coming! Our baby will be fine!"

He pulled me from the water, his arms tight around me. He was shouting at the staff, his voice frantic as he carried me towards his car. He was going to save our baby. Not for me. Not for us. But for Jennifer.