Damnable Grace (Hades Hangmen #5) Read online

  Damnable Grace

  A Hades Hangmen Novel

  Tillie Cole

  Copyright © Tillie Cole 2017 All rights reserved

  Copyediting by www.kiathomasediting.com

  Cover Design by Damonza at www.Damonza.com

  Formatting by Stephen Jones

  Ebook Edition

  No Part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written consent from the publisher and author, except in the instance of quotes for reviews. No part of this book may be uploaded without the permission of the publisher and author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is originally published.

  This is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, actual events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters and names are products of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

  The publisher and author acknowledge the trademark status and trademark ownership of all trademarks, service marks and word marks mentioned in this book.

  Author’s Note

  As with all of the Hades Hangmen novels, Damnable Grace (Hades Hangmen #5), contains religious practices and experiences that, although may be unfamiliar and unknown to many, are inspired by the beliefs and traditions of past, and existing sects and New Religious Movements.

  The character of Phebe in this novel, and her role as a ‘Sacred Sister’, was inspired by a true belief found in past and existing sects and New Religious Movements. The practice of ‘sexual recruitment’ is extremely controversial and disturbing.

  Please note that this novel also contains graphic scenes of sensitive and taboo practices, sexual abuse and excessive violence. It may involve some triggers for some readers.

  Can I please kindly request that your reviews, progress updates and edits be SPOILER FREE so that all readers can get the most from their reading experience.

  Many thanks and happy reading!

  Dedication

  To AK.

  I’ve been waiting to write your story for a long time.

  Contents Page

  Glossary

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty One

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Chapter Twenty Four

  Epilogue

  Bonus Chapter

  Acknowledgements

  Author Biography

  Playlist

  Follow Tillie

  Glossary

  (Not in alphabetical order)

  The Order Terminology

  The Order: Apocalyptic New Religious Movement. Beliefs based on selected Christian teachings, strongly believe the apocalypse is imminent. Previously led by Prophet David (declared himself to be a Prophet of God and a descendant of King David), the elders and the disciples. Succeeded by Prophet Cain (nephew of Prophet David).

  The members live together in a secluded commune; based on traditional and modest living, polygamy and unorthodox religious practices. Believe the ‘outside world’ is sinful and evil. Have no contact with non-members.

  Commune: Property owned by The Order and controlled by Prophet Cain. Segregated living community. Policed by disciples and elders and stocked with weapons in case of an outside world attack. Men and women kept in separate areas of the commune. The Cursed kept away from all men (except the elders) in their own private quarters. Land protected by a large perimeter fence.

  New Zion: New Commune of The Order. Created after the previous commune was destroyed in the battle against The Hades Hangmen.

  The Order’s Elders (Original Commune): Comprises four men: Gabriel (deceased), Moses (Deceased), Noah (deceased), Jacob (deceased), Charged with the day-to-day running of the commune. Second in Command to Prophet David (deceased). Responsible for schooling the Cursed.

  New Zion Council Elders: Men of elevated status in New Zion. Appointed by Prophet Cain.

  Prophet’s Hand: Position held by Brother Judah (deceased).

  Second in command to Prophet Cain. Shares in the running of New Zion and any religious, political or military decisions concerning The Order.

  Disciple Guards: Male members of The Order. Tasked with the protection of the commune lands and the members of The Order.

  Lord’s Sharing: Ritual sexual act performed between male and female members of The Order. Believed to help the male get steadily closer to the Lord. Performed in mass ceremonies. Narcotics often used for a transcendental experience. Females are forbidden from experiencing pleasure as punishment for carrying the original sin of Eve and must perform the act when required as part of their sisterly duties.

  Awakening: Rite of Passage in The Order. On a girl’s eighth birthday, she is to be sexually ‘awakened’ by a commune member or, on special occasions, an Elder.

  Sacred Circle: Religious practice exploring the notion of ‘free love’. Sexual intercourse and behavior with many partners in a public setting.

  Sacred Sister: A chosen woman of The Order, tasked with leaving the commune to spread The Order’s message by sexual means.

  The Cursed: Women/Girls in The Order deemed too naturally beautiful and inherently sinful. Live separately from the rest of commune. Seen as too tempting to men. The Cursed are believed to be significantly more likely to sway men from the righteous path.

  Original Sin: Augustine Christian doctrine that says mankind is born sinful and has an innate urge to disobey God. Original Sin is the result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience of God when they ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. In The Order’s doctrines (created by Prophet David), Eve is blamed for tempting Adam to sin, thus sisters of The Order are seen as born seductresses and temptresses and must therefore obey men.

  Sheol: Old Testament word meaning ‘the pit’ or ‘the grave’ or ‘the Underworld’. Place of the dead.

  Glossolalia: Incomprehensible speech displayed by religious believers during an episode of religious ecstasy. Embracing the Holy Spirit.

  Diaspora: The dispersion of people from their original homeland.

  Hill of Perdition: Hill on the outskirts of the commune. Used for seclusions of New Zion’s inhabitants and for punishments.

  Devil’s Men: Reference to the Hades Hangmen MC.

  Prophet’s Consort: Female chosen by Prophet Cain to aid him sexually. Elevated status in New Zion.

  Prophet’s Head Consort: Appointed by Prophet Cain. Elevated status in New Zion. Closest consort to the prophet. Sexual partner of choice.

  Celestial Meditation: The act of spiritual sexual intercourse. Believed in and practiced by members of The Order. Reaching a closer connection to God through sexual release.

  Repatriation: To bring back a person to his or her country or land. The Repatriation of The Order involves bringing back all the members of the faith to New Zion from foreign communes.

  First Touch: The first act of sexual intercourse with a virginal female.

  Hades Hangmen Terminology

  Hade
s Hangmen: One-percenter Outlaw MC. Founded in Austin, Texas, 1969.

  Hades: Lord of the Underworld in Greek mythology.

  Mother Chapter: First branch of the club. Founding location.

  One-percenter: The American Motorbike Association (AMA) were once rumored to have said that 99% of bikers were law-abiding citizens. Bikers who do not abide by AMA rules name themselves ‘one-percenters’ (the remaining non law-abiding 1%). The vast majority of ‘one-percenters’ belong to Outlaw MC’s.

  Cut: Leather vest worn by outlaw bikers. Adorned with patches and artwork displaying the club’s unique colors.

  Patched in: When a new member is approved for full membership.

  Church: Club meetings for full patch members. Led by President of the club.

  Old Lady: Woman with wife status. Protected by her partner. Status held to be sacrosanct by club members.

  Club Slut: A woman who comes to the clubhouse to engage in casual sexual acts with the club members.

  Bitch: Woman in Biker culture. Term of endearment.

  Gone/Going to Hades: Slang. Referring to the dying/dead.

  Meeting/Gone/Going to the Boatman: Slang. Dying/dead. Referring to ‘Charon’ in Greek mythology. Charon was the ferryman of the dead, an underworld daimon (Spirit). Transported departed souls to Hades. The fee for the crossing over the rivers Styx and Acheron to Hades were coins placed on either the dead’s eyes or mouth at burial. Those who did not pay the fee were left to wander the shores of Styx for one hundred years.

  Snow: Cocaine.

  Ice: Crystal Meth.

  Smack: Heroin

  The Organizational Structure of Hades Hangmen

  President (Prez): Leader of the club. Holder of the Gavel, which is symbolic of the absolute power that the President wields. The Gavel is used to keep order in Church. The word of the President is law within the club. He takes advice from senior club members. No one challenges the decisions of the President.

  Vice President (VP): Second-in-Command. Executes the orders of the President. Principal communicator with other chapters of the club. Assumes all responsibilities and duties of the President in his absence.

  Road Captain: Responsible for all club runs. Researches, plans and organizes club runs and ride outs. Ranking club officer, answering only to President or VP.

  Sergeant-at-Arms: Responsible for club security, policing and keeping order at club events. Reports unseemly behavior to President and VP. Responsible for the safety and protection of the club, its members and its Prospects.

  Treasurer: Keeps records of all income and expenses. Keeps records of all club patches and colors issued and taken away.

  Secretary: Responsible for making and keeping all club records. Must notify members of emergency meetings.

  Prospect: Probationary member of the MC. Goes on runs, but banned from attending Church.

  Prologue

  AK

  Plano, Texas

  Eleven years ago . . .

  “I’m gonna be a Marine!”

  I raced into the kitchen. Devin was sitting by the table, working on the engine of his bike. He looked up. His face was pitted with grease. “What?” he exclaimed, brow furrowed.

  I stood, catching the breath I’d lost running home. I threw off my leather jacket and tossed it on the back of a chair. “I’ve just enlisted.” I smiled, doing a totally shitty job of keeping the excitement from my voice. “Just like you. I’ve joined the Corps.”

  Devin blinked at me, but said fuck all. My excitement began to wane. “Dev—” He dropped the engine onto the tabletop with a resounding thud.

  He got to his feet and ran his hand down his face. “X, what the fuck have you done?”

  I shook my head in confusion. “What? What’s wrong?”

  My brother sighed and looked out the kitchen window. “What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” He took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly as if trying to calm himself down. “This ain’t the life I wanted for you. You’re my fucking little brother, and you got more brains in that stupid head of yours than I ever had. I was banking on you going to college or some shit. Not the fucking Corps.”

  “I don’t wanna go to college, Dev. I wanna be over there, fighting, too. I wanna fight beside you.”

  Dev was still facing the window, but I caught his wince. “Dev . . .” I tried again, but I couldn’t think of what else to say. My brother was acting weird.

  “You got no idea what it’s like out there, X.” Finally he turned to me, a fucking haunted look on his face, each word pronounced like a gunshot. “You got no fucking idea.”

  Unable to take him looking so damn lost, I walked over and put my hand on his tense arm. “I wanna fight, Dev. I . . .” I laughed, knowing I was about to sound real pathetic. “I wanna fight for our country, like you. I . . . I fucking wanna be like you, Dev. Always have.”

  Devin’s eyes shone. Sighing, he grabbed me by the back of my neck and pulled me into his big chest. I struggled to breathe as he hugged me tight. “When do you report?” Devin’s voice was rough and raw, as if he could barely force the words from his mouth.

  “In eight weeks.”

  “Fuck, kid,” he said. “What MOS?”

  “Scout Sniper.” I shrugged. “You know I can shoot real good.”

  Devin tensed, then forced himself to relax. It must have been a couple of minutes before he let me go. I was eighteen; Dev was twenty-six. He’d joined the Corps when he was my age, and as soon as he could, he’d gotten us the fuck out of our shithole existence with our drunk parents and had given us a better life.

  He’d saved us. Pulled us outta the damn gutter.

  He was my motherfucking hero.

  Devin pulled back and kissed my forehead. I was an inch or two taller than him now and still growing, but I always felt smaller around Dev. He just had that kinda larger-than-life attitude, or at least he used to. After the last two tours he’d changed some—the last one, to Iraq, being the worst. I knew it was ’cause he missed home. But if I ended up stationed near him, he wouldn’t have to be alone no more. True brothers in arms.

  “I wanted better for you, kid,” he announced. I looked him straight in the eye.

  “Fighting alongside you, for our country and freedom? That’s as good as it goddamn gets,” I said quietly.

  Dev’s face didn’t change. I didn’t see any happiness in it. I just saw disappointment. “I meant like a doctor or lawyer or some shit, X.” He tapped my head. “Something where you used this.”

  “Snipers are the fucking nuts, Dev. The recruitment officer even agreed. Smart, patient, focused. It takes a special kind of someone to be a sniper. Takes skills not everyone has.” My chest swelled. “I can be that fucking someone.” I swallowed back the lump that suddenly clogged my throat. “I can be good at this . . . like you. A good Marine.”

  Dev’s shoulders sagged, and a small wash of pride settled on his expression. “I know you can, kid,” he said thickly. “I ain’t got no worries about that, never have done. I just . . . I just . . .”

  “We can fight together, and when we’re on leave, we can come home, drink beers, work on our Harleys and just fucking ride until we have to leave again. That’s my damn American dream, right there,” I smiled a huge smile. “Imagine that, Dev. That’s gonna be our life.” I looked him dead in the eye. “Ain’t nothing better to me than family, defending our country and fucking riding the open road. It’s what I want. For real.”

  Dev looked as though he wasn’t gonna agree, like he was still gonna say some shit to try and dissuade me, but then a voice came from the doorway.

  “What do you want for real, Xavier?” I turned to see Tina, my sister-in-law, watching me and my brother, curiosity written on her face.

  Before I could answer, Dev slung his arm around my neck and said, “This little fucker’s just signed up to the Corps. Scout Sniper.”

  Tina’s eyes widened, and I saw a mixture of pride and worry cloud her blue eyes. “Xavier? Is this true?”

&nb
sp; “Yes, ma’am.”

  Her hand flew to her mouth, and she rushed forward and pulled me into a hug. “I’m so proud of you,” she whispered. She stepped back. “So now I have two of you to worry about when you’re away. Great!”

  I play-punched Devin on the shoulder. “I’ll look after him, I promise,” I said and laughed when my brother rolled his eyes.

  Tina laughed too, but I saw her lingering concern.

  She and Devin had been together since they were fifteen. Tina always said I was her brother too; that’s how she viewed me. But she was more than a sister. To me, she was the only mother I’d ever really had. She’d raised me, cared for me when I was sick and helped me with school. When Dev was away on a tour, it was just her and me. Well, her, me, and . . .

  “Uncle X!”

  Little feet pattered down the hallway, and my four-year-old nephew came barreling through the door.

  “Zane! Get the fuck here, kid!” He plowed into my legs, and I picked him up.

  “Guess what?” I said as he laid his head on my shoulder.

  He lifted his head and stared at me.

  “I’m gonna be a soldier, just like your dad.”

  His mouth dropped open dramatically. “Wow! A real life a solider? Just like my daddy?”

  “Yeah.”