I took a deep, stabilizing breath and tried to hide my thoughts. A feeble attempt, but something I knew would get better over time as long as I worked on it.
He tenderly stroked my cheek with the back of his hand, as if applauding me for my work today.
“You were marvelous, dear. Now you may get some rest. But while I am gone, I want you to practice those positions, memorize the proper posture. I will be back tomorrow.” He turned towards the door to leave, but instead grabbed a bag off the floor I hadn't noticed when he first came in. Maybe I was just too distracted.
“And for doing so well today, I figured this could be your reward,” he said and produced my e-reader from inside the bag. “You can catch up on your romance novel now.” I knew he was mocking me, but I was too excited to have part of my old life back to care.
“Thank you, Julian!” I grasped the small tablet in my hand and marveled at its sleek design. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed it until right now.
“Good night, Abigale.” He smiled and opened the door to leave.
“Good night, Julian!” I yelled after him before he clicked over the deadbolt.
I leaped into bed, more ecstatic then I had felt in days. Finally I had something to pass the time, to keep my mind off of this new bizarre world I found myself trapped in.
As I was about to start reading, I caught a glimpse of the white light in the upper corner of the screen. The unmistakable symbol that may result in a rescue after all.
Hope swelled inside my chest.
My e-reader was connected to Wi-Fi. I could get on the internet, which meant I could call for help.
I could get out of here.
Chapter 9
Adrenaline coursed through my veins causing my body to hum in excitement. With my e-reader still connected to the internet, I would be able to contact Kiera and get her to come save me. Hell, I could contact the entire agency to come save me! This was the best thing to happen to me in weeks. Maybe my life.
I’d had my fair share of bad dealings in my life, my current situation definitely being in the top two. But this would be the first time that something graced me with luck in the midst of my darkest hours. I wouldn’t have to sit here wondering if I would ever be able to escape, because now I controlled my own fate.
I went into my system BIOS in order to send an email from my e-reader and quickly composed an email to Kiera. I didn’t know where to start, I wanted to make sure she knew everything. Every last detail.
So I started from the beginning.
My fingers quickly padded across the touch screen, explaining what happened to the woman in the bathroom at the club, how I was caught witnessing what he did, how he kidnapped me, kept me locked in a room, punished me and forced me into slavery. I had to explain what I was doing to survive. The only thing I couldn’t tell her was where I was located. But I gave her what he gave me: an island south of Fiji.
As I wrote down my thoughts and everything I recalled, I found myself admitting my growing admiration towards Julian. He wasn’t all bad. Mostly, yes. But he held some good in him. I could see it. I could sense he’d been hurt before and I didn’t want to hurt him more, but I couldn’t stay here. I needed to go home. Back to my life.
As soon as I had finished the email, I closed the case and curled up on the barren bed, e-reader still clutched in my hands. For the first time as I drifted off to sleep, I felt secure knowing that rescue would soon be on its way. I would have my normal life back.
Dreams of SWAT teams barging through the door, Kiera at the lead, filled my mind all night. Her pure excitement when she found me and how elated I was to be finally free. They handcuffed Julian and brought him to justice, but not before he could leave a tender kiss on my lips. This confused me in my dream state. As much as I wanted my freedom again, I was drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
I wanted him.
I began to stir as the smell of French toast and sausage filled my nostrils. The sweet aroma of maple syrup brought the two foods together in delightful harmony.
My mouth watered just at the thought of the food gracing my tongue.
I sat up, rubbing my eyes as my sight slowly adjusted to the surroundings. My mind began to recap the dream before my eyes landed on Julian as he sat down a tray of food.
A sweet smile greeted me for a moment before his features morphed into an expression of pure rage.
Before I could blink he was on top of me, knocking the wind out of my lungs and pinning me down underneath him, his full body weight pressing me into the mattress as his hand gripped my throat like a vise. His eyes were deep crimson, just like they were the first night I met him, burning with ravenous rage that sent chills down my spine.
My heart was slamming against my ribs as I desperately clawed at the flesh of his arm.
“Who did you contact?!” he spat, his fangs fully bared as a threat behind his full lips.
I struggled to force the words out as he strangled me. “No one,” I lied.
Don’t think of them, Abby. Don’t think. Don’t think!
“Tell me!” he demanded in a deep, inhuman voice that echoed like demons all around me.
Fear rattled me. I trembled beneath him as his grip tightened. My lungs burned, aching for oxygen. But I couldn’t think of her. I had to fight him off mentally, force my mind to build a steel wall so he would never know. I had to keep her safe.
I would never forgive myself if something happened to Kiera.
My heart stopped.
What have I done!?
His eyes burned into mine with intense fury.
I gasped, trying to take in as much air as my body would allow as he released his grip, letting me go and standing beside the bed, my e-reader clutched in his hands.
“Congratulations, Abigale,” he hissed. “You have just gotten your friend killed.”
With that, he snapped my e-reader in two without the slightest effort, sending shards of glass, plastic, and metal debris darting through the air.
Every inch of me trembled in shock and horror.
“Please!” I begged, crawling to the edge of the bed and grabbing his arm in a desperate attempt to get him to reconsider. “Please, don’t do this! It was me, it was all me, I did this! Please, leave Kiera out of this!”
Hot tears fled down my cheeks as I sobbed trying to make him listen. I didn’t know Julian all that well, hardly at all, in fact, but I knew him enough to know that he was one to keep his word. If I couldn’t get him to change his mind, my best friend would be dead. And it would be all my fault.
“Punish me! Please, I’m begging you! I’ll do anything! Anything! Just please don’t hurt her!”
Julian snatched my wrist into his hand, his grip so tight I thought it would snap my arm in two. “You should have thought of that before you went behind my back.”
Julian hastily left the room, slamming the door behind him and locking the deadbolt.
I stumbled to the door, my legs wobbling beneath me, and banged my fists against the wooden panes. My chest heaved as I sobbed uncontrollably.
“Julian!” I screeched into the thick wooden door, my face pressed into its surface as I found myself crumpling into a heap on the cool floor.
Desperate sobs wracked my body.
“What have I done?”
Chapter 10
My heart had shattered into a million pieces. I had single-handedly killed my best friend. All because I was stupid enough to think I could call for help. Because I was too weak to find my own way out and always needed someone else to save me.
I was an awful friend.
All she ever did was protect me, take care of me, and love me unconditionally despite everything I had put her through. And how did I return the favor? By signing her death warrant via email.
Why did I have to do that? Why couldn’t I have let it be and just read my cheesy romance novels?
My stomach growled at me. It had been hours, and I still refused to eat the food Julian had left behi
nd. I had no appetite after what I had done. I was too distraught to think about food. And I didn’t deserve it. I deserved to starve, a slow and agonizing death. Even in death, I knew I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.
But allowing myself to die wasn’t the answer.
Maybe I could find a way to fix this. I needed to find a way to convince Julian to change his mind, to let Kiera live. Then I would do anything. Even if it meant allowing him to take out his anger on me in whatever way he pleased.
But he wouldn’t find pleasure in abusing a corpse.
With renewed resolve, I knew I had to live. I had to fight for her like she always fought for me. All I needed to do was distract him enough for him to forget all about Kiera. I would live out my life by his side, as his pet, as long as she was able to live.
Not knowing when he would be back, I decided to eat. This could be the last meal I got in a very long time, so I needed to get what sustenance I could while I could.
I picked at thick French toast, dipping it into the cold maple syrup before letting it grace my tongue. I couldn’t get myself to use his fancy silverware. It felt wrong after witnessing his raging outburst.
As delicious as the food was, the thought of Kiera dying swarmed my thoughts. It all left a bad taste in my mouth, and I had to force piece after piece down my throat, willing myself to eat every last bite.
Once the plate was polished off, I went to wash my hands and brush my teeth. Even comb my hair. I had to keep myself busy. If I sat there and let my thoughts take over, I would sob uncontrollably. The fear that my dearest friend might be dead right now because of me clawed at the remaining shards of my heart.
I paced the room, anxiously awaiting news of Kiera. Maybe he would keep her as a pet as well if he found her, like he was keeping me. It wasn’t the most ideal situation to be in, and I wouldn’t wish it on anybody. But at least she wouldn’t be dead. She would hate me. And I wouldn’t blame her. But she would be alive.
After hours of pacing, emotional breakdowns, and millions of tears, I heard footsteps approach my door.
I stood there, frozen, holding my breath as the metal clanks of the locks flipped over and the door slowly swung open.
Julian stepped in and locked the door behind him. He turned to me, and I immediately noticed his eyes. They were the soft, gentle blue I had grown to adore. His entire demeanor had shifted and he appeared to have settled his nerves.
I wasn’t sure if it was the right time to ask, but the question plagued me. I had to know.
“I-Is she still alive?” I whispered. Tears blurred my vision and I wrung my fingers, anxiously awaiting a response.
Squaring his stance, he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at me, watching me thoughtfully as if trying to decide whether to tell me his news or not.
“Lucky for you, my men have yet to locate her,” he stated flatly. “So for now, yes. She is still alive.”
Tears slid down my puffy cheeks. I let out a staggering breath and clutched my hand to my chest as if to grasp my trembling heart.
She was still alive!
“Promise me you’ll tell me when you… find her.” I could only pray that he wouldn’t really kill her if he did manage to locate her, but I knew better. Either way, I needed to know when he did it.
He merely offered me a single nod. But I could tell something else was on his mind. A sinister plan was concocting in that dark mind of his. I could feel it.
And by the mischievous smile playing across his lips, I knew I was right.
“What are you thinking?” I asked bashfully. I wanted to know. I needed to. But it terrified me to learn what was really brewing in his thoughts.
Julian slowly strode over towards me, stopping just inches away from my chest. His large frame towered over me, making me feel weak and insignificant. The sweet, musky smell of his cologne filled my lungs and he hovered in such close proximity.
“What am I thinking,” he repeated as he dragged a single finger down my throat, trailing down my chest and between my breasts. He licked his lips as his dark gaze raked over me.
“I’m thinking about how much pleasure I am going to derive from punishing you.”
A lump formed in my throat as my heart wreaked havoc behind my ribcage.
His hand disappeared behind his back and produced a black sack.
Anxiety threatened to suffocate me. What was he planning on doing?
Before I could ask, he slipped the satin sack over my head, completely clouding me in darkness and grabbed me by the throat. He pressed his cheek to mine, letting out a deep growl as he flexed his fingers around my pulsing neck.
“I’m sure you will find it pleasurable,” he hissed in my ear. “Well, parts of it anyway.” His deep chuckle sent a shiver down my spine.
God, help me.
Chapter 11
Julian grasped my wrists and wound something around them, tightly binding them together in front of me. By the itchy feeling crawling over my skin, I knew it was rope.
He gave a forceful tug, pulling me forward without warning. My feet fumbled beneath me, fighting to keep me upright as I stumbled after him.
He led me along, turning here and there, occasionally making an abrupt stop for him to unlock another door. He had never taken me out of the room before, and now it was like we had gone on an excursion, blindly following a feeble lifeline for miles though in reality, it had only been a few minutes.
As he pulled me through another door, I listened as the door latched and a lock slid into place. The ropes fell from my wrists as he unwound them and tossed them aside. To my dismay, he left the hood in place.
The high-pitched clank of metal against metal made my skin crawl as it tinkered across the ground, sending faint vibrations through the pads of my bare feet.
Where were we? What was he doing?
My mind raced. Was he going to kill me, slowly and painfully? Maybe he really had found Kiera and wasn’t satisfied with having only one death for the day. Maybe he wanted more. Or maybe he was getting ready to feed on me. I could only imagine how long it may have been since he’d last drank.
The thought of his fangs penetrating my flesh made my blood turn to ice in my veins.
Grabbing each ankle, Julian wrapped and latched something around then, letting the weight of the cool metal weigh my feet down.
He grasped one wrist at a time, extending them above my head and latching them in a similar contraption that gnawed at my flesh.
I heard his footsteps move away from me, the clicking of his heels echoing off the walls. Suddenly, the unmistakable sound of chains clanking together as they were wound onto a wheel rang out around me, and I was being lifted off the ground, my legs simultaneously being forced further and further apart until there was no more leeway. The full weight of my body was dangling in the air by my wrists, pain already coursing through them from the pressure. I was stretched to the max with no hopes of escaping whatever contraption Julian had bound me to.
Finally, the hood was ripped off my head, my hair fluttering in every direction. I frantically searched my surroundings.
He had me bound to dark, metal chains dangling from the ceiling and more on either leg. The crank he had used to spread my legs sat in the far corner of the small dark room where a rack of whips, gags, cuffs, and various other items sat next to it, peacefully waiting for its toys to be put to use. And not to my surprise, that’s where I found him, flipping through the random collection of torture devices until he had settled on two items. To my dismay, I found he had a gag in one hand and a whip in the other as he strode back towards me.
My heart sank.
I shook my head, my eyes wide with terror as they welled with tears.
“Julian, please,” I whimpered. “I’ll be good. I'll listen. I'll never contact anyone ever again.” I tried to plead, but I knew he had made up his mind.
Without a word, he forced the gag into my mouth, the large red ball pushing its way past my teeth, and fastened it tightly be
hind my head.
Whip still in hand, he began meticulously rolling up the wine-colored sleeves to his satin button-up shirt. As terrified as I was to what was to come, I couldn’t help but admire his body, or the way his taut muscles strained against the delicate fabric. My body trembled as my gaze raked over him and discovered his bulge. If that was what it was like normally, I dreamed of the day I would see it in its full glory.
His hand disappeared into his back pocket and reappeared with a solid black switch blade. Flicking it open, he strode over to me and slipped its tip under the hem of my negligée, the cold metal pressing against my thigh as he glided it upwards, cutting away the delicate material from my body with ease before severing each strap, letting the shredded gown fall to the ground.
He stood before me, his dark gaze drinking in the sight of my bare flesh. As if he couldn’t resist, he reached forward, tenderly gliding his hands across my thin waist in a daze. Part of me wanted to squirm and retract from his touch, but I found myself almost enjoying it, sending chills across my body that caused my nipples to become fully erect.
A deep growl resonated from his chest. “Just as soft as I had imagined.”
He caught sight of my reaction and immediately sucked one into his hungry mouth. The sensation of his hot tongue lapping across my sensitive nipple made me gasp and moan around the gag.
His teeth caught my sensitive nip and bit down, tugging it away from my body.
I squirmed, confused by the mixture of pain and pleasure.
With a quick flick of his wrist, he swatted my bare backside with the folded whip, jolting me and rattling the chains.
Julian’s gaze found mine as he groped my breasts, roughly squeezing and kneading them in the palms of his hands.
“Are you enjoying this?” he hissed. “Is this is what you’ve always wanted, someone taking advantage of you, tying you up, and using you in whatever way pleased them?”
Taking the folded whip, he swatted my lower abdomen just above my aching mound. I tried to flinch away but I couldn’t move. I let the sting of the impact crawl across my flesh.
Blood Slave (Warring Hearts Book 1) Page 7
