Stalkers: A Dark Romance Anthology

by Ally Vance

  Routines were nice, but… This was nicer.

  And concerning my work… I’d just make up a lie later. Maybe I’d pretend I’d been hanging over the toilet bowl all morning, throwing up, being unable to call in.

  “What do you wanna do today?” I asked, resting my hand on his chest and my chin on top of that.

  He pushed up a little, his eyes widening in panic. “You have to work, don’t you? And I should fill the fridge before hitting a gym.”

  It was something he often did, and usually we didn’t let those things slide when being together, but… “I can be your gym today.”

  He grinned, drawing me closer until he could press a kiss to my lips. “Aren’t you a cheeky one?”

  I smiled, inhaling deeply. This was exactly how a day should be. “When you go back to base, I’m going to miss you.”

  He cocked his head, shaking it. “You’ll be fine, because I’ll be driving back every Friday night to spend the weekend with you, girl.”

  Oh, that was a promise I liked.

  A lot.

  “Well, then I promise to call you every night and not miss you too much.”

  Dim wagged his brows. “I have my own room now, so you can show me all the goodness, and I can show you all of mine.”

  God, was love always this easy, this perfect? Because being with Dim was like I’d never been with anyone else, as if fate finally had given me exactly what I needed.

  The key turning in my front door lock caused me to stiffen.

  Instantly Dim sat up. “Who has a key to your apartment?”

  I licked my lips. “You and I, no one else. Even the landlord would have to break in. It’s the rules here.”

  Which could mean only one thing… “Your stalker? I changed one of the cameras yesterday, and I bet he knows your routines enough to guess you’d be out. He’s probably here to fix it.”

  All the warm glow I’d been feeling this morning vanished in an instant. “Cameras?” I echoed, and he paled.

  “Fuck.”

  Combing his hand through his dark strands, he got up. “I forgot about the one in the kitchen. didn’t turn it away because I figured it would be too obvious he was caught then, and I needed the police to see it, but when you came home and kissed me, I just forgot all about it. I’m so sorry.”

  I touched my throat. “Camera? In the kitchen?” Where he’d taken me last night, had spread me out naked?

  God, I wanted to throw up.

  “You call the police, I’m gonna grab our intruder,” he ordered, slipping his sweats over.

  I searched for my phone, not finding it, and picked up his instead.

  With trembling hands, I dialed, listening to the ringing until someone picked up. Even before the bored voice announced name and title, I whispered, “There’s someone in my apartment. The stalker actually has copied my key.”

  And that was the moment tears started streaming down my cheeks. “Are you the chick this guy has been calling about for the last two days?”

  I dropped onto my bed while Dim carefully opened my door. “He’s inside my apartment. I need someone to come over, please,” I whispered.

  “Gimme your address and we’ll have someone over. Lock yourself in, Ma’am, and don’t try anything funny.”

  How in the world did a person sound bored while someone else was fearing for their life? “My army boyfriend is going after him,” I replied, and that seemed to jolt the officer into action.

  “What? No, don’t let anyone get hurt. It will not do you or your boyfriend any good.”

  I told him my address and then said, “You should have thought about that before ignoring my panic.” I hung up after that, my heart thumping as I tried to hear noises in my apartment.

  It struck me then, that maybe I shouldn’t have let Dim go. Yes, he was a soldier, and yes, he had experience, but honestly, a stalker was a whole new level of crazy, and mine had proven that.

  Deciding to distract myself, I searched around for my phone, eventually finding it under the bed, remembering that it had toppled off the nightstand when we’d gotten active in here last night.

  I powered it up, then instantly got notifications about messages, and the moment I opened some of them, my stomach dropped again.

  There was a picture of me, half asleep, but I couldn’t say where it had been taken, couldn’t remember ever having seen those surroundings, then I got a clip, and at first, I didn’t know what it was until I heard myself moaning, begging, and realized I was watching my own pussy clench.

  Throwing open the window, I threw up out of it, retching until nothing else was coming up.

  I didn’t know when the pervert had gotten this intimate footage of me, but it made me realize that maybe, just maybe, there’d been a reason I had felt as horny as I had yesterday and that made me want to throw up right away again.

  Dim

  I inched my way toward the bathroom, knowing exactly where I’d find the guy. He was in there, touching a few of Maddie’s things before turning around as if searching for something.

  I grabbed him from behind and put him in a chokehold, knowing exactly how I had to incapacitate him.

  He struggled, kicking against the bathtub and then the toilet, but eventually he stopped. I knew it took only a matter of seconds until the brain was lacking oxygen and shutting down.

  I dragged him out into the living room, wondering how I could tie him up to keep him where he was before the police came.

  I found a scarf hanging by the door, and grabbed that one, tying his hands for now. It wasn’t good enough, but as long as he was unconscious, I could risk leaving him alone long enough.

  When I was sure he’d not get up in the next five minutes, I went in search of Maddie. I didn’t know how much time had passed, and found her next to the open window, clenching her stomach. “What happened?”

  She looked up at me with a tear-stained face. “The police are on the way. And…” She nudged her cell with her foot.

  I unlocked it and instantly it started playing a clip. “What’s that?” I asked, cocking my head.

  “My soaked pussy.”

  I gaped at her. “How did you get a video of that? How does it exist?”

  She licked her lips. “I think it… I think…” I dropped the phone and gathered her in my arms, kissing the top of her head and hoping that she hadn’t noticed how I’d gotten inappropriately hard.

  “Shh, my love, breathe.”

  And she did, needing a few seconds to collect herself. I knew I needed more scarfs or something to bind the guy in the living room tighter, but she was my girl and needed me more.

  “I think it happened at the dentist yesterday. I remember it was hot, and I remember waking up to the dentist himself coming in, apologizing. But…” She shook her head while I stayed quiet.

  “I… I need something to bind the guy with. He’s out cold for now, but he’ll come around in no time, and I’d rather have him taken away than him fleeing.”

  She struggled to her feet, my brave, strong girl, and nodded. “Yes, here. And then I want to see him.”

  Just as we stepped out of her bedroom with more scarfs, there was a knock on the door. “Hey, this is Officer Davidson, and I was informed there is an intruder,” the guy outside called and I told Maddie I’d get the door.

  The officer came in and I pointed for him to follow me. “I have him in the living room and incapacitated him.”

  He followed; his expression grim while I reached for Maddie the moment she was close enough. The intruder just was coming around again, shaking his head as if he was trying to clear it.

  “You, sir, are under arrest for breaking and entering,” the officer stated, not hesitating.

  “And also, for rape,” Maddie stated, holding out her phone to the officer.

  I hadn’t even noticed her getting it.

  The cuffs clicked, then Davidson turned back to us. “What’s that?”

  She grabbed her throat again, clearly unable to speak.


  “Someone took a video of her in a very compromising position, and she can’t remember any of what seemed to have transpired,” I explained instead.

  Maddie nodded. “There are more photos on there. You can take it. Take it all. I cannot stand to look at that thing anymore.”

  The officer pocketed it while the intruder’s eyes widened. “I never touched her! I never even was that close to her! I just… I just put up the cameras! Someone paid me for that, and I…”

  “Shut up, you freak,” I ordered, wondering what in the world he was thinking.

  “Right, dude. Someone paid you for that. And the next thing you try to convince us of is the key to her apartment just showing up, right?” the officer asked and yanked him to his feet.

  “Yes!” His voice got high-pitched. “This is a set up. I only ever just sent the videos the cameras recorded, I never once got close to her before! Today is the first day!”

  I glanced back at Maddie, who was staring holes into the guy’s head.

  “Tell them!” he begged.

  She snorted. “You drugged me, didn’t you? That’s why I don’t remember being intimate with you. That’s why I don’t remember you…” She shook her head.

  “No! I didn’t. I never touched you. I don’t even know your name!”

  The officer sighed, then pushed the dude forward. “You need to come down to the station for a statement later. I’ll take him in and we’ll look at your phone. Sorry no one took you serious before.”

  “Yeah, we can see how much that sorry helps.”

  Davidson’s face fell. “It’s not my fault. I was just the only one close enough to come here now. Again. I’m sorry.”

  I nodded and closed the door behind him, then drew Maddie in my arms.

  “It’s over,” she whispered. “They got him.” She lifted her head. “No, you did. You are my hero!”

  I let her kiss me before pulling back, resting my forehead against hers. “You need to talk to someone, Maddie, about what you think happened yesterday. I have a friend who’s a military psychologist, but I’m sure he’d make an exception for you. Let me get the card so you have it for whenever you need it, okay?”

  I pressed a kiss to her forehead while she nodded weakly. “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  I winked. “Crash and burn. Luckily for you, you’ll never have to think about that again because you and I are forever.”

  Finally, she smiled again. “Thankfully.”

  Stealing another kiss, I stepped into my room, kneeling next to the bed, pulling open a nightstand drawer.

  With a smug smile, I pushed the blue latex gloves out of the way, reached for my wallet, and then closed the drawer again, thinking everything worked out perfectly fine.

  The End

  About Sam:

  Sam Destiny is a German girl who loves her guys sweet, protective, and sometimes with a slight bite.

  Her debut only came to be because vampire twins demanded her attention, and after she wrote down their story, she couldn't stop anymore.

  She loves meeting new people and talking about her books!

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  Books by Sam:

  Tagged for Life

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  Peek-a-boo

  Shannon Youngblood

  Peek-a-boo

  Stalkers Anthology

  Copyright © 2021, Shannon Youngblood

  Editing by: Natasha Hooks and Stephanie Allen

  Cover Design: Shannon Youngblood

  Self Publication Date February 2021

  https://facebook.com/sgyoungblood

  All Rights are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. The unauthorized reproduction of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher's permission.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, Characters, Businesses, Places, Events, and Incidents are either products of the author's imagination, or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Published in the United States by Shannon Youngblood

  Prologue

  Have you seen that movie? You know the one where the guy in the white lab coat yells “It’s Alive” over and over again? I’m pretty sure everyone has seen it, but I would bet my life savings (not that I’m made of money or anything), but I would bet that no one remembers the monsters’ name. Sure, he referred to himself as “Adam”, and I guess it makes sense as he was created in the image of his creator. But what was his actual name?

  Truth be told, I don’t even know his name. I remember watching the movie with my mom and dad when I was younger, and I used to name him different things according to my mood. Sometimes I called him, Bruce. He looked like a Bruce to me. Other times, normally when I was feeling down, I would refer to him as Billy Bob. That always made me laugh. My parents used to laugh at my antics too, although they don’t laugh much now from six feet under.

  I think my favorite name for the creature on the black and white television, would always be Leon. The name was both sturdy and handsome, just like the misunderstood monster. My fictional boyfriend may have been a little bit soft in the head, and who wouldn’t be after being dead for however long, but even as a little girl, I knew Leon, had a big heart. Ironically, the only other person I liked back then was also named Leon. He was the youngest of eight brothers and he lived next door.

  I used to do what young teens did back then and draw hearts in my notebook, but instead of filling it in with a name of one of the stupid boys at school, my heart belonged to Leon. The parental units thought it was cute at first. “Awwww. Little Annie has a crush on little Leon.” But they didn’t understand. No one understood.

  Little Leon was my knight in shining armor. When his older brothers would make fun of my hair or my clothes, he would always stick up for me, even at his own detriment. More often than not, he would come to class with a black eye or a busted lip on my account. I wanted to protect him like the doctor protected his monster, but I was just a wimpy little girl. What could I do?

  Leon’s and my bedroom faced each other, and after some saving, the two of us acquired some walkie-talkies. Late into the night we would talk to each other about movies, music, kids at school, and his stupid brothers and my dumb parents. Our friendship was unshakeable. Or so I thought.

  The year I turned fourteen, I vividly remember grabbing our old walkies and turning it on, only to hear my precious Leon talking to one of his brothers, Cory, his roommate.

  “She’s obsessed with me bro,” Leon laughed. “Like every time I turn around, there she is. I get that we were childhood friends and all but come on.”

  Were they talking about me?

  “Yo, Annie has been in love with you forever, Leon. You better do something quick or you’re going to end up marrying the chick. I will legit straight up vomit if you do.”

  They were talking about me. Every word that left Leon’s mouth was like a dagger to the gut. How could he say these things?

  “That’s gross, Cory,” Leon spat out to his next eldest brother. “I wouldn’t marry that bitch if she was the last woman on Earth.”

  The brothers shared a hearty guffaw before the sound crackled out. I looked out the window to see Leon’s light shut off. One of them must have been sitting on the receivers button and didn’t realize I had heard every word.

  That night, I laid in bed, tears streaming down my face. A familiar crackle sounded from under my pillow and I grabbed my walkie.

  “Ann
ie? You there?” Leon whispered.

  I wanted to answer, but the hurt in my heart was too raw, the anger too vibrant.

  “Ok, I guess you’re asleep. Talk later.”

  The static went out as he shut his off.

  “Yeah. Later,” I scowled, letting the hurt wash away, leaving behind a red wall of unyielding and warranted rage.

  I sat up in my bed and grabbed my notebook. With a fresh pencil, I spent the next five hours scratching through Leon’s initials on every page. That boy was dead to me. I ripped out every page and crumpled it up into little balls throwing them, scattering them across my room. Even at such a young and vulnerable age, I knew I was experiencing the worst sort of heartbreak imaginable, the loss of my first friend.

  The next day at school, I attempted to avoid Leon like the plague that he was. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if I saw his face, the words he spoke would come alive, and there would be nothing to stop me from breaking his nose. I couldn’t focus in class and I earned myself two detentions for talking back to my teachers. I didn’t fucking care. It didn’t matter. In fact, nothing mattered. After school, I made a pit stop at a shadier place of town. There was something I needed to buy.

  My parents were waiting for me when I got home, and for over an hour they scolded and reprimanded me. They took away my electronics, like I even gave a shit, which I told them so, and grounded me to my room. They wouldn’t listen to me and they couldn’t see my side of the story. It didn’t matter to them. I didn’t matter.

  I stomped my way up the stairs and grabbed my walkie from under my pillow.

  “Leon?” I whispered.

  “There you are. I was looking for you all day.”

  “Yeah. I was busy,” I lied. “Can you meet me out back in like twenty minutes? I have something to tell you.”