8

Jack

October 29th, 2019

It was just past midnight and I had been watching her since the moment she got out of that car.

All night, I fought the urge to gouge out the eyes of anyone who glanced at her perfect little round ass. Break their phones, shatter their skulls.

I say ‘fought the urge’ but I left that actor who touched her hair in pieces in a tent across the park. By the time they realized he wasn’t a mannequin, I’d be long gone. The cameras were already wiped too. I couldn’t risk getting caught when I was so close to getting what I wanted.

It was indescribable how fully she had taken over my mind. As if my actions weren’t my own.

But they were.

Each and every single one was carefully thought out and intricately done. From the prick in her neck to the way I had used that same blade to cut the hands off of that actor.

And now I wanted her. I wanted her and I would have her.

I watched her inspect that chain. Fuck, she looked so fucking good. My cock had been throbbing all night, begging to be buried deep inside that beautiful cunt of hers. The heels only made her ass look that much better in that underwear that passed as shorts, the fishnets hugging her skin, ripped in some places, and that fake blood?

Fuck. She looked so pretty covered in blood.

The way she walked around this place, owning it, that bat slung over her shoulder, the way she rode that horse. All I could do was think about those lips whimpering for me. Those eyes crying tears just for me.

No target had ever gotten in my head like her. The mysterious Rae Bennett, owning the world in her own way.

She stepped back from the chains, her shoulders relaxing as her thighs flexed.

I felt a smile touch my lips as I studied those beautiful thighs, that strip of exposed skin between her belt and her shirt, the way that shirt stretched tightly over her hardened nipples.

I had to kill her, I knew that. I had to follow the rules, I had no choice in it.

But not tonight. Tonight, I could have my fun.

I stepped out of the shadows, settling in the middle of the entryway of the hall just as she turned to it and screamed.

It lasted less than a second before it bubbled into nervous laughter, her hand clutching her chest. “Holy shit,” she breathed out. “You scared me.”

I tilted my head to one side, watching her carefully. Would she recognize me? I wasn’t sure if she remembered the night from the club, but I was sure she had been aware that day outside of the precinct. She had almost recognized me when she had first gotten here, I remember the look in her eyes, but now she was exhausted, drained. Maybe her mind was a little slower than it had been hours ago.

She straightened, her hair falling back over her shoulders. Even in those high pigtails, they fell to her shoulder blades. One side with blue-dyed tips, the other with pink.

Her makeup had streaks in it from the sweat she had accumulated being in a constant state of fear. She loved it. She loved the adrenaline as much as I did.

I wanted to push that adrenaline so high that her body shook with it. I wanted to sear tonight into her mind forever, so I needed to push her.

She rose a brow, glancing behind me and back. I could see the fear in her eyes, despite the way she came across. “Are you going to let me through or is this some kind of interactive scare? Actors picking vulnerable girls to stalk in the park? You picked the wrong girl,” she told me, her grip tightening around her bat.

I straightened my head and remained silent. I could see the nervousness grow as she shifted from one foot to the other, wincing at the pain that sticky fake blood was causing her. She certainly seemed exhausted. Less of a fight for me, which wasn’t as much fun, but it would be enough this time.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her confidence. What did she think some bat with nails would do to me? I had been shot, attacked by dogs, cut up by knives, tied to chairs, hung from ceilings, tortured. A wooden bat meant nothing to me even if it was laced with nails.

She searched my eyes for a moment, her brows furrowing.

There you are, Princess.

“Wait,” she said, taking a slow step back. “I…I do know you. I recognize your eyes.”

I stepped into the room, watching as her amber eyes lit up with fear. She remembered me. A shiver of pride fell down my spine.

She took another step back, hitting the chains, their rattles filling the air. “You were outside the police station.”

I slowly made my way towards her, my cock throbbing for her.

“And now you’re here?” she breathed out, trying to keep her distance. “Did Max hire you?” she asked, rage lighting up her eyes. “He hired you to follow me around this park and scare me? Jokes on you,” she stated coldly, “I don’t scare easily.”

That man, whoever he was, was not smart enough to hire someone like me.

And she was scared, she was just too proud to admit it out loud.

Her back hit the back wall, her feet slipping in the puddles of blood.

I slid the chains to the side, closing the distance between us.

Rae inhaled sharply and swung the bat with all her might.

I caught the end of it with ease, feeling those nails slide straight into my hand, straight through it.

It took everything I had not to snarl, but I was pissed. How dare she swing at me? How dare she attack me. The fucking bitch had balls, I’d give her that, but she shouldn’t have done that.

Her eyes widened, her hands instinctively letting go of the bat.

I tore it out of my hand and tossed it to the side. Fuck, that was going to scar.

“I’ll scream,” she warned.

I flexed my hands, the anger boiling under my skin. It was a Halloween Carnival, everyone screamed. Hers wouldn’t be heard above the rest, even if the park was emptying.

“I-I’ll call the cops,” she threatened.

She left her phone in the car, I already checked.

Those seductress eyes widened as she pressed her hands into the wall. “What do you want?” she asked breathlessly.

I looked down, her thighs clenched together, her chest heaving, and her pupils blown. Oh, my little siren-eyed, Princess. You can’t hide what your body craves.

I lifted my blood covered hand and carefully ran my knuckles down her throat, watching the blood smear. I could feel her racing pulse.

Her eyes grew heavy as she released a breath, adjusting herself, trying to ease the pain between her thighs.

Fuck me.

I wrapped my hand around her throat, shoved her hard into the wall, and squeezed.

Her hands wrapped around my wrist, panic filling those sparkling eyes as she gasped for air that wouldn’t come, her pulse beating erratically under my fingers.

She had gotten in my head. She had gotten under my skin. She tainted my dreams, my fantasies. She ruined sex for me ever since that first week. She’s destroyed me.

And I wanted to do the same to her.

I wanted to haunt her like she haunted me. She was so obsessed with the paranormal, I wanted to replace that. I wanted her to need me so terribly, she couldn’t help but text me, call me, begging for my cock. I wanted to be the shadows she saw in the depths of the night, I wanted her so wet, she drowned in her own fucking cum.

I stepped forward, towering above her, watching as her lips turned blue, as her hands slid from my wrist. “Blue is your color, Princess,” I mumbled and released her neck just enough for her to breathe.

She inhaled sharply, coughing, her face red. A shiver fell across her, a whimper escaping her lips as her tear-filled eyes found mine. “Who are you?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

“The Hunter.”

She swallowed against my hand, her body sagging against the wall, her eyes searching mine as if there was a war going on in her mind.

I didn’t have the time for wars.

I grabbed her arm and spun her around, wrapping my other around the back of her neck and pushing her against the wall. With my other hand, I unbuckled my belt and jerked it out, wrapping it around her upper arms, pulling a whimper from her lips as I tightened it down, forcing her chest taut.

It would leave bruises around her upper arms, but I was sure she wouldn’t mind. In fact, some deep part of me knew she would see them tomorrow and fuck herself to the memory of me.

I pulled my gloves off and shoved them in my back pocket. I threaded my arm through the center of her bound arms and slid my hand around the front of her throat again, forcing her arms up, her body contorting, trying to ease the tension.

I squeezed, stepping up to her, feeling her ass press against my cock, her arms pinned between us at an odd angle, pulling a whimper from her lips. “I will give you everything you have ever wanted,” I purred, sliding my hand up her jaw, over her chin. “Just open up for me, Rae. Be a good girl and open up for me.”

Without hesitation, her lips parted for me, and I slid two fingers in until she gagged, trying to jerk away from them.

I shook my head, forcing my leg between hers. “Through your nose.”

She shivered under my touch, pushing her hips back, grinding against my thigh, her breathing ragged.

“That’s right.” I looked down, sliding my other hand between her legs, feeling how soaked she was before pulling them away. Right through her shorts. This whole night was foreplay to her. A precursor to a night I was sure she would have spent riding her fun collection of toys. She would have spent the night in her bed moaning, grinding, bouncing, getting off on images that weren’t me.

I moved my elbow, shoving it into her spine, pressing her tits into the wall while I pulled her head back, forcing her back to arch.

She groaned, shoving her hips down. “That’s right, baby,” I cooed, “fuck my leg like the beautiful whore you are and suck.”

Her lips closed around my fingers, and I slid my other hand to the front of her shorts, unbuckling her thin belt, sliding my hand under them.

I felt the arousal dripping from her perfect little cunt as I ran my fingers across her slit, her moans falling from her closing lips as she hollowed her cheeks to suck on my fingers.

I snarled, sliding a finger inside of her, shoving my hips against hers to keep her from moving.

Rae whimpered, struggling back.

I moved my arm up, forcing her arms back even more, pulling a cry from her lips as her body went taut. “Be a good girl for me, eh?”

She tried to nod, but she was trapped between me and the wall, her muscles straining.

I slid another finger in, her arousal coating my fingers as I moved them in and out of her, feeling that pretty little piercing graze my hand with each thrust.

Rae moaned, sweat coating her skin as her cunt clenched around me.

“Fuck,” I panted, feeling her body tremble against mine. “I should have just killed you, Princess.” I pulled my fingers out of her mouth and wrapped my hand tightly around her neck, cutting off her air again.

She whimpered a curse word I couldn’t quite identify as I quickened my pace, making sure I hit that piercing with each deep thrust.

Her entire body tensed, her pussy clamping down around me. I released her neck just as her cum drenched my hand.

Rae panted, her body sagging against the wall, but I wasn’t done, not until I felt her cunt wrap around my cock.

I released her just enough to shove her shorts down to her ankles and pull out my cock.

I kicked her feet to either side and grabbed her ass, spreading her open for me, admiring her pretty little soaked cunt, my blood mixing with her cum. “Fuck,” I mumbled, wrapping a hand around my cock. I stroked it twice before stepping forward, running my head over her slit, watching her shove her hips out and wriggle her ass at me like the needy whore she was.

She turned her head, leaning her cheek against the wall, her eyes finding my cock. “Please,” she begged.

My eyes lifted to hers, heart racing.

She released her painted red lips from between her teeth and nodded, pushing her hips back as much as she was able. “Please,” she said again.

Fuck, she was as desperate as I was.

I looked back to my cock, teasing her a little, feeling her try and grind against me. When I couldn’t handle it anymore, I easily slid it into her, groaning at the feeling of her warm, wet cunt sucking me in as if I belonged there.

Rae gasped, turning back from me, leaning her forehead against the wall, panting as I pulled out and shoved right back in.

I wrapped my hand back around the front of her neck and pulled her up, spreading her legs a little more, opening her up for me.

“That’s it,” I praised, “you can take it.” I pushed in further, her body tensing, her cunt throbbing, as I pushed in all the way to my balls.

Rae cried out, pushing her hips against mine like the greedy little princess she was.

I closed my eyes, sliding my other hand up her shirt and over her tit, squeezing her hardened nipple, twisting it, until she cried out again.

Fuck, I loved hearing her cry for me. Feeling her shake for me. “Look at you, opening up just for me. For a stranger in a mask.”

I pulled out to the tip and slammed myself back into her. She would have bruises on her breast, on her neck, her arms. Good. I would make it a point to keep them there forever.

I slammed into her again. Over and over again, pulling out whimpering moans from the depths of her lost soul until I felt her cunt clamp down around my throbbing cock, her body tensing, another orgasm ripping through her.

I pulled out, pausing to look down at my cum covered cock. It glistened in the dim fluorescent lights of the torture chamber. It was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen.

I started into her again, harder, faster, her knees trembling as I shoved her into the wall. “You flaunted your ass to me all fucking night, Princess. Flaunting your perfect tits.” I tightened my hand around her throat again, yanking her back against me, pinning her arms between us. “You’ve been wanting this for a long time, haven’t you? You’ve wanted me.”

“Yes,” she whimpered, her voice cracking.

I grabbed onto her pussy tightly, playing with her piercing, feeling her shake violently as I forced another one out of her. “I own theses now, Rae. All of them,” I snarled, burying myself deep inside of her just as I came with a groan, emptying every ounce of myself into her.

I closed my eyes, leaning against her when I was finally done thrusting, taking a second to absorb her, to absorb her scent, the feeling of her around me, the sound of her panting. I kissed her neck, nipping at that delicate skin I had sliced before finally pulling out of her.

I released her neck, and as if I were her puppeteer and she my puppet, she collapsed before me.

I caught her with ease, lowering us to the ground just long enough to undo the belt and pull up our pants before I stood. I swung her up in my arms, realizing something important, something I had already suspected but suddenly felt the full weight of.

I was obsessed. I was completely taken by her. Completely and utterly taken.

She fell against me, relaxing into me, her breathing evening out before I even made it across the room.

Tears and blood stained her face, her body covered in sweat. God, she was perfect. Picturing myself putting a bullet between her eyes made my stomach turn in a way I didn’t quite expect. I suppose I could just not do it. I could keep her, but there was only one way to bypass those rules Malachi laid out for us, only one.

Would I truly do it? Could I make that choice so soon?

I carried her out the back entrance, Viv waiting for her with an impatient scare actor just waiting to go home.

Viv’s eyes widened when she saw us. The fear she was feeling was clear when she sprinted up to us, her hands hovering over her friend. “What the fuck? What did you do to her?”

I walked by her. I didn’t like Viv. Everything I had found out about her, everything I had seen at the club and tonight, something about her just didn’t sit right with me, but she was Rae’s only friend, so I allowed it, at least until I found out the truth about her, and then I would revisit. “Found her in the corner, she was cowering.”

Viv’s brows furrowed. “Cowering? Rae doesn’t get scared.”

No, she was turned on by fear. She craved it. She needed it like a normal person needed water. “I’ll take her to the car, but that’s as far as I go.”

Viv looked unsure as she brushed the damp hair out of Rae’s eyes. “Okay,” she finally said, stepping back, not questioning the new blood I had left all over her. “Thank you.”

We walked out to the empty parking lot. She would wake up tomorrow sore and possibly regretful. If I had it my way, I’d be there with her, but it wasn’t the time. Not yet.

I carried her to their car, sliding her into the back seat, Viv watching on in apprehension. She was probably wondering how she would get Rae to her apartment.

That wasn’t my problem. Not tonight anyway.

I stepped back and watched as Viv got into the driver’s seat and drove away.

As soon as they did, my phone rang.

“What?”

“What the fuck was that, Jack? You’re supposed to kill her.”

I pressed my lips into a thin line. “See you in the morning, Zo.” I hung up and turned back to the carnival, the lights shutting off for the night. It was time to invoke the Claim.

I couldn’t stay away.

I tried, but after watching some guy carry her into the apartment building, Viv on his heels, I couldn’t just leave her up there.

I needed to make sure he didn’t touch her. I needed to make sure that the only cum dripping from her cunt was mine.

I used the key I had made for her place and slid in, all the lights off save for a lamp behind the couch.

I looked around quickly, finding nothing out of place on my way to her room.

Pushing open the door, I saw her passed-out in her bed, right on top, still wearing her costume, her shoes, the blood.

That rose-colored duvet was ruined now, but I suppose when your friend is bullshit rich, you can’t find the capacity to care whether she ruined her blankets or not.

I pulled a small vial out of my bag and grabbed Rae’s jaw, the bruises from my hands and belt already forming around her neck and arms. I wondered if Viv had noticed. I wondered if Rae would be interrogated tomorrow, or if that guy was someone she was too interested in to care about her friend’s wellbeing.

Whatever the case, I couldn’t find a fuck to give.

I carefully poured the GHB into her mouth, watching her cough, splattering a bit of it on her chin. That was fine, there was more than enough in there to keep her under for this.

I tore off my mask and walked into the bathroom, turning on the shower to a warm temperature before returning for her.

It was easy, getting both of us undressed and in the shower. I washed her thoroughly, my cock painfully hard as I ran the soap over her breasts, her soft stomach, her beautiful curves, her thick thighs. Fuck. It was an effort not to fuck her again especially when I saw how she reacted even while drugged. She wanted more.

More of me.

But all my thoughts were put on the back burner when the blood washed away to reveal something else covering her body.

Scars.

Lines everywhere. Light, some barely visible, a few of them darker, puffy. They were scattered across her skin in a pattern I recognized. One that set my teeth on edge.

When she was clean, her hair braided, I carried her back into the bedroom, stripping her bed of her duvet and placing her on the sheet instead.

I pulled out my flashlight and started carefully inspecting her body. The scars scattered her skin, some more familiar than others. A thick scar on her left thigh, her right thigh, one on her right side, one on her left hip.

I turned her over, taking in her back, finding more scars, these ones long, deep.

I saw red as I stood slowly, a quiet calm washing over me. “Secrets on top of secrets, Princess.” I pushed her onto her back, pulled a blanket from the top of her closet, and tossed it on her before heading for the door, calling Malachi.

“It’s late.”

“We’ve got a problem.”