A scream tore from my throat, swallowed by the echoing chamber, lost in the symphony of his cruel amusement.
Caiden’s loud plea morphed into a strangled gasp, his eyes wide pools of terror reflecting the flickering light pooling through the window.
We were in the finale of his game.
A stream of blood began to trickle from the small cut on my flesh, dripping onto the cold floor. It was a minuscule wound, but enough to bleed.
“Fuck! Leave her alone. Hurt me instead, you sadistic bastard.” Caiden’s voice, high-pitched and ragged with pure terror, sliced through the stillness, leaving a chilling trail of fear in its wake.
“You will get your turn, in time. It’s been a while since I had two pets to cut up and eat. I’ll be set with a meal for weeks. I’ve been short on portions having to feed my last subject to youboth.”
He was feeding us human meat.
Nausea churned within me, and a coldness, deep as the sea, ran through my veins.
Panic seized me, and I fell into fight mode.
We were going to die and become the food that he consumed. That thought alone reignited my will to live.
My vision blurred, the metallic tang of blood filling my senses. Adrenaline surged through my veins, a fierce and desperate ally.
I kicked, a wild and desperate lashing out against his weight, aiming for anything that could disrupt his sadistic ritual.
He grunted, momentarily surprised by my unexpected resistance. That split second was all I needed.
With a surge of strength born of pure terror, I hurled my body into his, long enough to grasp the object he held in his pocket. I had seen him slip it in there, and I blindly hoped it was still with him.
If not, I was definitely going to die today.
Joy surged through me as my fingers brushed the hard metal. Frantically, I slid my fingers over it and felt the button.
Without hesitation, I pressed it. It took only a few seconds, but those moments allowed me to release the barrier.
The glass began to slide upwards, and Caiden was ready.
The instant he had enough room, he dove beneath and charged towards the man like a bull intent on inflicting damage.
But the man was quicker.
He smacked me in the face, the sting of the blow igniting the bruise that had already marinated on my skin.
I fell backward, and he seized my hair, yanking me upward.
“Fucking bitch,” the man spat, dark rage distorting his features.
The monster within him erupted, and I trembled in its wake.
Caiden halted in his tracks, his eyes wide with realization; the man had the knife pressed against my neck.
“Go back to your side of the cage, or I’ll cut her throat like the pig that she is.” Caiden and I both knew he meant every word.
I silently pleaded with Caiden to stand down, mouthing silent words of surrender.
Escape felt like a fleeting dream. It was all we had, but in my frenzy of panic, it appeared that he had regained the upper hand, and we had lost.
The overpowering pressure of his grip conjured visions of deathin my mind. My fate narrowed down to the glint of steel against my flesh and the choice Caiden had to make.
“Fuck you.”
