She’s not moving toward me. She’s standing still, just a few feet away, staring intently at something in the wall—her body stiff, her tail twitching.
My brows furrow in confusion as I shift forward, my voice low, coaxing, “Midnight, come on, baby, let’s go.” But she doesn’t respond. She doesn’t even flinch.
I click my tongue, the sound familiar, the same way I do when I have treats. Still, she doesn’t budge. Her amber eyes remain fixed on the low, square opening in the wall, unblinking, almost hypnotized by whatever’s beyond it.
I move closer and just as I step within arm’s reach, Midnight does something I can’t understand. She walks forward, casual and unhurried, but as she does, she disappears. My heart stops as I freeze in place, my blood turning to ice. My eyes are wide, unblinking, unable to tear themselves away from the spot where she was just standing.
I shakily walk forward and soon the black square in the wall becomes clearer with each step. I stop just in front of it, my eyes glued to the jagged edges, the darkness summoning me like a void that has no end. Without thinking, my hand reaches out, trembling as I stretch it toward the opening. The moment my fingers make contact, a chill runs up my spine, and my hand disappears into the emptiness, swallowed as if the wall itself is devouring me.
Panic surges but I drop to my knees, the cold floor rough beneath me, and I peer into the crawl space—utter blackness stretching into infinity. I know it’s irrational, that every part of me is screaming to get away from this place, but... But Midnight’s down there.
When I hear her small meow again but from somewhere inside the damn hole, I quickly rub the tears off my cheeks, and I start to inch forward.
Fuck, I must be out of my damn mind.
As soon as one of my arms enters, something suddenly clamps around my wrist, yanking me forward with brutal force. A petrified scream tears from my throat, reverberating in the suffocating darkness. I’m dragged violently through the pitch-black, claustrophobic tunnel, my nails clawing desperately at the rough surface in a useless attempt to slow the relentless pull.
Then, just as quick as it began, I’m released and my body collapses as my heart pounds wildly, threatening to burst from my chest. I hesitate, dread coiling around my spine as I slowly lift my head, worried about what I am about to see next.
I immediately see a big room in front of me. A dimly lit space with low beams that crisscross above. The smell of old wood and dust fills the air. A wooden chair sits abandoned in the center of the room and a sagging couch lingers in the corner, the fabric worn thin. A couple of bookcases stand against the walls, their shelves overcrowded with faded books. But it’s the window that grabs my attention.
A huge, floor-to-ceiling mosaic circle window dominates the far wall, its complex design hardly visible beneath layers of newspaper scraps, taped tightly over every inch, blocking out the light.
I push up on my shaky arms and drag the rest of my body out of the narrow space. When I’m standing upright, I brush the dust from my dress while taking it all in. This place feels forgotten, hidden away in the depths of the house.
Then, a soft sound—a close jingle of Midnight’s collar.
I swiftly turn, my heart pounding in my chest staring blankly into the shadows, but just as I’m about to move forward, a large figure steps out. My breath gets stuck in my throat, and for a moment, everything goes still. His dark eyes lock onto mine, piercing and cold, his face half-covered by a hood and a ski mask.
In his arms: Midnight.
She’s calm, purring softly as he mindlessly scratches beneath her chin, but his entire focus is now on me. My legs go weak, I want to move, but I can’t. I just stand there, stiff, my watery eyes darting between Midnight and Ty, my body shouting at me to act, but my mind can’t catch up.
“Give her to me,” I demand quietly, but shakily as a tear escapes and trails down my cheek. I reach out, but he doesn’t do anything. He just continues to stare at me, as if he hadn’t heard a word I said.
“FUCKING GIVE HER TO ME!” I scream, my voice cracking with the rawness of it all, but again, he doesn’t flinch. There’s no emotion.
I glance to the black void in the wall, my only escape, but I know better. This fucker knows I won’t leave without my baby.
“What do you want?” I choke out, the realization hitting me hard—he lured me in here using her, my one weakness, the only thing that can hurt me.
I lower my head, and he takes slow steps forward, walking around me like I’m a caged animal. He stops behind me, dipping his head until his mouth is close to my ear.
“You,” he whispers, the single word hanging in the air like a dark promise and my eyes squeeze shut, dread coursing through me.
“I told you, you can’t have me.” I force the words out, lifting my chin to appear braver than I feel.
He chuckles softly, circling me like a predator sizing up his prey. “You talk as if you have a choice, Raven. But here with me? There are no fucking choices.”
I bite down on my teeth as he stops in front of me, his gaze piercing through mine. “You can’t just keep me here.”
“Oh, I can, beautiful girl,” his voice is calm, terrifyingly confident before he leans in, his face mere inches from mine, his eyes reflecting a possessive glint. “You were trying to escape me, and I can’t lose you.”
A flicker of confusion crosses my face. “Lose me? Escape you?” I whisper, searching his eyes.
He raises his hand, and I instinctively flinch, but his fingers tighten in the back of my neck, pulling me close, forcing my face dangerously near his.
“Don’t worry, Kitten. I’ll take care of you.”
