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He flipped me onto my back, his eyes wild and crazed. He looked down at me, his gaze hungry, predatory. He was a monster, a beast, and I was his prey.

“Look at me, little bluebird,” he commanded, his voice sharp. “Look at me while I take you.”

No, no, no. I tried to turn my head, to look away, but my body wouldn’t obey. I was forced to stare into his eyes, to see the depraved desire burning in their depths.

He grabbed my thighs, his fingers digging into my flesh. He spread my legs, positioning himself between them. I could feel his rough hands on my skin.

Please, don’t do this. Please, don’t.

He thrust into me. Tears streamed down my cheeks, soaking into the pillow.

Maybe this is my punishment. I destroyed my family when I turned my father in, and now I was paying for it.

He kept moving, his body slamming against mine. He was taking what he wanted, using me for his own sick pleasure.

Please, stop. Please, please, please.

His hands were on my throat. A silent message to tell me, Don’t move. Don’t fight. I’ll crush you if you do. My legs didn’t listen anyway. Useless.

You deserve this. You were born in the dark. You turned in your own father and your mother never forgave you. You don’t belong to anyone. You’re just here to be used up by the next monster that finds you.

After a while, even the pain slowed down. Numbness. Like my brain was shuffling backwards. Hanging off the edge of myself, just watching. It wasn’t my body anymore. Just a thing for him to break.

He dug his fingers deeper into my skin. He could do whatever he wanted. I didn’t even exist. He went harder. The grunting got louder. Eyes were empty.

Malakar let out a low groan, his body shuddering against mine. He collapsed on top of me, his weight crushing me into the mattress. I could feel his heart pounding against my chest.

He lay there for a moment, his body still. Then he pushed himself up, his eyes wild and crazed. He looked down at me, his gaze hungry, predatory.

“That was good, little bluebird,” he whispered, his voice a chilling murmur. “Very good. Maybe one day I’ll let you cum.”

Good? Good? My mind screamed. This was a nightmare, a living hell, and he thought it was good?

He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. “You’re mine, little bluebird,” he said. “All mine. Don’t ever forget that. You’re not allowed to fly away from me.”

I’m not yours. I’ll never be yours. But my voice was silent, locked away in this numb body.

He stood up, his body looming over mine. He looked down at me, his gaze cold. Then he turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the dark, alone in this nightmare.

Chapter 5

Fly Away

Malakar

PAST: AGED 11

My father was a cruel, controlling monster. It became clear at a young age. He would beat my mother then lock her in the bedroom. He set rules, and if you broke those rules, he punished you.

My mother told me that he was soulless, just an empty shell of a man.

I believed her. There was nothing behind his eyes. He stared through us, like we were furniture, or stains he’d never wash out.

He kept us quiet. He liked routine. No laughing at the table. No closed doors except his. My mother was never allowed outside unless he said so. I was a dog, a shadow, a thing to be yelled at. He liked to make noise just to see us jump. He liked to see my mother cry.

She was sick in the head, but she used to sing when she thought he was gone. Only sad songs. She talked to people who weren’t there. I heard her whispering in the corners, telling them not to look at me. She’d hold my head and cry, her hands shaking. She told me I was her angel. She told me she wished she could run. But she never did.

The night it happened, I knew something was wrong. He made us sit at the table together. He never did that unless he was angry. My mother’s hands shook so bad she spilled her water. He slapped her for it, quick and hard. I didn’t flinch. I learned not to.