"Chloe, is something wrong?" He asked softly while my mouth remained agape, paralysed with monstrous fear. "You look pale all of a sudden."
I wanted to answer, I truly did, except the fright had silenced me. My airways clogged, leaving only a whistle to leak from my throat. I was a broken alarm system failing to alert my owners of the danger which breached their home.
"Chloe?" He appeared unnerved, muddled by my unsettling behaviour.
The point of the blade lightly grazed the skin under his carotid artery, causing his neck to crane toward the knife. I croaked in horror, anticipating the pool of crimson blood. However, everything happened so incredibly fast that I hadn't noticed when he did it. The photographer faced a friendly Isaac, sporting the most killer smile.
"Isaac, honey. I was just telling Chloe that you both did a fantastic job at the shoot today."
"My pleasure, James. We had a lot of fun." The corner of his lips rose to a twisted grin, his cold eyes sparkled with thrill. "Didn't we, mouse?"
Hot tears descended my cheeks with a mixture of relief and perturbation. Sure, it all seemed fine and dandy, but I was the only one who knew he hid the knife somewhere on him. This monster could slaughter us all with the flick of his wrist. I was in over my head to even think that him and I could engage on the same playing field when he was leagues above my capabilities.
"Are you okay, honey?" James attempted to soothe me, but nothing would change the fact that we're all screwed. No one can defeat a clever beast that's merely toying with its food. James patted my shoulder in concern, detecting the distress in my expression.
"Yes, she's very tired." Isaac chipped in, casually removing James' grip. "I'll take care of her."
"You, poor thing. I'll let you go home and rest." He uttered with genuine concern, then turned on his heel and shook Isaac's hand. "Make sure you look after that hardworking assistant of yours."
"Don't worry, she's in safe hands." His piercing eyes shot at me, openly admiring the horrified expression on my features. Chills painfully crawled up my spine, making my entire body shudder. James left us alone without realising a predator was with me. Isaac tilted his head, feigning worry. "What's wrong, mouse?"
I sluggishly treaded backwards as he nonchalantly stalked onward. My back had hit the dressing table, accentuating the grave reality that I was trapped between him. One hand slammed near my head, cracking the mirror into shards while he causally leaned in. His other hand's thumb delicately wiped the liquid under my eyes.
"Don't cry, love." His deceptive, velvety tone was a blend of sugar and salt.
Was this how he toyed with his prey before ruthlessly devouring them?
His fingertips lazily traced my cheeks. He stared into my eyes with false sincerity.
"Please…" I clasped his arm, pleading for him to let go. Isaac disregarded my pleas and instead gently swept his thumb across my bottom lip.
"Such a pretty mouth…" He hummed sensually, pushing down on my lip with his nail. An icy breeze nipped away at my flesh in reaction to the pure intensity of his craved stare. The covetousness gaze of a depraved fiend.
How ignorant was I to try and appeal to any shred of humanity I presumed he had? Mercifully, a frustrated Morgan barged inside, flailing her arms in the air.
"How could you dash on me like that?" She whined akin to an entitled brat. "I thought we were going to do it on the floor!"
"W-What?" I stuttered in disbelief.
He followed me immediately after I ran… He was lurking here this whole time. I probably shouldn't have said anything, because Morgan's attention was now on me. Her eyes squinted at the undergarments I was wearing and the close proximity between Isaac and I. It didn't even register in my mind that the towel had been discarded during my panic attack.
"Are you trying to seduce him, you bitch?!" She snarled maliciously with her claws aimed at me. "Is that why you came running to her?" She feebly shoved Isaac, rendering me anxious that he'd get provoked.
I wanted to warn her but decided against it. Isaac rolled his eyes, unimpressed by her bratty tantrum. Surprisingly, he seemed calm and didn't budge each time she pushed him. Perhaps her attempts were so weak that he wasn't bothered by it. She soon reverted her anger to me, causing Isaac to peak with amusement.
"You think doing a few poses makes you a model now?" She spat vindictively. "You're nothing but a try-hard slut!"
Okay, she was truly getting on my nerves. What irked me most was the fact that Isaac enjoyed this heated altercation as though it was some sort of simulation for him. Were we mere puppets in a show striving to entertain him?
"Girls as ugly as you can't even imagine drawing the attention of men like Isaac," she continued to jeer, invoking the vein in my temple to throb. "You're not close to my league, let alone his!"
"If that was true, then he wouldn't have left you for me," I gritted, earning an intrigued smirk from Isaac. My anger satisfied him. No, it exhilarated him.
"What the hell did you say to me?!" Morgan raged, trying to grab my hair over Isaac's solid build. He didn't stop her attempts, though just shielded me from her attacks.
"I don't have the time, nor energy, for this." I quickly retrieved my clothes on the dressing table and retreated into the bathroom much to Isaac's disgruntlement.
The faint sounds of bickering could be heard, mainly of Morgan going on a meaningless tangent. I focused on channelling out the obstructive noise.
How idiotic was I to think Isaac would actually harm someone in broad daylight and around so many people? He was toying with my mind and I fed into his childish games. The man had to be a sociopath in the least. I've never felt this trapped, suffocated and scared being in the presence of a beastly creature. His relentless torment was enough to drive anyone to the brink of insanity.
I lethargically slipped on my top and pants, finally returning to my comfort zone.
There's no excitement in returning to that hellhole with the devil himself, and now I have to deal with a she-demon too. Nevertheless, I had to toughen it out.
I turned the knob but paused when I heard sounds of kissing.
Don't tell me he planned to have me imprisoned in the bathroom while they get it on? Seriously. How despicable could he be?!
I was about to close the door, howbeit the pucker noise converted to chocking.
Are they doing some kinky shit, or was he strangulating her to death?
I conflicted, unable to discern what the right action would be. My resolve was instantaneously made up as soon as a shrill scream emitted outside the bathroom.
I swung the door open in a trepidation, only to see Morgan's face gradually turning red. Isaac was nowhere near her. He stood at the dressing table where I had last been.
"What the hell happened here?" I shouted, but he smirked in response and gestured with his eyes to Morgan. Her tongue was swollen as she began wheezing. "What did you do to her?!"
I hit his chest repeatedly, yet it hadn't even nudged him. I was wasting my strength and time on him. A woman was dying in front and I didn't know what to do. I ran to Morgan's aid the moment she collapsed on the floor. Her skin was turning purple while she gasped for any ounce of breath to fill her lungs.
"I did nothing to her," He muttered behind, sounding very unconvincing. "It was the peanut allergy," he stated phlegmatically.
"You fucking fed her peanuts?!" He shrugged, indifferently. The lack of empathy radiating from him was astonishing. "We have to help her!"
I began performing CPR on her in hopes it would prolong her life until an ambulance arrived. The vibration in her pocket alerted me to a phone. I instinctively snatched it and started dialling the emergency contact. My arm was yanked up and in the grasp of a very displeased Isaac.
"We need to leave now, or people will question us." I violently jerked my arm away from his grip and attended to Morgan. "Don't make me use force."
"Fuck off!" I growled in frustration, suppressing the urge to attack him.
"There will be consequences," he barked viciously, seething through ground teeth. "A darker and deeper Hell where no one can save you."
"I'm already fucking living it. Get the fuck out!" I redialled the emergency services and urgently requested for an ambulance.
Isaac disappeared during that time as I resumed performing CPR, constantly praying that Morgan would survive this. The paramedics were fast and injected her with something before wheeling her inside their van. She was breathing at least, they had her on an oxygen mask.
I think I saved her. I actually did it... I stopped him from killing someone else!
Realising that this was my chance to escape, I sprinted out of the building and headed for a nearby store to call the police.
I could have easily told the paramedics about my situation with Isaac, but Morgan needed the attention more than I did. I couldn't get them distracted for even a second. I could have also told one of the staff or James about Isaac, but I didn't want to risk them assuming it was all an act or gimmick.
I almost made it out of the car park until my hair was wrenched by a strong hand.