Todays song is one of my personal favorite - Something Blue by Voila - ENJOYLife's funny, isn't it?
One minute I'm getting kidnapped, the next, I'm spilling my deepest secret to a psycho who seems to enjoy tormenting me.
And now? Now, I'm sitting on his couch, and we're just... staring at each other."So, um... now that you know, why don't you just—"
I don't even finish before he cuts me off
."No." His voice is low, a dangerous growl."Rude," I mutter under my breath, but loud enough for him to hear.Frustration simmers inside me. "So what exactly am I good for, then? You're not getting that thing back, so there's no point in keeping me here."
His eyes flick over me, slowly, making my skin prickle. He doesn't answer right away, just studies me like he's deciding whether I'm worth the trouble.
Finally, his gaze locks on mine, and I can't help but look away."I'll figure out what to do with you," he says, voice steady, but it feels like a threat.
"In the meantime..." He steps closer, forcing me to look back at him as his hand grips my chin, tilting my face toward his. "Don't try to escape again. I'd hate to kill you before I've had a taste of those pretty lips."His teasing smile ignites something inside me—something I don't want to acknowledge.
My body betrays me, warmth flooding my cheeks as heat rises beneath my skin."I'm not stupid, princess. I see the way you look at me," he says, a twisted amusement in his tone.
"But let me give you some advice. You better stop."I want to say something, to push back, but I can't. The words stick in my throat."Now, let's make one thing clear," he continues, his voice sharp. "No matter how many times you try, you'll never escape me. You're predictable, princess. It's almost pathetic."His mocking grin sends a wave of anger through me. I clench my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. "If you don't want me to try, maybe you should TRY being nice for once."
"I don't do nice," he replies, his expression darkening. "I'm not built that way."
I scoff. "You should try it sometime. Whatever looks you've got going for you, you lose them with your shitty attitude."He doesn't even glance my way. "Do I look like I care?"I roll my eyes, feeling the tension tightening around us. "Fine. If I'm stuck here as your 'captive,' the least you could do is tell me your name. Or is that too much to ask?"
I've been wanting to ask for a while, but somehow, it never felt right. Maybe now it's time.His gaze finally locks onto mine after what feels like forever.
Silence stretches between us, and I suddenly regret asking his name. It seems like such a stupid thing to care about now."Alex," he says."Huh?"
I blink, surprised at how calmly he answered."Alex Winslow," he repeats, more slowly this time.
"Oh... okay then. Um, I guess you already know my name, so..." I stutter, feeling the embarrassment creep in.
"I'll, uh, just head to my room."I turn, fully intending to make a quick exit, but—"The other way, princess."
His voice stops me cold.I spin in the right direction, brushing past him, cheeks burning.
"Yeah, I knew that," I mumble, practically running away from him.Finally, I reach what I guess is my new room. It's large and grand, with intricate carvings etched into the furniture—words in some strange language I don't recognize.
Odd, considering I'm fluent in nine languages: Russian, German, Italian, English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Turkish, and a bit of Arabic. Yet, this script? Completely foreign to me.I collapse onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, letting my thoughts wander to the castle. To my friends.
Are they looking for me? Do they even care? It's been nearly a week. Surely, someone must have noticed I'm missing by now."Stop," I whisper to myself, shaking my head.
"If I keep thinking like this, I'll lose it."I sit up, restless, and start pacing around the room. There has to be something—anything—to distract me.
But after a minute of aimlessly wandering, an idea hits me.
Maybe I could go outside, to the garden. Not like I'm going to try escaping again—not that way, at least.
I may be trapped, but I can still take in some fresh air, right?I open the door, scanning the hall for any sign of Alex. Nothing. That's strange. Aside from a few maids earlier and the ones at dinner, I haven't seen anyone else. Not even guards.
The castle feels oddly deserted, especially considering how big it is.The light outside is dim, the kind of eerie blue that comes just after sunset. It must be late.
The castle's dark and shadowed, the heavy, old decor making everything feel even more oppressive. Each step echoes, sending chills up my spine.As I reach the grand staircase, I stop and look around. The silence is deafening, the kind that makes you feel like you're being watched.
Goosebumps rise on my arms, and I close my eyes for a moment, just to steady myself.Then I see it.
Shit.
A huge figure looms ahead of me, its form shifting in the shadows.
Three heads—three heads!—stare back at me.
I stumble back, my heart racing."I'm not trying anything!" I blurt out, my voice shaky.The creature steps closer.
At first, I think it's Alex, but no—it's bigger. Much bigger. And that makes it even scarier. I don't know who—or what—it is, but the fear is paralyzing.
It charges at me, and I freeze. My body refuses to move, so I drop to the floor, covering my face with my arms. I brace myself for the impact,
but...Nothing happens.Sniff, sniff.What the...?
I crack my eyes open and spot the figure.
It's the same damn dog that blocked my way when I tried to escape.
A Cerberus.
I tilt my head back a little to get a good look, and then I start laughing.
"Hell, you scared the crap out of me!" I hug myself, trying to shake off the weird ticklish feeling from where his nose brushed against me.
After a few seconds of sniffing me like I'm some kind of curiosity, the dog pulls back, fixing me with a gaze as cold as his master's.
"Don't look at me like that. I told you, I'm not trying to escape." I frown at the giant creature.He leans in closer, clearly seeking attention.
I can't help but soften—no matter how much of a hellhound he is, I have a weakness for animals.
Even if this one ruined my only shot at getting away, I can't stay mad for long.
"Fine," I mutter, patting his head.
He leans in harder, practically demanding more."Oh, look at you now, huh? Begging for attention after making me look like a fool.
" I scratch his fur, and he gives me this look—those puppy eyes that make my heart melt."Don't give me that face. It's true!"
I laugh as he nudges me, his fur warm under my fingers."How can you be this sweet with such a jerk for an owner?" I giggle when his rough tongue swipes over my forehead. "What's your name, big guy?" I search for a collar, but there's nothing. "No name, huh?""Well, let's fix that.
How about... Scott?" His face is an obvious no. "Okay, tough crowd. How about... Booth?"There's silence for a moment, and then his expression shifts as if he's agreeing.
I grin. "Alright, Booth it is." I give him a gentle pat.We walk for a few minutes, Booth staying close as we finally make our way to the garden. Before we step outside, Booth gives me a warning look, one that clearly says, Don't even think about it.
He reminds me a little too much of Alex in that moment."I won't, promise."
I wasn't stupid enough to try anything—not yet, at least.
The garden is full of a variety of flowers, each more beautiful than the last. I hadn't been able to admire them up close before, but now, in the pale light, they're almost otherworldly. Some even glow softly in the dim surroundings.Wandering through the blooms, one flower in particular catches my eye.
"No... way."
A Night Queen.I've only ever read about them in books.
Seeing one in real life? It's breathtaking.
This flower only grows in Cerberus territory, a rare bloom symbolizing the beauty and transience of life.
Even the darkest places hold beauty, even if most people can't see it.
But I've never been afraid of the dark.
I lean forward, admiring the flower, Booth standing behind me."It's beautiful, isn't it?" I say softly, my hand hovering near the delicate petals.
Booth leans in, sniffing the flower curiously.A burst of pollen makes Booth sneeze, and I laugh. His expression is so comically exaggerated, I can't help but find it cute."Careful, Booth! Maybe try not to sniff it so hard next time."
I laugh a little more as we continue exploring the garden.But as we walk, something catches my eye—a light. The whole castle is dark, yet through a small crystal window, I see movement in one room. I squint, trying to make out what's happening.I take a few steps forward, my view becoming clearer, and then—Oh god.
My stomach churns.
There's a man tied up, suspended from the ceiling. His stomach is ripped open, blood pooling beneath him, flowing in gruesome waves.
His mouth moves, but I can't hear anything.
The silent screams twist my gut into knots. Just as I'm about to look away, another figure steps into view.
Alex.
He stood there, a black, long but thin knife in his hand. A few words slipped from his mouth before he stabbed the man in the throat, leaving the blade embedded in his flesh. I don't know when, but tears began to fall from my eyes.
A sickening sensation churned in my stomach, the urge to throw up rising fast.I glanced at Alex, and what I saw terrified me more than anything else.
He was laughing—his face twisted in a maniacal expression, though no sound escaped his lips. The bastard was enjoying it.Then, just for a split second, the laughter stopped. His head turned slightly, his eyes finding mine. My blood froze. I'd never felt this kind of terror before.
Our eyes locked, his expression utterly blank, colder than I'd ever seen. A small, twisted smile curled at the edge of his mouth.And then, I noticed it—a small, white spider crawling over his face, its eyes as red as the blood staining his clothes.
My legs trembled, desperate to run, but my body refused to move. I was trapped, as if under a spell. The tears stopped, replaced by an unbearable heat that spread through my body like molten lava.He just stood there, staring, unmoving, watching me as if I were his prey.
Then, the pain hit—sharp, familiar, and agonizing.
FUCK!
He was in my head.I took two stumbling steps back, my leg catching on one of the thorny flowers, slicing through my skin.
Run, princess...
His voice echoed in my mind, sending a jolt of fear through me.Without thinking, my legs took over, sprinting. I glanced back—he was gone.
No.
I rushed inside, my heart pounding in my chest, but the entire castle was plunged into darkness.
Not a single light. Nothing. I kept running until I reached my room, my hand fumbling for the door handle.
Just as I was about to slip inside, a hand clamped around my wrist, yanking me backward."NO! STOP, PLEASE!" I screamed, tears spilling down my cheeks again.
"Hey, hey—"But I kept screaming, panicked, until suddenly, his lips crashed against mine, silencing me. My eyes widened in shock, and I tried to push him away, but his strength far outweighed mine. His hands gripped my throat, cutting off my breath. The foul stench of blood filled my nose, making me gag. His other hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer, too close.I fought—desperate—but nothing I did made him stop.
I bit down on his lip as hard as I could, and finally, he let go. I gasped for air, coughing and shaking.
"Son of a bitch," he growled, touching his bleeding lip.I scrambled to open the door, but before I could shut it, he slammed it back open, the force knocking me onto the floor."Alex, please, stop," I begged, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I told you not to try and escape, little princess," he growled, his voice as deep and menacing as ever."I wasn't... I wasn't trying..." My throat constricted as his hands wrapped around it again.
you?""Y-Yes..." I choked out, barely able to breathe."Fuck, princess, you smell so good." He leaned in, inhaling deeply near my neck, sending a shudder through me."Alex, please... stop. I don't want this," I pleaded, my voice trembling."You don't want this?" His voice was low, dangerous, filled with a dark hunger.One of his hands slid down to my waist, fingers curling possessively.
"Alex, no... please." I begged, tears streaming down my face. "Please, don't."He ignored me, his hand moving lower, his touch burning my skin."You're so cute when you beg, princess," he whispered darkly.
His hand traveled over my lower stomach, and I tried to fight him off, but I was powerless against him."I'll make you feel good, princess..." His voice was a sick promise."No... please don't... Alex, I'm begging you."My sobs filled the room, and then suddenly—he stopped.His hands flew away from me, as if I'd burned him. He stood there, staring down at me, his expression shifting.
"Fuck, princess... I... shit, I'm—" He didn't finish. He just disappeared.I was left alone on the floor, the only sound my broken sobbing, while the darkness of the room swallowed me whole
My sobs wouldn't stop.
I broke down completely, curling up on the bed. Sleep seemed impossible, but I locked the door anyway. It wouldn't make much difference—if he wanted to, he could break it down in an instant. But psychologically, it gave me a sliver of comfort, a tiny sense of control in a world where everything had spiraled out of it.I had never been this terrified.
Never felt anything close to the cold fear that now lived in my bones.I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to slow my breathing, but all I could see were his eyes—green, but earlier... they had been black, as dark as the night itself.It wasn't him... was it? Or was it?I didn't know.
I was too terrified to make sense of it. What made him stop? Why didn't he finish what he started?
Questions swirled in my mind, each one more confusing than the last, until finally, exhaustion claimed me, and I fell asleep, even as the sun began to rise.But then came the dream.
Cries. Screaming. Whimpering.My eyes opened, but I couldn't move. I wasn't awake—this was something else.
I was in a dark, cold room.
On the floor, a small child lay half-naked, his tiny body bruised and beaten, defenseless against the nightmare unfolding around him.
In the back of the room stood a woman, her face shrouded in shadows, holding a whip slick with blood.
Her eyes were empty, and her hand rose high, bringing the weapon down onto the boy's back again and again, each lash cutting into his flesh until it bled.
The child's screams filled the air, raw and agonized, tearing through me.
I could feel every strike like it was happening to me. His pain, his fear—each cry broke me a little more, until I was sobbing uncontrollably.
I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't stop it.