Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
ATOM
T his is the day when all of my dreams come true. When my life slots into place and counts for something. I am building an empire and require a queen to sit by my side and there is no one more qualified than the woman clinging onto me for all her life is worth.
It drags a smile to my lips as I speed through the streets, the bandana now covering my mouth against the wind and the flies, her head burrowed against my back. The shades are required and enable me to ride faster, and I wasn’t kidding when I told her I would take her on the ride of her life. I intend to.
We leave the town behind and head out into the open countryside, and I have only one place in mind.
It takes thirty minutes to get there and no car could make the journey because the narrow trails and rough terrain require careful handling.
As the house looms up before us, my heart races almost as fast as the bike because this could end badly for me, but I can’t think about that now. This has been two years in the planning and the lady holding on tightly behind me will have an interesting choice to make.
I come to a stop and she pulls away and gasps, “What is this place?”
I say nothing and turn to face her, her eyes widening at the sight of me masked by my shades and bandana. She can’t see my expression, but she hears the chill in my voice as I growl, “This place is derelict. Nobody comes here but me.”
“I don’t understand.”
I detect the nerves in her words as she shifts on the seat and I say darkly, “My intention is clear. I want you Clara Gladstone and I always get what I want, even if I must wait two years. During that time, I have thought of little else but what happens inside that derelict house.”
“What are you talking about?”
Her words are delivered in anger, which causes me to smile under the mask.
“You have a head start. Inside the house is complete darkness, with only shards of light making their way through the cracks in the rotting wood. You are the prey and I am the hunter and if I find you before the timer sounds, you are mine to claim. If you evade capture, the choice is yours and I will respect your decision.”
“I’m not playing your sick and twisted game.” She hisses and says angrily, “Take me home. I demand it.”
I fold my arms. “Thirty minutes, princess. That’s all you need and your wish will be granted. If you don’t want this, you had better be good at the game. The trouble is, I want this more than air, so use your headstart wisely because I don’t intend on losing. So, are you up for the first dose of excitement in your life, or are you just like the rest of them in this town?”
Silence is my reply as she stares with disgust at the ramshackle house and yet her chest heaves with excitement as she battles her own desires. I know she wants this. Her body betrays her words and I say nothing as she slides off the bike and stares at the house standing waiting patiently for the game to begin.
“Thirty minutes.”
Her words drift toward me on the gentle breeze as she makes her decision. She doesn’t even hesitate and takes off toward the door and I seize a moment to admire her courage as she wrenches open the door to a house that was condemned years ago.
I count down in my mind as I give her a fighting chance and yet I shift on my feet with an impatience that has been building over the years because to own a woman’s heart like Clara Gladstone’s, I must earn it the hard way.
I give her three long, excruciating minutes before I shift off the bike and set off for the house. My anticipation is threatening to trip me up because what happens when I catch her is the gift I have been waiting for.
The door creaks open and nothing but darkness greets me and the dank, musty odor of decay fills my senses. The faint rustling of vermin in the deepening shadows confuses my mind as I strain to hear where she went.
This is the Adam’s house. Many years ago, the family lived here far away from the town for a reason. They weren’t the most sociable of folks and liked to keep to themselves. They farmed the land and only ventured into the town when they had something to sell in exchange for supplies. Word was they had gold up here and one day they were paid a visit by some chancers and a battle was fought. Many bodies were found with terrifying wounds and there were no survivors. Many believed only a wild animal could inflict those wounds or something that was definitely not human, because the expressions on every slain body were of abject terror.
It became known as the cursed homestead and nobody dares to come here.
I am different.
This place is my sanctuary and the perfect place to claim what is my own pot of gold.
Clara’s innocence.
I move through the rooms, the floorboards creaking under my feet, stopping only to listen for any sign of life. I feel my way through the darker parts and the scurrying of small feet tells me she is not even close. Women like Clara Gladstone don’t belong in ruins and I’m in no doubt she wouldn’t be so silent if she was sharing the space with vermin.
My heart is beating fast with adrenalin and desire because that lady is mine and I will fight for that right.
I feel my way and leave no space unexplored as I make my way through the downstairs of the house, confident in my success, but the clock is ticking.
I don’t have long.
I will not fail.