1. - – Sera
CHAPTER ONE
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SERA
The first thing I register is a sound. A soft hiss, like air being pushed through vents.
My eyes flutter open, still blurred. I try to move, but my limbs feel like lead.
A pounding builds at the base of my skull, and I slam my eyes shut again to try and dull it.
When I finally reopen them, I take in my surroundings.
The room is dim with red lights faintly glowing like exit signs leading to hell.
I try to stand up, but I’m yanked back down.
My back slams into the wall behind me hard.
My eyes dart up as thick leather cuffs circle my wrist, locking me in place.
I’m tethered. Restrained. A collar of panic begins to tighten around my throat.
I yank harder against the cuffs, my breath coming in faster, my skin dampening with fear.
A shadow moves across the room, and my body freezes.
A voice breaks through the air, calm and amused.
“Oh, good,” it says. “You’re finally awake.”
I twist towards the sound as a man steps into the light like a wolf emerging from the trees. He’s dressed in all black and makes no attempt to hide his identity. Rather, he looked proud for me to see him.
“Where am I?” I rasp, each word scraping at my throat.
“You don’t remember, do you?” he asks, casually leaning against the wall.
Then it hits me. The alley. The stinging. The man. I recoil in horror as the memory slams into me, and a smirk curls at his lips.
“Ah,” he says, “you do remember.”
“Let me go,” I whisper. “Right now.”
He tilts his head. “But you look so pretty like this, Sera.”
My name on his lips makes my stomach twist. My blood runs cold in my veins.
“Aw, cat got your tongue?”
“You’re insane. A monster.”
“Maybe.” He shrugs, stepping closer. Close enough that I can feel the shift in the air between us. “But that’s not what matters, little captive. What matters now is you’re mine.”
The word echoes. Mine.
“I’m not yours.” I hissed.
He smiles, one you see in nightmares. “Not yet.”
“Go to hell.”
He clicks his tongue. “Pretty girls shouldn’t say such bad words.”
Without any warning, he yanks the chain attached to my cuffs. I yelp as the leather bites into my wrist. His hand slides into my hair, wrapping around the base of my skull. My mouth falls open in a silent cry as he forces my chin up. His eyes burn into mine.
“That was your first mistake, little captive.”
He keeps a firm grip on my hair, his other hand trailing down my body, stopping at every inch of exposed skin. Tears prick at my eyes as he licks his lips.
“You’ll make a better project than I thought.”
“Fuck you.”
His fingers yank harder, the pain sharp and hot at my roots.
“That was mistake number two.”
He releases me abruptly as I collapse to the dirt-covered floor, my arms wrenched upwards by the restraints. He turns and walks to the door.
“I’ll give you a few minutes to think about whether you want your first day to be easy…” he says as his hand touches the knob. “...or hard.”
The door slams behind him as the lock clicks. Then I break. I scream until my throat is raw. Tears streak down my face as I curl into myself, rocking back and forth, whispering over and over through cracked lips: “You’re okay. You’re okay.” And God, I hope I was.