25. I see monsters in my bed. I’ve got screws loose in my head…
25
I see monsters in my bed. I’ve got screws loose in my head…
Moth
T he music continued to pulsate around us, a wild and discordant melody that seemed to mock my plight. The partygoers carried on, blissfully unaware of the battle raging in our small corner of the world. He pulled me along, gently swaying to the melody as we weaved through the crowd. Along the wall at the back of the ballroom, there was a single door beside the stage. Firmly yet gently, he pulled me toward the doors, and with a final look over his shoulder to be sure no one followed us, he threw the door open and led me through it. reaching over to snatch one of the LED candles as the doors slid shut behind us.
Through the door, the ambiance changed drastically. No longer were we in the crowded, vibrant ballroom, but instead in a long, dimly lit hallway. He pulled me gently along, gripping me tightly enough to assure me he had no intention of letting me go but also giving me a small reprieve from his heavy presence. My heart raced as I wondered what he had planned next .
The hallway seemed to stretch on for miles, but eventually, we reached a set of double doors at its end. They were black, made of heavy, ornate wood, adorned with iron handles and hinges. The wolf mask, still over his eyes, gestured for me to go first, and I did so, pushing the door open.
I knew where this set of doors led—it led to the three flights of spiral stairs that climbed all the way to the very top of the clock tower.
Why was he taking me there?
As I stepped through the doorway and onto the first step of the spiral staircase, a new emotion bubbled inside of me.
It was excitement or something like that. I wanted this, didn’t I?
Well, if I was ever questioning it before, I wasn’t now. I was batshit insane.
I remembered the things he’d said on the phone last night, and a heavy weight dropped deep down into my belly.
With each step, the air grew colder, and the silence grew heavier, as if the very walls were closing in on us. I could feel his hot breath on my neck, and I knew he was waiting for the moment to strike. The darkness enveloped us, the only light coming from the flickering glow of the candle in his hand. He climbed the staircase quietly, the only sound coming from my heels and my shaking breaths.
As we climbed higher and higher, each new landing shed more and more light from the moon glowing over our heads. In the shadows, behind his mask, he seemed more like a predator than he ever had before, his eyes glinting with a hunger that only grew stronger with every step we took .
We emerged into the tower’s observation deck, illuminated by the moonlight that seeped through the warped glass panes. I looked out onto the city, my chest rising and falling with every bated breath I took.
His grip tightened around my waist as he pulled me close to him, the warmth of his body a stark contrast to the biting bitterness of the night air—a sign that fall was coming quickly.
“Who are you, really?”
I couldn’t fight the question as it slipped from my lips, my voice a shaking whisper. This place, so high above the city streets, felt truly isolated. It was just us, and the towering shadows that bent and swayed all around us.
His eyes met mine, and I could see the flicker of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
“Does it matter?”
“Of course, it matters,” I said, my courage rising so high in my throat that it threatened to strangle me.
“You’ll find out soon.”
“When?”
He stayed quiet, but the arms around my waist pulled me closer. He bent, his lips finding the crook between my neck and my shoulder, leaving a trail of heated kisses in their wake, scorching my bare flesh and pulling a violent shiver out of me.
“Soon,” he whispered, his voice vibrating through me. “Just wait and see.”
The scrape of his teeth against my flesh sent a jolt through me, and I turned, eyes wide in the darkness, as I stared into the eyes behind the mask .
Those eyes had a deep sort of familiarity that I couldn’t shake. I felt safe with him, even if I knew I shouldn’t.
Despite everything I had been taught about the dangers of trusting strangers, I couldn’t deny that I felt a pull towards him. It was almost as if something deep and buried in the back of my mind recognized him, even if the front of my brain didn’t.
He pulled me into a deep, searing kiss, his tongue slipping past my lips and exploring my mouth. I could taste champagne and secrets, the tang of the unknown hidden beneath. I lost myself in the taste of him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down to me. His hand traced along my cheek, the touch gentle yet somehow firm. His other hand slid along the length of my back, tracing feather-light trails along my spine until I shuddered.
When he pulled back, breaking the kiss, I whined, the sound low and mourning in the close confines of the clock tower.
“What’s the matter, Little Moth?” he mocked me, his lips curved into a smile. His hands threaded down the length of my body until they hooked beneath my thighs and pulled me up, entwining my legs around his waist. He pinned me to the wall between the windows, holding me there. He leaned in, his fist wrapped in my hair, pulling my head back to expose my neck. I hesitated for a moment, then felt his teeth close around my skin, just a whisper of a bite. It was sharp, sudden pain followed by a rush of pleasure, and I moaned, arching my back as I felt his mark rising against my skin.
“I-I don’t know,” I groaned, shuddering as his teeth grazed my flesh for a second time. “I-I’m so confused, and so… ah, f-fuck! My… My mind is telling me I should be s-scared, and my body is telling me to g-give you everything. ”
“Give in to your body,” he whispered. I could hear the sound of him sucking and biting, bringing me to the crashing crescendo of pain before his tongue came behind it, licking and sucking and soothing the skin back into a scarlet anger that throbbed but sang at the same time. “Give in to me.”
“B-but, I don’t thi—”
He cut me off with another kiss, his tongue forced deep into my mouth. I was drowning in him, lost in the heat that ebbed and flowed from him like ocean waves. But then, he pulled back, leaving me breathless and wanting more.
I couldn’t fight this feeling anymore—something drawing us together, something that seemed to resonate between us.
My mind was reeling, trying to make sense of what was happening, but my body had other ideas. It was a fire that burned within me, a need that was both all-consuming and terrifying.
He laughed, low in his throat, and something within me broke wide open, shattered on the ground at his feet.
Fine, I was crazy. I was stupid, insane, and absolutely out of my mind.
Whatever you wanted to call it, I didn’t care. I needed him in a way I had never needed anyone before, and I couldn’t deny it anymore.
“F-fuck! Yes! Yes, please. Please take me. Fuck! I’ll do anything!”
He chuckled softly, the sound rumbling from his chest and traveling up my spine, sending shivers through me. In one swift movement, he pinned my arms above my head, trapping me against the rough stone wall. He towered over me, even resting on the windowsill as I was. Even if I wanted to, there was no way I’d be getting away from him.
I was trapped, and I liked it.
He pushed against me. I felt his erection press against my thigh, hard and insistent, and I couldn’t help but arch into him, seeking his touch. I twisted until I could free my hands from his grasp, and when I was free, my fingers snaked between us, grabbing for his belt, shaking and fumbling as I struggled to get it open. Once it was, my fingers found his zipper and tore it down with a metallic hiss.
“You have no idea what you’re asking for,” he chuckled against my ear.
He smiled against my skin, and then he was moving, his hands grasping at my thighs and then gathering the skirt of my dress and pulling it back, exposing my stockings and the black lace panties above them. He pulled until my skirt hiked above my belly button, and held it there, leaving me exposed and bare for him. Impatient fingers grabbed my panties and pulled hard, tearing them away in one quick pull that had me gasping, my fingers digging into the muscles that framed either side of his neck. I watched him stuff the tattered lace into his pocket, and a grin split my lips.
He captured my mouth again, and the next thing I knew, I felt his fingers inside me, pressing against that bundle of nerves that had me shaking and shuddering within seconds.
Fuck, how did he do that? How did he know exactly where—
Then he was pushing deeper, driving into me until I felt the grate of his knuckles against my entrance, and I groaned, pulling away from him to gasp for air .
“O-ow! That’s t-too much, I can’t—”
“Just hang on. Almost there.”
“What are you—?”
I felt a sudden ache, something that cramped deep inside me, and I gasped, my hands balling into fists as I pushed against him. His other hand came up, pressing against my pelvic bone, his body pressed against my thighs to keep me there. I looked up, his brown eyes boring into mine as the ache in me intensified and became a sharp, sudden pain and intense, building pressure.
“What are you doing?!” I ground out through gritted teeth, still pushing against him, but fighting was useless. He was so strong.
“Almost there,” he rasped. “Just breathe.”
The pain reached a fever pitch, and just as I opened my mouth to scream, it fell away, and I slumped against him, sweat dotting my brow.
“Good girl,” he rasped, his voice pouring over me like warm honey. “Now that that’s been taken care of.”
Shivering, I looked up as I fought to catch my breath, and what I saw left me breathless all over again. The hand inside me had fallen away, and he held it between us, something small and unmistakable dangling from a string between his fingers.
My IUD.
“B-but, I-I—”
He silenced me with a kiss, deep and soothing.
Pushing me roughly against the cold glass, he entered me with a fluid motion that pulled all the breath left from my lungs. It hurt—a sudden tautness between my hips that had me grinding my teeth, the muscles at the corners of my jaw tightening and popping. It was heavy and hot and pulsing, and I could feel every thickened inch.
He was right.
Fuck, he was right . It was bigger than the toy.
Almost too big.
He pushed against me until his hips fell flush with my thighs, and his hands circled my waist, pinning me to his body.
“That’s it, baby. Just breathe.” His hand fell across my cheek, stroking down to my jaw, where two fingers dipped beneath my chin and pulled my eyes up to his. “You can take it. That’s my girl.”
I shifted my hips, first one, and then the other, adjusting to his girth. I forced myself to breathe, slowly in and out, and I felt my muscles relax. He began to move, with shallow thrusts that were soft yet fiery all at once.
I wrapped my arms around the back of his neck and pulled him closer, my fingertips wrapping around the fabric of his hood and pulling it down. He tensed, but allowed me, his hips quickening until my breath caught in my throat and my head fell back, rapping against the windows as I gave in to him. My legs entwined around his waist, clinging on to him as my fingers raced up the nape of his neck and dug into the soft, velvety hair at the back of his head.
I was lost in that moment, entranced by the pendulum of his lust.
“F-fuck, please. H-harder.”
His thrusts deepened, more and more intense with every passing second. My body responded to his command, craving every touch and every sensation.
“Eyes on me, come on. I wanna see your eyes. ”
I did as I was told, looking up at him. His eyes caught mine, and I suddenly couldn’t catch my breath.
Fuck, how did he do this to me when I didn’t even know who was behind that mask?
I whimpered, my nails raking down his scalp, and he angled deeper, hitting a spot inside me that felt like it would set me ablaze. I was on fire, my skin sizzling and my insides burning, and I loved it. I loved every part of it.
Why had I ever fought this?
“Please, more, faster,” I begged, my voice hoarse with desperation. He obliged, his hips pounding into me with a fervor that left me dizzy with need.
My core tightened, the anticipation culminating in a burst of energy that threatened to shatter me into a thousand pieces. I clung to him, my nails biting into his skin, and he growled against me, his hands sliding down and gripping my thighs so tight that I knew I would bruise later.
Fuck, let it bruise. I wanted to wear his bruises like a badge of honor.
“Cum for me, baby,” he groaned, his voice husky and low. “Let me feel you cum all over this cock, Little Moth. Just like you said. Remember?”
One hand fell away, dipping between my legs and finding my clit, rolling in tight circles and leaving a trail of fire behind. He slammed against me, over and over again, our hips connecting so hard that the lewd slap of flesh striking flesh echoed through the confined space .
I gasped, waves of pleasure washing over me and threatening to pull me under. I arched against him, my nails digging into the back of his neck as I let out a gasping scream. My excitement washed over him, dripping down the curve of my ass and smearing across the windowsill until I was slipping in it, sliding against the wood.
He groaned, his hips pistoning faster, chasing the same release, and I could feel the tightness in his movements growing, building to the same crescendo I’d just reached. His thrusts became shallow and uneven, and the soft intake of breath told me he was close.
Awareness flickered back, and I could feel the cold shock of the glass pressed against my back and the sick dread coiling in my stomach. Realization slammed into me and my palms found the planes of his chest, pushing against him.
“Don’t!” I cried out, my voice hoarse and my lips quivering. “D-don’t cum inside me! I-I’m not—”
He thrust one last time, his cock swelling, and I felt the hot flood of his seed as he exploded within me. I felt his shaft jerk and pulse, over and over again, and he leaned into me, forcing it as deep as he could go, his dark eyes burning into mine.
“Too late,” he purred, fingers digging into my hips. “I’m gonna fuck a baby into you, Vanessa. I’m gonna make you mine forever.”
He smiled, a cruel twist of his lips that left me feeling hollow.
“I’ll take care of you, Little Moth. Don’t worry.” He kissed me, hard, clutching me against him. He pulled away from the window, swaying, his hands shaking as he clung to me. Without warning, he dropped to his knees, still holding onto me. “You’re gonna be such a good mommy. ”
He bent with me, forcing me to the floor, the hard wooden boards digging into my spine as he laid me down, rolling his hips against me and pinning me there. His hands dipped beneath my pelvis, bending me at the waist, still buried deep inside me. And he stayed there, lying against me as he fought to catch his breath.
“Lay still, pretty girl,” he said, gently stroking my cheek as he stared down at me. There was something so passionate about the way he looked at me, but his words had my gut stirring with horror. “We wouldn’t want it to go to waste.”
I should have fought him off of me, but I couldn’t. I was too shocked to move, and I don’t know that I could have even if I had tried. He was bigger than me, and he was too strong. I couldn’t fight him.
A lump formed in my throat, and I knew then that my life would never be the same.
My mind flashed back to the IUD dangling between his fingers. How had he even known it was there?
My thoughts raced, confused, and conflicted. I’d given in to him. I’d enjoyed his possession, but now I was faced with the consequences of my actions.
I stared at him, tears welling in my eyes. The moonlight slid across the patent leather mask, the long, curved fangs tossing shadows that undulated across his throat when he swallowed. With or without the mask, I was looking into the eyes of a predator.
Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?
I am, I am.
“Good girl,” he said, slowly pulling his knees beneath him. I felt him slip out of me, the thick drips of our combined fluids flooding out of me, running down the curve of my ass and pooling on the cold floor.
Leaning over me, he kissed me again, gently this time—lovingly.
When he pulled away, he hurried down the stairs, leaving me cold and alone. I heard the door at the bottom of the stairs pull open and then glide shut.
I was alone.
I gazed up at the clock, its hands frozen in time, and wondered if this was the moment my life changed forever. The numbers were backward, meant to face the town, but I could still see them as they glowed in the full moon’s light. It was midnight.
I felt numb, the reality of what had happened slowly sinking in.
I was stupid. So fucking stupid.
I’d come here to take his mask, and he’d given me something else entirely.
How the fuck was I going to explain this to Amelia?