22. Ember
Ember
My knee wouldn’t stop bouncing now that I was back at home.
Three hours was all it took me to decide that I’d rather be home with the others than freak out by myself.
I’d wandered around for a while, thinking I was hearing things, thinking he would show up around any corner—I just couldn’t function like that.
Being here didn’t take the fear away completely, especially because I knew he could see me, but at least it was a little bit better.
My plan was to stay away from my room, and my phone, which meant right now, I was sitting at my kitchen counter staring at nothing.
The silence was uncomfortable, but I knew it would take one simple thing for him to find me.
The only thing stopping me from freaking out completely was knowing that right now, Kinsley and Bodhi were here with me.
When I came back, I found them secluded in their bedroom, where they were watching a movie with the volume maxed out like their own personal movie theatre.
It was a typical occurrence, a method I assumed was used to cover up other sounds they were making.
I’d decided to soothe myself by pulling out some ice cream from the freezer, when the movie paused and their door opened from down the hall.
I set the tub of cookies and cream on the counter and shuffled across the kitchen, making as much noise as I could to alert them that they were not alone.
The last thing I needed right now was to see either of them naked.
The sound of footsteps continued, and then someone entered the kitchen.
Peering around the door, I smiled at the sight of Bodhi, who was holding up his hand to block the light.
“Em?” he asked, his hair going in every direction. “You good?”
“Yup,” I replied, closing the door with a spoon already in my mouth. “Just couldn’t sleep.” Turning my body, I pulled a small bowl down from the cupboard.
Yawning, he scratched his head and stretched out his back. When his shoulders settled, he let out a short sigh. “Yeah, okay. Want some chai to help?”
I smiled at him with a mouthful of ice cream as Kinsley stepped in, a light blanket the only thing wrapped around her body. “Hey Bo—” She laughed when she saw me, tightening the sheet. “Sorry girl, I just needed some water.”
I waved the spoon at her and took another bite. “S’all good,” I managed to get out with a mouthful of ice cream.
She moved next to me and wrapped one arm around me, giving me a side hug.
“Love you, Em.” Then she walked over to Bodhi who was standing at the fridge and kissed his bicep before smacking his butt.
“You have five minutes to recharge.” Bodhi laughed as he glanced down, watching her as she stocked her arms with water bottles.
After another moment, he shook his head and pulled the jug from a shelf.
Once Kinsley was back in the room, there was no more talking. There was only the sound of shuffled feet, and then liquid being poured. The cabinet doors opened as he grabbed some extra ingredients and pretty soon the smell surrounded us.
Within minutes, he set the mug near my hands and gave a small nudge to my shoulder. “You know,” he said, leaning back against the counter, “you’ve got all of us. Always.”
I finished my last bite of the frozen treat and looked at him. “I know,” I said quietly.
He tapped my back in comfort and turned toward his bedroom. “If you need us, we’ll be here.” After a slight pause he added, “But I would highly suggest knocking first.”
My fingers curled around the mug, and a smile tugged at my lips as the heat seeped into my skin. “Got it. Thank you.”
I wasn't one to ask for help but I did know they were here for me. During my walk, I had already decided I was going to handle this on my own. I didn’t need them to step in, I didn’t even think I needed to call the police at this point.
Knowing I no longer had the ability to sleep in my own bed, I took my chai to the living room and dropped down on the couch.
Turning the TV on for noise more than anything, I found some late-night rerun I didn’t even register.
The light flickered across the walls behind me in soft colors as I pulled a blanket over myself sipping slowly.
The drink's warmth settled me and my knee finally stopped bouncing. I felt the shift as my body sank fully into the cushions and my eyes grew heavy. Pretty soon after that, I fell asleep to the sound of laughter and end credits.
It wasn’t long before I was woken up by a strange feeling.
Blinking into the darkness, it took a second to remember exactly where I was.
A metal rod underneath me confirmed that I was still on the living room couch, and I turned to reposition myself.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the TV was still on, but now it was some jewelry auction with low music in the background.
The screen flickered once as a commercial came on, casting a pale glow around me.
In the light, I noticed the front door was open.
Wide open.
My stomach dropped so fast I thought I was hallucinating. I knew I’d locked both doors, but even the screen door was swung open.
I sat up, suddenly very awake. As I focused in, I realized a figure was standing just past the porch.
A slight movement in the yard activated the motion sensor, and I was hit with a sudden burst of light.
When it disappeared, no one was standing there.
My body locked instantly, and I couldn’t move.
I couldn’t speak. My limbs felt like they’d been poured full of concrete.
Call the police, I screamed at myself before realizing I didn’t even have my phone. I looked around to find something, anything, but there was nothing to throw besides my blanket and an empty cup. When I glanced back up, the figure was now on my doorstep in a Watchers mask.
Oh my god, it’s him.
I tried to scream, to force him to leave, but no sound came from my throat.
The figure didn’t seem bothered by how upset I was, especially as they took a step toward me.
Watching their feet inch closer, my heart slammed against my ribs so hard it hurt.
I stood to run, but just as they approached the doorframe, they stopped.
Waiting there for a few seconds, they pulled back, retreating out of view.
I didn’t breathe. I didn’t blink. I just sat and scanned the now empty space in front of my door, just waiting for them to reappear. Seconds stretched as the TV continued playing, until the self-timer shut it off completely, the screen going black.
This time, my voice didn’t fail me and a blood-curdling scream escaped when I saw my reflection on the television.
There, standing behind me, was someone else in a mask and not just any mask.
A hand suddenly covered my mouth, and my plea was cut short as a deep voice whispered in my ear, “Found you.”
Whoever that was before, wasn’t Silas.
Because this was—the man that was now standing behind me.
I tried to fight, to push him away, but the other masked intruder appeared again. They worked together to force my body off the couch and carried me outside. Every sound I made was muffled by the large hand still covering my mouth, but I continued to fight with every ounce of strength I had.
I managed to land a solid kick to Silas.
Just as he pulled away from the impact, the other captor grabbed me by my hair and twisted his wrist, yanking my head back.
I cried out, and as the sound hit the air, Silas knocked him to the ground.
Kicking him once to the side, he yelled down at him. “You’re done. Go home.”
With no one holding me, I paid no mind to what was happening and turned to run away.
Just like before, Silas was quicker. In one second flat, his arms were wrapped tightly around me as he lifted me off the ground.
I did what I could to make it difficult for him, but I couldn’t stop him as I was tossed into his car.
Within seconds, my arms were scooped up as he secured them with zip ties to the handle above the car door.
Completely ignoring whoever he left on the ground, he dropped into the driver's seat and started the engine.
I was physically shaking with anger. “What the actual fuck, Silas?!”
He didn’t answer me, he just turned the heat up, testing the temperature with his hand before turning the vents toward me.
I thrashed around in response to his silence, trying to land another kick on him or at least put some nice dents in the leather of his car.
He slammed his hand down on my thighs, halting my attempts.
I was so pissed at him that I turned and spit.
As soon as he felt it hit his mask, he threw the car into park.
“You already know that I love this side of you. Acting like this isn’t helping your situation.
In fact, it’s making it worse.” A small vein bulged out of his temple.
“Do you not remember what happened when you told me you hated me?” With that question, he leaned back enough so I could see the hardened evidence between his legs.
“If you continue with this tantrum, I won’t stop myself from fucking you in this car. ”
My mouth instantly formed into a tight line.
Silas was many things, but a liar wasn't one of them. Looking up at him, I envisioned breaking the plastic binding on my wrists and stabbing him in the neck. “What makes you think you can do this?!” I pulled at the zip ties as hard as I could, feeling them cut into my skin. “You’re sick. You need help.”
He chuckled as he shifted the car back into drive, the sound making me want to scream.
God, I really did want to kill him.
The thought enraged me, and I screamed. Trying to rip out of the zip ties, I caused the skin on my wrists to break open and bleed.
My burst of anger turned into an open invitation for him, and I felt us turn off the road.
As he opened his door to come around, I resituated my legs to try and put as much force as I could behind my kicks.
Unfortunately, he planned for this and grabbed them as soon as my car door opened.
I lost all leverage as he pulled me to the side and pushed my thighs apart.
“If you keep fighting me, you know what you’re asking for.” His hands gripped my bottoms in warning. “This is your one chance. Stop moving, and I’ll go back to driving.”
Fuck you, Silas Solstice.
I paused for a mere moment and made him believe I was submitting, but as soon his hands left me, I pulled my knees back and kicked him square in the chest. Falling to the ground, he fought to breathe for a second before he stood back up, hovering over me.
I felt like I was foaming at the mouth now. I wasn’t just infuriated with his choices. I was disgusted by his behavior. Only a complete lunatic would think I was just going to sit still and be his calm little victim.
A dark chuckle started in his chest and then got louder as he ripped my bottoms off and pulled my hips to him. “God, I think I love you.”
I spit at him again which only increased the force behind his first thrust inside me.
I screamed out, and he matched it with a loud groan before tilting my body up.
I tried to push away, but I couldn't. With my hands bound, I had no room to move. I decided to be the furthest thing he wanted and went quiet as he pushed into me over and over again. After a minute, he caught on to what I was doing and lifted my ass up, hitting a spot inside of me that I’d never experienced before.
“Oh no, you don’t get to act like you don't like this. There is no pretending with me. I know you.”
Before long, I was fighting against the building pressure, and he knew that too, because he began rubbing me in small circles. The stimulation only added to the intensity, and I fought as long as I could before screaming out.
He made my body break two more times, and I couldn’t help but moan with each of his movements.
My body, heart, and soul were betraying me by choosing him, and I could do nothing to stop it, even now as I was being held hostage.
Blood leaked down my arms, but it only added to what he was doing to me. “Stop being so damn difficult.”
After my third orgasm, he finally let go and filled me before pulling out and staring at the mess he’d created.
Zipping his pants, he moved to the trunk and grabbed a small towel to wipe me down, along with a pair of sweatpants he pulled up my legs.
Then, he repositioned me back into my seat before returning to his.
For twenty minutes, we drove in silence as I battled the trance he had put me in.
Somehow, he had won, and now I was quiet and docile.
It was at that point that all my anger turned into another emotion, and my eyes filled with tears.
Choking back the shame for not calling the police when I had the chance, I gave in to what was happening. “Are you going to hurt me?”
He remained silent as we pulled onto a small street.
I recognized the dark bricks on the wall as the ones that surrounded his club.
Unbuckling his seatbelt, he turned his body toward me and raised his hand to wipe my tear-stricken face.
“Never,” Silas murmured, attempting to make his voice soft.
“Whether you believe me or not, I just want you safe and protected.”
His words triggered more tears, and suddenly I felt trapped in a nightmare. “Is that why you wrote that message on my mirror? Why you took those naked pictures of me?”