Chapter 22
The Prey
Iwarned you.
The words stared back at me. And I didn’t know what to do. Whatever it was, I wasn’t going to be a scared lamb anymore. It was too much. No one had any business or right to frighten me like this.
I decided to take control. First, I blocked the number. Whoever it was, they wouldn’t get the satisfaction of seeing me scared anymore.
I thought about calling the police, but then I remembered I was in a different country. The local authorities might not take a foreigner’s complaint seriously, and involving the police back home would be complicated and slow.
I needed to do something else.
Staying alone at the university until this fest was over suddenly felt too risky. My thoughts turned to the dorms. They had security, and there would be people around. It was the safest place I could think of right now.
I quickly wiped my cheeks, not wanting to waste any time. My heart pounded as I left the bathroom, double-checking that no one was following me. The cool Russian air hit my face as I hurried down the street, my eyes darting around nervously.
When I arrived at the dorm, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I’d explain my absence to Alina when she came into the room, and no teacher would look for me since I had already submitted my Fest report. There was no way I was going back to that crowded place where that devil was.
Just thinking about him made my skin crawl.
He wasn’t just dangerous; he was a hunter.
Even though he couldn’t see, it felt like he could sense my every move. His presence was dark and menacing, making the air heavy and suffocating.
Whenever he was near, I felt a cold dread. His voice was low and harsh, and his aura made everyone around him feel small and scared. People probably avoided him, taking his ugly personality and trembling in his presence.
The few times he had spoken to me, I could feel his eyes, though unseeing, piercing into my soul. His smile was more of a snarl, promising pain. I hated how there was so much less about him on the internet, though he was a billionaire.
Being in the same room as him felt like standing on the edge of a cliff; one wrong move, and I would be lost.
I shuddered at the flash of his face, grateful to be in the safety of the dorms, far away from his reach. For now, I could finally breathe a little easier.
I pulled out my phone before changing out of my dress and texted Alina.
Seraphina: Hey, I am back at the dorm.
I put my phone down and took a deep breath.
I was still scared, but being in the dorms made me feel a little more in control. I lay down on the bed, hoping I could finally get some rest.
As I closed my eyes, I reminded myself that I wasn’t alone and that I was stronger than this fear.
When I finally woke up, the room was bathed in the soft light of late afternoon. I blinked, disoriented. My phone’s screen flashed with notifications, and I realized with shock that I had slept through the entire evening and the next day.
I had basically hibernated.
Not that I minded; I felt refreshed. Moreover, it wasn’t like I had any classes today.
“Well, there goes my productivity,” I muttered. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten. My heart raced as I grabbed my phone. I had missed several messages and calls from Ivan and Alina. Among them was a text from Kyle.
Kyle: 5 in the evening. Be ready. I’ll pick you up.
To my relief, there was no text from the unknown sender.
I felt a wave of reluctance wash over me. The thought of going back to that mansion, of facing the demon again, made my stomach churn. But then I recalled the contract I had signed. He practically forced me to work for him, and I had no choice but to comply.
I checked the time. It was already 4:00 PM. I had an hour to get ready and make my way to the mansion. Just two more days, I reminded myself. Two more days, and then I could go back to Texas for a few weeks. Maybe that was what I needed to clear my head and regain my strength.
With a heavy sigh, I got up and started to prepare. Despite my fear and reluctance, I had to face him one last time before my break. I just had to make it through these next two days by any means.
Grabbing my jacket and almost tripping over my own boots, I huffed and puffed out of the room and jogged down the stairs. When I reached the entrance, the warden called me over.
She was a beautiful lady in her mid-thirties, holding a box in her hands. I frowned, utterly confused.
“Hi,” she greeted me, extending the box toward me. “This is for you.”
I took the box, weighing it in my hands and frowning deeper. “I didn’t order anything.”
I read the receipt and saw my name written clearly on it. “Oh, well, I’m going out. I’ll take it when I come back.”
She nodded, understanding. “Sure, no problem.”
I handed the box back to her and rushed out of the dorms, hoping the mysterious package wasn’t another complication. I had enough to worry about with the walking-talking demon.
It took me another forty minutes to reach the mansion.
I paid the fare and walked toward the gate.
As always, it was snow-covered. The small snowflakes fell from the sky, and the sky was already turning a light shade of grey.
Such a beautiful man, but the owner was a special breed who had absolutely no brakes. He probably had no limits.
From my perspective, he was unhinged—wild eyes that never seemed to rest, like a caffeine addict at an all-you-can-drink espresso bar.
He had this unsettling energy, buzzing around like a hyperactive squirrel on a sugar rush.
It was as if he thrived on chaos, drawing power from the disorder he sowed, like a kid who had just discovered glitter and glue.
His charm was dangerous, like the lethal blend of allure and unpredictability, making him both irresistible and as terrifying as a clown at midnight.
Yes, a clown. That’s what he was.
To be honest, after the humiliation he made me go through three nights ago, I didn’t even want to see his face. His handsome features didn’t excuse his gory personality.
I noticed a car parked in the driveway, a luxurious white Lamborghini; curiosity got the better of me. I had never seen Judas having any guests over. There were no employees either—no guards, no chef, no worker. It was like the mansion was running on ghost power or something.
I sighed, whatever, it only meant he’d spare me today and not bother me. I walked to the door and knocked. As always, it was Kyle who greeted me. I couldn’t help but wonder, were there no employees besides me and Kyle? I hadn’t ever given it a thought since it was not my place to ask.
Kyle gave me his default expression. Gloomy, dark. He was again wearing dark clothes, skull rings I grew tired of, and a gold chain. I nodded to him.
“Where is he?”
“His office.”
I nodded, determined to get today’s work done as soon as possible.
I had bags to pack. And stuff to sort. Oh, that made me wonder.
I had to submit the leave application to the hostel and the university.
It was a hassle, but anything for Mama’s hug and kisses.
Maybe I could convince her that this out-of-country life wasn’t for me. I sighed.
And then watch her smile fade?
I was lost in my own thoughts as I walked to his office. Suddenly, I halted in my steps, startled by a grunt. Where did that come from? I couldn’t see anyone in the hallway. My heart pounded in my chest as I glanced around nervously. Was someone there?
I looked around, finding no one, and as I was about to turn, I heard the grunt again, but this time it sounded a little weird.
I couldn’t pinpoint in what way, but it left me a little surprised.
Gulping down the nervousness and anxiousness, I took light steps towards the left, where I thought the voices were coming from.
And somehow I found myself in front of the office.
Contemplating if I should open it or not, I finally decided otherwise.
Maybe someone was in pain.
Did Judas tripped over his arrogance and bonk his head finally?
Just as I was ready to see him on the ground, I slowly opened the door of his office.
And like my heart, my hands froze the moment I opened the door. Regret surged through me instantly, an icy wave crashing over my very soul.
Judas had fallen.
Not to the ground, but from the heavens, like a forsaken angel cast down.
Cause there was simply no word to explain it.
His midnight-dark hair swept across his sweaty forehead, his sharp, pale blue eyes hooded and half-open, reflecting a primal, almost savage pleasure.
I watched in terrorising reluctance.
His hand wrapped tightly around the woman’s throat from behind, her mouth open to draw in breath. But he gave her no scope for escape, no mercy.
I could see the tension in her body, the urgent breaths she tried to gulp down, and the way her naked chest heaved with each futile attempt. What truly unsettled me, though, was how she relished the violence. Her eyes were covered with white lace underwear, and I forgot how to breathe.
Her body arched into him, meeting his brutal thrusts with an eagerness that bordered on madness.
The sounds of their skin slapping together, the occasional guttural moans, and the ragged breathing pulled me out of my haze. And I stumbled back on my unsteady legs.
From my vantage point, I could see the raw power in his ruthlessness, the way his muscles tensed and rippled under his skin. His grip on her throat tightened and loosened with intended precision, ensuring she was on the brink, never fully allowing her the breath she so desperately craved.
My eyes widened. W-what was happening?
“Harder, Judas!”
I never realized a woman could look so helpless in a man’s arms.
Judas pounded relentlessly from behind, and she gasped and grunted with twisted pleasure as he roughly played with her nipples. His tattoos glistened under the dim light, making the cuts of his muscles seem sinisterly dangerous. The suffocating scent of sex and lust reeked.
My heart pounded in my chest as I watched, unable to look away.