Page 28 of Hide Me Darling

Taking a deep breath to steady my racing thoughts, I try to move forward.. "Alright, Hydessa," I whisper to myself. "You’ve got this."

Using the flashlight, I carefully make my way through the forest, keeping an eye out for any signs of a path or familiar landmarks. Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs sets my nerves on edge, but I keep going, determined to find my way back.

After what feels like an eternity, I finally spot the edge of the trees and the back of my rental house. Relief floods through me and I quicken my pace, eager to leave the oppressive darkness behind. Ready to leave the memory of everything that just happened behind.

My hands shake as I unlock the door, constantly looking over my shoulder. They could have followed me and pushed their way into the house. They seemed to want so much more than what they got tonight.

But there is no sign of them as I rush inside, slamming the door at my back, taking a moment to catch my breath.

I pull the mask from my face, tossing it onto the dining table and pulling my hood off my head. I feel like I’ve been left with more questions than answers from that encounter

I make my way upstairs to the bedroom, shedding my clothes the moment I get there. Each piece of clothing feels like a weight lifted off my shoulders, a small relief from the tension gripping my body.

By the time I turn on the shower, I almost feel like a different person. The water runs hot quickly, so I step inside. The steaming water cascades over me, washing away the grime and stress of the night. I close my eyes, letting the warmth seep into my muscles, and for a moment, I allow myself to just breathe.

However, my moment of peace is assaulted by the memories of the night. The encounter with the masked figures replays in my mind, their cryptic words echoing around in my head as if they were trying to tell me even more.

What did they mean by knowing more than I think? Do I simply have to take their word for it that they don’t kill innocent people? And what were their plans involving me?

I scrub my skin vigorously, as if trying to erase the touch of the green-masked figure's hand on my throat. Their words, "We want you," reverberate in my mind, sending shivers down my spine despite the heat of the water.

How is it possible to feel so completely owned by one simple action and a few simple words?

I finish my shower and wrap myself in a towel, before moving back into the bedroom. I sit on the edge of the bed with a sigh, not knowing where to go from here. It's already early hours of the morning and I should be getting some sleep.

Cain and Abel? I scoff to myself. I really think tweedledee and tweedledum fit them so much better.

The more I think about it all, the more I begin to realize how my body responded to them. Their echoing voices whispering in my mind. My hand reaches up to touch my throat, I can still almost feel where Abel’s hand wrapped around it and squeezed.

A surprising shiver of arousal runs through me at the memory as my fingers dance around my neck. I never imagined something like that would be such a turn on. The way he had controlled me, the power in his grip... it was intoxicating. I find myself replaying the scene over and over, each time feeling a mix of fear and… maybe even desire.

I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts. This is insane. I shouldn't be turned on by men who are clearly dangerous and unhinged. They are killers, they even freely admitted it tonight.

But then again, so am I… I just don’t kill innocent people.

Standing, I try to force myself into action. Moving gets things accomplished, that’s what I need to do now. I need to go to my office and make notes about everyone I saw tonight. Then I need to take specific notes of the masked mens stature.

I was close to them, too close. I wrapped my hand around Abel’s bicep and felt the size, felt the muscles beneath his clothes. Not only that, but their height difference with me was clear. I know I can cross the women off the list for sure now, but are there any men I could cut too?

As I try to take note of it all, the sense of being surrounded by them makes me sit back on the bed. No matter how much I try to rationalize it, the feeling under my skin persists. The thrill of being caught in their game, the way they toyed with me. The dominance in their posture alone was intriguing, no matter how much I wanted to fight, my body seemed to want to obey them more. It all lingers in my mind, on my skin, making my pulse quicken.

I throw myself back onto the bed with a sigh, staring up at the ceiling. How can I be so aroused and yet so terrified at the same time? I let out a groan, covering my face with my hands. I need to get a grip, to focus on the real issues at hand. These men are dangerous, and I need to find a way to stop them, not sit here thinking about how addicting it could feel to be the center of their attention.

But as I lie there, I swear I can still feel Abel’s hand and Cain at my back. Their strong arms surrounding me, but never actually hurting me.

They know who I really am, so why would they leave me alive? They know I am going to find them.

Is that the whole point?

My fingers trail down my body as I losen the towel, allowing one to dance over my hardened nipple. It’s so sensitive that when I pinch it even lightly a moan escapes me.

I have never in my life been able to get aroused this quickly. I hate that they caused this, they awoke something in me I didn’t want to acknowledge yet. I don’t even know how I am supposed to deal with this feeling.

But then, I do.

I stand up and turn off all the lights, leaving the moonlight streaming in through the window, bright enough to cast shadows. The soft, silvery glow gives the room an ethereal feel as I walk back to the bed and drop the towel, letting it fall to the floor.

No one has to know what I do in the dark, and maybe that’s the best part.

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