Page 40 of Hide Me Darling

UNKNOWN

Too late. We call you little shadow because you are living in the shadow of those around you. Your parents, your sister, both organizations you work for… We want you to see that. We want you to embrace that darkness you run away from and become its queen. Become our queen.

I’m speechless. Their words send a shiver down my spine. The thought of embracing darkness, of becoming the queen of it, is both terrifying and strangely alluring. But I can’t let them manipulate me. I need to stay focused on uncovering the truth. If my darkness is so much like theirs as they claim, then I need to be doing everything I can to keep it at bay.

UNKNOWN

What are you most afraid of?

My nerves suddenly make me jittery, my heart rate speeds up. I reach over and grab a cookie, shoving it into my mouth to calm my nerves. The flavor of the cherries bursts inside my mouth, and I moan at the taste. My heart rate calms a little as I wash the cookie down with some coffee before typing out my response, my fingers still trembling as I hit send.

I’m afraid no one will love me for who I really am.

I’m still on edge and I reach for another cherry cookie, its sweetness offering a brief distraction from the intensity of the situation.

Picking up the coffee cup from the desk, I take another deep drink. Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washes over me. I blink rapidly, trying to clear my vision, but the room starts to blur. My heart races, not from anxiety but from something more insidious. I feel my limbs growing heavy, my head becoming foggy.

My phone buzzes, but I can barely focus on the screen. The words swim before my eyes as I struggle against whatever is in my system.

UNKNOWN

You're doing so well, little shadow. But sometimes, the darkness needs a little help.

Panic sets in as I realize what's happening. I stagger against the desk, but my legs are weak and unsteady. The room tilts and spins around me. I grasp at the edge of the desk for support, knocking over the coffee cup in the process.

Holy shit, they drugged me.

I need to call for help, but my phone slips from my grasp, clattering to the floor. With one last, desperate effort, I step toward the door, but my legs give out completely, and I collapse to the ground.

My mind races, trying to stay alert despite the overwhelming dizziness. Whatever they drugged me with hasn’t rendered me completely unconscious, but I can’t bring myself to move. It’s like it wasn’t a full dose, just enough to incapacitate me. My mind remains aware, trapped in a body that won't respond.

I see the moment they enter the room, their neon masks casting red and green glows as they walk straight toward me. My heart is hammering inside me as Cain kneels in front of me, his mask glowing a sinister red.

"The cookies," I manage to grind out, my voice barely a whisper.

Cain tilts his head, studying me for a moment. "It wasn't in the cookies," he says before reaching for me, picking me up like my weight means nothing and throwing me over his shoulder.

Chapter 19

Hydessa

Hanging upside down makes the disorientation feel even worse. Whatever drug is in my system must have a very short shelf life because I can already feel the fuzziness beginning to fade away, my fingers tingling but still not cooperating with me.

How did they even get inside the house? I didn’t hear anyone come inside, but I admit I was very distracted. Stupid me getting so engrossed in our texting conversation I didn’t realize someone came in and poisoned my damn coffee.

Coffee is sacred and they ruined that.

I should have fucking savored those cookies more. Now I have to throw out everything in the house, because like hell am I trusting that it wasn’t in the cookies.

My upper body sways with the movement of Cain’s body as he walks up the stairs to the second floor. I already know where he’s taking me; there’s only one room I use up here, the bedroom.

With each step, I try to regain more control over my body, attempting to force my limbs to respond. Cain’s grip on me is firm, his pace steady as if he has done this a hundred times before.

I can only faintly feel his muscular body under mine as he moves, like that numb feeling you get when your foot falls asleep. The eerie glow from his mask casts shadows on the dark walls upstairs, the sun having set as I worked, making the house feel more sinister, menacing even.

When we reach the bedroom, Cain gently sits me down on the bed. My head is still spinning, but I feel the dip of the bed behind me, the green glow of Abel’s mask joining Cain’s as he wraps his hands underneath my arms and drags me backward onto the bed. He takes a seat against my pillows, pulling me against him so that my back is pressed to his chest.

Cain moves around the side of the bed while Abel holds one of my arms out and Cain secures a cuff to it, pulling it tight against my skin, almost pinching.

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