Page 86 of Beneath the Watching

The whole situation felt unreal with a dream-like quality. Was this really happening? I reached up and began prying at his hands, but he wouldn’t budge. “Let go of me,” I ground out slowly, my head buzzing.

He pulled tighter and my eyes welled up as I was dragged against him. “You think you can keep the magic away from me? I need to know what you have in there.”

Lucian grabbed my neck, twisting me around and placed his lips over mine as I scratched at him. Panic clouded my mind while I tried to fight him off.

He was much bigger than me, stronger despite the exercise I’d been partaking in until recently with Kiara and Ilya, and I was easily overpowered. Keeping a firm hold of my neck and dodging my kicks, he forced me to the ground, laughing as every fist missed him.

With one hand, he began tugging my leggings down, but he stopped to remove his belt.

This was really happening, wasn’t it?

32

MABEL

Lucian’sleering face grinned down at me while I continued trying to fight him off. He was so much larger than me, so much stronger, that I was losing the battle rapidly. His free hand went to his waist, and he tugged his pants down slightly for better access.

“Why are you doing this?” I cried. “I was your daughter’s best friend.”

Gripping me by the throat while holding my head down, he stated, “If I claim you, as king I will keep you. It’ll be my duty to assure you use your magic as I see fit.” He laughed. “And there’s not a damn thing anyone can do about it.”

My blood was thundering in my ears as I started to scream for Benjamin and Jack. Lucian slapped the front of my face, his hand whipping me so hard I heard the sound before I felt the pain. He then cupped a palm over my lips.

I was running out of oxygen quickly, tears running down my face and my nose watering so badly the air couldn’t reach my lungs. My legs were banging against his as I tried to shove my knees up to push him off.

Finally, my aim hit the mark, smacking him in the groin and I got some leverage. Rolling halfway over, I was able to grab one of the table’s legs and pull myself farther away. Just as I was attempting to get up, Lucian grabbed my ankle and dragged me backwards before throwing himself against my back.

My cheekbone ached from the impact with the hard flooring. I must've bitten my tongue or the inside of my mouth, all I could taste was blood. Squeezing my eyes shut, I prepared to give in to the inevitable.

The all-too-familiar dissociation I used to indulge in began to wash over me, soothing me with its welcome embrace. The numbness started spreading comfortably, traveling from limb to limb before quieting my terror. I remembered the music I’d heard a few times before in my head here in Stefan’s home and wished for it to come back so I could drift along with the pretty melody.

Suddenly, with my mind clearing of panic, I remembered.

“Cake knife,” I whispered.

Lucian was pulling my pants down past my rear and his other hand gripped my inner thigh. As his hand wandered to my center, the requested blade materialized in my hand. He was suspended over me, the fabric of his shirt dragging against my nose, while he shoved the crotch of my panties to the side.

I took a deep breath and plunged the blade into his neck.

At the same time as a gurgled roar ripped through his mouth, the kitchen door banged open. Sticky fluid was washing over me, falling on the face and my neck. Lucian’s arm gave out and he landed on top of me, knocking the breath from my lungs.

The body was yanked away, and Stefan pulled me from the floor. Vaguely, I was aware of another presence in the room but all I could think about was red. Everything was red. My hands, my chest, my belly. I could feel it all over my skin, the blood.

“Holy shit,” a voice muttered.

Stefan lifted me from the floor and covered me with his suit jacket before he took me into the bathroom. He set me on the counter while I stayed clinging to him as he gently lifted the edges of my clothing, searching. “Did he touch you?” he growled.

“He tried,” I answered, my voice cracking. Voices could be heard in the background, low and insistent. “I need to shower.”

Keeping a firm grip on Stefan’s biceps, I glanced down. Blood was already beginning to dry on my skin and the compulsion to remove the evidence of my attempted violation couldn’t be denied. It had to go.

“I’ll get you some fresh clothes. Do not open this door for anyone but me. If anyone else comes in—yell for me immediately.”

He helped me off the counter and turned on the shower, adjusting the temperature settings before exiting. Stripping the soiled clothing from my skin, I decided then and there I would burn them.

Carefully, I lowered myself to the floor of the shower, letting the water pour over me. The words “holy shit” kept repeating through my mind while I tried to calm myself, tried to think.

Had I killed Lucian? When Stefan said not to open the door for anyone but him, I realized I may not have. He’d torn me away before I could even look at the man. I’d never killed anything before, other than some annoying flies, and the thought that I may have taken someone’s life sent a shudder through me.

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