Page 52 of Delivered to the Devil

“I don’t like sharing this vision with anyone else.” The mere idea of another man taking in this vision while he sits across from her, seeing her all shy and smiling as he asks about her qualifications, makes me clench my fist anew.

Her next question takes me aback. She’s growing bolder, and I like it as much as I hate it. “Not Gabor either?”

“That’s different,” I say, unable to suppress the rough edge in my voice. I can’t explain how, but sharing her with Gabor is like the natural order of things. What’s mine is his. Even the few times I’ve had a girl of my own, I’ve let him fuck her. It usually didn’t go over well, so I ended things, paid off the police to ignore the rape charge if there was one, and decided to stick to Gabor’s toys and random one-night stands until I decided to give it a go with a new girl.

“How so?” she asks, and when I don’t answer immediately, her voice becomes full of frustration. “Tell me. How is that any different?”

Her question provokes me. It makes me want to hurt her even as I want to hold her and tell her everything will be okay. I realize my gaze must match the violent intent I feel inside as she takes a step back.

“I’m sor—” she says, but I cut off her apology.

“I like seeing him fuck you.” I get up and approach her with slow, measured steps. “I like hearing your muffled screams as I cover your mouth, and I like to hold you down when you fight with all your might.” I stop in front of her and lift a hand to trace her hairline and the delicate contours of her face. The feeling of her skin beneath my fingers soothes the rage inside me. “But I also like to comfort you for the pain he causes. I like it when he hurts you.”

Her throat bobs as she gulps, and her voice becomes out hoarse. “Did you like it when—” She breathes a shuddery inhale. “When he ripped me apart from behind?”

“That was too far.” I curve my hand around the side of her face, dropping my gaze to her mouth as I brush my thumb across her lower lip. “That was too far,” I repeat on a whisper. Tilting my head, I lean forward. Just a smidgen. I badly want to kiss her, but if I repeat that mistake, I won’t be able to stop myself again. So I settle for leaning my forehead against hers, feeling her hotbreath billow onto my lips until I feel like I’m about to go insane from the throbbing urge to seal our lips together.

With a frustrated growl, I draw back, so quickly that she yelps from the suddenness. “Go!” I roar, pointing through the hall. “Go before I do something stupid!”

She rushes into the hall, shoves her feet into her shoes, and grabs her new coat. Then she runs, and I hear her feet pound down the stairs as I go to close the door after her.

Smart girl.She’d be the one to pay the biggest price if I slipped and fucked her.

CHAPTER 25

“Eyes of Serpent”

by Mastodon

Rebecca

My heart is still pounding as I walk down the street. But despite the pulsing fear, I feel this reckless desire to run back—give myself up to the beast and let it consume me. Janos wants me, and he wants me bad, but he can’t have me, and I don’t dare to find out what the consequences will be—for us both—if Janos doessomething stupid.

So I shove the pulsing desire down and force my attention to my surroundings as I head for the river.

November has turned the city into an entirely different vision than the one that greeted me when I arrived here in the spring. Back then, everything was new. Flowers burst from the soil, and green buds covered the trees. The whole city radiated hope and life. It seems like a distant memory now. A lifetime ago. But really, it’s only been seven months.

Four months since the first night Janos broke into my apartment.

But despite all the horrors this city has brought me, I’ve come to appreciate it again, like I did in those first three months before my world crumbled anew.

Fall hasn’t robbed the city of its beauty. It has simply transformed it.

The trees and bushes shine with bright red, yellow, and orange colors, and a few flimsy clouds float along a clear sky, disintegrating into white brush strokes on a blue canvas.

It’s as beautiful as the youthful spring, if not even more so.

Since I have plenty of time to spare, I go out on the Chain Bridge to watch the water. The river is peaceful today. Dark blue and glittering. But the water doesn’t beckon me the same way it so often has, and I keep my feet planted on the concrete while admiring the sight.

As I go back to solid ground, I pull my scarf closer around my neck. The sun might be out, but the temperature is freezing. But I don’t care. With my new coat and scarf, which I bought on an impulsive shopping trip, I can handle the chill.

On my way home from work yesterday, I saw this pretty dark green dress in a shop window, and I went straight in and bought it—along with a new coat and a warm scarf. Stepping into that store was like discovering the TV anew, and since I’ve barely spent a penny for months, I could afford to splurge a little.

I considered saving the money instead, in case I somehow escape this nightmare and have to start over, but the thought disappeared as quickly as it came. I can no longer imagine a life someplace else, where I’m free and my own. The idea simply doesn’t add up, so I try to live in the present and enjoy whatever small things I can. Including this new job opportunity.

When I step onto the boat, a young woman with a German accent greets me. I give her a genuine smile as hope swells inside me.Maybe my lacking Hungarian won’t be a problem after all.

She leads me into the long dining room that must take up most of the space on the boat. Large windows stretch along both sides, lending a perfect view of the water. It’s so close. I can almost feel it stirring beneath me. I pause to gaze out at thesparkling blue, and a delightful sensation stirs within me as I realize I can indeed feel it in the slight rocking of the boat.

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