Page 13 of Insatiable

Then, his gaze fell on me.

The moment our eyes locked, something shifted in his expression—darker, more intense. I felt it immediately—like a wave crashing over me, making it impossible to breathe. His stare dropped to my breasts, lingering there for what felt like forever, his lips curling into a slow, deliberate grin. He inhaled deeply, savoring something I couldn’t understand, and his grin spread wider.

He looked into my eyes again and the room seemed to disappear around us. I could feel my pulse pounding in my throat, my legs refusing to move as his eyes stayed glued to me. The heat of his gaze made my skin prickle, like he could see right through me, stripping away every layer. I was rooted to the spot, breath shallow, heart racing out of control.

Without breaking eye contact, his lips parted, revealing his jagged teeth. Slowly, deliberately, his tongue flicked out—long, dark, and forked. It slithered through the air in a slow, provocative motion, almost taunting me. My stomach twisted in both fear and something else I didn’t want to name.

Sophie’s scream shattered the moment, a sharp, piercing sound that echoed off the walls. She stumbled back, eyes wide with terror, hands clamping over her mouth as if to stop another scream.

The Creeper’s head snapped toward her, the grin vanishing from his face, replaced by something darker, more predatory. His wings flared out with a sudden, violent motion, and before any of us could react, he lunged at her.

He moved with blinding speed, a dark blur crossing the space between them. His clawed hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her screams. Sophie's eyes bulged with terror, tears streaming down her face.

He lifted her effortlessly, her feet dangling above the floor. His other hand plunged into her abdomen, claws tearing through flesh and muscle. Blood erupted, splattering across the floor and walls. The sickening sounds of ripping tissue echoed as he tore her open.

Her muffled screams turned to choking gurgles, blood bubbling from her lips. Her eyes rolled back, body convulsing in his grasp.

He ripped his claws upward, splitting her torso, organs spilling out in a gruesome cascade. The stench of iron and bile engulfed us.

He released her, letting her collapse in a bloody heap, entrails pooling around her.

The creature turned his gaze back to us, blood dripping from his claws, a chilling smile stretching across his face, as if daring us to run.

We bolted, adrenaline surging. His wings unfurled, the powerful beats propelling him after us. The sound was deafening, a relentless force driving us forward.

My heart pounded in my ears, lungs burning as we sprinted toward the stairs. Katie stumbled but recovered, terror propelling her. Alex reached the door first, yanking it open. We tumbled through, slamming it shut, hands fumbling to lock it.

Silence engulfed us, broken only by our ragged breaths.

But Sophie's death hung in the air, an unspoken horror that would never fade.

Chapter Nine

The adrenaline still buzzed in my veins as I tried to catch my breath. Every muscle felt tight, like they hadn’t realized the danger was over. The room was still, but inside, I couldn’t stop shaking. We were all shaken. Katie slumped against the wall, her face ghostly pale, gasping for air in rapid, shallow breaths. Her hair stuck to her sweat-soaked forehead. Alex pressed into the corner, his wide eyes flicking between us and the door, as if expecting it to burst open at any moment. Brian was pacing the length of the room, muttering curses under his breath. His fists were clenched at his sides, eyes wild. Maya stood frozen, her arms wrapped so tightly around herself that it looked like she was holding her body together by sheer will. Her breath came in shallow bursts, her eyes wide with fear. “What the hell was that thing?” she whispered, her voice shaking and then looked at me. “Was that the thing you saw in the fields?”

I nodded, trying to steady my trembling body.

Her eyes widened even more with shock and she bit her lip. “Oh my god.”

Alex stood frozen by the broken door, his face drained of color. “It’s the Creeper,” he whispered, barely loud enough to hear. His eyes darted between us, fear taking root. “I read about it once in class—it was supposed to be folklore, not real. But this…” He trailed off, staring into the void, as if struggling to grasp that any of this could actually be happening.

We all waited for him to speak again but then Brian blurted. “Spit it out, Alex. What is that creature?”

Alex ran a trembling hand through his hair. “They say the Creeper is something ancient. Born from the blackest darkness. He comes every Halloween, when the night is at its darkest. He doesn’t just take bodies—he feeds on fear, on life itself. Draining everything from his victims, leaving nothing but empty shells.”

Maya’s face paled in horror. “Fed off them?” Her voice was barely more than a whisper, the terror crawling through every syllable.

My heart pounded, the meaning of his words pressing down on me like a vice. I forced myself to speak, my voice trembling. “We have to get out of here.”

The room felt like it was closing in, thick with dread. My voice was barely my own—small, fragile, like it could shatter under the strain. I swallowed hard, eyes darting to the window. “The window… try the window.”

Katie nodded, her eyes darting to the window, the one escape we hadn’t tried yet. We scrambled toward it, moving in a frantic, desperate rush. The window was coated in grime, years of dirt that had thickened into a dull film. Alex got to it first, his hands fumbling over the edges, yanking at the frame, pulling so hard his knuckles turned white.

“It’s stuck!” His voice cracked with panic as he yanked harder. The window didn’t budge. His frustration flared, wild panic filling his eyes. “It won’t move!”

Brian shoved Alex aside, gripping the frame with all his strength. The frame creaked but held firm, refusing to give an inch. Then we saw why—thick wooden planks crisscrossed the window, bolted from the outside. Whoever had been here beforeus had sealed it shut—not to keep us out, but to keep something in.

Brian spun around, his face twisted in rage and terror. His breaths came in short, sharp bursts as he glared at Maya. “What the hell is this place?” His voice rose, raw with fear. “What did you bring us to?”

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