Page 9 of Vengeful Valentine

Her black eyes, which had seemed so innocent and soft before, hardened as she narrowed them. Her lips curled cruelly, her entire face morphing before him. “Kristoff, are you ready to have some fun?”

Kristoff’s stomach turned uneasily.

What is going on? Why does she look like an entirely different person? Is it the lighting of this atrocious cabin?

Her eyes softened. “Silly, aren’t we going to have fun tonight? We’re finally alone together and off campus. I want you to show me how good you can make me feel.” Her shrill voice had returned two-fold.

Kristoff’s eyebrows furrowed together in confusion as a wave of dizziness hit him.

Something isn’t right.

But before he could even begin to comprehend what exactlywasn’t right, the lights of the cabin went out–soaking them in complete darkness. Not even the moon shined through the lone window.

Dropping his fork to his bowl, the clatter echoed around the small space, but it wasn’t loud enough to cover the slamming of the front door.

Jumping from the chair, Kristoff turned just in time to find three large men standing in the doorway.

Three large, maskedmen.

Their masks glowed an eerie green. It was the only light in the otherwise dark room.

Kristoff tried to move backwards away from them, but the world twisted before him, his vision dimming, before he stumbled to the ground.

Chapter 5

Silas

Athud echoed around the cabin as the clumsymaninside crashed to the floor. Silas could barely make out his features from the glow of his mask.

Was he so scared he collapsed in his panic?Thisis who she chose?

Silas marched into the space, taking up the lead, before coming to a stop right beforeher.

It was too dark, her face cast in shadows. He wanted to see the terror, wanted to watch as horror crawled its slimy tendrils along her skin, wanted to know the moment she recognized him.

The front door slammed shut, but Silas didn’t turn. His sole attention focused on the girl before him. The green glow from his mask sawing across her in a nauseating color.

“Turn the lights back on,” Silas commanded Hawk.

He couldn’t see her well enough.

A moment later they flickered on, but he didn’t remove his mask, he simply watched her.

Ashmine sank back into her chair, tipping her head up, jutting her chin forward.

Her nearly black eyes met his through the mask.

A memory hit Silas like a rocket, transporting him to a different moment entirely.

***

“I love you.” Ashmine shook as Silas held her in his embrace. “I want to create a life with you, afamily. I don’t want to ever be apart.”

Silas was twenty years old now, he was taking night classes at the local community college, working towards a career. So that he could take care of her. Of Hawk. Of Ace.

“You’re too young, you don’t know what you want.”

“I’m eighteen!” She wrestled out of his arms, stepping back towards the bed.

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