Page 109 of Deviant Illusions

Idid it.

My plan worked. Helene’s a sick fuck, a freak who enjoys pain just like my parents. I’ve finally figured it all out.

Kane copies me as I look over at him. The smile on his face is full of disbelief as he pulls me closer and picks me up. I wrapmy arms and legs around him, kissing his cheek as I squeeze him because we’re going to be safe.

“I’ve got you,” he whispers.

We slow down as we reach the bottom of the hill. The perimeter is walled behind stone and a large iron gate with spikes at the top. There’s an electrical box beside it and it’s too high for us to be able to climb, but he kisses my cheek. “You’ll fit through.”

He peels me off him while I argue, “What about you?”

“I’ll be right after you.”

My ribs hurt as he forces me through the gap between the gate and the stone wall. I can barely squeeze through, but he keeps applying more pressure to my body. I have to duck to prevent smacking my head on one of the heavy-duty hinges.

I have one foot outside of the property when loud barking rings out. He slowly turns his head, his face falling and his hands more urgent. “Fuck, Delilah, go!”

A tremor works through my hands as I try to grab his arm to defy physics by pulling him through the gap, but he steps back and smiles. “Go, koukla mou. I’ll be right behind you.”

Blinding floodlights click on one by one along the wall, getting closer to revealing exactly where we are.

I don’t move. My legs are frozen as I reach for him again.

“Go,” he urges. “There’s a house on the other side of the island. Call Ruby.”

“I don’t have her number,” I whisper, my bottom lip wobbling.

The lights are getting closer, the barking louder—multiple dogs, all salivating to protect or destroy.

“Delilah, fucking go!” Kane snaps, hitting the gate and making me flinch. “Fuck off. Run. And do not look back.”

“Not alone.”

I won’t survive. I don’t even know how to get out of here. What if the people here are worse than people in this house? I do something stupid and try to crawl back through while Kane pushes against my face.

“What the fuck are you doing?” He increases the pressure against my nose. “Fuck off. I’ll make sure that you burn if you don’t.”

The floodlights shining at the top of the hill show the silhouette of the dogs eager for our blood. They’re huge, even in the distance, and I cry, “Kane.” My chest stutters and I beg him, “Come with me.”

“No. You’re a stupid fucking cunt. Run.”

“Come with me,” I beg, uncaring. “I don’t know where to go or what to do on my own.”

Static fills the air and it’s then that I notice that the tops of the walls are covered in fire mesh that glow orange. Wires. They heat up and Kane says slowly, wide-eyed, “Fuuuuck.”

The dogs move faster, charging down the hill while my begging gets louder, “Please. Don’t leave me alone.”

He grabs the ornate bars of the gate, rushing out, “Move, run. I’m coming.”

I stumble back, watching him attempt to scale the gate as the barking becomes deafening. There’s a low-pitched whistle, more barking, then he shouts, “Run!”

Slowly walking backwards, I wait for him. He finds some strength or adrenaline that allows him to plant his foot on the bar and pull himself up. His foot slips as the dogs get closer, the air in front of their snouts fogging in the harsh spotlights behind them.

Fuck.

Running forward, I thread my fingers together and push his foot up. I keep doing it until he can reach the top of the fence, butthe dogs are right there. Right in front of me on the other side of the gate where Kane is dangling.

One of them lunges forward, their teeth sharp and angry, making me fall on my wrist. Pain shoots through my arm and Kane’s groans mix with my whimpering as he kicks backwards to get the dog to move away. Their sharp teeth have latched onto the bottom of his foot with enough force to make him slip on the gate. My arm aches as I get up, looking for anything to help him.

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