Page 2 of Bound By Mistake
Then, just as I think I can't go on, my feet touch the rocky riverbed. Relief rushes through me as I stumble forward, collapsing onto the muddy bank.
For a precious moment, I lay there, trembling and retching upriver water. More forest looms before me, darker and more foreboding than ever, sending a quiver of dread through my bedraggled frame. It’s probably not that bad, but my mind is a mess right now, conjuring all kinds of scenarios. But, it’s not like I have much choice than to investigate.
How the hell has my camping holiday away from the big city smoke turned into this?
Jeez, if I ever make it back to civilization, I’m damn well staying there. All this communing with nature shit and escaping the rat-race? Forget it. At least in the city I know what monsters to expect.
This place makes me feel like I’ve just been reverted to nothing more than prey.
“And where the fuck am I?” I pant, taking a weird comfort in the sound of my own voice in what has become my own, personal Hunger Games hell. Will I even be able to find my way back to civilization?
“You’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, li’l lady,” a gruff voice answers the question that had been purely rhetorical. My heart stutters in my chest, a wave of terror sweeping over me, so profound, I momentarily forget to breathe.
I stumble back, terror clawing at my throat, a scream bubbling up like a volcano, ready to erupt. But before the sound is set free, my feet slide out from underneath me on the slipperyriverbank. I cartwheel my arms to no avail as I fall backwards. The last thing I’m aware of as I go down is a blow to the side of my head… and then the world goes black.
Chapter
Two
GRAY
“Got to admit, I really didn’t expect this whole ‘live your darkest fantasy’ deal to be quite so real,” Erik remarks as I scoop up the soaked, scraped up woman who, for all intents and purposes, is unconscious at my feet.
She’s a deadweight, and although we were promised only the best for the significant amount we’d paid to the company organizing this ultimate fantasy fulfilment, I certainly never expected it to be this realistic. If I didn’t know it was all a set-up, though undoubtedly a fantastically orchestrated one, I’d believe this young woman really was out cold. She’s certainly one hell of an actress.
I hoist her over my shoulder, her limp body draped across me. Her damp hair tickles my back, and I can feel the chill radiating from her skin from being in the water.
"Well, they did promise the ultimate experience," I reply with a smirk. "Looks like they delivered."
As we make our way back to the cabin, I can't help but marvel at the attention to detail. The woman's ragged breathing, the slight tremor in her limbs - it all feels so authentic. A twinge ofunease flickers through me, but I push it aside. This isexactlywhat we paid for, after all. Right down to what they told us to expect.
The cabin looms ahead, a dark silhouette against the dusky twilight sky. Erik fumbles with the key, his hands shaking slightly with anticipation or nerves - I'm not sure which.
"You sure about this?" he mutters as he swings the heavy wooden door open.
I adjust my grip on the woman, feeling the soft swell of her breasts against my shoulder. "Too late to back out now," I growl, stepping over the threshold into the dimly lit interior.
The clean, polished scent of old wood overlays something darker - something primal - fills my nostrils as we enter. Floorboards creak beneath our feet as I make my way to the bedroom, the woman's limp form still draped over my shoulder. I’m low-key starting to worry about the chill of her skin her shallow, ragged breaths.
"Where shall I put her? She’s soaking wet,” I ask, my voice sounding rougher than I intend.
Erik gestures to the extra-large bed dominating the room. “I’ll grab a towel to lay her on. Then we can get started."
He hurries off to the bathroom, and once he returns, I lay her down carefully, taking in her vulnerable form. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, and a sheen of moisture glistens on her damp, tanned skin. For a moment, I'm struck by how young she looks with her wet hair bedraggled around her face where it’s come loose from her ponytail - barely more than a girl, really. Another flicker of doubt passes through me, but I push it aside. This is what we came for, and it’s not like we didn’t think long and hard about what we’re doing.
Erik approaches, a coil of rope in his hands. "Should we tie her up now or wait until she 'wakes up'?" he asks, making air quotes.
Pushing aside the moment of awkwardness, I consider for a moment, my eyes roving over her body. "Now," I decide. "I want her completely at our mercy when she comes to."
As we begin to secure her wrists and ankles to the bedposts, I notice her eyelids fluttering. A soft whimper escapes her lips, and her body tenses slightly. The realism is incredible - I can even see goosebumps rising on her pale skin.
"Looks like sleeping beauty's about to wake up," Erik mutters, tightening the final knot.
I nod, a heady mix of anticipation and unease churning in my gut. "Remember," I say, my voice low. "We stick to the script. No matter how real it seems."
Erik grunts in agreement, his eyes fixed on the woman's face. Her breathing has quickened, and I can see rapid movement behind her closed eyelids. Any moment now...
And there it is. Her eyes fly open and for a split second, there's nothing but confusion in her gaze. Then fear floods in, raw and primal. She jerks against her restraints, a strangled cry tearing from her throat.
