ANASTASIA:
Have you ever felt fear mixed with the powerful rush of adrenaline? It's like the clash of thunder, a haunting sensation running through your veins. It's strange and empowering, so intense that sometimes it feels like my vision is tinged with red.
The fury, the rage, the haunting melody—they sing together, humming an overwhelming tune of emotions.
I felt it all.
After that haunting night, danger doesn't scare me. The truth does.
Something changed in me that night. Something powerful and my determination won't falter this time.
As I stepped forward, the ground creaked beneath me. I took a deep breath and marched on. He has to be here. The December winter's icy wind bit at my skin, causing a slight hiss, but it couldn't stop me.
What am I looking for?
The Devil.
The world may believe he's dead, but I know he isn't. He's very much alive, within us, lurking behind the shadows. I can feel him—those haunting eyes, always watching me. My stalker isn't dead. He can't be.
That's why I came here, to find him. Or rather, to lure him out.
After sifting through David's piles of cases against him, I know he's a hunter. And we all are his prey. Everything I've learned about him tells me one thing: the hunter couldn't be dead yet.
How am I so sure? I don't know. It's just intuition. Something tells me he's very much alive, somewhere around us. Around me.
Watching.
Always watching.
"I know you're here," I said aloud, my voice echoing through the dense forest. I wasn't speaking to anyone in particular, but I knew he was listening. The forest was thick, and I had ventured deep enough to fall right into his trap. But fear wasn't with me today. For some reason, I know he won't hurt me.
"I know you're alive and watching me," I repeated, my voice firm. "I know you're the one who sent me all those clues. So come out. I have questions for you."
When I told David that the Devil was still very much alive, he thought I was crazy.
Six months have passed since the incident, and while LarksVille might feel free from its terrors, the war is far from over. I know the Romanos' were connected to everything—past and present. And somehow, the future. And the Devil is tied to them.
"Ouch!" I squeaked as my leg got tangled in the branches, nearly sending me to the ground. But I'm stronger now. Five months of healing, training and therapy have taught me many things, including how to control my body. There's no way I'll go back to that night when I was helpless and weak. This time, I'm going to uncover the truth.
I straightened myself up and glanced at my phone. It was empty—no threatening messages, no unknown emails. Yet somehow, I always ended up with more clues than the entire police precinct.
I need to find him. Thank him. Ask him questions. There are so many things I need to know. Who is he? How does he know the Romanos'? Who are the Romanos, and what connection do they have to my mother?
Only the Devil can answer that.
"Come out... please," my voice trembled, breaking under the weight of my emotions. Today would be the last time I visit this forest—the place where everything began and ended. The same old abandoned road, shrouded by the dense forest, felt eerily familiar. I have a hunch that the Devil's hideout is somewhere near. The intersection between the two cities, an unclaimed, vast space, is surrounded by this thick, ominous forest.
Many say the forest is dangerous because of its location; others believe it's a criminal hideout. But after spending days trying to find him, I know it's more than that. The forest is frightening, with its lonely trees stretching out like bony fingers, but there's a strange calmness to it. Over the past year, reports have surfaced about the bodies of criminals being found around here.
So, either this is where the Devil delivers his twisted justice, or this is where he lives.
"Please, don't give up on me," I whispered, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me. I was tired, lost, and starting to doubt myself. David made me promise that I wouldn't come here again, but I had to try one more time. Just once.
I sat down against a massive tree, sipping water, catching my breath, when a sound caught my attention. Footsteps. Someone is here!
I jumped up, scanning the area, but the forest was silent again. "Hello?" My heart pounded harder with each passing second. "Is anyone there?"
No response. Just the same unsettling silence. But I stayed alert, gripping my phone tightly, hoping for a message to pop up from that mysterious number. But the screen remained blank—no message, no clue, nothing.
"I know you're out there," I called out, forcing strength into my voice. "And I'm not scared of you. You may fool the world, but you can't fool me. Don't be a coward—come out and face me!" I taunted.
Suddenly, a whoosh of movement rushed from my left to right. I spun around, but there was no one in sight. Another whoosh and I clutched the phone to my chest, my breath rising with each passing second. I knew it was him. He's near. I can feel it.
"You... you don't scare me anymore," I lied, my heart hammering in my chest. The truth was, I was terrified. But there was something else—excitement.
The excitement of knowing that I wasn't mad. I didn't lie. He still exists.
A ping from my phone broke the silence, and a ghost smile crept across my lips as I read the message from an unknown number: "A lamb walked inside the lion's den? I wonder if the Lion is lucky or if the lamb is too dumb?"
And just like before, the message disappeared from my phone, as if it had never been there. I've tried everything—changing my phone, installing antivirus software—but nothing works.
"I think the lamb is a hunter in disguise. Maybe this time, the luck will turn."
Another ping. "What a foolish lamb, thinking she stands a chance against the predator." My brows furrowed in anger.
"Quit hiding like a pussy, Devil. Come out and face me," I challenged, my voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through me. But this time, there was nothing—no text, no shadow, no sound. Had he disappeared again?
Not an issue. Now I knew for certain he was alive, and I could work with that.
Just as I was about to move forward, another ping echoed through the silence. A picture of me appeared on my screen. My heart skipped a beat—he was close, too close. Alarmed, my senses sharpened, reflexes kicking in. Another ping followed, this time with a single word: "Run."
I didn't hesitate. I knew I was playing with fire, and I wasn't foolish enough to go unprepared. As I sprinted, I quickly pressed the emergency button on my phone, sending an alert to David—the only person I could trust.
I navigated through the dense forest, grateful I had marked a few areas on my way in. The goal was simple: provoke him, confirm his existence, and prove I wasn't losing my mind.
But what was this overwhelming mix of emotions? Fear? Excitement? Thrill? I couldn't tell anymore. My thoughts were interrupted by a haunting whistle from behind that sent chills down my spine. He was close, very close. Footsteps grew louder behind me, and I couldn't bring myself to turn around. Perhaps I was too scared to face him, yet a twisted sense of satisfaction flickered within me. Maybe I was going mad.
I spotted the light—salvation was near. The road was just ahead, and I could almost taste freedom. I pushed myself to run faster, my eyes locked on the last marked tree. But just as I was about to cross it, strong arms yanked me back, and everything went black.
I was blindfolded, a cloth tightly wrapped around my eyes, preventing me from getting a glimpse of his face. His arms were like iron bands, locking me in place, making escape impossible. He leaned in, his voice a dark, teasing whisper, "A pussy, huh?"
His voice was like the night itself, emerging from the depths of darkness, laced with raw masculinity that sent shivers down my spine. He quickly bound my hands behind me, securing them tightly as he whispered again, "What a foolish lamb."
I gritted my teeth, fighting against the restraints, but he was too strong. I couldn't move an inch.
"Didn't think you'd end up as the meal, Estrellita?"
"Didn't think the coward would show up at all, asshole!" I snapped back, defiance burning in my voice.
"Looks like your mouth has decided to rebel today, huh?"
"Didn't expect that, did you?" I hissed, still struggling to break free. But it was useless. He was a pro, and the way he held me was terrifying. My back was pressed against him, and I could feel the hard muscles of his abs through the fabric. And something else was poking my ass too. I gulped, focusing on the trouble in my hand. "Don't think you hold the upper hand here, Devil. The police are on their way."
He chuckled darkly, gripping my hair and yanking my head back. He angled me just right, his lips brushing against my neck as he whispered, "Oh, darling, you know you don't want me behind bars."
"You don't know what I want!" I spat back, defiant.
Another deep, sinister chuckle escaped him as his grip tightened, sending a sharp sting through my scalp. His breath was hot against my ear, and I shivered as his tongue traced the edge, taunting me. "I know exactly what you want," he murmured.
I struggled again, desperate to break free, but his hold was ironclad. His free hand slid to my throat, not choking but firm enough that he could feel the steady beat of my pulse beneath his fingers. "You want to be choked. You crave the fear," he said, his voice dripping with dark amusement. His hand dipped lower, slipping beneath my cleavage, giving a light squeeze as he continued, "You want to be held by a man like me. You want a safe place. But at the same time..." His hand trailed down between my legs, and when his thumb pressed against my most sensitive spot, I couldn't suppress the moan that escaped my lips. "You love the thrill," he added, his tone almost mocking.
I tried to control the heat pooling between my thighs, but there was no use. He was right. His presence, his touch, overwhelmed me. His fingers moved with ease, pulling down my slacks and sliding beneath, parting me effortlessly. "Mmmm," he growled low in his throat. "So wet..." His whisper was a dark promise. "Does your dripping cunt wants my cock, Estrelitta?"
I didn't expect this. All I wanted was to confirm his existence, to prove that I could outrun him. But now, I had no idea how I ended up in his clutches. "St-Stop..." I stuttered, my voice trembling.
"Stop what, Estrellita?" he whispered, his fingers cruelly teasing me, flicking my clit with a mix of pain and pleasure. I whimpered, caught between the two sensations.
"You're a psycho," I growled, trying to hold onto my anger. "And you will meet your demise one day. Don't think you can escape me. I will find you, and I will uncover what you did to the Romanos' and the secrets you're holding against my mother." I tried to elbow him, but he was too strong, barely flinching at my attempts. "You think you can play with me? Well, get this through your head—you will fall, I will make sure of it, and when you do, I'll watch your demise with pleasure."
He chuckled darkly. "Will you be my last meal, Estrelitta?"
Focusing on everything I'd learned over the past few months, I took a deep breath, steeling myself. I twisted my body sharply, slamming my elbow into his side with all my might. The impact caught him off guard, and I felt his grip loosen for just a second. Without hesitation, I spun around, using the momentum to shove him from behind. He stumbled, his balance faltering as he fell back from the shock. That was my chance. Heart pounding, I turned and sprinted away, my feet pounding the ground as I pushed through the trees, desperate to escape before he could recover.
My eyes and hands were still bound, so I had to rely on my other senses as I practiced. Trees bumped against me, but I didn't stop. I remembered being near the road before he caught me—if I could just keep going straight...
Before I could take another step, he tackled me, slamming me to the ground with a force that knocked the breath out of me. "What the hell?" I grunted, my voice strained with shock and pain.
He was on me in an instant, his grip ironclad as he grabbed my waist and settled between my legs. With a swift, brutal motion, he pulled them apart and flipped me onto my back. "You think you can escape me, little trouble", he taunted, a dark chuckle escaping his lips as he tore at the hem of my slacks. My heart pounded with a mix of rage and humiliation.
Maybe David was right—I never should've come here. I shouldn't...
"I thought I'd take it slow with you, but then I realized you like the chase..." His voice was a low, mocking growl as he spanked me. Once. Twice. Thrice.
Each strike sent a sharp sting through me, immobilizing me under his hold, trapping me in a way that left me breathless and seething.
"I hate you!" I roared, hot tears streaming down my face. "Let me go..."
But my words were useless. His eyes raked over my exposed body, devouring me with a look that sent my heart racing, not just in fear but with something more—a sick anticipation. Then I felt the searing fire as his teeth bit down on my clit, a sharp pain shooting through me, only to be followed by the lazy, agonizing strokes of his tongue easing the burn. "Mmm... I knew you'd taste like fucking heaven."
I writhed beneath him. "Le-let me go... "
But he only intensified the torturous play of pain and pleasure, his tongue and teeth driving me to the brink of madness. I was on the edge, teetering, helpless, unable to think as he toyed with me, leaving me hanging by a thread. My mind blurred, my body trembling as I felt myself slipping, about to faint. And just when I thought I couldn't take any more, he groaned, plunging two fingers deep inside me. "Mmm... so much hate, little Estrelitta." His voice dripped with dark amusement as he pushed deeper, nearly hitting that spot that made me cry out. "I think my little trouble is also a liar!"
As his fingers assaulted me, his thumb circled my clit, drawing out pleasure so intense it almost blinded me. His free hand yanked my hair, lowering himself, he whispered in a hushed tone. "You love this, Estrellita. All you need to do is accept it." His tongue flicked against my slit once again, sending shudders through my body. "Say it."
"Never," I say.
And he doubled the torture.
I might be mad. Because despite everything, all I felt was pleasure—more than I'd ever felt before, more than I ever felt with Enzo... and...
"You're not mad, Estrelitta," he whispered, his voice dripping with dark certainty. "You were built for me. And by the time I'm done delivering justice to this world, you and I will create our own world—where you'll be my goddess, and I'll gladly worship you."
I see stars. I see red. And then, I see him—those haunted, deep onyx eyes. Terrifying yet so enticing, drawing me into their abyss. "St-Stop..." I plead, biting down on my lip, but my words are swallowed by the darkness. He doesn't slow, doesn't relent. His fingers drive deeper, relentless, as his tongue flicks and bites at my most sensitive spot. The sensations crash over me, electric and overwhelming. With his final stroke, the world explodes into fireworks—tiny flames sparking across my skin—until I black out, just for a second.
When I come to my senses, he's still hovering above me, his breath hot against my ear as he bites it before he whispers, "Next time, I want the favour returned, Estrellita."
My hands suddenly loosen, and I break free, yanking the blindfold off to punch him right in his face but I find nothing. I search for him, my heart pounding in my chest. But like before, he's gone—vanished into thin air as if none of it was real.
I looked down, seeing only a black T-shirt lying on the ground and the same old familiar blue rose. Then, a message popped up on my phone: "As much as I'd love for you to go home like this, so you never forget whose tongue and fingers made you cum, I'd hate to kill your friend, who's just two minutes away from finding you like this. So, be a good girl, stay quiet, and wear my clothes. I'm sure your bare ass will still sting from my spank, reminding you of me by the time you reach home.."
The message vanished as quickly as it appeared.
I heard the sound of sirens approaching. Quickly, I pulled on the T-shirt, which barely reached mid-thigh, just enough to cover my bare ass. Tears streamed down my face as I wondered, Where will this end?