Snare (Delirious book 1) (41 page)

Right then, one of them focuses his attention on me. “Fuck, she’s gone.”

“No, she’s not. I’ll be the one to decide that,” Newman growls.

He barges toward me and puts his hands on me. I scream, fighting him while he grasps my shirt and tears it apart from top to bottom. I struggle to stay standing as he pulls down my pants, too. The man behind me says, “Wait!” And he tries to stop him by grabbing my pants and jerking, but it’s to no prevail. I’m already naked. Stripped of the last shred of my humanity.

“Stop, she isn’t your target,” the man behind me yells.

“Who fucking cares, she is now.” He doesn’t stop until all my clothes are gone or ripped apart.

“Enough!” The man behind me pulls me away from his grasp and brings me to my feet, holding me close. “She’s
mine
!”

“What?” Newman says.

The man behind me picks me up in his arms. “You already had that one; don’t take this one, too.”

“You’re planning on using her for your―”

“Maybe I will, but that is none of your business. I will not have you sully this one, too. You got what you were after.”

“Fine,” Newman snaps, grunting, and then he walks back to Ashley. My hand drifts with him, wanting to go to her, but the man holding me in his arms repositions me so that I’m only facing him. My head pounds and I’m losing the fight to stay conscious. My eyes have already given up, closing, my breath coming out in short puffs. I’ve lost. I’ve lost everything. My friend. My family. My dignity.

All I have left is him.

My trust that he’ll bring me to safety.

I feel his steps but can’t keep up with where we’re going. Ashley’s noises fade and so do the men. It feels as though my mind has emptied, and there is nothing left. We’re out of this car. It’s strange to not hear her screams anymore and the vicious growls of the men. A cold breeze chills my body to the bone. It’s surprisingly welcome.

“Hold on, we’re almost there,” he says, but I can barely hear him.

All I feel is his warm hands around me as he walks me away from danger and into the unknown. Something beeps, I think it’s a car, and the door is opened. I’m placed on a warm couch and a blanket is draped over me. Somehow, I feel like I’ve just been saved by the devil himself. Who are these people who help the man that stole my mother away from me? Who is this man who carries me away into the night?

“W-who are you? What do you want with me?” I ask with the last bit of remaining energy I have. I’m seconds away from blacking out, but I manage to catch the next thing he says before I slip away completely.

“My name is Sebastian Brand, and I want you to forgive me.”

Accompanying song:
“Breath of Life” by Florence and the Machine

Train, Rhode Island – June 2
nd
, 2013, night

I remember everything.

I remember how they killed my mother and came for Ashley and me. How I was never really the target, but she was. For the sake of my own safety, I pushed it all away, forgot about everything. I told myself to remember, and instead I did the opposite.
Ashley
…

My breath catches in my throat the moment I realize I’m still in
his
arms. The man who helped them do this to us.

I look back, my pupils dilating. “You … You were there. You did this to us!”

I scramble away from his grasp and tumble onto the floor, but I keep crawling, anything to get far away from him.

“Yes, it was me. I was there when your friend was abused, beaten, taken against her will. I was there when they killed your mother, and I knew it would happen. I know about
everything
. And now you do, too.”

“No …” I shake my head. “How could you?”

“I ask myself the same thing over and over again. And do you know what answer I come up with?” he says, stalking toward me while I crawl backward as fast as I can. “Nothing. There is nothing I can say that will justify this. I had no other choice but to participate …”

“You … you’re a monster,” I snarl.

“You’re right … I am. But what now? Are you going to run? Where do you think you can hide?” He steps closer, holding out his hand, while I get up from the floor. “Did you think I would let you go?”

“Why did you make me remember? Why couldn’t you just let me be?”

He rakes his fingers through his hair, his nostrils flaring. “
You
were the one who was desperate for me, not the other way around.”

“You’re sick!” I snarl as I turn around and run, pushing my way through the doors of the train car. There is no exit, no end, no stop to this train, and the only way to get off is by force. So I find the nearest emergency switch and yank it down. The train comes to a screeching halt so swiftly I almost topple over, but I manage to catch myself on one of the bars that line the car. Sebastian is right behind me when it stops, his face appearing through the door, giving me new nightmares of which I know will haunt me forever.

“You should’ve never left that mental hospital,” he yells. “You’re crazy if you go out there.”

“If it’s far away from you, I’m more safe than I’ve ever been,” I say. “I’m sorry I ever came looking for you.” I pull the handle on the door, and it opens wide while the train is still moving.

“Don’t.” He holds up his hand in an effort to stop me from jumping. “You don’t know what you’re doing. Let’s talk about this first.”

“I’m done talking to you!” I yell as I move my feet closer to the door.

“Stop! Do
not
jump out of this train.”

Too late.

I’ve already slipped and let my body fly.

Accompanying song:
“Bad Moon Rising” by Mourning Ritual

Train, Rhode Island – June 2
nd
, 2013, night

She needed to remember. I wanted her to. She needed remember so she could hate me… despise me … and get away from me, like she has now. It was all part of the plan. Once she found me, I knew this was the only option. Either make her go forcefully or by her own choice. I did it for her … to keep her safe. To let her be the first girl who survived the ordeal and had gotten away.

Except, I fell for her.

I really did.

The moment she stood at my doorstep was the day I knew everything would fall apart. I fought her resilience with everything I had, but it wasn’t enough. So I took her in, made her see the error of her decision to follow me. The animal in me came out and ravaged her, relentlessly, night after night … just to make her scared.

And maybe a little because I couldn’t resist the temptation.

I told myself I wouldn’t fall for her that I could keep my emotions at bay. That I could take her and do with her as I wished without consequences. It was a lie I told myself to cope with the truth. The moment she started accepting my viciousness, a primal need to repel her impending love for me grew inside me. I was slowly falling for her, and there was nothing I could do. Nothing that would change my succumbing heart.

And now I don’t want her to run.

I need her. I need her acceptance to forget about the horrible things I’ve done. I need her submission to feed my addiction of control. I can’t let her go.

Either she comes back to me, or she doesn’t get to live at all.

I searched for a way out but knew there was no other solution. Once she found the camera, I lost. I knew the time would come but not this quickly. I wanted to show her the pictures myself, explain how I got my hands on them, but she never gave me a chance. The only outcome was pain. All caused by me. I’m not proud of myself, but I know it had to be done.

I quickly grab the heavy bag lying on the couch in the train car and take out my shotgun along with ammo. Through the window in front of me, I see her fairy-like presence floating through the woods, running, fleeing for her life. A full moon lights the sky, her red hair like a homing beacon, reflecting the light in the dark of night.

She should hate me. I am a monster. Monsters do not take well when those they need flee.

She should’ve run when she had the chance.

Now it’s too late.

I will not let her get away.