Page 36 of Grave Possession

“Everyone handles loss and grief differently,” I told myself when his emotionless reaction to his mother’s suicide set off alarm bells. But the pit in my gut never truly faded away, no matter how much time passed. I knew something was off, I just couldn’t place it. He wasmy friend, and no matter how inconsequential my feeling of unease was, it was there. And now I know the reason why.

Fuck, I’m so stupid. He’s been under my nose this entire fuckin’ time and I was too blind to see it.

Johnson is the killer.

And he has Mallory held at gunpoint.

Chapter Twenty-six

Mallory

Ibrace myself against the walls of the trunk as the car jerks suddenly, skidding across loose rocks, then coming to an abrupt stop. The blaring music cuts off as the engine’s vibrations cease. Panic grips me once again. Have we arrived at the mill? My mind gets away from me, racing a mile a minute, trying to come up with an escape plan that doesn’t result in me being shot to death five feet away. Could I reach my house with a bullet wound? Fuck it, I’ll risk it.

The driver’s door opens then closes, the car dipping and raising with his movements. His shuffling footsteps draw nearer, the gravel crunching an ominous soundtrack to my final moments. The trunk lock releases, and the lid raises. I attempt to shield my eyes with my forearm, but I’m blinded once more by the bright sunlight after being in the dark. I try to take in my surroundings, hoping to get an idea of where we are. Unfortunately, all I can see from this spot is the tree tops and the clouds in the sky.

The cop’s ominous shadow blocks out the light rightbefore he lunges, lashing out towards me. His fist dives into my hair, gripping tight, and hauling my body out of the trunk. I clench my teeth, forcing myself to keep the cry of pain inside.I won’t make a single sound for him.

He easily overpowers me now, all the strength sucked from my body. Bending me over the edge of the trunk, he reefs my hands behind my back. Despite the bone deep exhaustion and near delirious state, I’ll never stop fighting. I buck against him, wrenching and flailing my arms. I even resort to flopping like a fish, trying everything to get free.

He manages to secure a cuff around one frail wrist, panting and tired from my unrelenting will to survive. “Enough,” he growls through a huff. The barrel of his gun presses into the back of my skull, the cocking of the hammer loud in my ear.

My captor’s body weight presses into the back of my thighs and I freeze. “Just fucking kill me already,” I snarl. My heart is about ready to rip through my chest with how fast it’s pumping. The hot sweat coating my skin cools in the breeze, sending a chill quaking through me. I jostle, and the barrel presses harder into me.

Quickly, he clicks the other cuff painfully tight around my bruised wrist. His cold touch is soft as it slides down my back, then becomes violent as it reaches the waistband of the shorts, violently ripping them down my legs. He kicks my feet apart, bending back over me to whisper a harsh horror in my ear. “Not yet. I want Officer Graves to know just how much fun we had before I killed you.”

The man rips my top to rags, letting them fall to the ground before he spits on me. The glob slides downbetween my ass cheeks, and he lubes up an area that’s never been breached before. He spears into me and I’m blinded by burning hot pain. Squeezing my eyes shut, I bite my lip to keep the sounds caged while being torn apart from the inside. He takes what he wants from me, carelessly chasing his own release without a shred of remorse for the agony he’s inflicting. Watching me tear up, tense in pain, or shake in terror only makes him harder.

I’ve tried for so long to stay present, to not float away into the recesses of my mind. But in this moment, I don’t have the energy to fight it anymore. I let myself be carried away by the protective arms of dissociation.

He grunts and groans from behind me, rutting into me with such force the car is rocking. My hips grind against metal, and the rough carpet lining of the trunk scratches my cheek, but I can’t feel the pain anymore.I’m gone.

My shoulders threaten dislocation as he roughly hauls me up by the cuffs and holds me there. “We have an onlooker,” he grumbles from behind me. His words pull me back to the present, and I will my eyes to refocus on the area around me. Rallying my remaining energy, I attempt to raise my head and look around. However, I don’t see anyone.

He stuffs his dick back into his pants as I swing unrestrained, unable to control my body from swaying. The ache in my arms intensifies with each back and forth motion. Shooting pains run from my shoulders to my elbows, sending tingling numbness down to my fingertips.

“Come on out, I know you’re there!” he yells, thesound echoing around us. I hope no one is there, and that he’s just losing his fucking mind, but unfortunately I see a figure emerge from the trees. “Captain, how are you this lovely afternoon?” His voice is light, inquisitive, and it sends a new kind of fear leaking out into my veins. Fear for someone else other than myself.

Tears well in my eyes. I’m all too aware of how this encounter will end. Nox won’t survive the loss of both his uncle and I. “Please…don’t.” I utter.

“What’s that darlin’? I can’t quite hear you,” he taunts, releasing me, callously dropping me back into the trunk. New agony blooms in my chin, shocking through my jaw as my teeth smash together from the force of impact. Blood’s metallic taste spreads across my tongue as it starts to drip from my open mouth.

The pain in my arms starts to dissipate as the blood flow returns to normal, bringing with it the uncomfortable sensation of pins and needles from when feeling returns to numb extremities. “Don’t hurt him.” I plead, choking back a sob. My abductor’s hand snakes underneath me and wraps around my neck, pulling me up. My back is flush against his chest as his fingers curl around my throat, constricting slowly.

I can see the captain clearly now, making his way over to us, rounding the front of the car. “Johnson, what’s going on here?” he asks.

Johnson? Is that his fucking name? If the police captain is shocked by what he sees us doing, he definitely isn’t showing it.

“Just getting a good fuck in, Captain.” Johnson brazenly says, nuzzling his face against mine. I try to inchaway but am held in place by the tightening fingers around my throat.

“You know you can’t be here. Thisisa crime scene.” He enunciates while still stating it so casually. Is he blind to the battered woman in front of him?

Sudden unrelenting nausea rolls through me and I ignore the urge to gag. They aren’t in on this together, are they? It would make sense. Working on the force together, helping each other, covering for each other. Oh, I’m going to be sick. Lennox has no fucking idea.

“I know, but this little thing gets off on the depravity of being fucked where others have died. Don’t ya, darlin’?” I stay silent as he licks up the sweat trailing down my face. Eyes falling shut, I come to terms with my fate. If they’re in this together, I’m about to be passed between them before I get hung from the ceiling. Breathing deep and shoving down the tears that want to spill, I slip the emotionless mask back into place.

Reopening my eyes, Captain Graves’s gaze flicks to mine. So fleeting I may have imagined it, but in that fraction of a second I beg, plead, and scream for him to help me with a single look. Praying that my mind is just running away with me. Hoping the team-up is all in my head and he’s slowly putting everything together.

I’m going to need you to work a little faster and get me the fuck out of this situation.

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