Page 10 of Pounded in the Patch
She opens her eyes, and even in the darkness, I can see the mix of terror and confusion and something else—something that makes my blood sing with anticipation. She's afraid, yes, but there's a part of her that's already responding to this. Alreadyawakening to possibilities she's never allowed herself to fully acknowledge, let alone explore.
There she is.
My beautiful, brilliant, completely irreplaceable night monster.
And she’s ready to play our game.
"Good girl," I murmur, and I don't miss the way her breath catches at the praise. "Let's get you out of there."
I lift her from the car with deliberate care, cradling her against my chest like she's made of glass. She's so perfectly sized to fit against me, so exactly right in my arms that it's like holding a missing piece of myself.
I wanted her to feel cherished even while she's been kidnapped.
As I carry her toward the pumpkin patch, I watch her face in the moonlight, memorizing every expression as she takes in the scene I've created for her. Her eyes go wide as she processes the magnitude of it.
This is her fantasy.
Her deepest desire.
Her most secret longings brought to life in a world we can actually inhabit.
"Welcome to your nightmare," I whisper against her ear. "I hope you're ready to play."
Because I've been ready for months.
I've been dreaming of this night since the moment you told me what you wanted.
I've been planning and building and creating, and now finally,finallyit's time to show her how far I’m willing to go.
It’s time to hunt her through the world I built just for her.
To catch her and claim her and keep her forever.
Startingnow.
CHAPTER 3
WELCOME TO THE NIGHTMARE
Seraphina
Istumble as he sets me on my feet, my legs weak from being bound for so long. He doesn't try to steady me, just watches with that unnerving stillness as I find my balance before pulling a knife from his back pocket and cutting me free of my binds in practiced, easy movements. In the moonlight, I can see him more clearly now—tall and broad-shouldered, wearing an unbuttoned black shirt that shows glimpses of tattoos across his chest. His pants are expensive-looking slacks, and even his belt looks like it cost more than my rent.
But it's the mask that makes my entire body go still. It's like something out of a nightmare, distorted angles and demonic features that seem to leer at me in the flickering pumpkin light.
He's the devil. He's actually dressed like the fucking devil.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" His voice carries a note of pride, like he's showing off a work of art. "I had it designed just for you."
Just for me?The words make my head spin. How could he possibly know me well enough to?—
"I don't understand," I whisper, my voice barely audible over the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. "What do you want from me? Why are you doing this?"
He steps closer, and I instinctively back away, my shoe sinking into the soft earth.
"I told you. I want to play a game." His voice drops to a deadly whisper that makes my stomach tighten despite my terror. "A very simple game."
The fog swirls around us, so thick I can’t see beyond the immediate glow of the nearest jack-o'-lanterns. The rest of the maze disappears into that spooky mist.
