Page 9 of Welcome to Carnage

He remains unmoving for a moment, then paces closer to the bed. “Avina,” he murmurs, “Right now, it isn’t the time for answers.” He halts a few feet away. His gaze is intense, almost predatory, and I’m like a deer caught in headlights. I’m terrified, yes, but I also want to know more. I’ve always been drawn to the mystery of Nyx, and even now, in this room where fear and curiosity intertwine, I yearn to understand.

“What is now the time for, Nyx?” I ask, forcing my voice to be steady. Despite the fact this man may well have murdered two men in cold blood, I’m nervous in his presence for the wrong reasons. I still want him, not because he might be a serial killer. My dark soul sings at the idea that this man might have been killed because he was jealous.

“But now,” he says, the silence in the room amplifying his words, “is the time for trust.” He inches closer, slow, calculated, and Nyx’s hand wraps around my throat before I react. Not squeezing, not threatening, but a firm, confident hold.

His thumb strokes my pulse point, the beat fluttering beneath his touch. His dark eyes never leave mine, their intensity anchoring me in place.

“Such a perfect fit,” he murmurs, glancing at his palm wrapped around my throat. “You could wear my hand like a collar, couldn’t you, my little hellion?”

I shudder as his voice has a seductive tone. My mind screams a warning at me. I’m in the hands of a monster, but I don’t pull away. I don’t scream. I don’t do any of the things I should be doing. Instead, I look at him, my breath hitching, my eyes wide. He’s a mystery I’m perilously close to unraveling.

“And what do you want, Nyx?” I ask my voice barely a whisper.

His fingers, still wrapped around my throat, apply the faintest pressure, causing my pulse to quicken. His eyes never leave mine, dark and mysterious, and for a moment, he remains silent. Then, with a slow, deliberate blink, he answers. “What do I want?” he repeats, his voice low, almost thoughtful. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“No,” I retort, struggling to keep my voice steady. “It’s not obvious. You haven’t made anything clear.”

His grip around my throat tightens, a warning to tread carefully.

I swallow hard, causing his fingers to dig into my skin. “Why James?” I ask, staring directly into his eyes.

His expression remains unreadable, his gaze not flickering from mine. “James was an obstacle,” he finally states, his words measured, careful. His hand leaves my throat, trailing to my shoulder before falling away. “I do what I must,” he adds, a hint of defiance in his tone.

“Murderer,” I spit, my heart pounding against my chest. “You’re a murderer.”

“Yes,” he agrees. “Now that we have that established, can we move past it? Or do you still want to play the game?” His voice is icy, his words a challenge.

I fall quiet as my mind starts spinning. I’m conversing with a killer, but I can’t turn away. I need to know more. I need to understand why.

“I don’t know what game you think we’re playing, but I have nothing to do with this. I didn’t ask for any of it!” I reply.

His face remains impassive, his dark eyes burning into mine.

“I’m not part of your psycho world, Nyx. I didn’t ask for any of this.” I stammer, gesturing wildly, “Why don’t you leave and let me live my life peacefully?” My voice echoes in the silent room.

Nyx’s expression is unreadable. The air between us crackles with tension, the stark reality of our situation sinking in.

Nyx’s voice is low and steady, sending a shiver down my spine. “I told you who you belonged to two years ago in the House of Mirrors, my little hellion.” His words hang in the air between us. “And I told you what I’d do to anyone who touches you. You didn’t take me seriously.”

The words hit me like a physical blow, leaving me breathless, my mind racing to process the bombshell he just dropped. The mysterious masked man from the House of Mirrors was Nyx. The man who cornered me and pressed his body against mine, whispering in my ear and coaxing me to orgasm, was the man I’d been drawn to all these years. My brother's best friend.

AVINA

Two years ago...

The carnival is alive with color, and laughter echoes through the air. I love this time of year.

“This has been so much fun!” Luna says, biting off the end of her corn dog. “I love Halloween. It’s the best holiday.”

I smile. “It’s fun, for sure.” I prefer it over Christmas because it has been tough since my mom and dad died over a year ago. Luna’s family had me and Pierce over, and I’m so grateful for that, but it’ll never be the same without them.

“Shit,” Luna says.

“What is it?”

She’s looking at her watch. “It’s almost ten o’clock, and the masked chase is about to start.”

My heart pounds erratically. If you don’t want to participate, you must go to the enclosure to watch. Which means we don’t have time to get away this year. And a part of me gets excited by that. A part of me desires the thrill of the chase. I know it’s dark and twisted. I’ve known for a while that I’m not like most girls.

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