ONE
KARLEY
“I am going to ruin all of your fucking lives!” I scream as they slam the door closed. I rush forward and beat my fists against it. “Motherfuckers!”
“It’s soundproof.” I whirl around in fright, I had no idea anyone else was in here. The sight of him sitting there on the edge of the bed, with his arms casually resting on the tops of his thighs, has me tensing from surprise. I snort at the sight of him wearing the same blue scrubs as me, standard uniform around here I guess. His brown eyes drink in the sight of me. When he pushes to his feet, my eyes snap wide at the sheer size of him. He’s at least two feet taller than me, tattoos covering his forearms. I can just make out the skulls before my attention is darted back to his face.
I press my back flat against the door and scowl at the fucker. “Stay the hell where you are!” I warn. He ignores me and eliminates the space between us, my breath hitching when he places his hands on either side of my head and cages me in. He tips his head down and his black hair flops onto his forehead, the strange urge to brush the strands back comes over me but I force my hands to remain at my sides.
“You’re in my world now. Best to remember that when you start running that pretty little mouth of yours.”
I swallow audibly and keep my terror from splaying on my face and I meet his dark stare with one of my own. “Boy, please, the shadows are my friends and I plan to cause as much mayhem as I can while I’m here.”
His eyes take on a calculating edge. “Why are you in the men’s wing? You shouldn’t be in here with me. Get out,” he snarls, then pushes back and darts across the room and huddles in the corner. I stare at him in stupor.
“Do you really think I would still be standing here if there was a fucking way out?” I snap.
“If you don’t get the fuck out of here in the next three minutes, you’ll become my new toy.”
Against my will I shiver at the innuendo. Fucking one of the inmates would be a surefire way to piss the old bastard off and send his ass to an early grave. His eyes narrow to slits when I smile seductively and I reach up to twirl my black hair around my finger.
“I mean…” I let my sentence trail off. His growl should have me dropping to my knees and begging to get the hell out of here, but instead all I feel is the need to push him. Shit, maybe there is something wrong with me after all. I’ve been in here two minutes, have no idea what the hell this guy’s name is and yet I’m ready to let him fuck me, just so I can send the old man over the edge. I drop my arms back to my sides and huff out an annoyed breath. “I don’t see another way out, can you just… not break me?”
His eyes narrow and his nostrils flare as he presses back against the concrete wall, almost like he is fighting against himself to remain where he is and not come at me. For the first time since I was dragged out of my room and brought here against my will, I feel a sliver of fear and I despise that feeling.Unknowingly I take a tentative step backward and raise my hands as if surrendering.
“You have forty-five minutes before the doors open, when that happens, don’t run. Back out of the room slowly and then get as far away from this room as you can.”
I bite back my snort. “You make it sound like you're some kind of predator,” I say, trying to lighten the tension in this cell. When his eyes darken and his upper lip pulls back in a snarl, I swallow loudly.
“I’m the worst kind of predator and you would be wise to remember that. Follow my instructions and you just might make it out of here tonightintact.” I clamp my mouth closed and slowly back away until I’m in the opposite corner, heeding his warning and never turning my back. I press against the concrete wall and glide down until I’m sitting on the cold floor. He mimics my move and eyes me with such scrutiny I have to fight not to fidget.
I mull over his words and then hyperfocus on one part. “What did you meanthe doors will open?” I ask.
A cruel smirk graces his handsome face. “Slade Le Roux isn’t just an asylum for the unhinged and mentally disturbed, it is a place where people with the darkest kind of desires are sent to be cleansed. The chaplain thought he could cure us all of our ungodly ways, but that fucker has been corrupted and is now one of us.”
Fear grips me in its clutches. “What happens when the door opens?” The slight tremble in my voice pisses me off but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t fearful of his answer. He steps forward toward the metal cot, with a mattress that looks thinner than a bed sheet, and pushes the single threadbare blanket to the side and lifts a mask. My brows leap to my hairline at the sight of the bright red mask, thick black lines reaching from the top to the bottom of the eye parts, but it's the devil horns atop it thathave my breaths coming in fast pants. The mask is old and the paint looks like it is peeling, which just adds to the ominous appearance of it all.
His gaze slowly lifts to mine and the excited look in those brown eyes sets my blood pressure rising. “We hunt.” I suck a sharp inhale at his declaration, something tells me he isn’t talking about hunting wild game.
I shake my head, trying to deny his claim. I’m a ballsy bitch and will hold my own against any fucker, but something about this place and the danger that clings to my new cellmate has put me on edge. I’m at a disadvantage here and I hate it. I retie my shoelaces and make sure they are done up tight, then gather my black hair and secure it in a ponytail. I have no idea what awaits me when that damn door opens but I won’t be caught off guard.
I draw my knees up and rest my arms over the top of them as I stare at the sexy, unhinged bastard across from me.
“Any pointers on where I should hide until they lock the doors again?”
“The doors remain open until sunrise. Nowhere is off limits. The entire facility is fenced and we have free reign until daylight. Run, don’t stop.”
I snort. “That’s real fucking helpful,” I bite out.
“When the devils come for the prey there is no escape. The torture they inflict is depraved and sinister. No amount of prayers to your make-believe God will make them stop.” His words send a shiver down my spine.
Time seems to tick by faster than I had hoped. When he starts pulling his mask on, I push to my feet and keep my back against the wall as I edge toward the door, waiting for the moment the lock disengages and I can escape this madness and find a way out of this fucking hellhole. I close my eyes and try to calm my nerves by giving myself a mental pep talk. When I finally open them again, a scream lodges in my throat as he’sstanding directly in front of me with that mask on. His eyes look almost black but there is no mistaking the desire swirling in their depths as he gazes down at me.
When he reaches out and grips my ponytail, tugging on it, a whimper escapes me. “I’m going to enjoy breaking you, beauty.” His words are quietly spoken but delivered with the force of a punch to the gut.
I knew my dad was a crazy bastard, but I never thought he would stick me in another one of these places. Now I’m going to have to run for my life before the devils catch me.
TWO
