Little Book Of Red Lies | Shubman Gill ✓

30. Red Lies

"You compelled me to come here didn't you!!" Anand cannot help but smile at her.

"Aren't you feisty."

"You liar!" Kavya fumes. She cannot believe that she was stupid enough to trust this guy enough to unhook Shubman's necklace. Her eyes scan the vastness of the room that she is in. Dread fills her veins. The only thing that protected her from vampires was gone. She turns to face the man she knows by the name of Aatish.

"We are all liars in one way or the other, honey. We are all performing."

Despite the fury she feels she argues, "There's a difference between lying and performing, Aatish. You wouldn't know."

"Oh trust me, honey. I would know." She seethes at the use of the nickname but remains quiet. She knows better than to provoke a vampire. Who knows how powerful he is? Who knows what he wants and how far he can go to get it?

"So it was you, all along? The presence that I felt. The crow. The mist."

Anand is amused to remark that she doesn't know about the threat he had carved on her glass. Shubman had obviously not told her the details of that night. How insulting, he thinks.

"Yes, my dear. It was me, all along."

"What do you want?" She asks. He chuckles, darkly. It's a fair question even to him. To think of it, he wanted her life. But now that wouldn't be as exciting and fulfilling as keeping her captive, he knew that.

"Oh honey, I want a lot of things." He says taking a step closer just to tease her. The anger that Kavya had been bottling erupts like a volcano.

"Don't. You. Dare. I would rather die than be touched by you." She says through her teeth.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, honey." He gives her a smile but she doesn't even blink. The resolve in her eyes tempt him to make her words come true. It was all that he had wished, all that he had lived for. He couldn't kill the God of cricket because of this girl's parents. He had vowed to kill every one in the Arora family. Especially their beloved daughter.

He had waited for the right opportunity. When the stakes of the game would be too high and too irresistible to stay hidden, he would attack her. And he had the perfectly entertaining quest because of that overprotective boyfriend oh sorry not boyfriend but bestfriend of hers, Shubman. But now he wanted more. He did not know what that meant but he was willing to wait to find what was it that would help him take his revenge.

For now, he lets his rage slip into enjoyment.

"You're going to stay here for a long time. Make yourself comfortable." He says as a matter of fact. Kavya knows it is futile to protest but she does so nonetheless,

"I have a brother, Aatish. I have a family." Emotion drips from every word of hers as she thinks of Rahul. The Tendulkars. Shubman. Her plea would have melted anyone's heart but not the one that had known nothing but destruction for more than a century, now.

"I know, sweetheart." He says, in what seems like a sympathetic manner.

She shakes her head. "I have to pay for my brother's education. It's not a game, Aatish. I have places to be. You can't keep me here." She tries again. Tries to sound more defiant than she feels. Deep down, she is terrified that she has hit the wrong note.

"Oh honey. I can do whatever the hell I want to do." His eyes flash with anger and Kavya knows that It's best not to provoke him further.

"At least tell me, why me?" She asks after what seems like an eerily silent hour. With no access to her phone, Kavya grows tired of watching the dull brown wallpaper.

A sinister smile adorns Anand's face.

"It's a long story sweetheart." He throws the vague statement to test how bright she is. Her eyes widen with horror. Her body shakes with anger as she points a finger at him and utters the name that has been responsible for every tormented moment in her life.

"Anand?"

Anand smiles. The smarter the prey, the more fun is the hunt.

*****

Shubman paces up and down in the dressing room. He has been cursing himself ever since he came in. Sachin remains unbothered by the explicit curses. His mind has it's own way to punish him.

Shubman wants to say so much. He wants to convey how stupid it was of him to not think of the possibility. He wants to express the anger he feels towards himself for not being able to protect her. To voice the confusion that how had that bloody Anand touched Kavya when she was wearing vervain. But no words come out of his mouth. His blood is boiling and his heart is bleeding. Between the agony of losing her and the desire to find her, Shubman finds his voice to ask,

"Do you have any idea where he could have taken her?"

Even before Sachin speaks he sees the answer in his dejected eyes.

"Shit. Pajji. I'm so sorry. Shit." Emotion overcomes him and he can no longer hold the tears in. Sachin pats his shoulders. But even he knows that it is half hearted reassurance. When Shubman raises his downcast eyes to look at Sach Pa he sees a different man altogether. One that is scared to lose a daughter he had sworn to protect.

"We will find her, Shubman." He says with a determination that ignites hope within Shubman.

"Yes. Yes. Yes." Is all he can say.

Shubman stays with Sachin that day, trying to track Kavya. At night, Sachin sends his son to talk to Shubman. He believes they are the only ones who can provide a sliver of comfort to each other.