Into the Darkness

Chapter Nine

 Jared lay on his back, his expression one of alarm. A naked woman bounced on his hips, a smile curling her lips. Crouched by Jared’s head was Aggressive Shadow—I’d never caught his name—holding a knife. A circle of spectators watched the scene, most naked, almost all touching themselves or each other, getting off on what was happening in front of them.

 If my vengeance had a smell in contrast to my arousal, these people would’ve been covering their noses and retching!

 I lunged across the room with letter opener in hand before Jared could issue another scream. Without thought, all action, I had the woman’s hair clutched tightly in a fist, her neck taxed from pulling her head back, and the “blade” at her throat, for all the world pretending it was a knife.

 Everyone froze.

 Aggressive Shadow looked up at me in complete surprise.

 “What the hell is this, Jonas?” the woman seethed, her body going a worrying type of fluid.

 Aggressive Shadow—Jonas—sat back on his haunches, a quizzical smile playing across his face as he analyzed me. “Well, well, how did you get in here?”

 “Walked. Which is exactly how I’ll be getting out. Get off she-bitch!” I yanked the woman’s hair, dragging her off of Jared.

 “Why is she not responding to my fear pheromones?” a man with a buzz cut against the wall asked, mystified. “This has never happened before.”

 “Seriously, can everyone stop stroking their penises? It is rude, strange, and distracting all at the same time! Social etiquette, people,” I shouted, staring at Jonas, the “knife” still at the woman’s throat.

 I had a sinking feeling the woman was humoring me, based on the bored glaze to her eyes.

 “Sasha?” Jared struggled to sit up, bleeding from at least twelve shallow gashes on his chest—some looked like nail scratches.

 “Oh God, Jared!” I whispered hoarsely.

  White hot rage vibrated my body and clouded my vision. Something shook loose in my chest, removing a blockage I hadn’t known existed. That same sixth sense I’d been using got a surge of power, sizzling my limbs as it traveled my length, my skin no longer feeling stretched, but now electrified and translucent.

 “Did you feel that?” someone asked in a hushed voice.

 I didn’t pay attention. I could only focus on Jonas as he rose slowly, uncoiling from the ground in a smooth, graceful lengthening of muscles. His face wore a malicious smile, his eyes lit with a manic fire.

 “It was not wise, coming here,” Jonas said as he took a step closer.

A burst of sweat coated my body as adrenaline surged through my blood.

I flung the woman to the side, stepping away into a crouch, something primal taking over. Letter opener held in my right hand like a knife, I took my whistle out and put it to my lips. I had no idea why.

 “Is that a whistle?” someone asked, dumbfounded.

 Obviously, no one else knew why, either.

 A smile slid up Jonas’s face like an oil slick on wet cement. “I wasn’t supposed to seek you out, but since you’ve come to me, I think I might just have a little fun with you.”

 “Nothing you do with me will be fun.”  I stepped toward Jared as Jonas circled me, intending that last line to be threatening, and missing the mark somewhat.

 “For you,” I clarified.

 “You are impervious to our pheromones, which means your screams will be heartfelt, and my cock pounding into you won’t be welcomed. I wonder if you’ll like it anyway.”