Smother - Sire #1 (Patreon Book)

Chapter 1 - Part 2

I whimpered as I swallowed. I felt awful. The bright light hurt my eyes as I opened them. My head was pounding and I sat up. The room spun and I put a hand to my head to stop the spinning.

When I remembered the last thing that happened my hand went to my throat and I inhaled inhaling the breath I had so desperately fought for. My lungs burned from the deep breath and only when they ached from the excessive air did I release it.

My eyes swept the room for danger, the man who had tried to strangle me. I was alone. In a different room. Was I dead? A frightening possibility creeped into my mind as I scanned my surroundings.

The room was smaller and light unlike before. Everything was white: the walls, floor, bedding and ceiling. The door as well. Daylight streamed in from a small window. If my surroundings had been hell before it was heavenly now.

Was I dead?

I looked down at my wrists. I expected to see the marks from where I had tried to escape but there wasn't a scratch or a bruise. I frowned. If I was alive there would still be cuts on my wrists where I had tried to escape. They couldn't have healed so quickly. It was impossible.

The clothes I wore were the same white underwear and vest but they were clean. My hand went to my neck and the puncture marks were gone. I frowned feeling more confused than before.

My mind replayed the stranger who tried to suffocate me. Remembering how I fought him sped my heart and turned my stomach. It was horrific.

Feeling shaken I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood. My body felt weak and I shuffled a few feet it the door to yank the handle but it didn't budge. Not that I was expecting it to be open but it was worth a shot.

What now?

My mind reeled with questions. If this was indeed the afterlife why was I locked in a room? And if I was still alive where was I and why didn't have any injuries from before?

Confused I moved back to the bed and sank down. I was so thirsty. My saliva did nothing to sooth the dryness in my mouth. My stomach grumbled and I rested my hand on it. I was starving.

This time when I heard footsteps a horror filled death gripped me making me move to the other side of the bed and hide. Before I hadn't known what to expect but this time I knew I had something to fear.

It was instinctive.

The door unlocked and the sound vibrated through me in flashes from my memory as I had fought for air.

A sheen of sweat developed at the memory.

The door swung open and I peered over the bed to see him. He stood tall, powerful and frightening. The sight of him sent a wave of horror through me.

This time the darkness in his eyes hit me like ice making me tremble. His skin was pale. Deep ruby lips. But it was his eyes that held my attention. They were the darkest color I had ever seen, they almost looked black. As he stepped inside the room the light caught his eyes and I swear I saw a glimmer of gold. I shook my head. My mind felt so scrambled I was clearly seeing things.

Fear pushed me back and landed on my bottom before back-pedalling until my back hit the wall. There was no where to run, no where to hide. I was corned and the hunter was watching, making no attempt to move.

My eyes shot to the open door and just for a second I considered trying to get past to him to the freedom the exit held.

"Don't make this harder than it needs to be." His voice cold and commanding. I swallowed as my gaze moved to his.

"Are you hungry?"

His question took me by surprise. I continued to stare at him, unable to process an answer. There was no concern in the hard eyes that held mine. Of all the things I expected that wasn't one of them. The last time I had seen him he had strangled me and now he was asking if I needed food.

When he drew near and I stood up. Fear shivered through, making my heart speed up.

His fingers grasped my chin and I closed my eyes, to shut out everything out. His fingers were cool against my skin. Every time I stared into his eyes I remembered the desperation of trying to cling to life.

"Open your eyes."

I squeezed them tighter unable to replay the nightmare I had already experienced with him.

"I won't ask again." His tone held the underlying threat. I had no doubt he was used to obedience but me from following his command. He increased the pressure of his grasp on my face.

This time a tear slid down my cheek. Slowly, I peaked at him under my eyelashes.

I swallowed again. My throat was still so dry.

The lack of emotion in his eyes kept me from begging him not to hurt me. If he intended to hurt me I wouldn't be able to stop him.

His fingers drifted form my cheek to to my neck and it took every bit of self control not to give into the instinct to pull free. I knew where this had led the last time and I was going to fight even harder to stay alive.

He studied me.

"Are you hungry?" His tone was cold.

I nodded unable to form words because my mouth felt so dry.

"Good."

His hand went to my neck and I trembled trying to stave off the fear that he would hurt me again. I wanted to look away but I didn't want to anger him. Who knew what he was capable of?

His fingers formed the same grip around my throat and I waited for him to apply pressure but he didn't. His hand remained there for a few seconds and then he dropped his hand. My hands touched my neck as he returned to the door.

And abruptly the the door was slammed shut as he exited the room and I was left reeling trying to figure out what had just happened. The sound of the door locking reminding me I was a prisoner and at the mercy of a man who had already hurt me.

My heart felt like it was going to break free from my chest as I tried to calm the fear that had gripped me. My brief meeting with the black haired stranger had left me with adrenalin pumping through my veins and I was shaking as I sank down on the bed.

There was something off. I couldn't quite explain it.

I remembered the split second that his dark eyes had shimmered a gold colour. It wasn't possible. I frowned as I put my hand to my temple trying to figure out if what I had seen was real or just a brief play with the light. Could I really trust what I had seen?

I felt so weak and so thirsty like I could drink a gallon of water. Surely if this was heaven I wouldn't be feeling anything. And I wouldn't be so damn thirsty. I stared at the closed door.

The few times I had envisioned life after death this wasn't it. Didn't people say they saw a bright white light as they moved from the life to what lay beyond?

My hand went to my throat again. The feel of his hand still pressed on my skin like a memory. I swallowed as I remembered of his touch made me feel.

This was probably hell. And I would be faced with torture again and again, each time using different methods to inflict the threshold of pain that would punish me.

I had no idea what lay in store for me and that scared me beyond anything I had already experienced up to this point.

So if this was my hell was the dark haired man my own personal tormentor who was here to serve my punishment?

My stomach grumbled again. Surely I wouldn't need to eat if I was dead? None of the scenarios I had thought of fit what I was going through.

But at this point, dead or alive, my nightmare had just begun.