The Dark (DEVON) // ✔️ // [NEWADULT]

|| Chapter Twenty-Seven - Dosage ||

   "Dev-" he clamped a cloth covered hand down over my mouth. His expression was hard and stony. Panic bubbled up inside me, a scream lodged in my throat.

   I grunted against his hand and tried to pry myself away but he held firm. My legs were kicking out in crazed directions, I aimed for anything that'd make a noise, knocking a painting off the wall? Maybe kicking a vase and sending it crashing to the ground?
   I tried. Panting against his unmoved hand.

   Eventually, everything began to slow. My panic subdued slightly, replaced with a more calm, warm feeling. I felt fuzzy, it was almost laughable. Scratch that. This was funny.

   Devon's face twisted as if he was a real live filter, his nose curved inwards, eyes and lips following. My eyelids fell halfway down on my eyes and I giggled, looking at Devon's warped face as clouds of black began to fill my vision.

   His hand loosened slightly, I realised we were walking. The urge to skip came over me so violently but when I attempted to hop my way alongside Devon, he growled and held me firmly to the ground as he lead me up the stairs.

   "We are going to play a little game." Devon muttered.

   My heart skipped, "oh a gaaaaaaame." I drawled, my voice barely loud enough to be above a whisper. Devon "mhmed" his confirmation and covered my eyes with a blindfold.
   A laugh bubbled up inside me but it came out wheezy and tired. I was tired I realised. The vision of a warm bed floated into my mind and I slowly allowed myself to tip backwards.

   Arms - no a mattress - catching me and slowly gliding me along. I succumbed to the urge to sleep, my head lulling backwards like dead weight before my body switched off.

•

   My head was pounding as I slowly regained consciousness. The last thing I remembered feeling was unmatchable euphoria before I collapsed. Whatever this feeling was - it wasn't funny anymore.

   I swallowed but my mouth felt dry, my tongue was a thick slab of muscle in my mouth. I rolled my neck and groaned, the blindfold falling from my head and exposing my eyes to the concrete, cell-like room around me.

   My throat closed up, and not from the dehydration or the crashing. Fear. Hot, crippling fear swirled in my gut.

   Devon.

   Devon kidnapped me?

   I coughed, my throat was dry and sore, "Devon!" I rasped, "This is a joke...please." I sounded helpless to my own ears. It wasn't pleasant.

   My thoughts turned sour. If Devon did this to me, what was Isaac putting my mother through... my eyes burned at the throng of images that whizzed through my mind.

   A small creak sounded and the metal door opened, Devon slumped through it, locking it behind him. He approached me with caution before tipping a cup of water up to my lips. I drank heartily before moving my head away and glaring at him, "What is this?" My tone was blatantly opposite to my appearance.

   He raised his hands up to his shoulders and winced, "I've figured out the best way to get your attacker to come clean..."

   "By...kidnapping me?" I raised the question sarcastically, "Wow, ok, smart."

   Devon glared at me before pulling up a rusty stool and sitting on it, "I was thinking that clearly they had motives for attacking you, you're important. So, the distress they'll feel when they realise you've gone? Second to none if I am right about who put them up to it..." he bit his lip and looked at me hopefully.

   "As a result, they'll panic, become so determined to find you that it'll completely consume them. They'll try everything." He continued, "I had to make the kidnapping look real. Hence why I drugged you with vaporised shrooms and locked you underneath my bedroom. There's a hatch." He added mischievously, "I'm sorry about this. But it's the only way to outsmart someone who has managed to hide out so well. Gotta' beat them at their own game." He finished.

   I was furious. Scared. Hurt.

   "You scared me." I said softly, looking away, "you could've told me..." I reasoned, tears spilling from my eyes.

   Devon had the sense to look apologetic, "It wouldn't have been authentic. The same effect wouldn't kick in..." he tried to rationalise, but it only aggravated me more. An apology would've been nice.

   "So!" I hissed, "What? am I supposed to just sit here idly and wait for my attacker to appear again? I don't know about you, but I'm pretty damn vulnerable with my arms tied behind the chair." My voice was hard, it was shocking to me.

   Devon sword under his breath and untied my hands, as he pulled his head back I slapped him. Hard and fast across the face. His jaw clenched for a moment before he sized me up with a look. Trouble was all it radiated.

   "I. Don't. Trust. You." I spat, "Never again."

   Devon sighed before moving toward the door, "I don't need your trust to protect you." He declared.

   I moved to follow him but found my legs chained to the chair. A lock securing them. He wasn't stupid - that's for certain.

   "Please..." I whimpered. Hurt clawed at me like I was It'd scratching post, my eyes pleaded with Devon... any part of him that was genuine about his feelings for me would be swayed by this surely...

   "I have to do what I have to do. You might not realise it. But this could save your life. Bye princess." He said coldly before shutting the door and locking it behind him.

   My vision clouded with upset as a sob escaped me. I eyed the water and food he'd bought in with him and became nauseated at the idea of how long I could potentially end up down here.

   What if Devon was wrong and I wasn't important at all? What if he's done them a favour by getting me out of the way?

   I didn't allow my conscious self to entertain it. Not right now. I had to stay alert and focused.

   I squared my shoulders and watched the door with predatory intent, swallowing the sadness that tore me up inside.

   The wall of trust I had instilled in Devon all but crumpled and discarded now.

•

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