Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 64751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 324(@200wpm)___ 259(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Long locks of white, blond hair fall over her shoulder, tied loosely. Her skin, soft and pale, only accentuates her beauty. Her eyes, when she glances over at me, are the lightest of blue, a shade I’ve never seen on another human before. Her lips are full and a dark shade of red, making it look like she’s wearing makeup. She’s petite and small, just a tiny little thing.
There is something about her that makes it hard to look away.
She certainly doesn’t look like a drug addict or someone living a life of crime.
So why is she here?
“What is happening here?” I whisper to her, shuffling over to the side of the cage, my heart racing.
“What is happening is the devil has risen and is using girls to make a show,” she murmurs.
The devil being Marek.
“How long have you been here?”
She pushes her bottom lip out and shrugs. “A week, maybe two. I don’t know.”
“I’m Alexis,” I tell her.
“I’m Ellie, and yes, before you ask, my parents through it would be fantastic to make my middle name Mae.”
I can’t help but smile, because it’s a ridiculously adorable name but I can understand why she doesn’t seem pleased about it.
“Well, Ellie, I like it.”
She huffs. “What are you here for? Drugs? Stealing? He always has a reason.”
I shake my head. “He killed my abusive husband and is using me to get money off someone who owes him. If they don’t come for me, I’m toast.”
She studies me, her eyes roaming up and down. “No, you’re pretty enough for him to use. He keeps the pretty ones for the shows.”
I stare at her, horrified. “He keeps them. What do you mean?”
“He trains them, like circus monkeys. Out there every day until they learn what he wants, if they refuse or aren’t good enough, they get punished. If that doesn’t work, he sells them off for cash.”
My mouth drops open.
What kind of sick, twisted monster?
“What about you?” I dare to ask.
“I’m a dancer. A good one, too. He happened to stumble across me dancing and decided he wanted me for his fucking act. Not to mention, he was drawn to the way I look. The man is trying to break me, but he’s not going to win. I will not be broken, and I will not dance for him. I’m tough, so he can try his best.”
She sounds tough, she certainly doesn’t look it, though.
Looks can be incredibly deceiving.
I can see why he is drawn to her, though. It’s hard not to be. She is so incredibly ... unique.
“Has he hurt you?” I whisper.
She holds up her hand, which has a bandage on it. “He tries. I know he won’t kill me, though. He’s determined to use me, and that only gives me the strength I need to endure his torture. He won’t mark my body, or ruin my face, not when he thinks I’ll be the star of his pathetic little show.”
She is incredible.
Everything about her.
It takes a certain level of strength to endure what he is dishing out.
“Have you tried to escape?”
She shakes her head. “No, but I will. He’s not keeping me here; he just doesn’t know it yet. I have a career, people who will be looking for me. There is no way he’ll ever get away with making me perform.”
“Does he think he can break you enough for them to believe you went with him willingly?”
She shrugs. “I think that’s the plan. He’ll get a rude awakening. I’ve dealt with bigger monsters than him.”
That is a terrifying thought.
Because from what I can see, Marek is the worst of them.
She’s so confident that he won’t hurt her too badly because he wants what she has to offer, and I hope she’s right.
“You really don’t think he’ll hurt you?”
“Oh,” she laughs, bitterly, “he’ll hurt me, he just won’t do it badly enough to ruin what he thinks I can bring to his little show.”
“I can’t believe people come to watch this,” I murmur, rubbing my upper arms.
“They don’t know what he’s doing behind closed doors. Have you seen one of his shows? They’re breathtaking. Utterly awe inspiring. He is charming and attractive; he captures the audience in a way that is impressive. Marek is smart, and he’s powerful. He has some big fish behind him to ensure he doesn’t get busted.”
Well.
She’s certainly paid attention.
“I’ve heard of his,” I admit. “But I’ve never seen it. I certainly didn’t know this was going on. Do you think he’s going to let me know, now I’ve seen it?”
“Even if you told someone,” she says with a shrug, “nobody would ever get close enough to do anything. He would have you killed long before that happened.”
I shudder at the thought.
She gives me a small smile.
“Welcome to hell.”
I DON’T KNOW WHEN I fall asleep, but somehow, I do.