Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 68006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“I’ll be back as soon as I can. You have your phone on you?”
“Crap. I left it at my place.”
“All right. There’s a landline here. The phone is in the bedroom, it’s a secure line. Stay in the bedroom, and if the phone rings twice and then stops, it’s me. Answer the next time. But if it rings more than twice without stopping, don’t answer.”
I nod, fear pulsing through me.
“Everything will be all right, Kelly. I’ll probably be back very soon. But if I’m not, you will get a call. So listen for it.”
“All right.” I try to calm my beating heart. “Leif?”
“Yes?”
“Please. Please come back.” I tear up, but damn it, I can’t cry. Not again.
“The Phoenix always rises.” He drops something onto the table by the door. “You stay here. No matter what.” He closes the door behind him.
I hear all the locks click.
But still… I don’t feel secure.
I only feel secure when Leif is with me.
What exactly am I feeling for him? I don’t know what happiness feels like. I don’t know what love feels like. I have no point of reference.
And at the moment, fear for my life is kind of overriding everything else.
The Dark One must be behind this. Who else would use that exact phrase?
I have a knife and a penis, and one of them is going inside you tonight.
I shudder.
Funny. All those times The Dark One chose me on the island, he said the same words. He never put the knife inside me, and I grew less fearful each time. I grew more jealous when he chose someone other than me.
I was still apprehensive, of course, but I no longer feared him on the island.
But damn… I fear him now. Somehow he’s come back. He’s found me, and I don’t know how I’ll escape. If he could get past security, get to the fourth floor to pound on my door…
Then he can get anywhere.
I’ll never be safe from him.
“Line up, girls,” Diamond says. “Mr. Smith will make his choice.”
When we’re put on display for the men, we’re naked. Sometimes we’re allowed to wear clothes during the hunt because the men enjoy ripping them off us. But while they’re making their choice, we have to be naked. Completely on display. Like window dressing.
The Dark One has chosen me the last three times. He will choose me again this evening. He seems to like me.
Still, I’m apprehensive. It’s better not to be chosen. It’s better to be safe in the dorm.
The Dark One is dressed in a suit and tie. Most of the men are when they make their selection. Most of them also wear a mask, and The Dark One is no exception. He wears his white mask that covers most of his face. Only his dark hair and dark eyes are visible.
He walks by slowly, looking each of us up and down lasciviously, When he comes to me, he smiles.
“Hello, Opal.”
“Good day, sir.”
We’re instructed to call them all sir.
“You’re looking lovely, as usual.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He continues, scanning Tiger Eye next to me, and then Crystal and Lapis.
When he reaches the end of the line, he returns, again walking slowly, looking each of us over.
Until he stops in front of me.
He gazes into my eyes.
I swallow, knowing I’m about to be chosen.
He holds out his hand, and I tremble.
But he takes Tiger Eye’s hand. “You’re my choice,” he says.
A soft gasp escapes my throat.
He didn’t choose me? What’s wrong with me?
Tiger Eye is beautiful, with her medium dark skin, brown hair and eyes. But all the women here are beautiful.
I’ll have the day off. It’s too late now for any other men to come and make a choice. I should be ecstatic, as all the other girls clearly are.
As soon as Mr. Smith leaves, Crystal and Jade heave heavy sighs of relief.
Diamond returns. “All right, girls. Congratulations. Enjoy your time off.”
And I want to. I truly do.
But all I feel is the dead weight of jealousy burning in my gut.
What’s wrong with me? Why didn’t he choose me?
“Thank God,” Amethyst says, once Diamond is out of earshot. “I’m going to my room.”
“I’m going to the main room to watch TV,” Moonstone says.
“I’ll join you.” From Onyx.
“Opal?” Garnet says. “Do you want to come?”
I don’t reply. My hands are curled into fists, my knuckles white.
“Opal?” Garnet says again.
“He should’ve chosen me,” I say under my breath.
Garnet’s eyes go wide.
Then she heads to her room. Once she’s dressed, she’ll go watch old sitcoms. Moonstone, Onyx, and Garnet always watch those stupid shows.
And I’ll go to my room, eat my evening meal when it comes, and wonder what made me so unchooseable.
6
LEIF
I hate leaving Kelly alone, but she’s safer locked in my place than she’ll be coming with me into something unknown.
I choose not to take the elevator down and instead head toward the stairwell. Gun in hand, I look each way and behind me as I slink down the stairs sideways. When I get to the main floor, I open the door as quietly as I can, still holding my gun, still staying hyperaware of my surroundings.