Page 5 of Damon

A response came quickly from Storm who apologized, saying she was at a family dinner and couldn’t help me out. Luna also was busy but offered to perform a fake emergency call to get me out of there. Neither Codie nor Ripley had replied by the time he returned to the table.

I shoved my phone back into my purse and took a few halfhearted bites of my meal. Smiling and nodding as he continued to talk about himself. I wasn’t sure he’d asked anything about me other than what I planned to do for a living.

I’d gone to college to become a teacher. Something I had a great passion for. The idea of spreading knowledge through the younger generations had always appealed to me. I didn’t think teachers got the credit they really deserved.

Kevin/Devon had wrinkled his nose, commenting on how limited a teacher’s salary often was. He didn’t seem to understand doing something simply because you loved it. Everything about this guy turned me off. I needed to get out of here. Maybe I would have to take Luna up on that emergency call.

My gaze strayed toward the restrooms and the back exit down the hall. Maybe I could simply walk out the back door and leave him sitting here by himself.

“Would you like to go back to my place?” he asked after polishing off the rest of his dinner. “It’s much bigger than your apartment. I think you would like it.”

Talk about getting the ick.

“That sounds great. I just need to use the restroom and freshen up a little.” I didn’t wait for his reply before shooting out of my chair and making a beeline for the restrooms.

When I was sure he wasn’t watching me, I redirected toward the back exit instead. There was no force on this planet strong enough to make me feed this jerk’s ego any longer. In moments I was out the door, stepping into the small staff parking lot behind the restaurant. I’d have to order an Uber to get home. Since I didn’t want to hang around and be seen, I started walking.

My plan was to head to a different business down the block and get picked up there. I didn’t make it very far before someone approached me from behind. Expecting to see Kevin/Devon, I turned around to find a man wearing a creepy bloody bunny mask hot on my heels.

What the fuck?

I opened my mouth to scream but didn’t get a sound out before he was on me. Pressing a soaked, stinky cloth to my nose and mouth, his other arm went around me, holding me tight against him while I struggled.

My adrenaline surged but it wasn’t enough. The masked man was stronger than me. Easily holding me tight while the chemicals in the rag fogged my head. Soon I fell limp against him.

I had the vague sensation of being carried. Despite my efforts to open my eyes and speak, my body refused to follow commands. A headache began to set in, accompanied by a rolling of my stomach.

Was I in a vehicle? That couldn’t be good. Was Kevin/Devon behind this? He didn’t seem like the type.

I fought hard to swim up through the depths of unconsciousness and open my eyes. The effort felt exhausting. When my eyes finally cracked open, everything was dark. I blinked several times, trying to figure out where the hell I was.

The ground beneath me felt soft. Like grass. Above me the sky spun, the stars twinkling overhead. As I continued to blink in an effort to focus, everything slowed down. Obviously, I was outside. I knew that once a captor took you to a second location your chances of survival were slim. That didn’t mean I wouldn’t go down without one hell of a fight. I just needed to get my limbs to work.

“Are you awake yet?” A low gruff voice asked. “Can you move?”

My tongue felt heavy in my mouth. I wasn’t sure I could have answered if I wanted to. Somehow, I wasn’t sure that engaging with him would help my situation. And why did his voice sound familiar?

It definitely wasn’t Kevin/Devon. Who the hell was it? My muddled brain tried to place that voice. He spoke low and heavy, like he may have been slightly altering his voice. That meant he was someone I knew.

He nudged me with his foot before leaning over to stare into my face. Even in the dark with only the stars and moon for light, that sick bunny mask was absolutely terrifying. I shrank back away from him, which only made him press closer.

“So you are awake. Better get up, cream puff. Time to go for a run.” His sinister chuckle sent chills through my body, making me break out in goosebumps.

A run? Dear God, he really was going to kill me.

Rolling over onto my stomach, I did my best to push myself up onto my knees with shaky arms. My vision swam for a moment before focusing in on my surroundings. We were in the graveyard. The one the Kings used for their parties and business dealings. Far from town. Where nobody would hear me scream.

My captor took a few steps back, allowing me space to rise. “I’ll give you a thirty second head start. Run in any direction you like. Hell, I’ll even close my eyes to really give you the advantage.”

My heart pounded in my chest so hard I thought surely it would tear itself free. “And then what?”

I didn’t really want to know but felt like I had to ask. Despite the creepy bunny mask, I felt him smiling beneath it.

“You’ll find out. Time starts now. Better get moving, Athena.”

The way he said my name made my very bones weak. He’d just confirmed that this was no random attack. Whoever this guy was, he’d planned this.

When I didn’t immediately move, he took a menacing step toward me. That was enough to coax a small scream from me and send me running. The heels I wore with my long dress did not help. Right away I stumbled.