Locked In

28

AINSLEY

“Who invited you to the fest?” I asked Laura from the foot of my bed, watching her as she stood in front of the dresser, trying on different chokers to match her costume.

It was a question I’d meant to ask her since they arrived yesterday afternoon, but there hadn’t been a good time to bring it up. We’d been too busy caught up in the whirlwind of catching up—laughing until our stomachs hurt, trying on clothes for the party, swapping stories about the past two years, and drinking during our movie night. Everything had been light-hearted and chaotic, leaving little room for any proper conversation.

Yesterday felt like a blur. We barely slept, thanks to the endless chatter and glasses of wine, finally crashing sometime around three in the morning. By the time we woke up, it was a little past ten, and none of us had the energy or desire to cook breakfast, so we headed out for brunch instead. We ate until we were too full to move, then wandered around town aimlessly like lost kids, taking a detour past the school for old times’ sake. Not that we were brave enough to go in—our outfits screamed ‘unfit for public view,’ especially since we still wore remnants of last night’s house party makeup and unbrushed hair.

Afterward, I brought up Ma’am Jeena’s café. I reminded them about how she used to give out free caffeine during exam season in high school, which got them all excited to see her again. A quick visit turned into an hour spent gossiping and reminiscing while sipping her now famous Vampire Lattes. We only left when the costumes waiting back at my place called for our attention.

And now, we were in the thick of getting ready for the Halloween fright fest, costumes scattered across the room like debris from some unholy ritual. Jade had gone with a Pennywise costume—not the creepy clown version but a sexy twist on it that had me raising an eyebrow when I saw how well it fitted her. The white corset, and bright red pom poms lining the front of it. A frilly tulle skirt billowed out from her hips, with her white thigh-high stockings, tied with little red bows. Everything paired with an extended clown lipstick, red wig in pigtails and a red balloon.

Laura, on the other hand, had the black version of the same costume. But the contrast between the two of them was striking, especially with her accessories: a thick black choker, mismatched striped socks, and a fake blood-streaked axe she kept swinging around like a maniac. Even her makeup was insane.

“It’s Bradley,” Katy replied to me as she rummaged through her bag. “And Laura brought this insane amount of fake blood. Apparently, we’re all getting it smeared across our chests once we finish dressing.”

“I’m telling you, it’ll add the final touch of carnage,” Laura laughed, her fingers tapping the plastic axe on the dresser. “Nothing says Halloween like a little fake murder.”

Meanwhile, I had opted for a Queen of Hearts costume, but not the traditional one. Oh no. My take was the vengeful, unhinged lover version, fierce and ready to reign with cruelty if needed. It was as if I was ready to drag someone’s heart from their chest—metaphorically speaking, of course.

I slipped on my necklace, eyeing my reflection in the full length mirror. The outfit hugged every curve, the black and red corset adorned with card suits—hearts, diamonds, spades—each printed in a faint, blood-streaked pattern. Laura had left her touch on the outfit, smearing thin, almost artful streaks of blood across the fabric. She knew me too well, knowing I’d choose this one.

The corset cinched tight at my waist, pushing up my breasts in a way that was tempting, and the red satin lacing wound through the front like a weapon waiting to be unleashed. Every movement caused the small streaks of blood to glimmer in the light.

Below the corset, the lace skirt fanned out, scandalously short and flirty, barely grazing my upper thighs. It flared with every step I took, the black lace transparent enough to tease the fishnet stockings underneath—sexy, but deadly. The stockings clung to my legs, a pattern of small red hearts scattered over the fishnet.

Completing the look was a pair of sky-high black stilettos, the heels sharp enough to puncture someone’s skin. But it wasn’t the shoes or the skirt that tied the look together—it was the makeup. My lips were painted in the richest crimson, sharp and bold, a weapon in their own right. My silver wig, cascaded in soft waves down my back. It made my skin look paler, adding to the eerie, broken-hearted queen vibe.

Katy, though, had gone in an entirely different direction. She was dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, but not the innocent version from the fairy-tale. Her grown-up take featured a fitted red corset that accentuated her curves, along with a short, flirty black skirt that showed off her legs underneath the fishnet stockings. The signature red hood draped over her shoulders.

“Look at us,” I laughed, eyeing all of our costumes in the mirror. “This is going to be one wild night.”

Laura grinned, twirling the axe playfully. “We’re ready to raise hell, girls. I hope that fest is prepared for us.”

We laughed, and in an hour, we were out of the house, driving and singing all the way to the party. In the midst of the chaos, I slipped out my phone, checking the unanswered texts I sent to Theon. The last time he stopped texting was around two in the afternoon. I’d frequently updated him because he loved to know what I was up to, and since my friends were at my place, the possibility of them running around in just panties was high, so he’d turned off the cameras and suggested I update him instead.

He’d stopped texting back when I told him we were at Ma’am Jeena’s, and after that, I’d teased him my costume outfit which he also didn’t reply to. Sent him tons of ‘hey, you’re there? Is anything wrong? Hello, why aren’t you responding?’ and they’d gone unread. The last question was if he was still coming to the party. Nothing.

Theon wouldn’t screen my text unless something happened, and a seed of fear had started to grow in my chest, even with the lively energy I was surrounded with.

“This might be Katy’s last Halloween party as a bachelorette...or what is that thing called? God, I’m going to tear up.” Jade faked a sniffle from beside me in the back seat. Laura was driving, and Katy was the passenger princess.

“C'mon. I’m still gonna hang out with you guys,” she said over the music, smiling.

“Definitely. Or I’m going to haunt your house down with that axe beside me,” Laura threatened with a playful glare, and made a mock throat-slitting gesture with her thumb.

I put back my phone, letting out a deep breath. I should enjoy the night, he would be there. He said he would. Not like he’d sit back and let some guy dance with me. He clarified that already.

“I wonder who’s going to be the responsible one and drive back,” Laura said, eyeing everyone. “I’m not an option, I’m drinking myself to death tonight and regretting everything tomorrow.”

“We’ll just order a ride, or anyone who’s still sober by the end of the day can scrape our drunk asses off the ground and into the car and drive us back.” Katy shrugged.

“Maybe we should order one in advance, just to be safe.” Jade brought out her phone.

I didn’t know I’d been quiet until Katy glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Are you okay?”

I smiled. “Why not?”

Nodding, she went back to looking outside the window and mouthing the song blasting in the car.

We pulled up to the party a few minutes later, the car rolling to a stop in front of a massive house. As we stepped out of the white sedan, we were immediately greeted by the heavy pulse of music, the bass vibrating through the ground beneath our feet. Fog clung to the air like a ghostly shroud, thick and eerie, swirling through the orange leaves scattered across the garden path.

The yard had been transformed into a haunted land. Strings of lights dangled from skeletal trees, casting flickers of shadow over the scene, while fake cobwebs glistened under the club lights. Ghosts hung from branches, swaying in the night breeze, their pale, tattered forms frightening in the dim light. Pumpkins with jagged grins lined the path, glowing with an orange hue.

The house itself was enormous, its tall windows alive with flashing lights from within. Music thumped from inside, loud and chaotic, and groups of people in costumes lingered out front, talking and laughing. A man in a full gladiator outfit raised his drink to us as we passed, and a woman dressed as a sultry Cleopatra caught our eyes with a wink.

The night was already wild. I couldn’t help but smile, despite the worry still tugging at me.

“Here we go,” Laura said with a wicked grin, swinging the blood-stained prop axe over her shoulder as she strode forward in her mismatched stockings. “Ms. Pennywise Nightmare is on the loose!” she shouted, making the people nearest us chuckle.

Behind her, the white Pennywise—Jade—grabbed her balloon, making her look like a princess who just stepped off a murder scene with the long, tiny streaks of fake blood Laura had splashed over her costume in the living room, while her balloon bounced with each step.

She had also dragged the blood over my chest where my heart was with her palm to give a horror vibe, and Katy had blood splattering the side of her face down to her neck.

We walked together, turning heads as we made our way towards the entrance. People shouted compliments about our costumes, their voices mixing with the music. I tugged down the hem of my lace skirt, the cool air kissing every inch of my exposed skin. My stilettos clicked against the pavement as my silver wig blew into my face, the heavy scent of the autumn night filling my lungs.

The door to the party swung open, and we were hit with the blast of noise, screams of laughter, and the deafening pound of bass as bodies swayed and rubbed together inside.

It was...chaos.

Laura turned back to us, already shouting over the noise. “Have fun, losers! I’m going to drink and fuck until I forget my name! See you in an hour!” She blew a kiss and disappeared into the crowd before any of us could stop her.

Jade laughed, rolling her eyes. “We won’t find her again.”

The inside of the house was even wilder than outside. Strobe lights flickered over the walls, illuminating flashes of glitter, blood, and a swirl of colours as people danced and drank. A group of zombies shuffled in one corner, fake blood dripping from their mouths as they bobbed their heads to the beat, while a girl dressed as a gothic bride screamed along to the music, her black veil flying behind her.

I made my way towards the bar, brushing past a guy dressed as a demon and a couple in vampire costumes. The bartender, shirtless with only a white mask over his face, caught my attention. His muscles flexed, his abs slick as he poured drinks with ease, looking like he belonged in a horror-themed photoshoot.

I leaned against the counter and ordered a drink, my voice barely loud enough to cut through the noise. As I waited, that familiar ache of fear twisted in my chest again. No matter how much I tried to lose myself in the chaos of the party, I couldn’t shake the thought of Theon off.

I was handed my drink, only to turn around and find Katy getting dragged by a girl I recognised from school. She pecked me and Jade goodbye, and the girl waved at me, seeming to forget the embarrassment Blake put me through at the get-together.

“I think it’s just me and you, Ja—”

Jade was staring at the shirtless bartender with admiration, and the masked guy seemed to be staring at her as he mixed drinks, flexing his breast for Jade’s hungry eyes.

Welp, that went my last company.

I sighed into my drink, the liquid leaving a sting in my throat as it went down. I tapped the glass cup with my nails as I searched the crowd, but then, I wouldn’t recognise in the sea of people wearing masks and costumes.

Worry clawed at me as I slipped my phone out again, checking the message. Still unanswered. Calm down, you just got here. Why would you want to leave?

I heaved, drinking away, and like that, thirty minutes passed. Still no sign of him. He wasn’t coming? I’d sent a message telling him I was at the party. Jade had left with the shirtless guy, and another shirtless person had replaced him.

“Queen of Hearts, why are you looking dull? Let’s dance.” A tall guy in a Michael Myers costume with his white mask hanging around his neck approached me, his scream loud enough for everyone around me to hear.

I shook my head. “No, thanks.”

He took my hand, dismissing my dismissive look. “Why’re you breaking your heart when you should be breaking hearts?”

“I said thanks.” I snapped my hand from his grip, annoyance creeping in out of nowhere, and it had to do with Theon’s absence. Was he really not coming?

He left, and after another round of waiting, I decided it was best I enjoyed the night and not let my hours of dressing up go to waste.

I slipped into the crowd, determined to lose myself in the music and shake off the anxiety clinging to my chest. The pulsing beat washed over me, and for a moment, I let go, dancing with anyone who came near, the faces around me blending with the flickering lights. First, I moved with a group of girls, their energy infectious as we swayed and laughed. Then a few guys joined, and I danced with them too, twirling and moving, the beats keeping me from thinking too hard about anything else.

But the worry gnawed at the back of my mind. No matter how much I moved, how much I smiled, the thought of Theon’s absence wouldn’t leave me.

I spun around, dancing with a girl who mirrored my steps, both of us laughing as we played off each other’s moves. Just as I was starting to lose myself completely in the fun, a guy in a mask came up behind me. His hands were suddenly on my waist, too close, too forceful. I shifted back, raising my hand in a subtle but clear sign that I wasn’t interested.

He ignored it.

I felt his grip tighten as he tried to pull me closer, his touch dragging me from the haze of music back into the sharp reality of the moment.

“Stop,” I muttered, but my voice was drowned out by the bass pounding through the room. I twisted away, but he didn’t get the message. His fingers dug into my waist.

Something snapped inside me.

I hit him hard in the chest, shoving his hands away. “I said stop!” My voice rose, cutting through the music, and finally, I broke free, pushing him back. He stumbled slightly, and a few people nearby glanced over, sensing the tension.

Anger filled me as I stormed away, pushing through the crowd until I found a dark corner where the music felt more distant. My heart pounded, both from the stupid asshole and from the frustration boiling up inside me. The party felt suffocating now, the noise too loud, the people too much. I leaned against the wall, catching my breath, feeling a rush of anger at everything—the guy who wouldn’t take no for an answer, the crowd, and most of all, at Theon.

Where the heck was he?

I needed a drink. I walked back to the bar, taking a cup of vodka and all things strong concoction. I stopped on the way when I saw Katy and chatted a little before returning back to the secluded spot where a sliver of peace existed.

But there was someone there.

He was wearing a red mask with black web over his face, blending into the dim shadows where he stood, like some brooding figure from a dark fantasy. His black shirt was casual, yet devastatingly attractive, with the top buttons undone, revealing a glimpse of his tattooed chest. The sleeves were rolled up, exposing the swirl of tattoos running down his forearm, twisting like secrets only I knew. His presence radiated that heat, even through the mask, his stare burning into my skin.

It wasn’t just someone.

It was Theon.

Relief rushed through me, crashing into the wall of anger I’d been holding back. I ignored the way my pulse quickened, tried to steady my breathing, and walked forward without acknowledging him, trying to act like I hadn’t noticed him, like I wasn’t both infuriated and secretly glad he was here.

I stood in front of him, staring at the dancing crowd as I brought the drink to my lips. Feeling the heat of his body slowly come up behind me, I swallowed, but I didn’t move.

Ugh, the concoction tasted bad, or maybe it wasn’t my style. I wished Jade were here to work her magic, only hers tasted nice.

Suddenly, his hand snaked around my waist from behind, slowly tugging me into his chest. I clenched my teeth as the heat, cologne, and the feel of his body slammed me at once, making it impossible for me to pull away. Not when his head dropped to my shoulder,burying his face in my neck as he breathed me in.

I was still angry, but my inside was melting.

Clenching my fists, I drew my body away. “No, you don’t get to do that after ghosting me all afternoon, evening and night without any explanation,” I said over my shoulder.

His fingers gripped my chin before I could look away, forcing me to stare into the soulless hole where his eyes should be. “Did you wait for long?” His words were muffled, unrushed.

“Obviously. I even had to dance with—” I cut myself off, my chest heaving. It wasn’t a good time to test out his promise about taking out anyone who touched me.

“You don’t have to say. I saw him.” He grazed a finger down the side of my face to my neck.

“You were here?”

“I came in right when you were dancing with him.” He trailed a continuous line down my collarbone, and I swallowed thickly.

“Where is he?”

He leaned closer, his mask almost touching my nose. “You look dangerously alluring, the queen of my heart.”

My stomach twisted into knots at the way he said it— queen of my heart . His deep voice sent a wave of heat through me, the thud of my heart a betrayal of the relief and desire that flickered despite my earlier anger. It was impossible not to react to him. My body seemed to do it on reflex.

But the fear still lingered, pressing into the corners of my mind. He was trying to distract me, to shift the conversation, and it almost worked. Almost.

“I’m serious,” I managed, though my voice wavered slightly. “What did you do?”

“You’d be happy to know I didn’t kill him. Although I’m not sure he can use his legs after tonight.”

My heart dropped into my stomach, dread washing over me. Someone might not be able to walk again just because he touched the wrong person. I swallowed hard, trying to push away the image of the guy crumpled on the floor.

But I forced myself to repeat it in my head— he’s alive, he’s alive . And that was all that mattered, right? When there was life, there was hope. He was not dead.

Yes, I was starting to see this as a normal thing. I needed therapy.

I was back to staring at the sweaty people, at the makeups that were gradually digging into ruins. He hadn’t told me why he screened my calls and texts. I’d been distracted from that question.

“My texts?”

He pulled me close, vein corded, tattooed arm wrapped around my waist tightly. “Just saw them an hour ago. I’ve been busy. Let me make it up to you.”

“Busy? That isn’t very vague at all. I was so worried, Theon. And angry. Very angry.”

“I will explain later. Let me show you how sorry I am that I worried you, yeah?”

“Show me? How?”

The second the words left my lips, he rolled his hip slightly and slipped his hand under my lace skirt. The skirt was so short that he didn’t need to raise it.

“You wore this for me, didn’t you?” He ran his rough palm over my ass cheek, then dug his nails into the flesh. “You had to show me how hard you needed to be fucked in this.”

I gasped, clenching the cup as he drilled the words into my ears. I was wetting my thong already.

“Do you want me to touch you, Queen of Hearts?”

I nodded.

I jolted when he pushed my feet apart with his legs so he could have a better access to my pussy from behind.

“Speak.”

“Yes.” I could almost cry the word.

His fingers went to my entrance, drawing a finger back to feel me wetting the fabric. Suddenly, he pulled the thong covering my clit back, and I thought he would move it to the side and touch me, but no, he dragged it away and let it snap back on my pussy.

A breath escaped me forcefully. My legs would have given out if he wasn’t holding me by the waist.

“Keep a straight face. I don’t want anyone knowing what you look like with my fingers inside you.”

“They can barely see us,” I said, needing him to slide those said fingers into where they were meant to be.

“Even if.”

He didn’t touch me.

“Fine. Okay. I’ll try.” I would try to act unbothered while he pumped in and out of me. Fair.

He didn’t tease anymore, he tugged the thong to the side and glided his fingers into my wet walls, pulling out and pushing back in immediately. My grip on the cup was bruising, my other hand in need of something to hold so I could keep a straight fucking face like it was possible.

“Hmm...you’re drenching my hand so fast.” His words were slow, a big contrast to what he was doing inside me. The only similarity between his fingers and his voice was how deep they were. “I want to fuck you so bad right now.”

Oh, I’d love that.

“I won’t be able to keep quiet if you do,” I informed him between pants.

“Exactly why I’m using my fingers.” Punctuating that sentence, he thrust harder, and I knew I was doing a bad job at keeping a straight face. I was breaking.

His thumb pressed down on my clit, unmoving, while two fingers curled inside me, moving powerfully.

Sweat slid down my temple from the heat eating up my body as he unwound his arm from my waist, the loud music drowning out any sound slipping through my lips.

The wet tongue on my neck brought my hazy mind to the surface, the teeth sinking into my skin almost making me want to let everything go. He’d removed his mask. God, his teeth. My breasts tightened in the corset, his arm coming back to hold me against his chest, to keep me from crashing on the floor.

“Theon.” His name, his name was the only thing I knew.

“Hell, you reduce a whole man to nothing.” He bit my ear, and the tension heightened, my core clenched painfully with the need to combust. I was seeing stars behind my closed eyes, the desire for his hands everywhere on me—around my neck, on my breasts, slapping them, squeezing them, twisting them—built until I couldn’t take it anymore.

My body rocked into numbness, and the cup slipped from my grip, shattering on the floor just as I shattered. I came hard, shaking in his hold and muffling my scream with my palm, nails plunging into my cheeks with the same force the orgasm hit me with.

He stopped only when I brought my legs together and demanded it, my heart hammering everywhere. My breathing was heavy, and I needed a long moment to get my shattered pieces back together.

Theon slipped his hand out and slapped the fabric back in place, bringing his hand up to my lips.

“Suck it like you would suck my cock,” he instructed.

I opened my mouth and took his wet fingers in, swirling my tongue around the thick digits and doing as told. I groaned at the taste of myself, mindlessly rubbing my ass over his erection.

I felt dizzy when he spun me to face him, and his gaze pierced through me. In the dim light, his features were both striking and predatory, as if he wasn’t just looking at me but deciding how he was going to tear me apart and eat me raw. It was the kind of look that made it hard to stand still, my heart pounding.

His hand went into his pocket, drawing out a necklace. He brought it between us, glancing over my shoulder. It was a silver necklace with a pearl as a pendant.

“I want you to wear this. Don’t take it off tonight. No matter what.”

The remnant of my arousal cleared when I saw the seriousness in his eyes. “What do you mean?”

Without saying a word, he turned me around and took off the red necklace I put on earlier, replacing it with the new one. I touched the teardrop pearl, frown lines between my brows as he hooked it at my nape.

He slipped my costume necklace into his pocket as I faced him, still not understanding the sudden switch.

“Do you want to see how this looks on me or there’s a story behind it?” It was surely the latter. He told me not to take it off no matter what.

Theon brushed my silver wig from my face, gliding his fingers under my chin to tilt it up. “I found the man who left that letter under your door.”

My eyes rounded, suddenly noticing the red mark hiding under his dark hair. I raised my hand and pushed the strands back from his temple. It was a jagged laceration, deep bruises forming around the wound that disappeared into the root of his hair, not deep enough to leave a scar.

“How did you get that?” I asked, running my thumb over it gently. Was that what he meant when he said he’d been busy?

“Long story. But you have to—”

“Ainsley! Oh, yes! Thank the heavens I found you.”

I looked back to see Jade holding her stomach, her face squeezed in discomfort. Her red balloon was nowhere to be found, and her makeup was smudged.

“God, you’ve got to help me out,” she squirmed. “Nature’s calling and the bathrooms are occupied!” Her focus shifted to the person with me for the first time. “Oh, shit. I didn’t know you were with someone. I gue—”

“No,” I said before she could turn and leave. She was uncomfortable and sweaty. “What do you need me to do? Drive you home?”

She spared a glance at Theon, embarrassed she was saying this in front of him. “I don’t think I can hold it for that long.”

“Alright, come on, let’s go,” I said and faced Theon. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be back right now. Promise?”

He adjusted my skirt and nodded.

My eyes narrowed, and I threw his favourite sentence at him. “I want to hear you say it.”

Theon’s lips broke into a rare smile that made my stomach flutter. Shifting closer, he said in my ear, “Promise,” and kissed my cheek.

It calmed me down a little, and I followed Jade out once I was certain that he wouldn’t leave. “So where do you wanna go?” I asked her when we were in the corridor that led to the back door.

“Outside? Both bathrooms are in use and I can’t find Katy and Laura. I don’t want to go out alone on Halloween night. I blame horror movies for that.” She opened the door with one hand, the other on her stomach. I heard her stomach growl loudly, and she groaned in pain.

“What’s wrong? What did you eat?” I asked worriedly, stepping in front of her.

“That asshole bartender mixed something I don’t usually drink with my...drink. And I ate pork thinking it was something else.”

Oh, pork. Her stomach was enemies with pork. Who the fuck served pork on Halloween? Was it a new thing?

“Okay, let’s find you a secret spot for you to force everything out.”

“Yeah.”

She couldn’t stand upright anymore, so I put my arm around her shoulder and helped her walk. We stepped outside into the cool night, the distant bass from the party house still pulsing. The sky was overcast, and the orange glow from the jack-o’-lanterns lined along the garden path flickered in the dark. Shadows from hanging ghost decorations swayed in the breeze, casting strange shapes on the ground.

Jade groaned again, holding her stomach with one hand while the other clutched her side. “I swear, this is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. A Halloween party, and I’m about to...do this.”

I gave her a sympathetic look, guiding her through the back garden. “It’s okay, we’ll find a spot. You can’t wait for the bathrooms, and you can’t risk doing it here.”

We wandered further into the darkness, passing a stack of hay bales set up for decoration, a fake cemetery with gravestones, and a skeleton propped up against a tree. Jade tugged on my arm and pointed to a large, plastic cauldron set up near the far side of the garden, hidden behind a row of creepy tombstones and fog machines. It was perfect.

“I’ll—I’ll go behind that,” Jade said, her voice strained as she eyed the cauldron with desperation.

“Hold on,” I said, looking around and spotting a stack of plastic bags near the hay bales. I grabbed one and handed it to her. “You can use this.”

“Bless you,” she breathed, taking the bag from me with shaky hands.

“Okay, I’ll keep watch. You do what you need to,” I said, stepping a few paces away to give her some privacy.

Jade hurried behind the cauldron, and I heard the rustling of the plastic bag. I turned my back, staring at the fake gravestones, trying to drown out the sounds coming from behind me.

After a few moments, Jade’s voice came out in a shaky whisper. “Ainsley, I need you to do me a favour.”

I turned my head. “Yeah, what do you need?”

“Can you go to the car and get the wipes from the glove compartment? Laura gave me her keys when I saw her forty minutes ago. She was getting drunk and needed someone else to hold it. Please” She held out a set of keys. “Here.”

I moved closer, taking the keys from her. “Yeah, of course. I’ll be right back. Just hang tight.”

Jade groaned. “Not like I’m going anywhere.”

I gave her a quick smile before jogging towards the parking lot. The cold breeze bit at my skin, and the sound of the party faded as I hurried through the side gate. I found Laura’s car parked where we’d left it.

Fumbling with the keys, I unlocked the car and snatched the wipes from the glove compartment. After locking the door, I turned to leave, only to crash into something solid.

I staggered back, blinking up at a broad chest wrapped in a dark hoodie. The eerie glow of the streetlight flickered across his face, partially hidden behind a creepy mask. He didn’t step aside or offer any apology.

“Excuse me,” I muttered, sidestepping him quickly, but before I’d taken more than three steps, his hand clamped down on my shoulder, sending a sharp jolt of fear down my spine.

What the hell?

I spun around, ready to rip into him, but the words froze in my throat as his other hand shot towards my neck. My instincts flared, and I twisted out of his grasp, adrenaline igniting every nerve. Run. That thought was all I needed. This wasn’t some Halloween prank. And if it was, I wasn’t about to stay put and find out.

I bolted, hearing his heavy footsteps close behind, but my breath caught as something yanked me back—my wig. He’d grabbed it. I heard him curse as the wig slipped free from my head, and for a split second, I thanked the heavens I hadn’t glued it on like Katy had suggested.

His footsteps pounded after me, closer now. I sprinted between parked cars, the uneven ground making it harder to keep my balance. But he was faster. His hand latched onto my neck again, dragging me backward, then throwing me to the ground. My back hit the asphalt with a thud, the air rushing from my lungs.

I barely had time to gasp before his weight pressed down on me. I thrashed beneath him, my foot kicking up gravel as I fought for release. My hands tightened on the wipes, and in a desperate move, I hurled them at his face. They bounced off uselessly.

“Help! Somebody, help!” I screamed, struggling harder as he gripped my neck with one hand, the other slipping the mask off his face.

One eye gleamed, cold and menacing. The other one was covered with an eyepatch, and the unpatched one was ringed with jagged scars that marred his face. He pressed harder on my throat, cutting off my breath. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would tear through my chest.

“Remember me?” His voice was eerily calm, sending another wave of terror down my spine.

I gasped for air, trying to place him. “The fuck are—”

He leaned in closer, a twisted smile creeping onto his face. “In the woods, that night.” He pointed to his eyepatch. “You did this. I’ve been looking for you, Ainsley Hades. Now, I’m taking back what you owe me.”

My vision blurred as his words clicked into place. The woods. That night. The kidnapper I had fought off, the one I hit over and over again with the iron rod until he passed out. My stomach churned as the memory crashed into me. He was the one leaving me those letters.

He smiled again, a sickening, gleeful smile. “I’ve waited a long time for this.” He pulled out a syringe, the glint of the needle catching the faint light.

Panic overflowed my veins as I thrashed harder, my legs kicking at him, trying to get him off. But it was fruitless. He pressed the needle to my neck and plunged it in. The moment the cold liquid spread through my body, I felt my muscles start to weaken. No, no, no.

My limbs grew heavier with each passing second, my strength draining as the drug took hold. My vision swam, the world tilting back and forth. I fought it, tried to push through the sleep, but my body betrayed me.

I could feel him rifling through my costume, his hand brushing over my waist as he searched me. My heart stuttered when he found my phone. I heard the crunch of it under his boot as he shattered it against the ground

No. No. No. No.

That was my only lifeline. The only way Theon could find me.

Tears pricked my eyes as darkness crept in, swallowing me whole. He won’t find me.

That was the last thought in my mind before the world went black.