After what seemed like an eternity, the spinning room began to shrink as blackness spread in front of her vision and blocked out the lights. Her knees felt like rubber and her hands fell down by her side as she slowly slipped away.
Melanie’s lids fluttered open. The room was dark except for the light peeking out from the bathroom. Her eyes darted around in search of Hunter but smudged outlines of the furniture were all that she could see. A warm rush of air played over her body, and she turned to stare at the rumbling heater in the corner of the room. Goosebumps prickled Melanie’s skin, and she gasped in horror realizing that she was lying on the bed naked. She tried to cover herself, but her arms wouldn’t move, and it was atthatmoment she knew she was in big trouble. Hunter had secured her wrists to the posts of the bed, and when she tried to move her legs, her heart sank—they were also tied up.
“Hunter? Where are you? Why are you doing this to me?” Tears laced her quivering voice, and then she saw him emerge from the shadows. With a furrowed brow and a penetrating gaze, he moved toward her until he stopped at the side of the bed. He was naked also, and his eyes roamed up and down her body. She turned her head away in embarrassment.
“You’re just like I pictured you would be. So beautiful. So tempting.” Hunter reached out and buried his fingers in her hair. “So soft.” He grasped her chin with his other hand and turned her face to him. Dipping his head down, he pressed his lips against hers.
Melanie recoiled from his touch and tried to move away from him, but she couldn’t; she was helpless … and scared out of her mind.
“Why do you rebuke me?” he whispered as he ran his hand down the length of her body then back up until it rested on her breasts. “So fucking tempting,” he muttered as he pinched her nipple. “You belong to me … body and soul. I’ve waited so long for this.”
Melanie saw lust and evilness in his eyes. She cried out “Help! Help me!” but he quickly cupped his hand over her mouth then slapped a piece of tape over it. Her insides trembled as tears streaked her face, and then she saw it—a long knife with an ivory handle.No! This can’t be happening! Hunter loves me. Why’s he doing this? No!
The blade of the knife was smooth and cool against her flesh. She stared at Hunter, silently pleading with him to untie her, but if he noticed her fear or discomfort, he didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, he hovered over her, his handsome face not more than an inch or two from hers. “You smell like an English garden, my sweet.” He peppered her face with feathery kisses while the knife moved across her skin.
Melanie moaned and struggled, but each movement she made seemed to fuel his depraved lust even more, so she stopped and lay there, waiting for the inevitable. Hunter positioned himself between her legs and ran the tip of the knife gently over her private parts. Terror filled her lungs and her breathing became labored. All she could do was pray that her death would be quick.
“I can’t get over how beautiful you are. You’re my favorite one so far.” He pressed his mouth over her nipple and sucked it tenderly.
Melanie’s eyes widened.So far? How many women has he done this to?
Hunter pulled away, his gleaming eyes bored into hers. “It’s time, my sweet.” He held his shaft in his hand then plunged it into her. The pain seared through her and she shut her eyes and clenched her teeth while he violently raped her. His heavy breathing filled up the room until he grunted then stopped moving. She could still feel him inside her, and she peeked out from under her barely opened eyelids as he knelt between her legs with his head thrown back.
“So fucking good,” he mumbled.
A silver glint shone in front of her; a sliver of moonlight seemed to make the knife’s blade glow.Oh, God, no!Even though she tried to look away, she couldn’t. The shimmering blade rested on the side of her neck. Her gaze snapped up to Hunter, but he wasn’t looking at her. His focus was on the knife and a slow grin spread over his face.
There was no pain. Just a sudden warm stream running down her skin. A metallic scent assaulted her nostrils as the blood filled her lungs. Melanie tried to cough, to scream, but her voice had been silenced forever. As the life drained out of her, she heard a feral cry coming from Hunter. He slammed into her again as his warm release spilled inside her.
“We are now one, my sweet.”
The pressure of his lips on hers was the last thing Melanie felt as she slipped into darkness.