“It’s a trial, my little dolly,” Hell murmurs against her hair, his voice carrying a warning.
Noir nods quickly, as if his words barely register and the moment he sets her back on her feet, she turns to me, her blue eyes bright with mischief.
“Come on! Let’s take you to the Hollows’ trailer. I have some clothes that should fit you, well, at least until we go shopping or something.”
Following behind Hell and Noir, I take another glance around as we reach the edge of a trailer park, tucked right behind the circus. Rows of trailers sprawl across the gravel and grass, stretching as far as the eye can see, their doors and windows lit by the soft glow of string lights.
The bulbs connect from one trailer to the next, like makeshift street lamps. The woods press in closer here and shadows spill between the trees, darkening everything it touches.
I lag behind, my steps slowing as my gaze drifts to Hell and Noir once more. He walks with that typical dominant male confidence, his arm draped around her shoulders, pulling her close into his side. She leans into him, as if she belongs there, as if this world, this place and him, have always been where she was supposed to be all along.
And me? I don’t know where the fuck I belong. Not yet. That old lady clearly doesn’t want me here.
My mind drifts back to a time before all of this, before being taken by Kyro. A time when I once felt that way about someone, when I had handed over my soul to someone I believed I could trust. I believed it was something unbreakable, but trust is a fragile thing, and in the blink of an eye, it fucking shattered.
The memory cuts deep, and as I feel the betrayal resurfacing, anger coils in my stomach, hot and seething like molten lava. It simmers, old but never forgotten. It’s been so long since I’ve felt free enough to face those demons, to let myself feel the fire instead of burying it beneath the ashes of I’ve become.
I was ready to hunt down those who took everything from me, but before I could turn the rage into revenge, I was taken. And just like that, my plans crumbled to dust.
I was facing a different kind of nightmare all together, not knowing if I would survive again. Not knowing if I would ever escape. But I’m here now. And the moment I’m steady on my feet again, nothing and no one will stop me.
A sudden chill spikes up my spine, fast and unusual, stopping me dead in my tracks. I’ve never felt anything like it before. It’s as if a dark entity has wrapped itself around me, cloaking my body in an unseen weight and instinct claws at the back of my mind that something is behind me.
Watching. Waiting.
Noir and Hell continue ahead, unaware that I’ve stopped, and my pulse unexpectedly thrums against my ribs as I slowly, warily, turn my head, side-eyeing over my shoulder.
A figure stands motionless in the distance, just by the circus tent. Covered in shadow, he is nothing but an ominous silhouette, and I feel a sharp thud in my heart from it skipping a beat way too fast.
Then, as I turn my head fully to get a clearer look, his eyes snap open, red spirals scorching through the darkness, locking onto mine with an intensity that makes my breath hitch. His body is poised to pounce, tension coiled in every inch of him.
Wrath.
I roll my eyes and face forward again, exhaling shakily through my nose.What is with this guy? I haven’t just got my freedom back to let someone like him drag me back into the dark. I’m not here to play games with some fucking sideshow freak.
Without hesitation, I lift my hands, yank my hood over my head, and keep walking, ignoring the heaviness of his stare.
Let him watch. Let him try me.
Chapter Three
I step inside the glossy black double-story trailer, the wordsThe Hollowssplattered across its side in jagged strokes of paint. The trailer has an odd atmosphere, like it breathes darkness, swallowing every ounce of light that dares to touch it.
Noir jogs up the stairs ahead, her voice trailing behind her.
“Wait in the kitchen, Ara. I’ll only be a minute!”
She vanishes from sight before I can respond and I let out a small sigh before turning the corner to my left, my gaze flicking around. I take in my surroundings, noticing everything is black—the walls, furniture, even the air feels thick with it.
I spot Hell seated at the kitchen table, his focus fixed on his phone as he types something out. He doesn’t acknowledge me when I enter, so I move deeper inside, my fingers grazing the countertop before gripping the edges on either side of me as I lean back against it.
The quiet stretches, until, without looking up, Hell finally speaks.
“You gonna be good here if we leave for a bit?” His tone is casual, but there’s something beneath it, something unreadable.
I don’t answer. I just watch him, my silence lingering long enough that he finally turns his head, his swirling eye locking onto mine.
“This place…” He exhales, glancing around before returning his focus to me. “Oddity. It’s…”