'Hey your voice sounds weird'
'Must be the connection'
'Ive been thinking about you all night.'
'Really?'
'Why d'you sound so surprised?'
'I don't know..'
'So d'you want some company?'
'No its late'
'What if I'm already here.'
'What?'
'Go ahead, come and find me'
Ayesha walked tentatively to the door.
Raghav, this is starting to get a little bit creepy.
'Just playing..'
'Could you not make this less significantly scary?'
'What can I say? You make me crazy.' Ayesha prised open her door looking down from the landing. Nothing stirred. Silence.
'Raghav where are you?' she came back into her room and felt her blood run cold at what she saw. A crouching figure at the end of her bed.
Ayesha!!
She was trembling.
Raghav was shaking her wildly as she looked about her frantically.
Ayesha are you ok? He put his hands on her cheeks and leaned in looking concernedly at her.
What happened?' he enquired his eyebrows creased with worry as he looked at her. Ayesha breathed heavily still shocked from her state just moments ago. She glanced at her bed and around her room before looking at him.
I..I..dont know..what.. He gripped her gently by her shoulders and spoke softly.
'Relax, there's nothing to worry about.' He said squeezing her shoulders to reassure her.
Raghav sat her on the bed, fetched her a glass of water and sat down beside her.
Tell me what you dreamt of. He asked
She recounted her experience to him. But it didnt feel dreamlike. It was real. She swore she had been talking on the phone to him. She buried her face in her hands while Raghav watched her pitifully.
'Whats happening to me?'
He wrapped an arm around her.
'Hey its ok I'm here now'.
She looked at him confused.
'How did you get in?'
Raghav smiled. 'Through your window. 'Thought I would surprise you.'
Ayesha afforded him a smile inspite of the frightened state she was in.
'Soo..when do the others get back? He asked a glint in his eyes
'How do you know I was alone?'
'Theres no car in the porch'.. She eyed him warily as he edged closer to her.
His eyes travelled to her lips while his fingers trailed down her back teasingly unlacing some of the string attached to the back of her dress.
'I can help you take your mind off things.' He said mischievously. She stopped and drew back gazing at him softly, an inquisitive look in her eyes as he fixed his eyes intensely on her through narrowed slits.
She blushed and looked at her bedside clock
'Raghav, no.' She said indignantly moving his hand off her back.
'What, you scared? Your sister is still out.' He leaned close to her.
'Come on Ayesha... I'll be nice' he whispered in her ear. She closed her eyes feeling his breath tingle her skin and he began to kiss her softly on her neck moving down her throat, then back up again his lip curled as he listened to her sigh and felt her relax into him, his locks of hair brushed with her skin and she brought her hands up threading her fingers through his curly hair. She felt his fingers slowly caress her thigh but she quickly held his hand before he could go further and opened her eyes. She turned her head away quickly
'Whats wrong' he said breathlessly.
'Lets not do anything stupid' she murmured turning her head to him
'Too late' he said into her mouth, lips grazing hers before pressing hard on her mouth, drawing her into a slow deep kiss as they paused for breath every now and then. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach, and clenched fistfuls of his hair in her hands.
Flames. Fire.
He took her hand threading his warm hand through hers and kissed her hand moving along her arm and shoulder, then pinned both her arms back onto the bed. He was kissing her softly along her jaw and down her neck leaving a wet trail on her skin, travelling lower to her chest, trailing his hands down her side as she closed her eyes in content. She pushed him away and pulled the silk sheet up over her separating him from her as he heard her muffled giggles from under the cover.
'That wont stop me' she heard him whisper before he buried his head below her neck travelling further down and she felt his mouth pressing down her body hot and hard through the fine silk sheet.
Faces. Blurry Shadows.
'Who's there?' she gasped from under the cover
'Sshh we're alone, its just us' he whispered raspily
She felt his fingers trace the curves of her body and she tilted her neck back
A dark shadow.
Consuming her from within. Something was stirring inside her and she felt herself slowly lose her senses to him.
She breathed heavily as he trailed his mouth lower till he reached her thighs. Something sharp pierced her skin. She tried to supress her impulse to scream as she felt an excruciating pain sear through her skin and gasped.
'Ohh...what's going on?' she whimpered
'Sshhh just enjoy it' he breathed. She bit so hard on her lip till she felt a bead of blood trickle down her mouth..Her eyes were screwed tightly shut as his warm mouth on her skin was a welcome contrast to a contradictory discomfort she was feeling. She felt his mouth trail up her leg and arched her back grabbing tightly onto the sheet cover while he went deeper exploring every inch of her till she started to moan. He slipped under her cover and slid back up her, their bodies scorching as they brushed against one another, his adept fingers making quick work of undoing the strings of her nightdress his mouth burned her skin as he moved slowly up her body claiming her, every part of her making her toss and turn and sigh in delight till his mouth brushed her own, his eyes ablaze with desire.
He was leaning right up to her now as she felt his breath against her skin while she shut her eyes.
'Don't fight the pain. Feel it. Accept it.' he whispered into her ear sensually.
She furrowed her eyes in confusion as he lured her in with his intense gaze.
'What?' she asked breathlessly. He found her mouth with his and kissed her desperately, sucking the breath out of her. She joined him not understanding what was happening. Why she was feeling a sharp cutting pain probing her skin.. She helplessly rummaged around inside her head trying to distract the present pain with mental images of seas, clouds, waterfalls, as again another shot of pain rippled through her but his voice came ringing through again dragging her back out.
'Pain is deep, live it. Your family abandoned you, they don't love you.' He snarled callously against her neck.
More painstaking sensations pierced through her and she had to cling onto him tightly trying to quell her own urge to scream and not realizing he had sunk his teeth into her neck draining out her energy as he sucked on her skin.
'You cant escape pain, sorrow and darkness. Embrace it.'.he continued in a husky voice. The time stretched on and on and it felt like it was never going to end. She hadn't experienced such agonizing but sweet pain before.
'Perfect'. His mark on her body, there to stay. He traced his fingers along the patterns and felt her tremble beneath him.
The sensations were overwhelming and she was succumbing to him more than she would have liked to. Her self restraint and sense had really abandoned her and all she was left with was a pathetic pining. For him.
She had enjoyed the pain of it because it made her forget the emptiness within her. Then there was him controlling it all. The feel of his warm fingers along her skin was exhilarating while her inner voice rebuked her for holding such dangerous thoughts.
She sat up and he followed her brushing his fingers across her cheek.
'Did I hurt you?' He asked tenderly
'Not at all' she replied feigning courage and furrowed her eyes perplexed by his sudden change of temperament when not just seconds before she'd been certain that she heard him speaking in vicious tones to her. Had he said things about her family?.. She was recoiling from the aftermath of it but found herself enjoying his warm breath on her.
'Hey, tell me whats in your mind he breathed into her neck.
'Im..Your not supposed to be here'
'Oh yeah?' He challenged burying his head in her silky long hair.
'Try and stop me then.' He growled kneading his fingers into her back while covering her neck and shoulders in soft kisses. She sighed and bent her head against him as he persisted.
She was feeling faint by his physical intensity and knew if she didnt stop now she would come to regret it later.
'Go Raghav'. She felt the heat in places where she had been kissed by him, and was throbbing for more of it but at the same time she didnt want to go too far. Although this was far enough.
'Wait..' She hugged him from behind and kissed his cheek.
He smiled and turned around and kissed her on her cheek before backing up a few steps to her window.
See you soon, he winked.
'Go out the front door' Ayesha said in amusement
'Nah this way is more secretive'
'Youre such a fool'
'A fool that loves you' he flashed her a charming smile and left.
Ayesha left the cafe and had managed to avoid Rohan completely who had taken over from her for the rest of the shift. She felt uneasy around him perhaps because he was a stranger, her trust in others was fast fading given her present predicament. Something in the way he looked at her whenever they made eye contact unnerved her. Ayesha jumped in startlement at that very moment as her phone started to vibrate in her bag. She pulled it out and let out a sigh seeing Raghav's number.
Hey, meet me by the lake? Its a beautiful afternoon.
Ayesha couldnt restrain a smile as her mind wandered to their recent night of intimacy. She recalled their first time spent together at night in the woods and how she had been both excited and scared at once. Raghav had managed to convert that place from being a dreadful one to one she came to love in just the space of a few minutes. And now she yearned for the fresh air very much after being cooped up in a cafe for the most of the day.
I'm here read the text.
Where are you? She keyed into her phone
Walk straight ahead. Ayesha sniggered at his geekyness taking a few steps forward. There was hardly any movement around her save the swaying of the leaves that rustled in the mild breeze.
This better not be some kind of surprise prank.. She texted back. She walked on blindly holding her phone before her waiting for his directions as another text popped up
Turn right she smiled and looked up
Keep going... Ayesha walked slowly and looked behind her and then back ahead again.
Come into the woods Ayesha. She looked up from her phone in all directions and did a spin. She was alone.
She was deep in now though she didnt remember walking this far in. She veered her head sharply to look around her. She was having a hard time of shaking off the disconcerting feeling now entering her. The woods took on its familar eerie form looming over her from every angle making her feel like an insignificant speck within its vast infinite space.
Why did you stop? Scared?'She tensed up. Her skin ran cold. Something was not right. What was she doing. She had to find her way back. In her panic she fumbled nervously and dropped her phone.
'Shit..shit' It had fallen on a moist patch of mud and grass. Her ears pricked up to sudden sounds of shuffling coming through the trees. Then a screeching of metal. The vibration on her phone made her heart jump as she opened up the message from an unknown number. It was blank.
Who is this? She tapped frantically
Your conscience.Came the reply
Haha funny. Not.
You're right. Not funny. DEAD serious.
A new message popped up with a picture of a dead deer, its blood spreading outwards, staining the ground. This was followed by another message.
I DONT FOOL AROUND AYESHA BUT IF YOU FOOL AROUND WITH ME THEN INSTEAD OF THE DEER WILL BE YOUR VERY DEAR SISTER LYING IN A POOL OF HER OWN BLOOD!
Ayesha gasped in shock clapping a hand across her mouth. Then the ringtone on her phone sounded and she saw Raghavs number and without a moments hesistance she picked it up.
'Raghav! I just got-'
'Hello Ayesha. Did you enjoy our hide and seek game?' Came a voice on the other end. Vicious, cold and callous.
'Wwho is this..' she stuttered
'First time caller long time listener.'
'Ww.. where's Raghav, wwwhy do you have his phone?'
'Oh you don't have to worry about him. Your precious boyfriend is safe and sound'
'How do I know that.'
'How about I let you go and find out. Its more fun this way!'
'What have you done with Raghav??'
'I think what you should really be asking is what will I do to him if you dont get to him first' he cackled. She tried to shove the image of the dead deer out of her head.
'You sick freak, whoever you are you wont be able to get away with this for long, the police will be on the hunt'
'Is that so? I guess the value of your sisters life doesnt add to anything.'
'Leave her out of this'
'OH BUT I CANT AYESHA AND YOU KNOW IT. Did the dead deer video not carry enough import? Or shall I remind you again?'
'I wont contact the cops'
'Good girl. I'm watching your every step Ayesha. Go ahead.. Clocks ticking.'
Then the phone cut off.
Ayesha flopped to the ground and wept quietly. No. This is just what he would want. She wasnt going to show she was weak. There was no time to loose. She wiped her eyes and stood up with resolve, taking measured steps as she ventured further into the forest bracing herself for encounters with the unknown. The more she walked however the more she became stricken with panic. She spun wildly around, darting in and out behind trees, pacing back and forth aimlessly but her fear overpowered her. She was panting, fearing the worst for Raghav, her imaginations in full chaotic mode. She strained her eyes against the soft afternoon sunlight that filtered into her vision making it hard to spot any unusual activity that could be lurking in dark discrete corners. With each step she took she was feeling lost, weary, overwhelmed, her search for him was proving to be in vain. She came to a halt and dropped to her knees again in exhaustion while a deepening sense of dread began to fill her. What was she doing. She was out of her mind. Alone and weaponless. And she had taken his word that Raghav was in danger...but was it her who was in danger? Was the killer laying in wait for her and all this was simply a farce to lure her deep into the woods? So deep no-one would hear her?Never had she felt so vulnerable and exposed. Ayesha's skin ran cold and she whimpered and backed up a few steps before sprinting at full speed in one direction hoping that she would eventually see the forest exit even if she landed up on the other side. She needed to get out, fast. She heard ruffling of leaves behind her, knowing she was being chased. Dont look back, dont look back.. Suddenly she came colliding against someone whose face was obliterated by the blinding afternoon glare of the sun and she was about to scream when his face crept into view
'Ayesha!' He grabbed her shoulders
'Oh my God, Raghav' she hugged him tightly trembling against his chest while he squeezed her.
'Ayesha! What's going on?! I saw you wandering into the woods on your own, what were you thinking?!
'Raghav lets just get the hell out of here'
Her phone buzzed.
I SPARED YOUR BOYFRIEND THIS TIME ROUND BUT I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THOSE FEELINGS VERY WELL BECAUSE I ASSURE YOU, NEXT ONES ON ME!! AND YOU WON'T GET A 2ND CHANCE..
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