THE DEVIL'S CAPTIVE ( 18+ )

chapter 7

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**Chapter 7: the moon maiden**

I woke up with a splitting headache, my head pounding like a drum. The room around me was dimly lit, and my vision was hazy, colors and shapes blurring together. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my sight, but it only made my head hurt more. As my eyes began to focus, I became painfully aware of the rough texture of the rope binding my wrists behind me, the coarse fibers cutting into my skin. My arms were pulled back tightly, forcing my shoulders into an uncomfortable position, and my ankles were similarly restrained, the ropes biting into my flesh.

The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke, and I could taste the bitterness of it on my tongue. I lifted my head slowly, my neck aching from the awkward angle I had been lying in. Across from me, a shadowy figure sat in a chair, casually leaning back. The dim light from a single overhead bulb cast long, eerie shadows, making the room feel like a scene from a nightmare.

Luca Moretti. The Shadow King. He was watching me with a look of mild amusement, a cigarette dangling from his lips. The glow of the cigarette's tip flared bright orange with each slow inhale he took, momentarily lighting up his sharp, angular features. His dark eyes were fixed on me, calculating and cold, like a predator sizing up its prey. He exhaled slowly, releasing a stream of smoke that drifted lazily into the stale air.

As I tried to sit up, I realized just how tight my bindings were, the ropes digging painfully into my wrists and ankles with every movement. My breathing quickened, panic beginning to set in as the reality of my situation sank in. I was helpless, completely at his mercy. I tugged at the ropes, but they didn’t budge, my struggles only making them cut deeper into my skin. I bit my lip to stifle a cry of frustration.

Luca’s men stood around him, a silent, imposing presence. They were like statues, their eyes never leaving me, watching my every move with a predatory intensity. They reminded me of attack dogs, waiting for their master’s command to strike. I could feel their eyes on me, feel the weight of their stares, and it made my skin crawl.

“Good, you’re awake,” Luca said, his voice low and smooth, almost bored. He flicked the ash from his cigarette, letting it fall to the floor in a delicate arc. “I was beginning to think my men had hit you too hard.” He smirked, a small, cruel twist of his lips that made my blood run cold.

“What do you want from me?” I demanded, my voice trembling but trying to sound braver than I felt. My mouth was dry, my throat raw, and every word felt like sandpaper scraping against it. I could barely keep my composure, every nerve in my body screaming at me to run, to fight, to do something.

Luca leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his gaze never wavering from mine. His eyes were dark, almost black, and they seemed to pierce right through me, making me feel exposed, vulnerable. “Straight to the point. I like that,” he said, his voice smooth as silk but laced with a dangerous edge. He took another drag of his cigarette, the ember flaring bright before he exhaled a cloud of smoke that curled around him like a shroud.

“I want your father to pay for what he’s done,” he continued, his tone suddenly colder, sharper. “And you, my dear Elena, are going to help me make that happen.”

A shiver ran down my spine, the fear settling deep in my bones. I pulled harder against the ropes, ignoring the pain. “Let me go!” I shouted, my voice echoing off the walls of the small room. My heart was racing, my breath coming in short, frantic gasps. “You won’t get away with this!”

Luca laughed softly, a low, mocking sound that sent chills through me. He leaned back in his chair, exuding a terrifying calmness. “Oh, Elena,” he said, almost sympathetically. “I already have.”