Echoes In the Abyss

30|In His Grasps|

~Artemis's POV.

I woke up to a strange sensation-comfort, but it wasn't a comfort I wanted. The bed beneath me was soft, far too soft. My eyes blinked open, and the world around me came into focus.

This wasn't Perseus's room. This wasn't the safety I'd grown used to. The grand surroundings felt cold, unfamiliar, and immediately, panic began to rise in my chest.

I sat up quickly, my hands darting to my clothes. Relief washed over me for a moment-I was still in the same outfit I had worn when I left for the park. At least they hadn't changed me, whoever *they* were. But the momentary relief did little to dampen the cold sweat, breaking out across my skin. My breathing quickened as I took in my surroundings more fully.

The room was grand in an unsettling way-luxurious but suffocating. The walls were painted in rich tones, but it felt like a gilded cage. The high ceilings made me feel smaller and more vulnerable.

I looked around for windows for some way out, but all I saw were strange, narrow slits in the walls. No sunlight, just air passing through. My chest tightened. There was no real escape, just the illusion of freedom.

I stumbled toward the walls, my legs shaky beneath me. I pressed my hands against them, searching for a weakness, something I could pry open or break, but the walls were solid. The door-locked. Panic swelled in my throat, my heart racing as I tried again and again to find a way out. Nothing.

I ran my fingers through my hair, knitting it tightly between my fingers-a nervous habit I'd developed long ago, a way to feel some semblance of control. But even that felt useless now. My fingers trembled as I wove them through the strands, my breath coming in short, frantic gasps.

I couldn't be here. I couldn't.

My mind raced back to the days of before, the days I had long buried. The pain, the fear, the helplessness. I fought the memories as they clawed their way to the surface, threatening to pull me under. I had escaped this. I had found a way out, hadn't I?

My hands tightened in my hair, pulling hard enough to sting, but it did nothing to calm me. I was spiraling. I could feel it. The room began to spin, the walls closing in on me, until-

The door creaked open.

My head snapped up, my body freezing as I stared at the figure entering the room. A chill ran down my spine. Damien. The man who had once destroyed me. The man I had thought I would never see again. But here he was, standing in front of me, smiling that sickening smile.

"Hello, my love," he purred, his voice sending icy shivers through me. "I've waited so long for this moment."

My heart thundered in my chest. My mouth went dry as I tried to move, to retreat further into the bed, but I had nowhere to go.

"No," I breathed, barely able to find my voice. "No. Don't touch me."

He tilted his head, his eyes darkening with something that made my skin crawl. He stepped forward, closing the distance between us with slow, deliberate steps.

"You think you can tell me what to do now?" he asked, his tone soft but threatening. "You've been away from me for far too long. I know you've been with him."

I flinched at the mention of Perseus, the memory of safety with him contrasting violently with the fear I felt now.

"Don't," I said again, louder this time, but it was no use. Damien reached out, his hand grazing my leg. I jerked it back, my body trembling uncontrollably.

His smile faded, replaced with a hard, possessive glare. In an instant, he grabbed my ankle and yanked me toward him. I gasped, scrambling to pull away, but his grip was iron-tight.

"Don't deny me, Artemis," he growled, his face inches from mine. His breath was hot against my skin, suffocating. "You belong to me. You always have."

I shook my head violently, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. "I'm not yours. I was never yours."

He laughed-a cold, cruel sound that echoed in the hollow room. "You will be. You see, I've been watching you. I know everything. Every weakness. Every moment, you let your guard down. I made sure of it."

My stomach twisted in knots as I tried to process his words. "What are you talking about?"

His grip loosened slightly, but he didn't let go. He leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing as he spoke. "I had someone close to you, feeding me everything I needed to know. I knew how to get you back, Artemis. You can't escape me."

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. Who? Who had been feeding him information? Elion? No. It couldn't be. But as the realization dawned on me, a sick feeling settled deep in my gut.

"What did you do to Elion! Where is he?!"I feined confidence.

Damien smirked, clearly enjoying the fear that washed over me. "It's over, my love. You're mine again."

I fought the rising panic, trying to keep control, but my body betrayed me. My hands shook, my heart raced, and no matter how much I tried to steady myself, I couldn't. The walls felt like they were closing in again, and I was drowning in the weight of his presence.

"Get away from me," I whispered, though it came out more as a plea than a demand.

But Damien didn't move. He just watched me, his expression dark and triumphant, as if he had already won.

Finally, he leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispered, "Now you stay with me. Forever and ever, this is your new home.When you start to behave we'll change your room. I know you dont like confined spaces"

I froze at his words. No. This wasn't happening. He couldn't trap me like this, not again. But the weight of his promise sank into my chest, suffocating me in the worst kind of way. It was a fate I had spent years trying to escape, only to be pulled back into it.

"I've finally got you back," Damien continued, his hand trailing possessively over my leg. "And you will never leave me again. Not this time. This is your home now, my love. And we'll be together... forever."

I tried to move, to break free from his touch, but my body felt weak. The memories of what he'd done, the years of torment, they all came crashing down on me, paralyzing me with fear. I wanted to scream, to fight, but I was frozen, stuck between the past and the horrifying reality in front of me.

Damien's smile widened as he took in my terror, his thumb brushing against my skin as if he owned me.

"I've waited too long for this moment," he said softly. "And now, I'll make sure you never slip away again."

The panic surged in me. My breathing quicker as if a vice was squeezing the air out of my lungs.The room spun around.

Dark spots blurred my vision, and the last thing I saw was Damien's smirking face and his arms pulling me closer as my body gave out.

Then everything turned black.
___________
Oh, my girl Artemis😭.
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Word count:1250 words