Deadly Secrets *Completed*

Chapter Twenty-Three - Forever Ryder's Doll

Chapter Twenty-Three – Forever Ryder's Doll

AN: This is a long one. ;)  (Side note: This song is what Ryder's really feeling inside. The confusion of needing to keep her with him, and needing to satisfy the urge to let her go. This song will also make more sense in future chapters.)

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This poem was written by the lovely ALMcGurk. I can't thank you enough for letting me use it on this chapter. #DefiantDoll Dark ones, seriously, how awesome is she?

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Reaching towards the mirror, I saw darkness reaching back,

Familiar as my heartbeat, as the glass began to crack.

You saw what lay inside me, shrouded in shade and pain,

Did you want to see my mask slip? What else did you have to gain?

My masquerade was over, as you tossed me to the night,

As you stole my darkest secrets, as if you had the right.

But you're blind, enthralling sinner, if you think you'll never lose.

The things we should fear the most, aren't the things we'd choose.

I'm not the one who's sightless, I'm not the one who's lost.

Fear the day you realise, what your demon cost.

I promise that you'll miss me, though I'll be here every day.

A ghost in your memory, that will never fade away.

I'll whisper in your nightmares, that change will always come,

That in the end you'll lose again, when all is said and done.

So wish for me with longing, and regret what you failed to see.

You're the one who's bound here, and I'm the one who's free.

***

Sweeping her tongue across the curve of her lower lip, she waited for him to stop her as questions poured out. She couldn't just stop at one. She had to know. They were more alike than each of them would ever admit to. In truth, they were more suited for one another than anyone else on earth. But with Ryder's Demon, Creeper Doll would die. It was almost primal in a way. The urge. The blood. The kill. How far he was willing to go to get the Doll he wanted. He was a predator and he would always get his prey. She was proof of that.

Ryder wondered what she was thinking. He flicked his gaze to her dark questioning look, her brows slightly creased and she bit her lip in thought. She was thinking about something deeply. He sucked his lower lip into his mouth as he took in every question she threw at him. Would he answer her? Could he answer her? He wasn't sure himself. Well, he was, but would he really tell her every dark secret? He narrowed his eyes at her slightly, chewing on his lip as he said, "That was more than one question."

"You wanted to know what I thought, Asshat. You wanted to know what was going on in my head. So be it. You could always back out of our deal and not answer. Of course, that's not how you play the game, though, is it?"

She smirked. She knew he wouldn't back out. She had taunted him, goaded him, and pushed back against him, forcing him into answering every question. Now who's in control? She winked at him and waited patiently. The cool slab pressing firmly into her back helped to calm her somewhat frazzled mind. The hum of the air conditioning unit purred in the background amongst their silence. The frosty air licked at her pale exposed skin with no remorse. But the tension in the atmosphere was what captured her attention, it was so thick and suffocating, she could have cut it with a knife. Ironic. Soon he would be cutting her to bits. She blinked at that morbid thought and tried focusing her attention back onto him. All this time and she was finally going to get answers to the questions she craved the most. She should consider herself lucky, but with her current situation, death wasn't something to be considered lucky.