Prisoner

Chapter 8

Doll-eyes yanks another door open and pulls me inside. The closet is cramped and pitch dark, but I can feel him holding me against his chest. His breath musses my hair. My face reddens, and I'm glad he can't see me blushing.

"What are you--"

"Shi!" He hisses sharply, smacking one hand over my mouth. I don't fidget. I don't have room to fidget. He waits a moment before relaxing and letting me go. "Sorry."

"What are we doing in here?" I ask quietly.

"Hiding. Nothing will stop Hero from trying to find you."

"He just broke his chains," I protest. "I need to put him back! I'm the Warden!"

"He'll kill you!" Doll-eyes snaps. "You're staying right here with me whether you like it or not. I can't let him kill you." His voice softens. "You're too important."

"To who?"

"Me."

My eyes widen as his lips come down over mine. He pushes forward until my back hits the opposite wall. He pulls away, but I can still feel his closeness.

"Hero wants you," he says quietly. "He's been waiting to break his chains for a long time. He knew that your parents were Wardens, and that as long as they lived, you wouldn't become the Warden."

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask.

His hand brushes my cheek. "I'm telling you exactly who and what I am, Noelle. If I don't, Hero will. I don't want you to find out from him."

I hesitate. "Okay."

He leans his forehead against mine. "My name is Hongbin. I am a demon puppet."

"A demon puppet?"

"A creature possessed by dark magic," he explains. "I am the living embodiment of a puppet. My kind is created to serve--usually one master or family. We are immortal and unchanging unless our doll is destroyed or damaged."

"Your...doll?" I echo.

"My doll is me, just not as...human. If you set my doll on fire, I will burn without flames," he replies. "Your family--the Wardens--have had control of my doll for a long time. When you have control of the doll, you control the demon puppet. I have always been a servent--not a prisoner."

"What does this have to do with Hero?" I ask.

"Hero heard about you from your father when he was Warden," Doll-eyes--er, Hongbin--replies. "Your father knew that Hero would want you. So, after he knew you were safe with your mother, he came to me and ordered me to protect you."

"My father?" I could barely remember my father and mother.

"Yes." Honbin pauses. "Not long afterwards, Hero lured your father into the Vault and killed him. Your mother became the Warden and was killed, too. Your uncle realized that he was next on Hero's list. He brought you to the prison when you were five and introduced you to me. He also employed the help of Leo as well as the wolf pack." He sighs. "However, that was Hero's first glimpse of you. He knew that you would be quite fiercely protected. You became a challenge to him; he loves being challenged."

"How does he know you?"

"Hero is incredibly intelligent," Hongbin says darkly. "He is also very strong with heightened senses. He wants to break free and get to you. Now that I am involved, there are higher stakes. He doesn't want to beat me. He wants to win you."

"How did he know you were a demon puppet?" I ask. 

"Hero used to control my doll," Hongbin replies with a hint of bitterness. "I wasn't created with eyes like these."

My expression goes blank. "Oh." I wriggle a bit, trying to get some space. "Can we get out of the closet please?"

"No."

I stop. "Why not? Is he still out there? Wouldn't he know where we are?"

"Hush."

"Why? Is he out there?" I whisper.

"No, I just want you to be quiet."

My face reddens. "Can we please get out?"

"No." 

"Why not?" I ask, exasperated.

"I like having you close to me." He leans down and kisses me again. "Is this...okay with you?" He says between kisses. 

"Um." I decide to be sneaky. I wrap my arms around his waist, and he plants his lips on mine. I feel around the wall behind him until my fingers brush the doorknob. I shove forward with a loud shout of triumph. Both of us tumble out of the closet. He grunts as I land on top of him.

I giggle and poke him. "Serves you right, Doll-eyes."

He stares at me. "Will you get off?" I stand up and help him up.

I sigh. "I don't think I'll ever call you Hongbin. I prefer Doll-eyes."

He takes my hand. "We'll talk about nicknames later. We have to set the pack and Leo free. They can help us track Hero."

"We can't let them out!" I say. "I already have one monster on the loose!"

"We have to," Doll-eyes says. "If Hero reaches them before we do...I don't know what will happen to them. To him...they're just sitting ducks."