Uncovered

Chapter Eighteen -Nyrie

Nyrie knew her eyes were open, but she couldn't see. A darkness hovered over her.

Blinking slowly, she tried to clear the blurriness and focus on breathing. But there was a pressure over her mouth. Why was her mouth being covered?

It didn't matter.

She welcomed the calming bliss her fully belly of wine gave. Her mind was cloudy and soothed. When she chose to open that second bottle earlier she knew there was no going back. Nyrie wanted to be taken as far away from her wretched reality as possible.

Wine was her best and most loyal companion. It numbed all her pain and emotions. She would have taken a third bottle if she wasn't so tired and decided to close her eyes instead.

As her vision got better it began to look like a man was standing over her. Brax must be making sure she was OK. He was her only other loyal companion. It made sense in her mind that he would check on her after what had happened to her yesterday that she continued to refuse to acknowledge.

But it was becoming harder and harder to forget, as the hours went by, the emptiness she felt constantly nagging away at her deepened.

Other senses began to start working again. A stinging sensation stung her neck. How odd.

Slowly, her eyes focused on the man above her.

It was not Brax.

The lamp beside her wasn't very bright but she could still make out enough of his features to know that she had never seen him before. He'd never been a client, and he wasn't an employed member of this establishment. The questions her sober self should have been asking came to the front of her mind for half a second, until complete realisation set in that she genuinely didn't care.

Perhaps this was fate. Perhaps she was destined to leave this world at the hands of a man after all. Up until yesterday, when her life and body changed forever, Nyrie was content with being here. She was fed, housed, and looked after enough that running away or ending her life were not on the forefront of her mind as often as they should have been, considering the abuse she tolerated.

Brax was the largest reason for that. It was stubbornness that stopped her from letting her mind wander on the possibilities of "what if's" and dreams of being free. It just made her more upset knowing it was impossible.

She didn't know how much time had passed since she gained consciousness, but the man looking at her now, had not moved. He was intensely staring at her, straight into her eyes. She felt then, the sharp blade on her throat. Realised his hand was over her mouth to stop any screams. What was stopping him from swiping his blade straight across in one clean sweep that would swiftly see her end to this world?

The most selfish thing she's ever allowed herself to think came to mind and it upset her so much that she even allowed the thought to cross her mind, a tear fell. She wanted him to do it.

She tried to show it in her eyes. Beg him.

It didn't work. His eyebrows bunched together and his face strained, but his eyes gave away no emotion. He was so close to her she could tell even from the dim light that they were a golden brown surrounded by long lashes. A scar had split his right eyebrow and long dark stubble peppered his face.

His deep, soft voice floated over her body and raised the hairs on her arms.

"Don't scream."

Her eyes widened in terror. The pressure over her mouth was still there. Was he about to swipe his blade over her throat? She couldn't stop her body trembling.

His mouth opened as if to speak again but nothing came out except his cry in agony as her door swung open and a blade flew into the room, landing right into his thigh. Nyrie stopped breathing while she watched him collapse onto the floor beside her bed.