Life in Vegas || Brendon Urie

Chapter 46

When I regained my senses, I was not in the same place I lost them.

I waited for a wave of panic to overcome me, but it never really came. The only thing clouding my mind right now was Brendon. Where was he? Was he safe? Had she done anything to him?

I halted my thoughts for a moment to take in the environment I found myself in. Apparently I was in a dark room. There were photographs strung around the room, developing in the darkness that saturated them. As I observed them closer, I saw Brendon and I in every shot. For some odd reason, I wasn't tied down or bound in any way, so I got up to take a closer look.

"Aren't they like, so good?" My kidnapper asked. I jumped; I didn't know she was there. "They're just beautiful shots–you two are such a photogenic couple!"

"Where am I?" I asked, avoiding her upbeat mood.

She shrugged. "I'm directionally challenged. I couldn't tell you where this place is to save my life."

I rolled my eyes. This woman obviously thought this was a game.

"Will you at least tell me who you are?"

She mulled it over, pouting her lips in thought. "You know, I'm in a story-telling mood. Why don't you take a seat? This could be lengthy."

With a glowering stare, I sunk into the chair I woke up in.

"For starters, my name is Erin," she introduced herself. "I work at a tech store, not a police station. God, I'd rather die than work at one of those. Anyway, I graduated from a small high school in a suburb of East Lancing, Michigan. You know where that is." She smiled. With horror, I wondered if she had gone after my dad as well. "Your dad's all good, chill out."

"Why are you stalking Brendon and I?" I demanded.

"Not really Brendon, just you," she corrected sweetly. "He's just collateral damage. Really, really good collateral damage."

"If you hurt him, I'll kill you myself," I threatened. Empty, but threatening.

She shrugged. "It's not like I'll have much more going for me after this stunt."

I was shocked by her carelessness. Nevertheless, I was trying everything I could to bargain with her.

"Listen, Erin, I'm sorry that you feel like you're living in the shadows here," I said, "but if you just drop this here, then Brendon and I can get you all the attention you want. And it would be good attention, too. Just let me go, and we can start fresh."

Erin let out a throaty laugh. "You think I'm in this because I want attention? That's not it."

"But you got mad every time I got attention for David," I argued.

"I'm surprised that for how smart you seem, you haven't made a connection here yet," Erin dragged.

"Tell me what I'm missing."

Erin looked me over for a few seconds. I stared back at her. "Do you know who I look like, Kendall?" She questioned. "You. I look like you. I graduated from a high school in Michigan. I'm after you because of all the praise you're getting for surviving an abusive relationship with David."

"No," I mumbled. Was she one of his exes?

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe you're not the only girl that lived? That you aren't the only one that suffered?" Erin seethed. "Not one time did you talk about the girls from David's past. We deserve to be known, too. The ones that he did kill, they deserve to be known. Not just you."

"Is there anyone else that lived?" I asked.

"Not that I know of, but I would hope that if there was, they would give you this same treatment."