Leading Her from the Darkness

CHAPTER 14

TW: Sensitive Content

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I wake up and I can't breathe. The unwelcome pressure from the weight of another human body is pinning me down. His heat slices through my unwilling body. My lungs are burning due to the deprivation of oxygen as the ruthless grip of his hand only tightens around my neck further.

Sharp pains shoot through my chest, blood being drawn to the surface of my skin by a set of unforgiving teeth.

Where am I? Wracking my brain for the memories missing in my mind. I was at the bar with a group of my guy friends. I thought they brought me back to one of their houses to crash for the night. Wasn't I?

I tear my heavy eyelids open. They feel like cinderblocks... refusing to allow my consciousness to witness the deed being done.

Still, I manage. When I see his face... it's the face of someone I trusted. The one who is supposed to be protecting me...is hovering over me with the sheer predatory look of hunger all over his face. His dark eyes stare straight through me as if I wasn't real. I instantly realize my trust in him was a colossal mistake.

I am in too much shock to even try to speak...to scream. Why did this always happen to me? What did I do to deserve such cruelty? Is this just karma from a past life seeking its justice by constantly ravaging and demolishing my life?

The night's previously consumed alcohol weighs down my limbs. Why can't I fight him off? I didn't drink that much. Did someone slip something into my drink while I wasn't looking? The only thing my body can do is cry... cry until the Darkness consumes my consciousness once again and I black out.

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Still half asleep, I feel a pair of arms engross my body into a secure embrace. A hand gently strokes through my hair, pushing it out of my face.

Out of instinct, with my head still stuck in my nightmare, my body thrashes in an attempt to break free. My face is drenched in my tears right before I'm woken up by my own blood-curdling screams.

"Austyn, it's just me, baby," a deep, raspy voice coos into my ear.

I know that voice.

I pry my eyelids open and blink away the tears that blur my vision. I scan my room and see that it's still dark outside. I feel a large, warm hand settle on my arm, causing my head to jerk around in surprise. My eyes settle on the owner of the warm touch.

"Dawson?" The raspiness of my voice brings the memories flooding back to me about my attack.

I lick my dry lips and a metallic taste fills my mouth as fresh blood oozes over my tongue. I still haven't seen myself, but I must've had a busted lip from last night that was split back open from me screaming.

He shushes me as he reaches over to cup the base of my jaw and lightly runs a thumb over my bottom lip to wipe away the remaining crimson liquid. He then uses the backs of his hand to graze under each of my eyes, clearing the tears that stain my bruised cheeks. With sad eyes, he leans in to rest his forehead against mine. His hot, jagged breaths fan over my face, almost as though he knows what memories were haunting my dreams. If he did know, he doesn't say. He may just think I was dreaming about last night.

"I'm so sorry, Austyn. I'm just so...so sorry," he whispers to me, softly pressing his plump lips against mine. This lingering kiss is delicate... caring. But he pulls away quicker than I would've liked. My head is spinning, craving more of him.