Annie's POV
Oh God.
I placed my hands on Carter's shoulders and tried to push him off me. He smirked and reached into his pocket, and I gulped when I saw he pulled out a knife. I froze to the spot as the knife came up and rested on my throat.
"No sudden movements, babe." He whispered roughly in my ear. I felt my heart rattling against my rib cage as I felt Carter's hand wander down my dress.
"You know, I don't actually have to kill you tonight," He said quietly, his hand resting on my waist.
"Isn't that the point?" I shakily asked, and he smiled, moving his hand and pushing my hair behind my ear.
"Be a pity to kill such a pretty thing like you though, wouldn't it?" His hand moved through my hair and sat on the back of my neck, forcing me to hold eye contact with him.
"Alex is one of my best friends, I'm sure with a little persuasion, he'd let me keep you around."
"Wait, what?" I asked. None of this was making sense. This guy was hellbent on killing me mere hours ago, why the sudden change of heart?
He smiled, leaning forward, and rested his forehead on mine for a few seconds. I didn't dare move.
"You really think anyone ever wins this game?" He said, pulling back and I stared at him. What was he talking about?
"You and your friends survive to dawn, you're not leaving here... surely you know we can't let you go."
"Then what?" I whispered, nearly afraid of hearing the answer.
"Well how it usually works is we gather up the survivors, this year it's looking like it's going to be you and your friends, and then we choose. You can work for us, play The Chase each year, stay alive. How do you think there is so many people here that are willing to kill others? Because they know what it's like to get hunted, and it's a hell of a better feeling being the hunter." Carter finished.
"Is that what happened to you?" I asked. My head was throbbing, all the new information I had just received made me feel sick to my stomach. That's why the Manor's workers looked so young, why they just followed orders. They were just like us.
Carter seemed put off by my question, his whole face changing, the cold stare in his eyes softening.
"It doesn't take a genius to work it out." He said quietly, and I took my chance.
"Carter," I said softly, and his eyes came up to meet mine, "if this happened to you, why don't you escape? Why don't you try to do something to stop it, you obviously know what it's like to go through something like this, yet it seems you take pleasure in hurting others?"
I said the wrong thing. The softened look that had came over his face, suddenly hardened and he smirked, pushing the knife harder against my throat.
"Don't you get it it? There's no way out of this. Everything I was is gone now, this place made sure of that..."
He was extremely close to me now, his hot breath ragged against my skin. He then filled what little space we had between us, and his lips were against mine.
I instantly freaked, trying to move my arms back up to fight him, but I felt the knife get pushed against my skin harder again.
"Do what I say. I mean it, Annie." He mumbled against my lips and I nodded. He continued to kiss me, and my mind was racing on how to get out of this. He then moved down from my lips and he started kissing my neck. He nipped the skin of my neck and started to suck it.
