Shatter (The Daevas #1)

10 • Escape

It was colder than usual this evening, my booted feet echoing through the hallway of the mansion. I needed to think things out.

I sighed, taking a turn on the left corridor toward the music room. A quick play on the piano would do me good, I was sure.

And so, I opened the door and went inside. It was dark, so i had to turn on the yellow-lighted lamp on a table, then I seated myself on the warm velvet stool. I pressed the bass with my right foot, and my hands started to caress the ivory keys in graceful movements.

I started to hum as I played the piano, closing my eyes as I felt the music filling the air in the room. I was easily soothed by playing the piano, with my whole being calmed and oddly feeling safe and secure.

But everything stopped when I heard that deep voice.

"Venise," he said coolly.

My hands froze over the keys, my eyes never leaving a particular black key. I couldn't stand up, wouldn't dare look at him. I was afraid.

"Why so quiet?" he asked, his voice had a tinge of laughter and amusement in it.

I still did not speak. It was hard for me. I found myself shivering convulsively, it was unstoppable. I did not blink, for I thought that I would surely die if I did. I just listened to him. I was listening to the man I was terribly afraid of, as of now. We were both silent, the only sound we heard was the whiplash of the wind outside the window, outside the mansion. It was not but dawn, and the others were still asleep.

"Don't be afraid of me, my Venise," he said lightly. "I'm not going to hurt you."

I shut my eyes, my breathing turning rapid and unsteady. There was a lie beneath that velvety voice if his.

He went up from the seat at the far corner of the room. I heard his footsteps, and I was praying that nothing bad would happen to me. That he wouldn't do anything to harm me.

But it was too late.

Roman walked to my side, his strong hands stroking my arms lightly, as a mother of an infant would do; as a gentle lover would do. I stiffened beneath his benign touch, then his knuckles stroked my upper arms up and down again. The hairs at the back of my neck rose. I wanted to cry.

"Shhh," he hushed, as I whimpered softly, like a stray dog shivering in a rat-infested street. "I won't hurt you. Trust me." And there was a lie behind those last soft words, I knew it.

"No," I said, my voice quavering. Tears were stinging my eyes. I slowly looked at him over my shoulder. My head was up; he was staring down at my face. He smiled.

"Don't you want this?" he asked, caressing my back tenderly.

I shook my head. "No, Roman. Please...no."

"Well, if you don't," he whispered, his hand gripping my arms tightly all of a sudden, nails biting into my flesh, "I certainly do."

He threw me on the floor, and I began to scream, but no one heard me. I struggled free from him yet he was too heavy for my weight. He pinned me down on the floor with no mercy, the back of my head hit the wooden floor loudly. No one heard.

We were the only ones in the house. I could feel it. My heart was telling me that Roman and I were the only ones there. "Roman...please!"

"Shut up!" he hissed in my ear, tackling me down roughly onto the floor.

What happened next was the worst part, as I screamed in pain. My jeans were pulled down and my thighs leaked of blood, trailing all the way to the floor. I shivered, my body stiffening.