"Do...Do not touch me!" You breathlessly screamed, as you held the blade in a defensive manner, its point toward your ever-persistent attacker. "Don't come near me! Please!"
"Now, now, [Y/n], why wouldn't I come near you, when you need me most?" He chuckled darkly. "Put down that knife, my dear. You'll hurt yourself. I could care less if you injure me with it, but... God, I can't imagine you in such pain. Now be a good girl and put it down."
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[Y/n] [L/n], look at yourself. What do you see? A victim, or a victor? Now, look at the rest of your motley crew. Who are they in your eyes?
You've unintentionally stolen the hearts of multiple men, [Y/n]. Whether they be the audacious delinquent, the charismatic scholar, or the innocent sweetheart, they all have the same unhealthy obsession towards you. You are their world; their only world. Everything else can be destroyed, except for you. You are the purest thing in their corrupted hearts.
Just what have you gotten yourself into?
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Message from author: This story is a rewrite! The original version is still available to read, but should not be perceived to have any connection with its rewritten version. This rewrite is supposed to be the improved version from the original!
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CONTENT INFORMATION:
All Rights Reserved
Rating: Mature
Contains: Violence, sexual content, strong language, and abuse. Other mature themes may apply.
READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
Antique store owner Liz brings home a Victorian taxidermy hound from auction, unwittingly unleashing dark forces on her wife and son.
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Nat Loman has finally married the love of her life, Liz, and is getting used to her role as stepmother to Liz's 5-year-old son, Liam. The Loman family runs a bustling antique business so they attend a sale where a striking, black taxidermied hound is up for auction. Liz picks it up for the business, but it ends up being stored in their home, where Nat notices strange things occurring. She quickly discovers the past residents had died violently. Then she hears from a friend about the myth of "the devil's dog", a hound that perches in the shadows, tearing families apart from the inside. Soon, people around the Lomans are dying, and Liz is changing, darkening. It's up to Nat to save the woman she loves from the darkness closing in, and to save Liam from danger no matter what she has to sacrifice.
[[Winner of the 2018 Wattys "Hidden Gems" category]]
[[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]]