Sacrificed - Tumblr Posts

𝔖𝔞𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔦𝔠𝔢𝔡 {𝔓𝔯𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴}

Genre: vampire au, reverse harem, angst, smut

Synopsis: You're the next victim of your village's practice. The next to be offered to the vampires. You would think this is the end for you. But you're in for a surprise...

A/N: This may look/sound familiar. I'm working on the fic right now, but it's different from the original preview, hence why I'm making a new one. Comment if you want to be on the tag list, I promise I'm going ahead with this one 😅

☆✡☆✧☆✡☆✧𖤐†𖤐✧☆✡☆✧☆✡☆

It's quiet at the dinner table, aside from the occasional sound of cutlery against a bowl. You've barely touched your stew. You've spent the past ten minutes swirling your spoon through it rather than actually eating. Your appetite is gone, the anxious knot in your stomach from earlier taking its place. You look at the dining room window, concealed behind the drapes. If they were open, you'd be able to see the town square. The podium where the mayor will give his speech. The soon-to-be-lit bonfire that will serve as a beacon. The thick post where a girl will be bound by midnight.

It's a scene you've witnessed only once in person, but is now engraved into your memory for good. Your parents had only taken you because you'd asked. You'd only asked because Ella Nuttal was the sacrifice that winter. The baker's daughter. Your friend.

In hindsight, you wish you'd never gone. Even if it was to say goodbye. You're sure her desperate cries for help will haunt the back of your mind until you're nearing death and most of your memories are gone.

Your grandmother's voice breaks through your reverie. "What's going on with you tonight?"

☆✡☆✧☆✡☆✧𖤐†𖤐✧☆✡☆✧☆✡☆

𝔖𝔞𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔦𝔠𝔢𝔡 | 𝔒𝔫𝔢

A/N: I finally made a start! I sincerely hope you enjoy it <3 The biggest thank you to @un06 for helping me every step of the way.

Synopsis: You live in a village where girls are offered to the vampires that live in the woods that border the town. You're next. And you're in for a surprise.

Warnings: swearing and mild violence

Part one / Part two / Part three

It’s a beautiful day. The air is warm enough to heat your skin, but not too hot where it’s an effort to breathe. The scent of flowers and fresh-made goods is everywhere, accompanied by the sound of casual conversations and children’s laughter. The town centre is busy today. It seems almost the whole village is out enjoying the first day of summer– a welcome relief from the gloomy spring just gone.

It’s a beautiful day… and yet there’s tension in the air.

You know everybody can sense it. That they’d rather focus on their daily errands than the practice planned for tonight. Maybe they can ignore it. But you can’t dismiss the unease in your stomach as you near the town square. The flutter in your chest as you pass through, seeing the council workmen erect the post and pile logs for the bonfire.

You quicken your pace, your hold on the paper bag in your arms tightening like a vice.

***

Your skirt swishes around your ankles as you practically leap through the front door. You gently close it behind you and lean against it, taking a moment to breathe in the comforting scent of your grandmother’s house. You exhale slowly, shedding the bad feeling from outside and letting it melt away as you make your way down the hall toward the kitchen.

Not much has changed around here since you were little. The same faded leather couch and sturdy coffee table sit in front of the same roaring fire that you’d spent hours upon hours in front of playing and reading. The same elaborate tapestries and oil paintings are arranged neatly across the slightly-yellowed walls. The same stale smell of cigarettes lingers from when your grandfather was still alive.

A lot has stayed the same, except the photographs that used to flow through the house.

Back when you were young, you used to admire the pictures of your mother. Her life. From her as a toddler sitting on your grandfather’s lap, to her sitting by the river as a teenager, to her wedding photos with your father. Your grandparents wanted to remember all the little things. They wanted their daughter to as well. So they captured the memories of your mother and displayed them proudly around the home. Then, obviously, there were the family photos. Ones including you and your older sister, Emily. Your grandmother’s house had always been like a photo album; a gallery for your family’s memories.

Now, a lot of those photos are gone. Taken down, shoved into chests, replaced.

You walk into the kitchen and place the groceries on the counter, taking your time to unpack the ingredients. As you fill a pot with water, there are footsteps behind you and your grandmother appears.

“Where’s my greeting, hm?” The corners of her thin lips are turned up in that cheeky smile of hers. Your grandmother may be from a different generation, but her spirit has always been ahead of her time.

You look over your shoulder as you shut off the tap, mirroring her smile as you place the pot on the stove. “Sorry, Nanna. I thought I’d make a start on dinner, so you didn’t have to.”

Her smile widens, growing warmer. She comes up beside you and squeezes your arm affectionately. “Thank you, darling.”

You turn and start peeling vegetables. Your grandmother falls into line next to you and dices them, the two of you working together under comfortable silence.

***

It’s quiet at the dinner table, aside from the occasional sound of cutlery against a bowl. You’ve barely touched your stew. You’ve spent the past ten minutes swirling your spoon through it rather than actually eating. Your appetite is gone, the anxious knot in your stomach from earlier taking its place. You look at the dining room window, concealed behind the drapes. If they were open, you’d be able to see the town square. The podium where the mayor will give his speech. The soon-to-be-lit bonfire that will serve as a beacon. The thick post where a girl will be bound by midnight.

It's a scene you’ve witnessed only once in person, but is now engraved into your memory for good. Your parents had only taken you because you’d asked. You’d only asked because Ella Nuttal was the sacrifice that winter. The baker’s daughter, your friend. In hindsight, you wish you’d never gone. Even if it was to say goodbye. You’re sure her desperate cries for help will haunt the back of your mind until you’re nearing death and most of your memories are gone.

Your grandmother’s voice breaks through your reverie. “What’s wrong?”

You look at her, chewing your lip as the imprints of the images linger behind your eyes. “I don’t know… Something feels off.”

She sets down her spoon, the room so quiet you can hear the soft clink. “Always does these times of year.”

You shake your head. “I know. But it isn’t that. It’s more like...”

Understanding dawns on her features. “Intuition?”

You nod. “Yes.”

She exhales. A soft sigh. “Well then I don’t know what to tell you. God may have gifted some of us a sixth sense, but that doesn’t mean we always know what to do about it.”

The corners of your mouth turn down and you look down at your lukewarm stew. “I suppose you’re right.”

Your grandmother clucks her tongue, causing you to look back up at her. She offers you a small but reassuring smile. “Don’t stress, darling. There will be times when your mind tries to trick you. I was in the bank once, and I was standing near this gentleman. There was something a little odd about him. My gut was telling me to leave, that he was going to hold up the place. But then he simply did what he had to and left.”

Her anecdote makes you feel a bit better. Maybe you are getting worked up for nothing. Maybe it’s just that the night of the Offering has you on edge. You take a breath, consciously relaxing your spine and shoulders. You chuckle. “Thanks, Nanna. I needed that.”

She smiles again and picks up her spoon. “You’re welcome, dear.”

You wrap your fingers around the ornate silver spoon and take your first mouthful of dinner. As you thought, it’s lukewarm and the carrot and beef aren’t as tender, but it’s still delicious.

***

As you wash the final plate and place it on the draining rack, there’s a knock at the front door. You look over your shoulder, in the general direction of the noise.

“I’ll get it,” your grandmother calls from the living room. You hear the modest heels of her shoes move across the floorboards in a steady click, clack, click, clack rhythm.

You leave the kitchen, heading down the hall toward the stairs. Now that your chores are done for the night, you plan on settling in your room and reading for a bit. You reach the foot of the staircase just as your grandmother reaches the door. You begin climbing the steps as she turns the lock and opens it.

“Samuel, Raymond!” You can hear the smile in her voice and the corners of your mouth twitch in response. But you do wonder why Sam and Ray are here. You shake it off as you continue up the stairs and their voices fade into a string of muffled words in the background.

And then you falter.

You frown and strain your ears. You can just make out Ray’s voice. Impatient and harsh. You hear your grandmother’s voice. Small and surprised.

Your heart starts to pick up speed, goosebumps prickling your arms and neck. Your muscles tense and you grip the wooden railing so tight your knuckles hurt.

They’re here for you.

There’s a shout, followed by a crash and a shocked cry. Heavy footsteps approach the stairs and you run. Taking the steps two at a time while trying to stay light on your feet. You can’t let them hear you. Adrenalin courses through your veins as you dash into your grandmother’s room at the end of the hallway. You shut the door as quickly but quietly as you can. Your eyes dart around the dark room, desperately searching for a place to hide. They land on the dumbwaiter on the right wall. You climb into the tight box, curling in on yourself to fit. You close the small square door before reaching for the rope, tugging on it and lowering yourself out of sight.

Then you wait.

Even from here, tucked away inside the wall, you can hear Sam and Ray searching for you. Doors being thrown open, frustrated voices, furniture being moved around.

Your heart is beating powerfully in your chest. So hard you can almost feel it against your leg. You bury your face between your knees, body shaking almost violently. You try taking a deep breath but your chest is too tight.

There’s a muffled bang.

They’re here.

Your arms tighten around your legs and you bury your face further into your knees. You hold your breath, trying to hear what’s going on through the ringing in your ears.

“… don’t have time for this.”

“Relax. She’s gotta be in here somewhere.”

After a minute of rummaging, you hear the closet door slam. “Dammit!”

“Maybe she snuck downstairs,” Sam suggests.

“Wait a minute.”

Your heart skips a beat.

Ray’s footsteps come closer. Closer. They stop, just outside the dumbwaiter. You itch with the urge to run, feeling like you could jump out of your skin. But there’s nowhere to go. You’re trapped.

The hatch lifts, scraping against the edges of the square opening like fingernails on a chalkboard. You bite down on your lip until a metallic taste spreads into your mouth.

You remain silent, even after Ray spots you. He chuckles and grabs the rope, pulling it and slowly bringing you into view. He sneers, eyes raking over your quivering form. “There you are, princess.”

He seizes your arm and drags you out, the ledge digging painfully into your soft flesh before you fall to the floor. You wince, flipping onto your butt and scrambling backward.

Ray clucks his tongue before grabbing your ankle and pulling you back. “No, no, no. You’re not going anywhere, darlin’.”

Sam steps forward and grabs your arm. Ray takes hold of the other and they haul you upright. As they lug you down the hallway, your head is spinning, your vision is swimming and suddenly nothing feels real. A dull pain shoots up your ankle as it snags on one of the steps, but you barely notice.

The men lead you through the entryway and you finally see your grandmother. Unconscious. Sprawled on the floor beside the tipped-over side table, pieces of the broken vase scattered around her.

“Nanna!” you scream, tugging against the men’s grasp as you experience a rush of clarity. They hold you back and haul you past her limp form, out the front door. “No!” you cry, still fighting. Oh god, what if she’s dead? What if she’s dead?

Tears stain your cheeks as you desperately try to escape, but the men ignore your attempts, carting you toward the town square.

***

Your stomach drops when you arrive. It’s been years since you came to an Offering, and even then, it’s a completely different experience when you’re the one being offered.

The air carries a weighted kind of heat, and you can taste as well as smell the woodsmoke drifting from the fire and over the square. Majority of the village has gathered, surrounding the mayor’s podium and the post as they wait. The low hum of their chatter is like white noise.

“Out the way!” Ray yells over the chatter as he and Sam jostle their way through the crowd.

People exclaim and turn, complaints dying on their tongues as they lay eyes on you. Mouths agape and eyes wide, soft gasps escaping their lips as they whisper to the people next to them.

There’s a squeeze around your heart. This isn’t the first time you’ve been the talk of the town. Not the first time people have regarded you with sympathy and pity.

They say bad things come in threes. In that case, you should’ve known something else would happen. Just another thing to break your world apart. Well… This is number three. Maybe this is finally the end.

Who are you kidding? Of course it is. There’s not going to be anything after this. Once those vampires come for you, that’s it.

Sam and Ray drag you over to the post and slam you against it, your spine hitting the wood with a loud and painful thud that knocks the wind out of you for a few seconds. Sam brings your wrists behind you and ties them around the post. Then your ankles are bound and you’re trapped in place.

You almost feel numb. Your mind racing with so many fragmented thoughts that it’s difficult to put your finger on just one emotion.

You’re scared of being taken. Scared of the unknown. Scared of getting hurt. Scared of dying.

You’re worried about your grandmother.

But you’re also angry. Angry that the mayor chose you. Angry that life has thrown you yet another curveball. Angry that you were just beginning to move on from Emily and your parents and it was all for nothing.

You feel a prickle along your waterline and you bite down on the inside of your cheek.

The square goes quiet. A robust young man steps up to the podium. His oily hair catches the light of the moon and nearby flames. He smooths out his suit as he clears his throat. He adjusts the microphone and looks out at the crowd.

“Good evening, people of Riverfield.” He pauses. Glances down. Sighs. “I never know what to say on the night of the Offering. I can’t say welcome, or thank you for coming because being here is not a positive thing. It’s a goodbye. We are handing yet another young woman to the vampires that have prowled our woods for the past several decades.” Another pause. “When I took over this role from my father, I didn’t want to continue this practice. However, I came to realise that I wasn’t willing to risk the lives of the town just to test whether or not it was needed. So, as awful as it is, we are gathered here again. This time to say goodbye to Y/N.”

The mayor looks over at you, and you see the guilt in his eyes. And you want to believe him. Believe his seemingly genuine words and face. But almost anyone can act. And at the end of the day, he still chose you, and you’ll still be gone.  

“I’m sorry,” he continues. “I can’t say anything to make this better. But please know we will all miss you, and I hope that whatever comes next for you is painless and peaceful.”

He looks up at the clockface set in the wall of the church and a few other people follow his gaze.

6:53pm.

“We have seven minutes until they arrive,” the mayor calls. “Everybody please return to your homes and take care. Goodnight.”

And just like that, everyone starts to leave. Just file out of the square and leave you behind.

***

6:58pm.

You stare at the clock as you frantically attempt to fray the rope binding your wrists. Your arms hurt from moving up and down, and your wrists sting with splinters. But it feels like you’re getting somewhere.

“Come on, come on, come on,” you mutter, screwing up your features as you feel the rope going slack.

6:59pm.

It finally breaks and you pull your hands free. You bend down and untie your ankles, staggering forward and feeling the pins and needles shoot up your leg. You curse under your breath, looking around and trying to decide what to do. You can’t go home. You don’t know what the consequences would be for escaping; it’s never happened before. But you doubt it would be pleasant. You look over your shoulder at the road leading out of the village.

The church bell tolls, making you jolt as the heavy clang vibrates the atmosphere.

7:00pm.

Your heart speeds up as adrenalin floods back into your bloodstream. They’ll be here any second. You have no other choice. You turn and bolt for the road.

You wince, almost losing balance as you attempt to run with a dead leg. You recover, ignoring it. It will go away soon enough. You’ve got to get out of here.

You cut across the square– past the church, the community hall, the school. You keep your eyes locked on the road out, letting the adrenalin and your instincts guide you. As you get closer, your chest feels lighter. A sense of relief spreading over you at the thought that you’re going to be free.

Then a stab of pain shoots through your foot.

You cry out, lurching to the side and falling to the ground. You sit up, clutching your foot and looking down to see a shard of glass poking out. You look around and see a broken beer bottle lying in the grass nearby.

“Shit.”

You take a deep breath, bracing yourself, before yanking the glass out of the wound. You whimper a little, chucking it to the side.

“Where do you think you’re going, princess?”

You freeze as a man’s voice calls out to you. You force yourself to look up, heart in your throat.

Oh god.

Oh god, no.

You scramble to your feet, staring wide-eyed at the unfamiliar men standing at the edge of town square. And you don’t have time to think. You run for your life.

To be continued...

Taglist: @un06 @naviiy @lilyuwon @kangseulgithegreat @seungielvr @saturdayssvillain @wonen-only @msauthor @nshmrarki @sakanelli-afc @b3tt7boop @yunjinswifee @lucycarlisleswife @lol6sposts @fandommaniac07 @strxwbloody @toodeloosoo @jungwonmeover

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Dividers by @dollywons

𝔖𝔞𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔦𝔠𝔢𝔡 | 𝔗𝔴𝔬

A/N: Ayy part two's here!! I just realised it's been a few weeks since part one, my bad y'all I'm releasing these as I finish them, so updates might be a little slower. I had fun writing this part, I hope you enjoy it!

And a massive thanks to my editor/cheerleader @un06 for everything she's done so far <33

Synopsis: You find yourself in the vampire's house. One of them isn't as bad as you would think... Somewhat friendly even. But you won't let yourself lose sight of your goal. To get away.

Warnings: None (yet)

Part one / part two / Part three

“Oh, you wanna run, gorgeous? Go ahead. We love a game of chase.”

You barely register his words through the pounding in your ears. You’ve never been this afraid. This desperate to get away. Your entire body is thrumming as you sprint toward the road out of Riverfield.

You finally reach it and for a moment you feel a sense of hope. Like maybe you can do this. Maybe you will be okay. You’re aware of the self-generated breeze fanning your face and tousling your hair. You’re aware of your feet barely touching the ground, and it feels like the closest you’ll ever get to flying. It feels like a taste of freedom.

Then you see a flash of movement out of the corner of your eye.

You look. Just a glance.

Your heart almost gives out. You don’t notice much about the man, just that he’s a few feet to your left and quickly gaining on you. You also catch the wicked smile on his face and his black eyes locked on you like an eagle targeting prey.

You push yourself to your limit, willing your legs to move faster.

You hear a chuckle. “Scared, princess?”

Another voice, more confident. “We’re gonna get you, love.”

Your throat seizes up, and you know– heart sinking past your stomach– that he’s right. You’re struggling to breathe, stitches cramping your sides. Your legs ache, feeling heavier with each step. You can’t keep this up much longer.

Tears build in your eyes, blurring your vision as you desperately try to continue running. But you’re slowing down, your body slowly giving up on you.

No. No, no, no. Please.

You feel an arm wrap around your waist and you let out a strangled scream. There’s a split second before you hit the ground. The impact knocks the wind out of your already worn form.

You’re flipped onto your back and the man straddles you, pinning you down. You force your eyes to stay open. Try to focus on his face, his words.

He studies you, a satisfied smirk tugging at his lips. He grabs your jaw and tilts your head so you’re meeting his gaze. “Tag,” he says in a low voice. He leans down and whispers, “You’re it.”

Your chest heaves as your consciousness begins to fade.

No. Stay awake, stay awake, stay–

Your eyes flutter closed as you feel all your energy draining away.

The man lets go of your jaw and your head drops to the side. “Sweet dreams, princess.”

***

You wake slowly, drifting away from sleep despite wanting to remain there. Even once you come to, you keep your eyes shut, nestling your face into the pillow and drawing the covers up to your chin. It’s so warm and comfortable here, there’s no way you’re getting up just yet.

You shift onto your back. Pain shoots up your spine and through your limbs. A dull but noticeable ache all over your body. You wince, going still.

Then… gradually… it all comes back to you. It starts with a feeling, like something is off. Then a few murky memories– nothing more than blurry images, like you’re trying to recall a dream. Then everything comes rushing back, hitting you like a truck– the images as vivid as when they were happening.

Sam and Ray. Your nanna. The Offering. Running away. The vampires–

You open your eyes and sit upright, ignoring the pain in your muscles.

The room you’re in is fairly simple. A timber dresser with a mirror hung above it. A large window covered with a lace curtain. The double bed that you are currently in and a rug underneath it.

You tenderly pull back the covers and swing your legs out of bed. You stand cautiously, hoping the floorboards beneath your feet won’t betray your movements. Silence. You tiptoe to the window and peer through the lace at the outside world, wondering where you’ve ended up.

The woods. Of course.

You move the curtain aside and study any possible route for escape. Getting down should be easy. There’s a balcony right there and if needed, you can tie sheets to the railing and climb down. You duck behind the lace curtain and grip the top of the window. You try pushing it up, but it’s jammed. You try again. It still won’t budge. You inspect the frame, eyes narrowing when you spot a translucent yellow stripe connecting the window to the sill.

They sealed the window shut? Jesus.

You run your finger over the material and it feels slightly rubbery. You might be able to cut through it, if you can get your hands on something sharp enough.

There’s a knock on the door and your muscles tense, your body going into fight, flight or freeze. The door swings open and a tall man strolls in like he owns the place (well, technically he does), carrying a plate of food. He uses his foot to close the door behind him, then places the plate on the bedside table. Only then does he finally look at you, sliding his hands into his jean pockets.

“Good morning, sunshine. I figured you’d be hungry.” He nods to the food.

You stare at him for a moment, brows furrowed and suspicion in your gaze as your eyes flick between him and the food. “You really think I’m going to eat that? Who knows what you could’ve put in it.”

He rolls his eyes. “Look, eat it and risk it being poisoned or don’t eat it and starve yourself. Your choice.”  

You blink, surprised by his attitude. You don’t know what you were expecting from a vampire, but it sure as hell wasn’t sass. You quickly gather yourself. “I’m good.”

The man shrugs. “Suit yourself.” He turns and picks the plate up, taking a bite of scrambled egg.

Your caution almost melts away as you continue to stare at him with mild disbelief. This is what you were so terrified of?

“Stop staring,” the man says without looking up. “Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?”

You cross your arms. “Of course they did, but I’m not going to waste them on some bratty vampire.” The words just spill out. You’re so used to using sarcasm, it slips your mind that you’re talking to one of your captors. You freeze again, worried you’ve just pissed him off.

But he just laughs, looking at you. “I’m bratty? I’m simply doing what I have the right to do, seeing as this is my house.”

He puts the plate down, walking slowly around the bed, and you instinctively take a step back.

“You’re like a frightened cat. It’s cute.” He smiles teasingly and it emphasises his youthful features. You hadn’t taken much notice, but he looks young. Like, the kind of young where maybe referring to him as a man is a bit of a stretch. If you had to guess, he’s probably close to eighteen or nineteen.

“What is it?” he asks, stopping a couple feet in front of you. He towers over you, looking down at you curiously. It would be more intimidating if he wasn’t so… normal. He doesn’t appear much different from any other teenage boy. You’re not sure he’s even a vampire.

You clear your throat, looking up at him. “It’s just– I– You–”

His grin widens at your stuttering and it irritates you. You take a second to compose yourself.

“How old are you?” you manage to ask.

He puts his hands in his pockets again. “As in how old should I be, or how old do I look?”

“Um... the second one?”

“Nineteen. What, am I not what you were expecting?”

“Well, not really, no,” you admit.

He smirks. “Let me guess. You were thinking Edward Cullen? Or maybe Dracula?”

Your lips twitch and you almost crack a smile. “No. I don’t know what I was expecting. But it wasn’t you.”

The guy smiles. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”

“So what’s your name, anyway?”

“You first.”

Really? You cross your arms again. “Y/N.”

His eyes narrow as he thinks something over. “Hm. I’m going to call you neko.”

You frown. “What does that mean?”

“It’s Japanese for cat.”

Your arms fall by your sides. “What? I’m not a cat!” you protest.

“You are now.”

“That’s not how it works.”

“Why are you so offended? Cats are cute.”

“I don’t want a nickname from you.”

“Well now I’m offended,” the guy says, but he’s still smirking.

“Are you going to tell me your name or not?” you shoot back.

“Riki.”

You scoff and he crosses his arms, frowning at you.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” you say, fighting a smile.

He shoves his hands back into his pockets. “Whatever.” He takes a step back, turns around and walks over to the plate of food. He picks it up, then heads for the door. “See you later, neko,” he says on his way out.

You grit your teeth as he shuts the door, not missing the smirk on his face at your reaction.

***

Unfortunately for you, that wasn’t the last time you saw Riki. He came back the next day. And the next.

And now he’s back again, not bothering to wait after knocking before waltzing in.

You look up from your spot on the bed and eyeball today’s meal. It’s a sandwich. A rather delicious looking sandwich, loaded with fillings.

You’d had to give in a couple days ago, when the hunger became too much and you realised you’d have to eat eventually anyway.

Riki hands the plate to you and you take it, picking up the sandwich and taking a large bite.

“Mm… Thanks.” Your voice is muffled as you chew.

“No problem, neko.”

You roll your eyes, but don’t waste energy arguing with him about the new nickname. It seems to have stuck, and it’s probably going to stay that way.

Riki makes himself comfortable on the end of the bed. “The guys are getting impatient.”

You swallow and look up. “What?”

“The others. It’s day four. They’re not going to wait much longer.”

“For what?”

“You may be dumb, but I think you know.”

You ignore the playful jab and glance at the closed door. Yeah. You know. “They want to meet me, huh?”

“That too.”

You frown. “What do you mean, that too?”

Riki pauses for a second. “We’re due to feed again,” he says.

Just this once, you wish he wasn’t so blunt. The sandwich churns in your stomach. “Right.”

“Don’t worry, neko. It’s not as bad as people think. You didn’t even notice last time.”

You squint at him. “Last time?”

 He gestures to your right arm. “The night we took you, we drew some blood while you were passed out.”

You look at your inner elbow, at the faded mark there. It’s just a dot. You’d barely noticed it at first. “You use an IV or something?”

He nods. “Something like that. It’s called venipuncture. It’s the least painful and messy method.”

“Careful there. You almost sounded considerate.”

He chuckles, then the light-hearted sound fades into the silence.

It’s funny. Apparently, there’s six other men in this house, but you’ve never heard signs of any of them. Except Riki. And if you’re being honest with yourself, as irritating as he can be… you enjoy his company. Truthfully, you don’t know what you’d do without him to break up the monotony of the day. If you were just left to sit here for hours on end with nothing to do apart from stare out the window, at the trees and maybe the occasional bird. You’re pretty sure Riki has been the only thing keeping you sane.

“Want me to be honest, Y/N?” Riki asks, breaking the silence.

You sigh. “Not really, but we both know that’s not gonna stop you.”

His lips curl slightly, then his expression goes serious. “You’re right to stay here.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is hide,” you say, pushing the sandwich aside.

“Whatever you want to call it, it’s a smart move. I don’t think you would’ve coped well throwing yourself in the deep end and going out there on the first day.”

You look at him, genuine worry swirling deep in your eyes. “Is it really that bad?” you ask quietly.

Riki studies you and his expression softens. “Depends what you define as bad. But I can assure you, we won’t hurt you. But– that said– the others won’t go easy on you. They’re going to toy with you, try and get in your head, break through any walls you put up until you give in. I’ve been with these guys a long time. I’ve seen a lot of Offerings, a lot of young women just like you in this house, and I know the boys treat this like a competition. Like a game. Vampires are possessive, that’s the one thing the stereotypes got right. Every man in this house is going to want you, and there’s not much you can do about it.”

“Including you?” you ask with a weak smile, attempting to use humour to distract yourself from the dread winding in your chest.

Riki smirks softly. “No. I’m not saying that you aren’t pretty, but I won’t try anything. With you or any other girl that comes through here.”

“Wow. So you do have some respect.”

He laughs. “Look,” he says, tone turning serious again. “I know you’ve only known me for a few days. And that even then, you barely know me. But I want you to know I’m here to help you whenever you need me.”

You meet his gaze, not missing the shift of the energy in the room. “Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?”

“Because,” he says. “You’re about to go through a lot and you’ll need someone in your corner.”                   

He notices you staring absent-mindedly at the wall and he shuffles closer. “I’m sorry for freaking you out, that’s the last thing I wanted to do. I’m just trying to prepare you. I promise it won’t be as horrible as whatever you’re cooking up in your head right now. It will just be… intense, at times. But you seem like you’re strong enough to handle it. And you have me. You’ll be okay.”

Another beat of silence passes before you speak up. “Will you do me a favour? Will you go with me when I finally go out there?”

“Of course.” Riki pauses. Glances at the door. “Why don’t we go now?”

You look at him wide-eyed. “Are you crazy? After everything you just said?”

He smiles. “May as well get it done, right? Besides, you’re better off meeting the others before they get fed up and storm in here.”

“Stop saying shit to scare me!”

He holds up his hands in surrender. “Sorry! It’s not my fault you’re a scaredy cat.”

“We were having a moment and you ruined it.”

He shrugs a shoulder. “What can I say? I speak my mind.”

“Well then get a filter.”

“Stop procrastinating.”

You sniff. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not procras–”

Riki stands up, adjusting and smoothing out his clothes. “Come on, Y/N.”

You hesitate, looking up at him like an animal putting their trust in a stranger. You don’t see much difference, really. They’re the people, you’re the deer. Maybe they want to hunt you and put you on display, or maybe they just plan on admiring you. But you won’t find out until it’s too late.

You feel the paranoia start to creep in, like fog settling over a crisp morning. What if… Riki’s like the bait? What if he was sent in here just to lure you out? You’ve been taking his presence for granted the past couple days, but… it could all be fake.

Riki’s smile drops and he looks at you with concern. “Hey, are you okay?”

You stay quiet, feeling restless all of a sudden. You glance around the room, at the dresser, the wall, the window–

Wait.

The window. You remember the seal, the only thing preventing you from getting out.

You have to get out.

You look back at Riki. “Yeah, sorry. My mind was just…”

He shakes his head. “It’s alright. I get it, this is a lot.”

You nod. “Yeah.”

“So… are you ready?”

You take a moment, chewing your lip, before getting off the bed. You wobble slightly, your legs taking time to wake up after you’ve spent so long sitting down. “Not really, but… I guess you’re right. Might as well do it sooner rather than later.”

Riki quirks a brow. “You’re sure? I wouldn’t want your heart giving out or something.”

“Shut up before I change my mind.” You walk over to the door, your fingers wrapping around the handle. You take a breath, your heart pounding against your ribcage.

You swing open the door, the smell of aged wood and old wallpaper wafting up your nose. It’s familiar. It reminds you of home, of Nanna. Your newfound courage wavers for a second before you take another quiet breath, drawing back your shoulders and straightening your spine.

You look over your shoulder and see Riki watching you with an impressed gleam in his eyes. He offers you a small smile, comes over and stands beside you. He nods, silently nudging you to go out.

Just go.

You step out into the hall and Riki follows. There’s a window at the end, letting in some light, but it’s still dim. The dark floorboards are slightly worn, the panelling on the walls faded. There are several other doors lining the hallway, all of them shut. You glance at Riki again and he gestures to the left, stepping in front of you and leading the way.

As you walk down the hallway in Riki’s shadow, you feel skittish. Like a scared mouse. Like if there’s any sudden noise, you’ll startle and run in the opposite direction. You hate this, feeling so wound up with anxiety you could cry.

God, what happened to you? You’ve been through a lot, but you always managed to pull through. You were always strong– it was one thing people always admired about you, especially at such a young age. And after all that, now you’re going to cower and hide?

You know if Nanna were here, she’d tell you the same thing– albeit in a gentler way.

And that– the thought of your Nanna and the last time you saw her– is your turning point. You’re never going to see her again if you don’t get out of here. And how are you ever going to get out if you’re avoiding everything and everyone, rotting away in a bedroom?

You and Riki reach the end of the hallway and descend the stairs.

At the foot of the staircase, you see it opens up to a living room. It’s nice, in a vaguely ‘old money’ sort of way. There are two leather couches and three matching armchairs arranged around a wooden coffee table, all on top of an ornate rug. There are bookshelves stocked with hardcover volumes and paperback novels. The walls are painted a dark red, with the same dark wood wainscoting as the hallway, decorated with tapestries and oil paintings.

Riki leads you through the living room, and a wooden louvre door and a matching serving window come into view. You assume they lead to the kitchen.

You can hear soft shuffling on the other side of the door. You try to swallow, but it’s difficult when your mouth is running dry.

Riki grabs the doorknob, looking over his shoulder at you before opening the door. You step through after him and the first thing you notice is the man leaning against the kitchen counter. The first thing you register is that he’s tall. The second– despite yourself– is how he’s the kind of handsome where he’s pretty.

The two of you make eye contact and reality seems to slow down. Not because of how dreamy he is, or because it’s love at first sight, but because of how intimidating he is. You see the look in his eyes and you realise everything Riki warned you about is most definitely true.

The man smirks. “Look who it is.” He puts down the glass in his hand. “Finally come out of your burrow, love?”

You clear your throat quietly and step forward, standing at Riki’s side. “Yes.”

“Y/N, this is Heeseung. He’s the eldest, acts kind of like the leader around here. Heeseung, this is Y/N.”

Heeseung’s eyes sweep over you, and you have to strain not to shrink under his predatory gaze. “It’s nice to meet you, Y/N. It’s good to see you gained the courage to finally face us.” He picks up his drink again and takes a swig.

You grit your teeth, picking up on his condescending tone. “Pleasure to meet you too,” you say, making sure to insert some venom into your tone.

He smiles. He must be one of those types. The ones who get a kick out of riling people up.

Okay, calm and collected approach it is then.

“Can I get you anything?” Riki asks, interrupting the passive-aggressive exchange.

You tear your gaze away from Heeseung. “I’m good, thanks.”

He nods and walks over to the fridge, opening it and grabbing himself a can of soda. He pops the tab and has a mouthful. “Where is everyone?”

“Helping clean up the yard.” Heeseung places his glass in the sink.

“And you’re slacking off why?”

He chuckles. “I was going to head out after I finished my drink, and then you brought Y/N down.”

“Don’t let me interrupt anything,” you say, attempting your best polite voice.

Heeseung looks at you again. “You’re not interrupting anything, love. It’s just yard work, nothing the boys can’t handle.”

Riki claps him on the shoulder. “How about this? We can go give the others a hand, and neko here can take some time to look around and get comfortable.”

You hold back a snort. Comfortable, your ass.

Heeseung glances between you and Riki, arching a brow. “Neko?”

“It’s her new nickname. She loves it.” He grins playfully at you.

“Clearly,” Heeseung agrees, taking in your expression with an amused smile. “Well, love, I guess I’ll see you later. Feel free to explore. If you need anything, we’ll be out back, the door’s just through there.” He gestures to a doorway off to the side. It must lead to a mudroom or something.

With that, and a small wave from Riki, they head through the door and disappear from your sight.

You look around the kitchen, unsure what to do now. Then, as you stand there in the silence, something occurs to you.

You glance around once more, cautious this time. You strain to hear any signs that someone is nearby, but you only hear the birds outside.

You duck out of the kitchen and back into the living room. You notice a doorway by the staircase. You head towards it, your steps quick but light. As you draw closer, you see– with a flood of hope– that it’s the entryway… and the front door is mere metres in front of you.

 You spot a deadbolt on the door and your heart sinks, but when you inspect it, you realise it’s unlocked.

It’s too good to be true. The whole situation suddenly screams trap.

You chew your lip, looking over your shoulder. Should you turn back around and stick to the original plan of cutting the seal on the window? That might take hours, days. You’re right here. The way out, your chance of escape is staring you in the face. You can’t let it slip through your fingers.

You decide to take the risk, your fingers wrapping around the handle and slowly twisting it. A fresh breeze drifts through the crack, carrying the scent of oncoming rain and decaying leaves. You breathe it in, using it to ground yourself and steel your nerves.

You get ready to run as you open the door. Looking outside, the coast is clear. All there is to be seen is tree after tree, dead leaves covering a good portion of the ground, and dirt broken up with the occasional patch of grass.

You jog down the steps, going to turn left and run for it, when someone appears out of nowhere, blocking your path.

“You actually fell for that, huh, princess?”

You freeze, your eyes making their way from the dirt floor to the man’s face. Short dyed-blond hair, and fox-like amber eyes. He has the kind of features that give him the opportunity to appear youthful and innocent, or mature and attractive. And right now, he looks anything but innocent.

“Cat got your tongue?” he taunts, leaning down to whisper in your ear. He grabs your arms and turns you around.

You see Heeseung approaching from around the side of the house. The rest of the men are behind him. Your heart starts to race and your eyes dart between them all like a cornered animal.

“You know, love, this is the second time you’ve tried to run from us.”

Heeseung stops directly in front of you, crowding your space. You feel claustrophobic, caught between the two men with nowhere to go, the adrenalin making your skin itch with the need to run. You feel like you’re overheating, like the air is evaporating and you’re struggling to breathe.

He grabs your chin, tilting your head so you’re looking up at him. “It’s also the last time, I hope you realise that,” he says in a low voice. There’s a tense pause before he speaks again. “You know, Y/N, these woods are extremely easy to get lost in. But we know them like the backs of our hands. If you try to run again, we will catch you. And trust me, you won’t like the consequences… but we will.”

He releases his hold on your face and steps aside, letting the blond steer you back inside.

 As you’re led up the stairs and down the hall, you can’t help but feel like a prisoner being taken to their cell. The man opens the door to your assigned bedroom and pushes you inside, slams it shut, followed by the click of the lock.

You stare at the door, mind reeling. As your heart slows, clarity replaces the adrenalin. You clench your jaw, feeling a sense of anger rise in your chest. You bite down on the inside of your cheek as you feel tears building behind your eyes. Without thinking, you turn around and kick the dresser as hard as you can.

You yell a curse as pain shoots up your foot. Simultaneously, the mirror above the dresser falls off its nail and crashes to the floor. You jump back to avoid the broken glass, eyes widening with surprise. You kneel beside the shattered mirror, gingerly picking up a decent-sized shard of glass. You look over your shoulder at the window, the pieces clicking together in your head, and a smile creeps across your face.

To be continued...

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Dividers by @dollywons

pls release sacrificed pt 33333 it's like my oxygen, I can't live wout it 😭🙏🙏

😄 I'm glad you're enjoying it, hon! I'm just as invested in it as you haha. I'm working on it now, you'll just have to be patient 😘

No one is ready for Sacrificed Chapter 3 - Amy is Cooking!!!!

🤫 shhh.

I think people will like this one, but we'll see.

Y'all I'm trying to post Sacrificed part three and Tumblr is refusing to cooperate 😭🤬 Been trying since last night like wtf just workkk pleaseee

𝔖𝔞𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔣𝔦𝔠𝔢𝔡 | 𝔗𝔥𝔯𝔢𝔢

A/N: Tada ✨ Chapter three is done! Coincidentally the longest chapter written in the shortest time. I really like this one, and I hope you guys will too <3

Shoutout to Rose for all her help and feedback, and for encouraging me when I'm stuck. Love you bae x

Synopsis: After another failed escape attempt, it seems like you're not going anywhere any time soon. You're still not willing to give up, but at the same time... something is changing...

Warnings: swearing, mild violence, angst (mentions of death), smut (implied noncon [in a dream], virgin!reader,loss of virginity, unprotected sex [my bad guys, don't do it], cumming inside)

Part one / Part two / Part three

The last bit of sealant falls away from the window and you don’t even have time to celebrate. You drop the mirror shard, gripping the top of the window and pushing it up. The sound of it opening and the waft of fresh air that follows makes you want to cry with relief. You swing one leg over the sill.

Then you hear the door lock click and that relief comes crashing down in a wave of oh shit.

You hesitate– eyes flickering to the door, then back to the window. You duck your head and manoeuvre yourself through. The door opens and someone steps into the room just as you fall out onto the balcony. You scramble to your feet and run for the railing, looking over the side.

“Y/N!” an angry male voice calls after you.

A thirteen foot drop, maybe? It can’t do too much damage…

With no time to consider anything else, you scramble over the railing and let yourself drop to the ground.

“Y/N– Fuck!”

For a split second, you feel weightless– but also like your stomach is going to come flying up your throat.

You land on the grass with a thud, and pain shoots up your ankle. You let out a hiss. You hear rustling, and the clanging of metal against metal, and you know he’s coming after you.

You get to your feet and the pain flares. You grit your teeth and ignore it, stumbling forward. You try to run, but as soon as you put your injured foot forward, you crumble, falling back down.

You hear him land just behind you and you start to panic. You begin crawling forward, determined to get away no matter what it takes.

You feel fingers wrap around your ankle before you’re dragged backward. You scream, thrashing and attempting to escape his hold but he pulls you back, forcing you onto your back and crouching down to look at you.

“Where do you think you’re going, angel?”

You kick out at him and try to wriggle backwards. He kneels and draws you closer, wrapping your legs around his waist and keeping them there with an iron grip. You yell again, tears streaming down your cheeks.

“You never listen, do you?” The man leans closer, hovering over you. “What did Heeseung say, hm? If you tried to run away again, you’d face the consequences.”

Like that was going to stop me, you think venomously. But you can’t get the words out, your chest is too tight.

The man cocks his head. “Look at you falling apart… and we haven’t even done anything yet,” he muses, mostly to himself. He goes quiet for a moment, looking at you as you glare up at him, chest heaving. “I guess telling you wasn’t enough, huh, angel? Alright… Let me show you then.”

 He releases his bruising grip on your legs and hauls you up by your arms. You keep tugging against him, but he doesn’t let go. He gives your arm a tight squeeze.

“Stop making this harder than it needs to be, Y/N.”

“And who the fuck are you?” you spit. Not that you care.

He looks down at you, black bangs falling into his dark brown eyes. You see a small mole on the side of his nose, a slight imperfection that somehow makes him look more perfect. “I’ll tell you who the fuck I am, angel,” he says calmly.  “I’m the man who will have you begging and crying underneath me while I take what’s mine... But by all means, call me Sunghoon.” He stares down at you, watching as his words sink in.

You stare up at him, eyes wide, any protests dying on your tongue.

“That’s what I thought. Now come on.”

Sunghoon leads you back into the house via the back door. ­­­Through the kitchen, through the living room. There’s no-one else around and it’s strangely quiet. Then again, you guess it’s not that strange. This house is always still, and when you’re not face to face with one of the men, it feels like you’re the only living thing in this place.

You go up the stairs. But instead of taking you back to your room, Sunghoon stops outside a room two doors down.

“Let’s see if this changes your mind,” he says. He opens the door and it swings open slowly. It’s dark inside, and you can’t see much besides the silhouettes of some furniture. Sunghoon lets go of your arm and gestures inside. “Go on.”

You look up at him, then into the room. You hesitate, feeling nervous all of a sudden.

“Come on, angel. Don’t be scared now,” he presses with a smirk.

You grit your teeth. He’s got a point. Fear hasn’t stopped you before, why start now?

You step through the doorway and take a few tentative steps into the room. You feel a buzz under your skin, barely noticeable, but there. You swallow, fingers curling and uncurling by your sides, feeling restless.

Now that you’re inside, things become a little clearer. Everything in the room is either dark or silver. You make out a king four-poster bed made of black metal, with black bedding and a sheer black canopy over top to match. There’s a solid timber dresser with a lamp on top. Burned down candles are arranged meticulously around the room. Then, as your eyes adjust, they pick out the concerning details. Like the handcuffs attached to the bed. The bar bolted to the wall. The sofa, the weird-shaped… chair?

Oh god. This is how they punish the girls?

You stumble backwards, in a hurry to get out of the room. Sunghoon laughs from behind you, where he’s leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

“What’s wrong, angel? You don’t like it?”

“What kind of sick shit is this?” you say, eyes wide with horror.

“Sick?” He cocks a sculpted brow. “And here we always thought it was fun.” His lips twist into an amused smile.

You slowly put one foot behind the other, backing away. “Stay the fuck away from me.”

“No can do.” He gets off the wall and strides toward you, fingers clasping around your arm before you have time to dodge him. “You tried to escape again,” he says as he hauls you back down the hall, down the stairs. “I have a feeling you’ll be in that room again very soon, angel. I can only hope it’s me that ends up in there with you.” He looks at you with a predatory gleam in his eye. “I’ve got a lot of things I plan on doing to you, I may as well teach you a lesson while I’m at it.”

Fuck that.

Your body reacts to your fear, and without you even realising what you’re doing, your fist comes up, aiming for Sunghoon’s face. You catch sight of his shocked expression a split second before the impact. You hear the thwack, followed by a dangerous silence. Pain spreads across your knuckles as you stare at his side profile, equally surprised. His jaw clenches, the vein in his neck popping. His body is tense, and you wait for him to strike you back.

But he doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t do anything except continue leading you down the stairs.

When you reach the living room, it’s no longer empty. All of the others are lounging on the sofas and armchairs, watching as the two of you enter. Heeseung’s eyes bore into yours as you come to a stop in front of the coffee table.

“Let her go, Hoon,” Heeseung says, sitting directly across from you. His eyes are still locked on yours. “I doubt she’ll run and hide. Will you, love?”

You shake your head.

Sunghoon lets go of you and goes to sit beside one of the men who you haven’t met yet. You feel antsy, but you maintain your composure as you hold Heeseung’s gaze.

“You caused quite a commotion,” he says simply.

You open your mouth, sarcastic response ready and waiting on the tip of your tongue. But he holds up a hand.

“I don’t want a response from you. I want you to listen to me. Really listen because everyone here knows you haven’t been good at that lately.” His tone morphs from calm to irritated. “I warned you what would happen if you were stubborn enough to escape again. And what did you do? Cut the seal with a bit of broken glass and climbed through the window. I know Riki here warned you about us. You didn’t listen to him either, and he was trying to be helpful. And now you’ve punched Sunghoon in the face? Has it not occurred to you that maybe fighting us isn’t the answer and you’re better off cooperating?”

“You think I want to die?” you interject, voice loud. “Has it occurred to you that I’m doing this to protect myself, not just to make things difficult for you, you selfish prick?”

“Who said anything about death?” Heeseung says coldly.

It had only been a thought until now. A possibility lingering in the back of your mind. But now that you’ve said it aloud, your heart hammers. “That’s what you do, isn’t it? Bleed girls dry until there’s nothing left, then ditch them somewhere and wait for the next Offering?”

You’re met with the weight of seven stares.

“We let the girls go,” Heeseung tells you. “What happens to them afterwards has nothing to do with us.”

“Except it does. How much blood do you take beforehand? How weak do you make them? Do you just let them walk out the front door and wander through the woods alone, trying to find a way out, knowing damn well they won’t?”

Silence. You know you’ve caught them out, that you’re right.

“You’re killers,” you continue, voice shaky. “You’re responsible for the deaths of so many young women, and you think you can sit there and tell me otherwise? I won’t let myself–”

“If you know what’s good for you,” Heeseung interrupts in a low, icy voice. “You’ll stop talking and listen to what I say next very carefully.”

You close your mouth, glaring into his eyes.

“I’m done dealing with your crap, Y/N. I’m not letting you get away with this bullshit anymore. You step out of line like that again, and I’ll let you know how dangerous I can be. You shouldn’t be worried about dying. You should be worried about what will happen if we catch you trying to run from us again. Do you understand me?”

Everything from his body language, to his tone, to the energy in the room tells you this time it’s serious. You have no doubt that if you ignore this warning, you’re screwed. There’s no winning this time around.

“Fine.”

“I said do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand,” you reply through gritted teeth.

You turn to leave and Heeseung clucks his tongue at you.

“Don’t think you’re getting away with this that easily. I told you next time you tried to escape, there’d be consequences.”

You freeze.

“And I think it’s only fair Sunghoon takes care of it, seeing as you attacked him.”

You spin back around to see Heeseung smirking at you, and Sunghoon grinning in a way that has the hair prickling along the back of your neck. The others exchange nervous glances.

“Are you crazy?” you demand. “He’ll attack me if you leave me alone with him! Please–”

“Hold on.” One of the men stands up. He’s tall too. Short dark hair, with a few strands falling over his forehead, and strong features. “How about we just… take it easy? Just this once?”

“We have been taking it easy. You think she’s going to stop if we keep letting her get away with everything?” Heeseung says.

The man speaks calmly. “Just let me talk to her. I think it’ll help more than punishing her.”

Your eyes dart between the two men, and you pray Heeseung agrees. You don’t know the other man’s intentions, but you’re sure they’re better than whatever Sunghoon is thinking.

Heeseung looks at you, then back at the man. “Fine. But if this doesn’t work, Sunghoon gets her next time.”

Your heart thuds against your ribs as you take a breath.

The man nods, then makes his way over to you. He offers you a reassuring smile and you notice a vague dimple. “Hi, beautiful,” he whispers. “My name’s Jay. You wanna get out of here?”

You nod. You even let him hold your hand as he leads you down the hallway off the living room, grateful that he stepped in.

He stops in front of the third door on the left and opens it, stepping aside to let you in first. You pause for a moment before walking inside.

The bedroom is homely. It feels personal, lived in. Mostly thanks to the clutter on the desk, and the wrinkled sheets on the bed, and the small pile of clothes on the floor.

You make your way to the desk and sit down in the office chair. Jay perches on the edge of his bed, facing you. You wait for Jay to say something. You figure that’s the reason you’re here.

Eventually, he breaks the silence. “You know, we’ve never encountered a girl like you before. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had our fair share of fighters. But never anyone as determined as you.” He looks at you with something like admiration. “I’ve never known someone to have your kind of strength unless they’ve had to deal with something that required them to be strong. What happened to you, Y/N?”

 You avoid his soft gaze, crossing your arms. “That’s none of your business.”

“You’re not the only one with a past.”

At that, you look up.

Jay’s lips curl up slightly. “What, you thought we just spawned out of nowhere?”

“I… I guess I never thought about it,” you admit.

“Most people don’t. But everyone here had a life before this.” He looks out the window. “I was a guitar teacher. I used to teach elementary school kids.” A reminiscent smile spreads across his face. “They loved it. I always felt like a proud big brother whenever they finally got a part in a song right, or when they played really well.” He pauses. “One morning, I woke up feeling really unwell. My head was killing me, I could barely get out of bed. I probably should’ve gone to the doctor or something. But I figured it was just the flu, so I just stayed home. And then, just as I was feeling better, it got worse. Everything around me started feeling… weird. Like I was dreaming. But it was all the time. I was confused, I didn’t know what was going on with me. And I didn’t want to leave the house feeling like that, even if it was to get help. It passed eventually, but…”

 He sighs, taking a moment before continuing. “When I went back to work, I got the news that one of my students had passed away. She’d gotten sick a couple of days before me, and her parents said she went downhill from there. They took her to the hospital, and the doctors said she had something called HVD. I didn’t know what it was, I’d never heard of it. But when I saw Heeseung’s ad on the internet, and I found myself here, he said it stood for Human Vampire Disease. Most people who caught it didn’t make it. But the survivors ended up like us. ‘Vampires’.”

You sit in the quiet, trying to digest it all. You try to feel indifferent, but you can’t. You don’t know what to say, but there’s a lot going through your mind.

Jay watches your reaction and you see him frowning. “I’m sorry to dump all of this on you–”

You shake your head. “No, don’t be sorry.” You look down at your lap, taking a deep breath. “I lost my sister. Emily. She was nineteen. It was my thirteenth birthday, and she went into woods to get some things to make me a gift. Leaves, twigs, stuff like that. We told her not to go in too far–” Your voice breaks and you sniffle, taking a second to compose yourself. “She disappeared. They looked for her for over a week straight. They told us she’d probably gotten lost, or fallen in the river. The worst part wasn’t that she was gone. It was not knowing whether she was dead, or wandering the woods cold and scared. I dreamt about it every night that week. And I still dream about it sometimes.”

 Your fingers play with the hem of your shirt and you stare at them, not wanting to look up and see the pity in Jay’s expression. You’ve seen it enough from everyone else back in the village. “It hit my parents pretty hard. They didn’t know what to do, how to cope. So they decided to blame me. They couldn’t blame the woods, they couldn’t blame anyone else, so they blamed it on me. Because it was my birthday, and she was out there to make my present.”

 The tears start to build, spilling over your waterline and creating wet paths down your cheeks. Your voice is strained as you try to speak through the lump in your throat. Your tone is tainted bitter and the hurt you felt back then bubbles under the surface. “I was their daughter too. We should have made it through together. But then they left. They said they couldn’t take it anymore, and they moved away. I don’t even know where they went. That’s when I went to live with my Nanna. I was happy there. We were always close. She helped me a lot. And then on the night of the Offering, two of the villagers broke in and the last time I saw her she was unconscious on the floor.”

You choke out the last sentence, eyes blurring with tears and body shaking with restrained sobs. “And I just want to get back home and see her and make sure she’s okay.” Your nails dig into your thighs as you try to keep it together.

You hear Jay moving off the bed and over to you. He kneels in front of you, one hand on your arm and the other brushing back your hair, wiping tears away. “Hey. Hey, it’s alright,” he whispers. “Just take a breath for me, gorgeous.” He hands you a tissue and you wipe your nose while he dabs up your tears. “There we go. It’s okay.”

You take a shuddery breath and look into his eyes, nothing but care and warmth in his gaze. His touch is gentle as he rubs comforting circles on your arm with his thumb.

“Sorry,” you whisper, embarrassed.

Jay smiles at you and that slight dimple appears again. “Don’t be ashamed. It’s good to cry sometimes, it helps us feel better.”

You sigh, feeling the sadness melt away and leave your body. “You’re being so kind to me.”

“Of course. How many times do we have to tell you that, contrary to popular belief, we’re not all monsters?” He grins playfully.

You chuckle.

He chucks the tissues in the bin next to the desk, then looks back at you. “Thank you for telling me. I know it’s hard opening up to strangers. But your story’s safe with me. I won’t tell the others.”

“Thank you.”

You still can’t get used to how considerate Jay is. From Riki’s bluntness to Sunghoon’s intensity, you weren’t expecting to come across someone like him in this house. But you’re glad you did.

Jay takes your hand and helps you stand up. “Why don’t you go get cleaned up, clear your mind, yeah?”

You nod absent-mindedly.

“The bathroom is the first door on the right. There are clean clothes in the dresser and closet in your room.”

You look at him cautiously. “Where did you get the clothes from?”

“They haven’t come from anyone else, if that’s what you’re thinking. They were bought from a store.”

It sounds almost weird to you. You never really thought about the entire world outside of Riverfield and these woods. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s there. It makes you wonder if you’ll ever get the chance to see it.

“Oh. Okay. Thanks again.”

He lets go of your hand with a small smile. “See you later, beautiful.”

You leave, heading back upstairs. You notice on your way that everyone has disappeared again. It’s almost like they’re ghosts, or figments of your imagination. There one moment, gone the next. You still don’t know whether you like it that way or not.

***

You hadn’t realised how much of a mess you were until you went to shower.

You stared into the mirror– at the knots in your hair, the dirt on your clothes and body. You examined the splinters still wedged underneath the skin of your wrists, the cut on your foot, and wondered how the hell you hadn’t noticed all of it before. You guessed you had been preoccupied rebelling and zoning out and all. How the boys could find you remotely attractive in this state also went over your head, but it didn’t matter.

You were surprised to see the bathroom had been renovated, and was actually quite nice. It was also stocked with all the essentials, from painkillers to toothbrushes.

It was finally sinking in just how human the vampires were. And that just raised more questions for you. But you figured you had plenty of time to ask them, seeing as you weren’t planning on another escape attempt any time soon.

Once you finish cleaning up (which takes a while), you decide to head for the kitchen. You’re starving.

You jog down the stairs, stroll through the living room– it’s a familiar route by now. You hear voices and you slow a little, your steps a bit more measured.

You round the corner to see the serving window is open and so is the kitchen door. One of the men sits at the breakfast bar under the window, and you recognise him as the blond who stopped you from escaping the second time around. He looks a lot less intimidating now, with a smile lighting up his face and crinkling the corners of his fox-like eyes. Another man stands in the kitchen, leaning on the counter to talk to him. He has longish black hair. Apart from that, you can’t tell much about him from here.

They see you approaching and look over. The dark-haired one grins.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he greets you brightly and you pick up on an accent. “You’re looking a lot better.”

You smirk. “I would hope so.”

You make your way into the kitchen and open the fridge, assessing the contents inside. Your eyes land on some leftover fried chicken and you grab it, taking off the cling wrap and digging in. Your eyes almost roll at the crunchy batter and tender meat. “Mm,” you hum with satisfaction.

You stand at the counter beside the man and he turns to face you.

“I’m Jake. Nice to finally meet you, sweetheart.” He holds out a hand.

You dutifully ignore the veins running up his hand and forearm, and shake his hand. “Nice to meet you too.”

Jake studies you. “You seem different. What did Jay say to you?”

“Does it matter?”

You realise he’s right, though. You feel like you’re finally able to relax a little. It’s… really good actually. It’s a relief, like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. You don’t know exactly what’s changed, but… maybe it’s for the better. 

The blond looks at you, tilting his head and resting his chin in his hand. “Well, it’s good to see you, princess.” You look at him and he smiles. “I’m Sunoo.”

You give him a small smile in return. “Hi.”

You take another bite of chicken, chewing contently.

Once you finish your food, you put the plate in the sink and then jump up, sitting on the counter. “So what do you guys do for fun around here? I’ve been holed up in my room for a week, I could use something to keep me distracted.”

“Normally we each do our own thing– watching movies, gaming, etcetera,” Sunoo says. “It can get a little repetitive to be honest.” He gives you a sly smile. “But at least now we have you to play with.”

“Cut it out, Sunoo,” Jake scolds him. He looks at you curiously. “Do you have any hobbies, sweetheart?”

“I love painting, and reading. I used to like cooking with my Nanna, too. Other than that, I liked listening to music on the radio… Taking a walk, especially on warmer days… I like watching movies, but we didn’t watch them that often because Nanna had this old analogue television that barely worked.” You smile at the memory.

Jake grins. “We can work with that. You know, I think there might be some old paint supplies in one of the spare rooms. I don’t know if you’d be able to use it, it was here when Heeseung bought the house. But I can try find it for you, if you want.”

Your heart warms a little at his thoughtfulness. “That would be great. Thank you.”

“No worries. If you want something to do while you wait, there’s tons of books out in the lounge. Or you can watch a movie, there’s plenty to choose from.”

“Alright.” You hop down from the counter and walk out into the living room. Jake follows you out.

“I’ll be back,” he tells you. Then he heads down the hallway and into one of the rooms.

You stand in the middle of the living room, looking around and trying to decide what to do. You see one of the few modern things in the room– the large flat-screen tv mounted on the wall. It’s foreign to you. Back in Riverfield, there wasn’t anything fancy. It was fairly old-fashioned. A result of being small and isolated, you guess. You want to watch a movie, but you don’t even know how to turn this thing on, which is kind of embarrassing.

Sunoo sees your confused expression and chuckles, making his way over. “Need some help, princess?”

“Uh, yeah.”

He strolls over to the coffee table and picks up a remote. He stands beside you so you can see the buttons. “Okay, to turn it on, you press this red button here. This little plus sign turns the volume up, the minus turns it down. This one shows you all the channels. These are the different streaming services, where you can watch movies and tv shows. Use these buttons to scroll. Got it?”

Your eyes narrow as you try to remember everything. You nod. “I think so.”

“I’ll be working out here anyway if you need help.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

He disappears down the hall.

You sit down on one of the sofas and turn the tv on.

Two people appear on screen, a man and woman, holding hands as they walk into a house. A couple, you’re guessing. The romance genre was never really your thing, but you can give this one a try.

You settle back into the cushions, getting comfortable. The actors are standing in the kitchen now, talking about some guy who had been bothering the female lead.

“You think I’d just let him harass you?” The man moves closer, trapping the woman against the counter.

“I don’t need you to be my knight in shining armour.” The woman tries to sound defiant, but her body language says otherwise.

“Knight in shining armour? I never claimed to be that heroic.” He leans down, his lips ghosting over hers. “I’m just keeping my girl safe. Screw everyone else.” He kisses her and though she tries to pull away at first, she eventually gives in.

You sigh under your breath. You wait for them to pull apart, but they don’t. You shift when the man lays the woman on the countertop, his tongue still somewhere in her mouth. You look out the window, ignoring the film until this part is over.

But then a cry comes through the speakers and you look at the screen to see the woman half-naked, the man between her legs with his hips moving at a rough pace. Your mouth falls open as you realise what’s happening. Moans and sounds of skin on skin play mortifyingly loud through the speakers as you dive for the remote.

“Shit. Where is it? Oh my god.” You cringe as you hear a whiny, “Harder.”

You finally find the remote and hurriedly turn the tv off. You release a breath, slumping back against the sofa.

“Interesting movie choice, princess. I never would have thought you were into porn.”

You flinch, turning around to see Sunoo standing behind you, a laptop under his arm and an amused grin on his face.

“It wasn’t porn!” you exclaim, feeling your cheeks grow hot. “I just turned the tv on and it was normal until they started– I don’t– No!”

He sits down on the other end of the sofa. “No need to be embarrassed. It’s a normal thing to do. Just maybe not in the living room where anyone could walk in.”

“Shut up! I don’t watch porn. I’ve never watched it and I don’t want to watch it!”

“Okay, okay. I believe you, calm down.” He grabs the remote from you. “Let’s just pick something else.”

He turns the tv back on and you’re horrified to see the actors are still going at it.

“Oh,” Sunoo says as the actress kneels on the kitchen floor and licks what looks like whipped cream off the man’s penis. “You know, I never got the whole whipped cream thing. It just seems so messy and sticky. Like sex doesn’t have enough of that already,” he comments casually.

“Turn it off!” you shout, covering your face and wanting to curl into a ball.

“Alright, alright.” The living room goes quiet and you look at the screen. He’s changed it over to Netflix. He hands the remote back. “Here.”

You mumble a thank you and start scrolling through. You put on a random movie, taking note of the rating to make sure it’s safe before putting the remote down and settling in again. Sunoo opens his laptop and starts typing away.

You look over. “You said before that you’re working? What do you do?”

“All of us work for this big entertainment company. I’m a talent scout. I keep an eye out on social media and that for potential trainees.”

You tilt your head, intrigued. “An entertainment company? That’s… unexpected.”

“It was Heeseung’s father’s company. He left it to him, so now he just oversees it from afar, with employees to attend meetings and everything for him. He saw it as the easiest way to earn money.”

“That makes sense. But why not get jobs of your own? I mean, what if you don’t want to do this kind of work?”

Sunoo looks up at you. “It’s not that simple, princess. We can go to the ‘outside world’, obviously. And we do, sometimes. But working out there and being out there all the time just wouldn’t work. It would be like putting an alcoholic in a beer, wine and spirits store. It’s easier to resist temptation when there’s just one person versus when there’s thousands.”

You nod, seeing his point.

“Y/N.”

You turn around to see Jake standing at the mouth of the hallway, a bright smile plastered on his face. “Yeah?”

“I found some of that paint supplies if you want to have a look.”

Your face lights up. “Oh, really? I’d love to.”

You hop up off the sofa and follow him down the hall to the last door on the left.

Inside, it’s feminine, with floral wallpaper and a sewing table set up in the corner. There are cabinets and shelves and tubs all filled with craft supplies. It’s dusty, and you can tell no-one’s been in here for a long time. But it’s still nice. It makes you think of a woman just enjoying her spare time from homely duties and being creative. You like it.

Jake picks up a carboard box and brings it over. “There are paints and brushes and stuff in here.” He gestures to one of the cabinets. “And canvases and easels in there. Feel free to set up wherever you want.”

You peer inside the box and smile, taking it from him. “This is great, thank you so much.”

“Any time, sweetheart. It gives you something to do. And if you enjoy doing it, then even better.”

 “I do. Is it alright if I test the paint?”

“Of course, go ahead.”

You get out a palette and squeeze some paint onto it. It’s runny with clumps in it. Your lips turn down. “It’s separated. I can’t use it.”

“Oh. Okay. Well, I’ll buy you some next time I’m out.”

You look up. “What? No, you don’t have to do that.”

He smiles. “Don’t worry about it, it’s the least I can do.” He picks the box up again. “You go and get back to your movie. I’ll take this up to your room for you.”

Your eyes soften. “Thanks again, Jake.”

He nods and walks past you, out of the room. You stand there, looking around for a minute longer before leaving too, closing the door behind you.

***

You don’t know how long it takes for you to fall asleep, just that it takes a while. There had been a lot on your mind. A lot that had happened in one day. And you hadn’t really had a chance to digest it all until you were lying in bed and staring absent-mindedly at the light fixture.

Once you finally do cross the threshold into unconsciousness, all those thoughts bleed through and plague your dreams, creating one big movie.

You’re laughing with Riki. The two of you are sitting on the balcony outside your bedroom, admiring the view. Or at least you were until he cracked a joke and now the two of you are wheezing, bent over with mirth. It’s dusk, and the moon has just appeared in the steely blue sky. There’s a nice breeze drifting through the canopy and ruffling your hair.

You catch your breath and look up, meeting Riki’s eyes. He gives you that cheeky smile.

“You look like a tomato.”

“And you look like a weed.” You smile and playfully bump his shoulder.

You guys lean on the railing, letting silence fill the space around you. You can hear crickets and cicadas, and the rustling of the leaves. You take a deep breath in, then slowly let it out. You feel light. The stress and fear is gone and you feel happy. At home even. You’re no longer wound up with anxiety and paranoia and what ifs? You’ve accepted what fate has in store for you, and you’re going along with it. And it’s so freeing.

There’s a knock on the window behind you and you see Jay standing there. You open it.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt, but I have something I need to talk to you about,” he says.

You nod and climb back inside. “What’s up?”

He grabs your hand and leads you away from the window, voice low like he’s about to reveal a secret. “They’re looking for you.”

You frown, not liking his ominous undertone. “Who is?”

“Heeseung and Sunghoon. You need to hide.”

“What? Why? Jay what’s going–”

He guides you toward the door. “Just go!” he whispers, opening it.

You stumble through and look up and down the hallway. It’s dark and you can hardly see anything. You put one hand on the wall, using it to guide you as you jog blindly down the hall.

Suddenly, a door opens part way and soft yellow light spills out through the gaps. You head towards it.

You step inside and the door slams shut behind you. You jump, whirling around to see Heeseung standing there, one hand on the door as he looms over you.

“You’re not getting away this time, love.”

You back away from him. You hear footsteps and look over your shoulder to see Sunghoon approaching from the other side of the room.

Your heartbeat quickens and you know they have you cornered. Your back presses against the wall and the light– coming from the candles burning around the room– goes out.

An arm wraps around your waist and you’re picked up and slung over someone’s shoulder.

He drops you down on the bed and you feel his weight pin you down as he straddles your legs. You struggle, trying to wriggle out from underneath him and push him off.

“There’s no use fighting, angel,” Sunghoon’s voice says from somewhere to your left. You feel the mattress dip as he gets on the bed.

“Don’t worry, love. I’m sure you’re tough enough to take both of us, right?” Heeseung purrs above you.

You scream in protest as he gets off of you and you’re manoeuvred onto your stomach.

“Me first,” Sunghoon says. You feel his movements on the bed as he gets behind you. He leans down, his chest brushing against your back, and he wraps your hair around his fist, pulling your head back. You wince at the stinging in your scalp. “You should have listened, angel,” he whispers in your ear.

He buries your face in the pillow, holding your head in place, and your shouts become muffled.

Your surroundings become distant, in a way. Your senses are off. But you do register the cool air hitting your now bare core, panic rising alongside the goosebumps on your skin.

“No!” you try to scream, but you can’t hear your own voice. You feel the tears soaking your face and the pillow, though.

Something prods your entrance and you desperately try and crawl away, but you can’t move. Your voice breaks as you scream as loud as you can.

Your eyes fly open and you gasp. You scramble to sit up, your heart pounding in your chest. You look around. You’re in your own room, in your own bed. You’re alone.

“Fuck,” you whisper, running your hands over your face.

You sit there for a few minutes, but you just can’t calm down. Restless, you throw back the covers and get up. You take a few steps toward the door, but then you pause. Where are you even going? Are you really going to wander around the house this late, after that dream?

You sigh. You don’t want to stay in here. You’ll just start thinking and overthinking and it will drive you crazy. You need a distraction.

You open the door and stop in your tracks when you see the door across from yours open too.

Jake appears, wearing a t-shirt and boxers, his hair messy. He looks up and freezes. “Y/N? What are you doing up?” he asks quietly, his voice rough.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“I was going to get a glass of water. Is everything okay?”

You chew your lip. “Actually… um, do you think I could… come in? I could kind of use someone to talk to.”

He blinks. “Oh. Of course, come on in.” He steps aside and you cross the hallway into his room.

The lamp on the bedside table casts a warm light over the space, making it feel cosy.

You sit on the bed and look at a framed picture on the dresser that catches your eye. Jake is crouching down, his arms around a beautiful border collie. An older woman and a guy around his age are on either side of him.

Jake shuts the door and sits on the bed beside you. You notice as he runs his fingers through his hair, trying to smooth it down. “What did you want to talk about?”

You glance at him. “I’m not sure. But I thought talking to you might help distract me from the nightmare I had.”

“Oh, a nightmare, huh?”

You nod. “Yep.”

“Well I’d be more than happy to distract you.” He falls backwards, lying down. “May as well get comfortable, sweetheart.” He grins.

You chuckle. You look at him, and after a moment you lie down next to him, leaving a few inches between you. You sigh softly, looking up at the ceiling. “So where are you from originally? I picked up on your accent earlier.”

“Well I was born in Korea. But I moved to Australia with my mum and brother when I was nine.”

“Is that them?” You point to the photo frame.

He follows your gaze. “Yeah.”

“You guys make a beautiful family.”

He smiles. “Thank you.”

“What’s your dog’s name?”

 “Layla.” He looks at the photo, smiling fondly.

“She’s adorable.”

“She is... I miss her.” He turns his head to look at you. “Have you got any pets?”

You shake your head. “No. I never have.”

Jake’s eyebrows rise. “Seriously?”

“Mhm. I always wanted a cat or a dog, but…” You shrug. “We never got one.”

“Maybe we should get a pet. It would liven the house up a bit.”

“I think I’ve been doing enough of that lately.”

He laughs. “Yeah, you certainly have.” He yawns and stretches, then flips onto his side, facing you.

You smirk, turning your head to look at him. “Am I keeping you up?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’m wide awake.”

You sigh. “So am I, after that dream.”

“It shook you up that bad?”

“Well, yeah. It was fine at the beginning, but then something… I don’t know– bad? traumatising? happened. Something that could– and I’m scared will– happen in real life.”

Jake frowns, concern in his eyes. “What was it?”

You chew your lip, teeth tugging at it until a small flake of skin comes off and the vague taste of blood hits your tongue. You twist the ring on your right hand– take it most of the way off, then put it back on before repeating the movement. You don’t meet Jake’s gaze, opting to stare at the ceiling instead. “Heeseung and Sunghoon. They lured me into that room, the one with all the dark furniture and candles, and they pinned me down and I couldn’t get away and Sunghoon…” You trail off, not sure how to say it or particularly wanting to say it at all.

“Wait. Someone showed you the cell?”

You frown, looking over. “Yes…? Sunghoon showed me right after he caught me trying to get away for the third time. Hold on, you call it the cell?”

“A few of the guys started it. It’s a scare tactic for when the girls act up. We’ve never actually taken anyone in there, let alone used it.”

“Oh.”

He hesitates. “But, if I’m being honest, if any girl was going to end up in that room, it would be you.”

An ounce of the resurfaced nerves and fear shows in your eyes as you meet his gaze. “Why?”

He bites his lip. “I don’t know. There’s just… something about you, I guess. As cliché as that sounds.”

You shake your head. “I don’t want to go in there again.”

“You might not. But even if you did, I’m sure they wouldn’t hurt you.”

“I don’t want it to happen at all. I’m not going to have my fir-” You stop yourself, realising your slip up. You look away.

“Wait. Your first time?”

You clench your jaw, which is all the answer he needs.

“Is that one of the reasons you’re so scared?”

“I don’t want to have sex with any of you anyway,” you say and it comes out colder than you mean it to.

There’s a beat of silence.

Jake shifts, inching closer. “Are you sure?” he asks in a low voice.

You turn your head to look at him. “What the fuck do you mean, am I sure? Yes. I am.”

“How could you know without giving it a try?”

Your heart beats a little bit faster as he gets close, his body brushing against yours as he looks into your eyes. You want to retort, but you don’t know what to say. You feel this slight buzz of anticipation.

“Maybe you’re lying to yourself, sweetheart. Or maybe you’re in denial.” His eyes flicker to your lips. “Should we test it out?”

You could push him away. Just say no. But there’s a part of you that’s curious what it would be like. And that part takes over as you nod timidly.

Jake smiles. His hand comes up to cup your face gently as he leans in. His lips press against yours and you feel a warmth spread throughout your body. It’s like a switch flips in your brain and you don’t register anything except him. His lips, his warmth, the lingering smell of his cologne. Without thinking, you tentatively kiss him back. One hand slides up his chest and the other goes to his hair, your fingers threading through the soft strands.

His free hand moves under your shirt and rests on your bare hip. It sends a small shiver up your spine.

The kiss grows more heated, Jake dragging your bottom lip gently between his teeth. You part your lips and he slips his tongue into your mouth.

Eventually, you pull away for air. Your chest rises and falls, and your heart pounds. Your cheeks feel warm.

Jake’s thumb swipes under your lip, tugging it gently. “You know, if you’re scared, I can help. I’ll be your first time.”

You look up at him, eyes tinted with lust. “How would that help me?”

“I’ll show you what it’s like, help prepare you. There’s nothing to be scared of, sweetheart.” His voice drops to a more seductive tone. “I can make you feel so good, if you let me.”

Heat starts to pool between your legs at the thought of it. On the few occasions you’ve found yourself with your fingers tracing your clit and dipping into your clenching core, you’ve wondered what it would feel like to have someone else touch you. To have someone inside you. The older you got, the more you wanted it. And now it’s being offered to you on a silver platter. You just have to say yes.

But he’s one of your captors. He’s a vampire. You can’t let–

You don’t care. You want him.

“Do it,” you say quietly, but surely.

Jake leans in and kisses you again. He grabs your hips and manoeuvres you so you’re straddling him. His fingers grasp the hem of your shirt and slowly lift it up, brushing against your skin. You pull away long enough for him to lift it over your head and drop it on the floor.

You feel a little self-conscious as he admires your breasts, but then he places a kiss to your neck and the thought escapes your mind. He peppers kisses from your jaw, down your neck, across your chest. His hand trails up your stomach and his finger hooks the cup of your bra, pulling it down. Your breast spills out and he kisses just above your nipple before taking it into his mouth. You moan softly and your head tilts back. He does the same to the other before sliding your bra straps down your shoulders, one hand then moving up your back and undoing the clasp. Your bra falls between your bodies and he chucks it aside. His lips return to yours and you gladly kiss him back once more.

You pull away, tugging on his t-shirt. “I think this can come off, don’t you?”

Jake smiles and obeys, pulling the shirt over his head and discarding it. Your eyes are drawn to his abs and your fingers reach out to touch them, ghosting over the lines.

“So pretty,” you murmur.

His fingers wrap around yours and bring your hand up to his lips. He presses a kiss to the back of your hand. “You’re prettier, baby.”

You feel a flutter in your stomach at the name.

You can feel your slick steadily dripping into your panties and you start getting impatient. You shift forward on Jake’s lap and you feel how hard he is beneath the thin material of his boxers. A quiet whine escapes your lips as you grind on his bulge. He inhales sharply, grabbing onto your hips. He looks at you and you meet his gaze. His eyes are darkened with desire, and you’re sure yours are too.

“You want to take it further?” he asks.

You nod, and he guides you off his lap. He grabs the waistband of his boxers and slides them off, letting his cock spring free. You almost moan at the sight of it, squeezing your thighs together. You have nothing to compare it to, but it looks long and thick enough to hit all the spots your fingers never reached. So pretty, too, just like the rest of him.

He doesn’t even have to ask before you shimmy out of your shorts and panties, casting them aside.

Jake looks up at you and bites down on his lip. “Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he says under his breath.

You smile shyly, crawling over and straddling him again. Your pussy clenches around nothing, knowing his cock is so close yet so far.

Jake takes your hands and places them on his shoulders before resting his hands on your waist. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” you say quietly.

“I’ll help you through it, don’t worry.”

You nod. You lift yourself up a little more and move forward, so your pussy is hovering over his cock.

“That’s it.” He wraps his hand around the base, holding it steady for you. “Now lower yourself down. Take your time.”

You do as he says. You feel his tip pressing at your entrance and you take a second. This is it. You take a breath and sink down further, whimpering at the stretch that brings a bit of pain and a bit of pleasure. You close your eyes, trying to relax your body as you attempt to take him. He bottoms out and you exhale softly.

Jake massages the skin of your hips, giving you a small smile. “Good girl. You’re doing well, baby.” He places a short kiss on your lips. “Move when you’re ready, you’re in control here.”

You slowly lift yourself back up, moaning as his cock drags against your walls. Then you sink back down. It takes you a couple of tries before you find the perfect angle, the head of his cock brushing that spot inside of you that has you craving more. The sounds filling the room are downright dirty, but neither of you care. Jake’s head is tilted back, eyes closed and lips parted as he holds on to your hips. His moans sound so sweet, making you want to draw more out of him.

Your thighs start to burn, but you keep going, too lost in the pleasure to stop. The band in your stomach is tightening, getting closer to snapping.

Jake sees you starting to struggle and grips your hips tighter, helping lift you up and down, thrusting up into you each time. You cry out, grabbing onto his shoulders so you don’t fall.

“Fuck,” he groans, biting down on his lip. The sound of his voice has you clenching around him.

He pulls out of you and you whimper at the loss. He flips you onto your back, barely giving you a second to catch your breath before swiftly entering you again. He leans down and captures your lips in a hungry kiss, his thrusts beginning to speed up. He’s growing more desperate, and honestly, so are you.

You wrap your legs around his waist and the new angle allows him to go deeper. It quickly brings you to the edge, only needing a small push to send you over. “I’m close,” you say in a small voice.

“I got you, sweetheart.” He places a gentle kiss to your neck, his hand reaching between the two of you. His thumb finds your clit, rubbing slow circles.

You start to squirm, grinding your hips into his touch. The pleasure builds until it’s nearly unbearable, and then it releases, hitting you like a tidal wave. Your eyes roll to the back of your head, your back arching. You feel like your nerves are alight, your senses being consumed.

Your orgasm triggers Jake’s own, his hips stilling before he empties himself inside of you. You whimper slightly at the feeling, still recovering from your high.

Jake pulls out and lies down beside you. He turns his head to look at you. “You feeling okay?”

You nod, turning onto your side. “I’m good,” you say with a smile.

He raises a brow, clearly a little surprised. “Really?”

“Really.” You’re telling the truth. You don’t feel bad at all. If anything, you feel better now.

He must see in your face that you’re being honest. He grins. “That’s good, sweetheart. I’m glad.” He kisses you, softly this time. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Jake goes and gets a wet towel, then comes back and gently wipes away the mess between your thighs. He picks up your clothes from the floor and helps you put them back on, getting dressed himself before climbing back into bed.

“You can stay here if you want,” he offers.

You settle under the covers, getting comfortable. “I think I will.”

He chuckles to himself, getting comfortable as well. “Goodnight, sweetheart. Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight. Sweet dreams to you too.” You close your eyes.

Jake turns out the light and the room goes dark.

As you lay there, waiting for sleep to take over, you can’t help but think how right this feels. It makes you happy, having someone lie beside you. You can’t help but feel like this is a turning point. Not just because you lost your virginity. But like maybe you can finally start putting a bit of trust in the men you’ve found yourself stuck with.

To be continued...

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