Page 24

The revelation hits Ivy like a cruel hard slap in the face. She had thought she'd been free, if only for a brief moment. The taste of freedom had been so sweet, but now it tasted like ashes in her mouth. "You bastard!" she spat. Throwing the covers off her she climbed out of bed.

Vice chuckled darkly, leaning against the door frame. "I've been called worse, I assure you." He crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes never leaving her. "You didn't really think I'd let you go that easily, did you?" he chuckled.

"You watched those creatures attack me?" she screamed at him. Her whole body was shaking with rage. "You just sat there while I was fighting for my life?" she asked as she pointed back towards the window.

Vice steps closer, his boots echoing on the cold stone floor. "Of course I watched," he admits, his voice devoid of emotion. "I sent them after you." His words are like a knife to her gut, twisting and turning with each syllable. "You see, Ivy, fear makes you so... delicious. It's intoxicating, and did you forget about you're little stunt in the bathtub, or did you just think that I would?"

Ivy's eyes narrowed, her anger building like a storm within her. "You enjoyed watching me suffer?" she asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and fury. "Like I'm just some plaything you can break and throw away."

Vice smirked; his eyes gleamed with a sadistic delight. "Oh, Ivy," he said, his voice a purr. "You're so much more than that to me. You're a challenge, a prize to be won." He took a step closer, his hand reaching out to trace the line of her jaw. "And when I finally break you, when you're truly mine, that's when the real fun begins."

The rage within Ivy boils over, and she slapped his hand away. "You're disgusting," she snarled, her voice filled with revulsion. "I'll never be yours."

He grabbed her by her chin, making her look at him. Vice's eyes flare with a dangerous light, but he only laughs, the sound echoing through the room. "Which one of us are you trying to convince?" his voice was a seductive promise that sends shivers down her spine.

Ivy's heart raced in her chest, her mind reeling from the horror of the night. The taste of blood is still in her mouth, and the smell of Vice's creature's clings to her skin. "You'll have to kill me, because I'll never be yours and you'll never break me." she said, her voice hoarse from screaming. "I'm going to make you regret ever making this deal, or I'll die trying."

Vice's smile widened, a terrifying sight. "Is that a threat or a promise?" He asked, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Because, my dear, you're already mine. You gave yourself to me when you agreed to our deal."

Her heart sank as the gravity of his words settle in the room. She'd made a deal with the devil, and now she was trapped in his world, with no escape in sight.

"It would be a shame if Alice lost both her parents, don't you think? Because if I have to kill you that voids our deal.Since you said you'd do anything. Which would release me from holding up my end of the deal," he said with a smug look on his face.

"Please." Ivy scoffed, turning her head slightly to the right as she rolled her eyes, then fixed her gaze back on Vice. "You expect me to believe you're holding up you're end of our deal? That would require you to be something other than a heartless monster, and I don't believe you have it in you."

Vice's smile fades into a frown, and his hand clamped around her throat, pushing her back into the cold stone wall with surprising force. Her eyes narrowed, and she grabbed his wrist, trying to pry his hand away. "Did I strike a nerve?" she choked out with a slight smug smile on her face as she struggled under his grip.

"Wouldn't think that comment would bother you considering you pride yourself on being a heartless monster." She said still struggling against his hold on her throat.

The room felt colder than before as Vice's eyes bore into hers, his grip tightened. "You think you know me, Ivy?" he said, his voice a low growl. "You think you know what I'm capable of?"

"All I know is what you've showed me," she croaked, her nails digging into his wrist. "If you want me to believe you're capable of things other than cruelty and selfishness, then show me."

Vice's grip loosened a fraction, his eyes searched hers. He seemed to consider her words before letting go entirely, taking a step back. "Ivy," he said his voice a mix of anger and something else, something she couldn’t quite place. "You have no idea what you're asking for."

"Is that it?" Ivy takes a deep, ragged breath, rubbing at her throat. "Or is it that you're afraid to let you're walls down." she took a step closer to him. "Vice," she said softly. "I know all you've ever known was fear, pain and unimaginable cruelty." She took another step toward him. Vice frowned at her, quickly looking her up and down.

"But things don't have to be like this," she whispered, her hand reaching out to touch his cheek. He flinched but didn’t pull away. His eyes searched hers, looking for the lie she had to be telling. "You've shown me there's more to you," her voice was firm.

Vice scowled, his hand coming up to grip hers firmly but not painfully. He didn't push it away, just held it there, wanting to feel her touch. "You're delusional," he grunted, his eyes never leaving hers. "I've done too much, Ivy. There's no redemption for someone like me."

He turned and began to walk away, the clack of his boots echoing in the vast chamber.

"Then why did it affect you when I said you were only a heartless monster?" Ivy called after him, her voice slightly raised.

Vice froze mid-step, his back to her. His shoulders tense. But then, slowly, he turns around to face her. "It wouldn't have if there isn't more to you," she said firmly.

He stalked back towards her, his eyes blazing. Ivy felt a spark of fear. She pushed him too far she realized. She took a few steps back, her hands shaking. "You think you're so clever," he snarled, closing the distance between them.

Her back hit the wall again, and she felt the cool stone through her shirt.

His face now only inches from hers, his breath hot against her cheek. "You want to see what I'm truly capable of?" His grip tightened on her wrist, and she felt his nails biting into her skin. "I'll show you."

He pulled her closer, and she felt the heat from his body. She tried to hold his gaze, but she couldn’t. His free hand snaked around her waist. The tension in the room is intense, like the moment before a storm breaks.

"Look at me, Ivy," he commanded, and she had no choice but to meet his eyes again. There's something there she hadn’t seen before, something raw and vulnerable. It's terrifying and fascinating all at once.

But then in an instant it's gone, and his smile is once again cold and predatory. "You want proof?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "Fine. But remember, you asked for this."