Page 7

Ivy's mind raced, her thoughts a jumbled mess of fear and determination. The question hanging in the air felt heavy, pressing down on her chest. "Like what?" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper, choked by the knot of anxiety tightening in her throat. The words tumbled out, shaky and uncertain, betraying the panic swirling within her.

His hand coming back up to her neck, his thumb tracing a gentle circle over her pulse point. "Perhaps something that truly represents the depth of your love for James. Something just as irreplaceable as your life."

Ivy's breath hitched, her eyes locked on his, unable to look away. The pressure of his thumb increased a subtle reminder of the power he held over her. "I... I don't understand," she managed to murmur, her voice trembling.

"You see, Ivy, I need something more than just your life. Something that shows you understand what it means to lose everything," His hand moved from her neck to her cheek, hisgrip tightening. "I want you to feel the pain I felt when I was taken from the world you know."

Ivy felt a cold sweat break out on her forehead, her mind racing with the implications of his words. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice a mere whisper.

Vice leaned in closer; his lips almost pressed to hers. His thumb pressing harder against her pulse. "I want you to experience true loss," he said, his voice a velvet promise of pain. "You see, Ivy, love is a powerful thing. It can drive one to do the unthinkable. But it's only when you've lost everything that you can truly understand the depths of its power."

The room grew colder, the darkness closing in around her like a vise. "Give me your hand," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin.

She knew she had no choice but to obey. With trembling fingers, she reached out, placing her hand in his. His grip tightened, and she winced as she felt a sharp pain as his nails dug into her flesh. He pulled her away from the wall. "You're a brave one," he said, his voice a dark caress. "But bravery won't save you from what's to come."

His eyes searched hers, looking for something she was not sure she had. "What are you going to do to me?" she whispered, the words sticking in her throat like shards of glass.

Vice's smile grew. "I don't want your life, Ivy," he said, his voice a low rumble. "Taking your life would be too easy. You see, I know the kind of pain you are feeling."

The desperation that drives you to seek me out. But I want something more from you. Something that will truly makeyou understand the cost of what you're asking." He said looking down at her.

Her eyes searched his, the fear in them mirrored in the cold, unyielding darkness of his gaze. "My...freedom?" she whispered, her eyes widening at the realization.

Vice nodded, his smile never faltering. "Yes," he said, his voice a low purr of satisfaction. "A life without freedom is a fate worse than death. It's a slow, agonizing descent into madness." His grip on her wrist tightened, a reminder of the power he wielded. "But it's a fate you're willing to accept for him, isn't it?"

Ivy felt the tears streaming down her face, her heart a heavy weight in her chest. She nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Yes," she managed to say, the word a solemn promise.

Vice's smile grew, a twisted parody of happiness. "Very well," he said, his grip on her wrist loosening. "Your freedom is mine. But remember, Ivy, this is a deal you've made with the devil, and I always collect." As those words leave his lips a searing pain erupts across her skin, like a red-hot poker. She cries out, doubling over, her hand flying to the source of the agony.

The room spun around her, the darkness closing in like a curtain of fire. The pain was unbearable, a branding iron searing her soul as much as her flesh. Through the haze of agony, she could feel the heat radiating from her wrist. The smell of burnt skin filled the air, a nauseating aroma that taunted her with the permanence of her decision.

When she dared to look down, aVhad been burned into her flesh. It was a reminder of the price she had just agreed to pay. The pain began to recede, leaving behind a throbbingache that pulsed with every beat of her racing heart. Ivy knew she had made a pact with the devil, and now she had the brand to prove it.

The room stilled, the darkness retreating like a wave before a storm. The air grew thick with a power that was almost tangible.

The symbol on her wrist pulsed. The reality of what she had done settled in her stomach like a weight, a cold, hard truth that she could no longer ignore.

Vice stepped back, his smile fading to a cold, calculating look. "Remember our deal," he said, his voice echoing through the room. "You're mine, and I shall come for you when I see fit. Goodbye for now, little mouse.”

Her legs moved of their own accord, propelling her down the stairs, the sound of her own breathing and the pounding of her heart drowning out the echo of Vice's evil laughter. The alley outside was just as dark and foreboding as before, but she didn’t care. The air was sweet and free, and she gulped it down greedily as she sprinted towards her car, the keys already in her hand.

The engine roared to life, the headlights cutting through the darkness like a knife. She didn’t bother to check the mirrors, and didn’t dare to glance back. The only thought in her mind was to get as far away from that cursed building as she could.

The tires screeched as she peeled out, the car's engine straining as it raced away from the shadows that were reaching for her.

Chapter 5:

The sound of his laughter faded as she sprinted down the hallway, her feet pounding like a drumbeat of freedom. The walls seemed to close in, shadows stretching like claws to pull her back, but she didn't dare look behind her.

Suddenly, she awoke in her bed, sheets tangled around her legs, cold sweat clinging to her skin. Her heart raced, and her breath came in ragged gasps as she looked at her wrist. There it was: the symbol burned into her flesh, a grim reminder that her encounter with Vice was no mere nightmare. It was real—a cold fact that had invaded her reality.

Her eyes searched the darkness, but no one was there, only the echo of his voice in her mind. "I shall come for it when I see fit." The words sent a shiver down her spine, making her want to curl into a ball and never leave the safety of her bed. But she knew she couldn't; James and Alice needed her.

In the quiet of the night, she heard the softest sounds—a sniffle, a whisper of movement. She turned to see two tiny hands reaching out from the shadows, wrapping around her arm. It was Alice, her sweet, innocent daughter, blissfully unaware of the deal her mother had made. Ivy pulled her closer, feeling the warmth of Alice's breath against her neck as the little girl snuggled into her embrace.

The weight of her decision settled heavily upon her chest, a cold, oppressive burden that squeezed the very life from her. What kind of mother was she to trade her freedom for a man's life, even if that man was her child's father? She held Alice tighter, her mind racing with the implications of her actions.What would Vice demand of her? What kind of existence would she have once she belonged to him? Alice's warmth was a comfort, a reminder of the love that had led her to make this desperate deal. Yet, the very thought of her daughter growing up without her was a knife to the heart. She had to find a way to break the pact, to save not only James but also herself. But how could she outsmart the monster who controlled the entire city?

As the sun began to peek over the horizon, Ivy lay there, her mind racing. The symbol on her wrist felt like a brand, a constant reminder of the monster she had unleashed into their lives. She couldn't tell anyone, not even James. The fear of what James might do if he found out she had sought help was too great. She was on her own in this twisted game of chess with a creature of darkness.