Page 14 of Boyfriend From Hell

The door creaked open as my knuckles rapped on the wood—which was weird. Cold air seeped into the hallway, and my skin tightened in response, painfully reminding me I was less than a handful of garments away from being fully naked.

Hopefully no one decided to come down the hallway right now, because I definitely didn’t have it in me to explain what I was doing.

I pushed the door open further using the tip of the butter knife. The room was far too dark for the afternoon hour, even if all of the blinds were drawn. It was as if a stray hour of the night sky had snuck in through a window and made itself a home within his four walls.

My breath caught as I stepped further inside, knife still clenched at my side.

“Raios?” I called out, as the crawling feeling of being watched crept over my skin once more.

“Hey, not trying to be weird—just wanted to check on you!” I peeked my head around the door. “I heard some loud noises coming from your apartment and wanted to make sure you’re alright?”

I struggled to keep my breathing even, eyes wide as they strained to soak in every trace of light. God, there had to be a light switch around here somewhere. He wouldn’t mind if flicked on a light, right?

I willed my right arm to move, to reach along the wall and search for a switch—but fear kept it bound to my side, stiff and unmoving like a stubborn animal.

Come on, I scolded myself. You can do this. Just find the switch. “I’m just going to turn the light on, okay?” I said aloud, more to steady myself than anything else.

The muscle in my shoulder began to cramp from tension.

I needed light. Besides, if someone else was in here and Raios needed help, there’s no way I could help him if I couldn’t even see.

Realistically, if there was some intruder in here, I doubt they would have let me get this far into the room before springing on me.

I tried again to glance around the apartment, but still couldn’t see a thing—even with the hallway light casting a glow behind me.

I flung my arm out, lunging to the right, my fingers feeling up the wall until they met with the smooth plastic switch. I flicked it up—nothing happened. I teetered the switch between my fingers, willing the light to come to life.

“Hello,” a voice so low it seemed to reverberate through my soul, called from the dark expanse of the room.

“Sweet one.”

I knew that voice.

I jolted upright, my breath catching in my chest. A mix of relief and confusion swirled within me.

“Raios?” My voice trembled. “This isn’t very funny.”

An iron fist gripped my racing heart as I took a small step backward. I scanned the darkness in front of me and could’ve sworn it stared right back. The fine hairs along my arms prickled, my body torn between fight or flight.

“I uh – it sounds like you’re okay, so I’ll just go!” I tried to call out, but my throat felt like it was closing in on itself and my voice came out as nothing more than a shaky rasp.

Spinning on my heels, I moved toward the door—but the sound of it slamming closed stopped me dead. A rush of cold air slid over my skin in heat-starved tendrils. The air began to feel far too thick, and wrong.

My grip on the butter knife tightened—I hadn’t even realized I’d started trembling. I turned toward the voice, bringing my poor choice of weapon to the front and holding it with both hands.

“And what do you think you’ll do with that?” Raios whispered the question into my ear, as if he were right beside me, “Is that a butter knife?”

Damn right it was a butter knife.

His chuckle, I once thought sweeter than honey, was laced with something that wavered on sinister. I swallowed, my throat still tight with fear.

“This isn’t funny!” I squealed, whipping my head toward his voice. “Jokes o-over!”

What the fuck, what the fuck, what the ACTUAL fuck!

The feeling of an icy finger swiped down my arm, I fought the urge to recoil and instead slashed at the air.

My eyes burned as tears began to form. My poor heart was pounding so hard I was amazed it hadn’t broken through my ribs.

I spun around to face where I thought the door had to be, the knife slipping from my hands as I searched for the doorknob.

It’s too damn dark in here, come the hell on!

I spun around and pressed my back against the wall. The last of my hangover drained away, replaced by fear–well, at least I had that going for me.

Note to future self: say no next time a hot guy locked out of his apartment asks for help.

“Alright, Raios! Ha-ha, very funny little prank,” I called out again, my hands still blindly searching the wall for the doorknob.

I don’t get it. Why me? Of all the tenants in this building, of course it had to be the hot one—and, of course, he just happened to be a nut job.

I froze as Raios’ hand suddenly wrapped around my throat, but it didn’t tighten.

His thumb traced the column of my throat, sending a sickening shiver down my spine.

This time I couldn’t help but recoil, shrinking under his touch. If I had any sense left, I’d kick him right in the balls—but fear had me paralyzed.

I could smell him—smoke and lavender filled my nostrils. He was so close. I still couldn’t see, but I didn’t need to; if I could, I’d claw out his eyeballs.

Unfortunately, all my previous bravery had completely drained out of me.

Tears stung the corners of my eyes, a mix of yesterday’s pain and the creeping dread that I might die in this apartment flooding through me.

His finger crawled up my neck, capturing a tear with his fingertip. A low groan escaped him.

“Divine,” he purred.

I stuttered a breath, my knees turning to jelly, threatening to give out on me at any moment.

Something warm and wet slid up my cheek, and the darkness around me seemed to moan in response.

Was that…

Did he just fucking lick my tears?

My heart slammed wildly in my chest as my tear-soaked eyes strained against the dark.

Bile rose in the back of my throat, burning like fire.

Maybe if I threw up on him it would buy me enough time to run. Not that I had any idea where I could even run to – if I was fast enough, maybe I could find and lock myself in the bathroom.

“Please,” I rasped, my voice a trembling mess. “Just let me go. I’m sorry for intruding.”

It was a mistake helping him—an even bigger mistake thinking it was a good idea to come over here.

Raios hummed, low and pleased.

“But this is what you wished for, sweet one.”

My shaking knees finally reached their limit, and I slid down the wall.

“What? Just let me go, alright? I won’t call the police. I won't tell anyone about this, or anything.” I pleaded.

“No can do.”

He sighed, and it began to feel as if the darkness was shrinking around me.

He’s going to kill me—the thought cycled through my mind on repeat.

Something akin to a sound of disgust came from Raios.

He pulled me slowly forward, one hand cradling the back of my neck until the sheer, worn fabric that covered my body met a burst of cold air that seemed to writhe around me.

I could hardly breathe. Afraid that if I did… he might—I didn’t even know what.

What could possibly be worse than this?

I writhed in his gentle grip, nerves on edge. I wondered if I screamed, would Gracie call for help?

Of course, that’s if she hadn’t gotten bored and ended the call already.

Which, knowing her, was likely.

I had no idea how long I’d been in Raios’ apartment. It felt like hours, but was probably just minutes.

Fuck not being the tattletale neighbor, if I get out of this apartment alive, not only am I moving far from here, but I planned to snitch on every damn thing I saw and heard.

My last shred of hope clung to Gracie. My phone was right outside the door. She had to hear what was happening.

But if she had... Why wasn’t anyone here yet?

I lived right in the dead center of Portland. There was usually a cop around every damned corner.

I should have just listened to her.

Why did I think coming over here was a good idea?

I didn’t even know what I thought I could do.

Clearly—nothing.

“Your heart is erratic,” Raios murmured above me—though his voice seemed to echo from all around. “Like a scared little deer.”

I squeezed my eyes shut as more tears spilled from them, the darkness no different than when they were open. I shook my head slowly.

“Please Raios,” I quietly pleaded.

“Don't think so low of me, little love,” he scoffed, “I can see every thought rolling around in that beautiful mind of yours—clear as day. I would never hurt you.”

The hardwood floor beneath my feet disappeared, and my eyes shot open—seeing nothing but the darkness. The floor, the one solid thing grounding me, was gone. And with it, my last shred of control. Panic surged through me, full and blinding.

“What the fu—” the sensation of falling overtook me, and I plummeted into the abyss below.

Raios’ hand left my throat and slid around my torso, pulling me close as the unending darkness rushed past us in frigid gusts. My hair whipped wildly around my face, and that alone told me—this was real.

This was impossible.

Floors don’t just disappear.

I was falling.

Fast.