Page 87 of Darkest Sin

“I brought you here because I wanted to watch you dance. You always look so free when you dance. I figured it would help take your mind off everything.”

From my family. Who I can’t help.

I shudder and let out a shaky exhale. “Thank you. I’ve been missing this place. I’ve been missing dancing in a place like this.”

“I brought you this.” He pulls my pointe shoes out of his coat pocket. “I thought you could dance properly this time.”

Slipping my pointe shoes back on feels like coming home. It feels just right. The smoothness of the shoes. The hardness of the tip. It’s both painful and pleasurable.

I walk onto the stage while Mikhail takes a seat. With no music, the entire theater feels more expansive and yet small at the same time. I find Mikhail’s eyes just like I did the first time we met. Back then, I was an innocent virgin, unaware of the danger coming for me.

Now, I’m a married woman who’s very much aware of the dangers in my life. Mikhail might even be one of them. But he’s the devil I know.

And he’s the devil I trust.

Keeping my eyes on him, I take in a deep breath and begin to dance. I dance like my heart could explode. Like I could die if I don’t dance hard enough. Fast enough.

My lines are extended perfectly with my pointe shoes on.

Mikhail leans back in his seat, spreading his legs wide as he watches me. It’s a power move and it’s one that makes me dance harder.

I never take my eyes off him. Not even when I spin. When I leap. When I arch. I never look away once.

My eyes are still locked with his as I take my bow. When I stand back up, Mikhail leans forward in his seat.

“How was it?” I ask, my voice sounding louder in the quiet room.

He looks at me with a hungry, dark expression that makes me swallow hard. “It was perfect. Now, I want you to run.”

I frown. “Run?”

“Run.”

He stands up and starts to approach the stage, like a predator stalks its prey. It dawns on me then. He wants to hunt me.

And I want to be hunted.

I take off running to the back of the stage where there’s a hallway that leads to the dressing rooms. I can hear Mikhail behind me, taking his time coming after me. He’s not running but he’s still moving fast. I canfeelhis dark presence.

I make it to one of the dressing rooms. It was shared by a few of the background dancers. I hide behind one of the tables, keeping my eyes glued to the door. When Mikhail enters, the entire mood of the room changes. It becomes hotter and darker.

He doesn’t spot me hiding behind the table as he takes his time entering the room and looking around. As he gets closer and closer to my spot, I take off running around the side of the room and out the door, back into the hallway. Mikhail could easily catch me. We both know this. But he’s deliberately not. This is a game we’re both playing.

I run with all of my might down the hallway until I reach my dressing room. Some of my makeup it still left behind on the dressing table. Some of my costumes are still hanging up. It’s like I never left.

I’m struck by how strange it is and don’t move as Mikhail enters the room.

“You were supposed to hide, baby,” he says, making me shiver.

I gasp. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” He stalks towards me and I walk backwards until I bump into the wall. “I’m only hunting you down. Did you want to get caught?”

Yes. “No,” I lie before I take off running again. Mikhail purposefully lets me pass him as I head back out into the hallway. I find myself running to the stage again. It was the place I always felt the most at home at. I loved being watched by a large audience every night as I danced.

And now, I’m going to let Mikhail catch me on it.

I stop right in the center of the stage, waiting for him. Mikhail slowly approaches me, knowing he has all the time in the world.