Page 13 of Nightshades

“What is happening? What do you want?” Greta sobs, her eyes widening when she realizes she can no longer move.

The roots unwind from the desperate little human, merging with my skin once more.

Greta stands there, almost completely frozen. Small motions occur as she struggles. A twitch of her fingers. The slight shake of her legs. A few whimpers bubbling up her throat.

Awww. That’s so cute.

She’s trying to scream.

I stand in front of her and tilt my head, allowing her to see into the pitch black abyss of my eyes. My fingers reach for her face, tracing the delicate edge of her jaw. It’s going to look beautiful framing the new headlight of my motorcycle.

“Greta. Greta. Greta,” I scold with a click of my tongue.

Her eyes fill with salt water, tiny pools sinking her blue irises.

“Sorrowful seas,” I whisper in admiration, swiping the tops of her cheeks. “I can’t wait to cut them from your face.”

She whimpers again, her entire body trembling with a fresh wave of terror. Her eyes spill their water like a dam breaking to fill a lake.

“Does that scare you?” I bend down to get closer, smelling the fresh scent of deer blood and piss. “DoIscare you?” I blink, tilting my head in the other direction.

More tears fall, pairing well with the increased scent of fear. Mmmm, it’s like an expensive drink with a gourmet meal.

“Good,” I growl. “I’m going to make you feel what you made these deer feel. I’m going to rip your scalp from your skull, soyou understand what it is like to have something stolen from you.” Tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear, a black cloud swirls around our feet.

“Let me see what you fear most.”

The nightmare acts as a snake creeping up her face, the onyx tendrils peeling her bottom lids to slip inside. Her eyes are blue for one last second before my evil intent possesses her.

I drift into her mind, following the screams from Greta. The closer I get to her, the louder they become. I sense her worst fear, a smile belonging to someone unhinged, becomes my face.

Storm-filled clouds escape me, crackling with rage and death. Her screams continue, unknowingly luring me closer to the parts that she keeps secret.

Fuck, I love the way secrets taste. So much mistrust to hold all those wrongs inside a skeleton that can’t handle so much deceit. That’s what is so special about getting to see what people fear most. More times than I can count, it’s one of their deepest darkest secrets that they haven’t told a soul.

It’s too fucked up.

It’s too much.

If the truth leaves your lips, their perception of you might change.

I couldn’t care less about perception.

“Your secrets are safe with me,” I lie, my hunger growing for her fear by the second.

I lick the neurons firing in her brain, needing to taste more of the fight or flight response firing in her system like fireworks.

“So afraid,” I growl in delight, my cock jerks in response.

Not for wanting her, but for wanting her fear.

The murderous shouts of agony have me pushing forward. I have the ability to see into her mind and see in real time, loving that I get to experience deaths by the wicked dreams I enforce.

Her worst fears come to life, the space around us fading into black. A large bonfire is lit, flames reaching for the imaginative sky that doesn’t exist.

Greta’s cries for help have me look up. She’s naked and tied to a long branch like a pig about to be roasted.

The fire isn’t big enough to burn her, and that will have to change. Using my shadow self, I throw more imaginary wood onto the fire, wanting the flames to stretch higher.