A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 11 – 20
THE GIFT
He appeared out of the shadows, tall and looming, as if he had materialized from the very air itself. His presence was suffocating, wrapping around me like a shroud. I froze, unable to move, my feet rooted to the spot as my heart pounded in my chest.
The man’s hair was dark, as black as the deepest night, and his eyes… his eyes were darker still, as if they held all the secrets of the world in their depths. His skin was pale, almost glowing in the dim light, and when he moved, it was with a fluid grace that made him seem otherworldly.
He stepped toward me, his movements slow and deliberate, as though he had all the time in the world. My body screamed at me to run, but I couldn’t. My muscles refused to cooperate, and I was left standing there, helpless, as he drew closer.
He stopped a few feet in front of me and bowed his head, the gesture one of politeness.
“We have been waiting for you, milady,” he said, his voice low and smooth, sending a shiver down my spine. When he lifted his head again, there was a faint smile on his lips, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “How have you been?”
“For… for me?” My voice came out in a whisper, barely audible. Fear coursed through me, cold and sharp, as my eyes darted around the corridor, searching for a way out. But there was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.
“Indeed,” the man said, taking a step closer, his dark eyes locking onto mine. “My lord asked us to buy this building for you. It belongs to you now.”
My breath hitched, and I took a shaky step back, my heart hammering in my chest. “What are you talking about?” I stammered, my voice weak. “I… I don’t own anything. I don’t even know you.”
He didn’t seem bothered by my denial. Instead, he simply smiled, a cold, knowing smile that sent a wave of dread crashing over me. “He will come for you soon,” the man continued, his voice as calm as if he were discussing the weather. “You should pay your respects.”he mumble ” you have grown more beautiful, he will be pleased ”
I tried to step back again, but my body wouldn’t move. It was like I was frozen in place, trapped by the weight of his gaze. The air around me felt thick, oppressive, like it was pressing down on me from all sides. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think.
As I watched, the man began to walk backward, slowly, his form fading into the shadows with each step. His presence seemed to vanish with him, the air around me growing lighter as he retreated. But his words hung in the air, thick and heavy, filling the space he left behind.
“He will come for you soon,” he repeated, his voice echoing in the empty corridor, even as his figure disappeared completely. “You should pay your respects.”
And then… he was gone. The corridor was empty again, as if he had never been there at all.
I gasped, finally able to move, and stumbled backward, my heart racing. What had just happened? Who was that? And what did he mean—this building belonged to me? My mind raced, desperate to make sense of what I had just experienced, but nothing added up. None of it made sense.
I turned, frantic, and that’s when I saw Liam standing right beside me, his flashlight casting long shadows on the walls. He looked at me, concerned, and I blinked, trying to reconcile what I had just seen with the reality of him being there.
“Liam?” I whispered, my voice shaky.
“Selene?” He frowned, reaching out to steady me. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. Instead, I just stood there, staring at him, my mind reeling from the encounter. It couldn’t have been real. It couldn’t.
“I… I saw someone,” I finally managed to say, my voice trembling. “He was here, Liam. He said… he said they bought this place for me. That it belongs to me now.”
Liam’s brow furrowed, his expression shifting from concern to confusion. “What are you talking about? There’s no one here but us.” He glanced around the corridor, his flashlight sweeping over the walls and the empty space. “Are you sure you didn’t imagine it?”
I shook my head, my hands trembling. “No, I didn’t imagine it. He was here. He spoke to me. He said… he said someone is coming for me.” My voice broke as the fear I had been holding back threatened to overwhelm me. “Liam, I don’t know what’s happening, but we need to leave. Now.”
He hesitated, his eyes searching mine for a moment before he gave a small nod. “Alright. Let’s get out of here.” His voice was steady, but I could see the worry etched into his features. He didn’t believe me, not really, but he wasn’t going to argue. Not now, at least.
We hurried down the stairs, my legs shaking with every step. The house seemed to loom over us, its dark halls and crumbling walls pressing in from all sides. I kept glancing over my shoulder, half-expecting to see the man again, watching us from the shadows. But there was nothing. Just the house. Silent and still.
When we finally burst through the front door and out into the cold air, I felt a rush of relief. The sky above was darkening, and the wind had picked up, but at least we were outside. Away from whatever it was that had happened inside.
Liam glanced at me as we started walking back toward town, his expression unreadable. “You’re sure you’re okay?” he asked quietly.
I nodded, though I didn’t feel okay. I felt like something had shifted—like a line had been crossed and there was no going back. But I didn’t know how to explain it, didn’t know how to make him understand.
“Yeah,” I said, though my voice didn’t sound convincing, even to me. “I’m fine.”
But I wasn’t. I could still feel the man’s presence lingering in my mind, his words echoing in my ears. *He will come for you soon.*
And I had no idea what that meant, or who “he” was.
But I knew one thing for certain: nothing would ever be the same again.
A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL : CHAPTER 11 – 20
Click 2 below to continue reading
