God of Ruin (Legacy of Gods, #4)(37)

My phone lights up again.

Devil Lord: You make a cute stalker.

I lose my grip on the phone and it falls on my face. Pain throbs in my forehead and nose and I groan.

I can’t believe I’m being chastised by none other than Landon.

When I look at my phone again, there’s already another text from him.

Devil Lord: Stalker is a better and more decadent description than a coward.

Mia: Who are you calling a coward?

Devil Lord: Why, hello there. Here I thought my texts were for some reason being written with invisible ink.

Devil Lord: But I digress. Good to know you’re still awake. I planned a little something.

Mia: I’m not going anywhere with you.

Devil Lord: There’s no need.

I narrow my eyes. He’s surprisingly not threatening me with my sister or offering ultimatums, and while that should be good news, it actually isn’t.

From my unfortunate interactions with him, I’ve come to the conclusion that he’s the type who’ll go the extra mile to make sure he gets what he wants, come hell or high water.

So the fact that he gave up so easily is suspicious at best.

I continue staring at the screen, expecting him to bombard me with another series of texts, but none come.

Maybe his body finally gave out on his evil brain and he fell asleep or—

The lights go out.

My heartbeat skyrockets and I grab my phone in a tight grip as I study my surroundings.

All I find is black and more black.

Pitch-black darkness spreads around me, smothering my skin with a coat of the monster’s sticky scale-like skin.

No.

No…

This can’t be happening. Why would the lights go off?

Don’t tell me the monster has finally come for me…?

I will my leg to move. My best option is to run to Maya’s room, but I can’t even stand up.

Terror comes in different shades. Mine has always manifested in turning completely frozen.

Maybe I don’t want to leave the room, because I’d go to Maya first. A part of me vehemently refuses to get my sister involved in this.

What if he targets her this time and scars her for life like he did me?

No. I’d kill him before he touches her, or I’d die trying.

Still, I can’t move.

So I screw my eyes shut. If I pretend not to see anything, maybe this will pass. Like the thousands of nightmares I’ve survived over the past decade.

His breath reverberates in the corners of the room and wraps an invisible noose around my neck.

My fingers tighten on the phone. I can’t call the police, because this isn’t real. And I can’t call Mom, Dad, or Niko, because I’ll look like the unhinged, paranoid version of myself and they’ll be the ones to lock me in an asylum.

I let the phone fall to the side of the bed so I’m not tempted to do that and pull my knees to my chest, then hide my face in my crossed arms.

This isn’t real. It’s only my mind playing tricks on me.

I chant even as tears sting the corners of my eyes and sweat covers my brow and upper lip.

My entire body trembles under the sheer pressure of my own thoughts. My mind chooses this moment to tune in on memories I’ve tried to erase, to no avail.

I’m trapped in a small dark and humid place. Blood drips through the cracks like a haunting song, and empty eyes stare at me the whole time.

A distorted voice whispers in my ear, “This isn’t over.”

I can still feel his rancid breath against my nape, shoulder, and ears. Like a deadly lullaby, he keeps whispering those words again and again.

And again…

“I clearly warned you to keep your windows closed, no?”

The overpowering emotions of terror slowly wither into colorful bursts of…confusion? Excitement?

Both?

I slowly lift my head and stare at the dark figure standing by my bed like the Big Bad Wolf. It’s a monster, all right, but it’s far from being the terror of my life.

Landon’s face is barely visible through the shadows, but I know it’s him.

The new monster who won’t leave me the hell alone.

“Though perhaps you did it on purpose because you wanted me to jump inside.” He runs his fingers through my hair and pulls on the only ribbon I wear at night, then uses it to wipe beneath my eyes. “Are these tears, muse?”

I slap his hand away, ashamed of my weakness and the fact that none other than Landon is witnessing it.

“Is that a challenge?” He grabs both my wrists in one of his hands. “Because I love those.”

I don’t know what comes over me next. Maybe I’m still on a high from the emotions I experienced just now or I always wanted to give this asshole an actual taste of my temper.

I kick him the hardest I can. I aim for his dick, but I think I only hit his thigh. He jerks back, but he doesn’t release my wrists.

I pull and push him with my leg, but it’s like he’s securing them in stone.

“Well, well, looks like I got myself a fighter. I love it when they fight.” His amused voice is laced with subtle sadism as he pushes me down on the mattress.

My back bounces, but before I can sit up again, he’s on me. Landon slams my wrists on the pillow above my head, still securing them with his hand. His knees rest on either side of my stomach, locking me in place.