Shadow's Sinner

by Ryan Mundy

This isn’t exactly how this was supposed to go.

Our protection will be granted from our king once more.

Hearing their screams is more difficult these days. I’d rather hear the sweet screams of pleasure than pain.

I want to hunt them.”

I’m a liar. I’ve sinned and now I’m going to be punished.

I’m a sinner.

“Little girls shouldn’t be out after dark,” he whispers.

Run. The urgent unbidden thought flashes through my mind.

All I can think about is those hazel eyes and that dark hooded man from my dream. He haunted me for weeks after the hallway incident,

I’m always going to be the odd one out.

I watched the sacrifices enter the woods, but I wasn’t expecting her to be one of them. Her emerald eyes sparkle like jewels in the sunshine.

My little shadow, the one I protected all those years ago.

I’m so tired of following these fucking rules. I didn’t want this.

This can’t be real; this can’t be happening.

The look in her eyes makes me groan with delight. Fear mixing with something else that I can’t quite decipher.

We stare at each other in the darkness, the only sound our mixed heavy breathing.

“Run, Little Shadow, because if I catch you, I will ruin you.”

“Little Shadow, you didn’t run fast enough now did you? What a shame,”

“You weren’t supposed to be here today, Little Shadow, but I’m so glad you are. Do you have any idea how chasing you down has made me feel?”

“Are you scared, Little Shadow?”

“Now, why don’t you be a good little shadow and listen to what Master Simon says?

“Don’t test me, Little Shadow,” he growls.

“I never thought it would feel this good,” he mutters to himself.

The shadow man takes and takes from me. Not an ounce of him cares that I don’t want this, that I’m terrified, or that my life depends on how well I can do this.

“Such a good little shadow,” he murmurs. “I’m glad it was you…”

I struggle to breathe as his eyes drop down to mine, and all I see is darkness.

My brain becomes fuzzy, my eyes cross as my vision blurs, and darkness pulls me under.

I thought she was pretty before, but she’s breathtaking when she’s unconscious.

She looks so innocent like this, almost as innocent as she was the last time I saw her.

The look of fear she has makes me angry.

She’s too pure to know fear like this.

She wasn’t supposed to be in these woods tonight. We made a deal years ago that Lakelyn would never sit in a cage like this.

She never deserved this. The way she makes me feel, like I have no control, is intoxicating, and I’m not sure if I can give that up. I peer over at my little shadow’s sleeping form, wondering how I will get us out of this mess.

“I was beginning to worry that I may have caused more damage than I meant to."

“Why am I in a cage?” I ask, wrapping my arms around my knees. “I put you in there.”

“Why won’t you look at me?” the shadow man asks.

His hazel eyes stare into mine as if he’s looking for my soul. I want to tell him I might not have one, but I keep my mouth shut.

something about him feels all too familiar.

“Don’t lie to me. It’s a sin,” he growls.

The only one allowed to leave marks on her is me.

She’s mine. I think she’s always been mine, but the universe must have had other plans.

She ended up in my clutches like a lamb to slaughter, but does it really need to end that way?

What will it do to me when I hear the cries for help coming from Lakelyn?

“Speak clearly, Disciple, or you will be on the other end of my blade.”

“It’s time, Little Shadow.”

escape. I have no idea why I’m in here,

There was something about that look in his eyes when he was staring at me. He makes me feel uncomfortable but safe at the same time. He screams danger, I know this. But I can’t help the little piece inside me that is curious as to his identity.

I sense someone watching me. My eyes snap open and are immediately drawn to the hazel-eyed man.

“Don’t make this any harder than it needs to be.”

“I need you to trust me.” He almost sounds sincere.