Authors: Thalia Frost
“What the hell?”
A leather dog collar was bunched up in the sheets.
She grinned. So, Guy or someone close to him was into kinky stuff after all.
How did I never know it?
Ivy moved the collar off the bed, flipping it onto the floor with two fingers.
So strange...
The thought stuck with her as she drifted off to sleep.
Loud music woke her up. Darkness engulfed the room. It was still night.
“What?” She struggled to sit up.
“Time to party, Ivy. I’ll be there soon, love.”
Guy’s voice sounded strange.
Ivy’s heart careened as she gripped the sheets.
Something’s wrong.
She spotted her purse on the floor.
Finn.
Grabbing it, she jerked her phone out and found his number, cursing under her breath as she heard Guy whistling.
Maybe it’s nothing, just a prank...
She knew it wasn’t. Something was wrong here.
“Hello?”
She wanted to cry at the sound of Finn’s sweet, sleepy voice. “Finn, listen. I can’t talk but for a minute. I know it’s hard to hear. I’m at 335 Marsh Ave. Call the police. I don’t know if I’m in danger, but I’m scared. Come, please, and be careful.”
“Ivy? Ivy?”
Ivy prayed he had heard her. She saw a shadow move toward her down the hall as she clicked end and dropped the phone and purse onto the floor.
****
“Ivy, it’s time for a party, love.”
“Guy, what’s going on?”
Stall for time.
Her palms slid against the sheet as she pulled it over her more tightly.
“It’s so easy with you and so hard with the others.”
Her throat grew dry. “I don’t understand.”
“Don’t you? Gay looking Guy, effeminate Guy, Guy who’s just a friend and only ever will be.” He came into the room, and Ivy tried to suppress a gasp.
He wore leather from head to toe and a devilish black mask. In one hand, he held handcuffs. In the other, a knife.
“No, no one thinks that, Guy. You’re wonderful.”
“Oh, sure. I am, so wonderful you wouldn’t date me. It doesn’t matter now, Ivy. You’re my type. I know what you’re into. We’re soulmates. Too bad it wasn’t meant to be.” He moved to the edge of the bed.
Ivy prepared to bolt. “Guy, it’s okay. We can talk about it.”
“It’s too late for that. I’ve been living out my fantasies, Ivy, and you’re the ultimate one. The others were just practice.” He laughed, and she didn’t recognize the sound at all.
“Please...”
“Oh, I know you like to beg.” He slid on top of her before she could move.
“Guy, you don’t have to do this.”
“Oh, but I do, Ivy. You’ll never understand the compulsion.” He pinned her down as she kicked and screamed. She bit his hand, and he smacked her until stars swam in front of her eyes.
Ivy grew still, realizing her best chance for survival was to keep him talking and not tick him off.
“I do understand it, Guy. Not totally, but I have compulsions of my own.” Every word hurt, and she forced the sentence out.
“I know, sweets. I know what the guys you dated were into, what you like. I’m going to make your ultimate fantasies come true.” He yanked her arms up and cuffed her to the bedposts.
“And then what?”
He stopped, staring at her, eyes glittering through the mask. “And then we die together, angel. You’re not like the others. I love you, Ivy. I’ll be gentle, and when it’s over, I’ll kill myself so we can die together.”
Bile rose in her throat. “Guy, there’s so much to live for.”
“Not for me. I’ve found my purpose.” He pulled her pants off, and tears rolled down her cheeks as he unzipped himself.
Wrenching her legs apart, he settled between them, his erection pressing into her thighs. A knife glittered in his right hand.
All the desire she had ever felt when handcuffed drained away. She wanted to wretch.
Just as Guy started to push into her, a shadow rose over him, and he fell off of her with a moan.
“Finn!” She whispered his name, still not believing he had come.
“Let’s get you out of these.” He uncuffed her, stroking her hair as he did so. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“No, you got here before he could. I just can’t believe it was him, that he killed those women. I know you won’t believe it, but Guy was always so nice to me, so kind.” She shuddered, thinking of what might have been.
Finn handed Ivy her pants. “I believe it. Sometimes there are things in the past people can’t get over, and it drives them to madness. Maybe that’s what happened with Guy.”
“Is he okay?” Ivy stayed on the bed as she put her bottoms on, scared to look.
“I hit him pretty hard with a baseball bat. I don’t know, and I don’t care after what he’s done and what he was going to do. The police should be here in a second.” His mouth made a grim line as he pulled her off the bed into his arms.
Unable to stop them, she let the tears flow. “I don’t know what would have happened--”
“Shh. It’s over now. He’s not going to hurt you or anyone else. I love you, Ivy.” He kissed her, and all her doubts about them together faded away.
“Let’s go downstairs.” She traced his jaw line.
“I promise it will be okay.” He looked into her eyes, and she had the strangest feeling that he could see into her soul. She shuddered and took his hand, kissing his knuckles.
“I know it will.”