I couldn’t say anything, as fear petrified me. Mark clicked with his tongue and closed his eyes as he raked through his hair with his fingers, frustrated. “This is not how I expected things to go.” He groaned.

I didn’t utter a word and only stared at him wearily. I glanced nervously to the open door, wondering if I should use this chance to escape.

“You will never escape.” As if he knew what I was thinking, he let those heavy words slip through his lips. The heaviness of his words were like snakes slithering around my body, chaining me to the ground. My eyes burned again with tears, but I quickly blinked them away.

My lips were trembling as I forced myself to mutter out his name from my dry, scratchy throat. “Mark…” I croaked.

Mark opened his icy-blue eyes, and I twisted my head away, averting his eyes- scared that even my soul would freeze over. I took in a shuddering breath, trying to calm myself down. I exhaled and felt the shivers leaving my body enough for me to continue speaking.

“I’m hungry.”

Mark blinked continuously, not expecting that, but quickly regained his posture. “Right” He started. “Let’s go downstairs and eat. The food is ready.” He puts out his hand for me to take, but I only stared blankly at it. He exhaled when he saw I didn’t move.

“But first…” He resumed and stretched out his arm, reaching for me. I flinched as I shut my eyes tightly in fright. His arm went past the side of my head, grabbing the laptop from the table.

I hesitantly opened my eyelids, to see a solemn smile etched onto Mark’s face. “I’m going to hide this one away, so you can go down first.”

When he saw that I still didn’t respond, he sighed in resignation with his head hung low as he trudged out of the room, closing the door as he left.

The clicking sound of the closing door was like a knife cutting my body free from the binding snakes and I slumped down on the floor as I let out a heavy quivering breath of air that I never knew that I had.

My sight became blurry from the tears that built up in my eyes. Balding my fist, I slammed it on the ground as I gritted my teeth. I felt anger towards myself.

At how weak I became in front of him.

At how fear had me in the palm of his hands

At how I was still scared of him…

The trembling that occurred in my body still didn’t go away, and I found it difficult to hold back my tears as I struggled to breathe.

‘I’m so fucking weak!’ I yelled internally and slammed my fist on the ground again.

I repeated that for a few more times and before I knew it, the tremor in my body had stopped and the tears had dried out, leaving the debris feeling of frustration behind.

I pushed the hair strands that were obscuring my sight away as I stood up. Exhaling, I pumped up my fist. “Okay!” I cheered, trying to ignore the still racing heartbeat of mine. “Let’s go downstairs and eat!”

I balled my fist, feeling my nails digging into my palm.

‘Everything will be fine.’

I nodded my head in agreement with my thoughts and left the room, but the rhythm of my heart still didn’t return to normal.

…

I frowned apprehensively at Mark slicing the steak burger. The juice and aroma of steak was released as he sliced it open. Stabbing it with a fork, he brought the meat to his mouth and ate it, humming, pleased at his own cooking skills.

And I would hum in delight too, if the food didn’t remind me of chopped up bodies! I can taste the acid in the back of my throat every time I looked at the fried meat.

Listening to my body, I decide to just eat the bun and salad.

“You’re not going to eat the meat?” Mark queried, his eyebrow raised.

I shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m vegan.” I said and took another bite of the bun with salad. Frowning slightly at the dryness of it.

Mark snorted, and I glanced at his mirthful eyes. “You? Vegan?” He arched his eyebrows and snorts again. “Even when hell freezes over, you would be still eating meat.” He scoffed.

I gasped, insulted, as I placed my hand dramatically over my chest. “Well, I don’t think that I could eat any meat after having my eyes being exposed to something like that.” I retorted, as I narrowed my eyes into two slits.

He returned the same expression as his fork was hovering above his plate. “You wouldn’t care about those trivial things if you fall in love with me.”

My jaw went slack as I stared at him incredulously. ‘Trivial!?’ Did he really just call all of those dead bodies trivial!?

‘Hmm, but wait.’

“So wait…” I held up my hand as I thought through about what he just said. “So you will still kill people even if I would fall in love with you?” I glared at him questionably.

He shrugged nonchalantly and continued to eat his food. “Why wouldn’t I be killing anymore?” The food occupying his mouth slightly muffled his words, but his uncaring tone was still vibrant. “It’s my job and I enjoy doing it.”

“Even if I begged you not to?” I queried further.

He stopped moving his utensils as he glanced upwards thoughtfully. His cheek was inflated with stuffed meat and his mouth was making this slow circular chewing motions as I just stared at him in anticipation; curious about his answer. “I guess I could stop killing as a job since I’m already stocked with money and stalking you is my number one hobby, so I don’t really need to kill I guess…”

His eyes shifted back to me and I flinched at the navy blue eyes that were twinkling in anticipation. “Have I finally won the game?”

My face contoured into a confused expression. “What are you talking about?”

His lips were pulled into a smirk as he leaned in closer. “Has my kitten finally decided to retract her claws and listen to her owner?”

My eye twitched and my nose crunched up in distaste as I pressed my lips into a fine line. “No.” I said clipped.

His never fading smirk that matched his jester-like eyes only sparked the annoyance in me as I watched him resting his chin on the back of his hands.

He hummed as if he didn’t believe me. “You’re body language sure tells me something different.” He said as eyes roamed my body.

The meatless bun that was still in my hand slowly got crushed by the increasing hold of my hands as I swallowed a glob of saliva nervously.

I cleared my throat. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Mark rolled with his eyes. “You’ve been acting like a meek scaredy-cat ever since you saw the content on my laptop.” He explained as he leaned in closer. “And that question of yours sounds like you’re planning to give up. Am I wrong?” He raised his eyebrows as he showed his pearly white teeth in a wide smile.

I darted my eyes away from those teeth as I bit down on my bottom lip in frustration. It annoys the hell out of me, but he’s right. I have been acting-no; I was scared of him. I mean come on! Any normal person would be scared after seeing that. No matter how nicely he tells me that he won’t ever harm me physically, that same saying doesn’t go for my friends nor my family.

Those scary thoughts mixed with this fearful feeling that I have towards Mark were jumbling my mind, turning my brain in to mush, and effecting my decisions. It clouded my eyes to prevent me from seeing that I was indeed becoming pathetic.

I had already thrown the towel in the ring unconsciously.

Mark knows it and is thriving off it.

“Stop.”

Mark’s commanding voice rang through my head, and I could feel a rough texture on my lips. I jerked my head away from the sudden contact.

I glanced back at Mark, whose thumb was now hanging in the air. Mark’s face turned into a scowl as he brought his lost hand back on to the table. “Stop biting your lips.” He said disgruntled.

He tapped with his index finger on the table, mulling about something as he covered his mouth with his hand. He then glanced up at me. “Is it that bad? Becoming mine?”

Shock was written on my face, and my jaw hung slack. “Is it that bad!?” I grilled incredulously at him as I shot up, slamming both of my hands on the table.

With my hand trusted on my hip as I used my other hand to point begrudgingly at Mark, I continued to raise my voice. “Let me tell you what I think! I-!”

My eyes broadens in surprise when Mark abruptly cuts me off, clasping his hand over my mouth. His head was turned away from me. His line of sight was aimed at the window, which showed the front yard.

Irritation promptly overwrote my shock at him, cutting me off as I was about to give him a piece of my mind. Glowering, I yelled at him, but his giant hand turned my yells into soft muffles that.

“Be quiet for a second.” He hushed as he clasped his hand tighter around my mouth.

I gritted as I glared at him. I could feel my frustration kicking back in and I tried to peel his hand off me, but he didn’t budge at all. He didn’t even comment at all, as his eyes were glued to the window.

“The hell?” He muttered, enraged.

Vertical lines appeared between his brows, deepening his scowl. The corner of his lips were pulled down, matching his forlorn face expression.

I quirked my eyebrow, puzzled by what got him acting like that, but that feeling was intervened by a clanging sound followed by some shuffling at the front door. I rolled my eyes when I realized what that sound was.

Mark released me from his hold when the sound at the front door ceased, but his eyes never waned from the window.

“It’s the mailman Mark, no need to be on alert.” I scoffed.

“Exactly,” He said with a grimace and stomped hastily to the front door. “This house isn’t supposed to get any damn posts since it is a secluded area.” He gritted.

Confusion crossed my face. “What?”

I followed him and looked at how he picked up a black envelope, which was adorned with some gold laces. I tried to inch closer to see what the contents were, but mark held up his hand.

“Don’t come. It may be poisoned.” He said with a serious expression.

My eyes expanded, and I was immediately rooted in place. ‘Say what now?’

Poisoned? Why would it be poisoned!?

Mark slowly and carefully ripped open the ominous letter. “Fuck!” Mark yelled.

“W-What? What? Was it really poisoned?” I asked, alarmed.

“No…” He groaned petulantly. “This asshole dosed the letter with perfume.” He smelled at his fingers that had made contact with the scented letter and winced with full disgust at it.

I exhaled, relieved, before glowering at Mark.

Mark pulled out the letter and starts reading it. I watched at how his expression transitioned from shock, to being pissed, to anger, and to livid.

“That mother-fucking bastard!” He roared as he slammed the front door open, almost breaking the locks in the process. He whipped his head in every direction, trying to spot the mailman that was just here.

I took the chance and snatched the letter from Mark’s hand and ran with it inside. “April!” Mark yelled.

I quickly flipped it open and read it. My heart froze and my stomach turned icy as I kept on reading the letter.

Good evening my old friend,

I hope that you’re doing well, because I am doing terrific. I wanted to say that I have come to visit the city and I thought why not visit my good old pal while I’m at it. I’m in a superb mood to play chess like the good old times, but sadly enough, my Black Queen is missing, so I may have to postpone our little game until I find a new one.

Ciao.

Mark snatched the letter back from me and cursed under his breath when he saw my shaken up expression.

“What the hell?” I muttered. I looked up at Mark, snatched the letter back, and waved it at him. “What the fuck is this, Mark?”

He scratched the back of his head, giving me a wobbly smile as he shrugged up his shoulders. “A letter?” The words came out drawled.

“I can see that,” I gritted lowly. “But I am asking about what’s written in it.”

Mark exasperated. “It’s none of your concern. No need to worry about it.”

Anger coiled in my stomach as I crumbled the letter in my hands. “None of my concern!? It literally mentioned the black queen! It’s basically talking about me!” I raised my voice as I threw the crumbled up paper on the ground.

Mark stared at me with a stoic expression. “I’ll protect you.” He said simply and coolly, but that still didn’t wipe away my anger or worry that I felt towards him and the situation.

Closing my eyes, I rubbed my temple, trying to soothe the soaring headache that was occurring.

‘The one that I needed to be protected from the most is you, you prick.’

“And may I know from what?” I asked, sounding flat and steady, but tight as plucked wire.

“No.” He said in a voice that left no room for discussion.

“Mark-!” I was about to let out a breathy explosion of words, but quickly clamped my jaw shut. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and exhaled; letting my heart that was pumping with rage to calm down.

We aren’t going anywhere with this conversation like this. We are only digressing from it.

I opened my eyes again after recollecting my feelings. I was glaring in to the eyes that were observing my behavior.

“Okay, fine, whatever, be secretive about it,” I huffed as I folded my arms in front of my chest. “However, a letter that was drenched in perfume was sent to a house where no letters should be sent to. There’s no address of the sender nor the address of this place on the letter, which only means that ‘they’ were watching you and knew where you would be.” I explained, which only received a quirked, amused eyebrow from Mark.

“And that letter,” I continued as I pointed at the paper ball. “Was a message to you to show you that ‘they’ know your weakness, which sadly is me.” I sighed, putting my head in my palms.

I peeked through my eyelashes at Mark, who had now an impressed expression. He slowly clapped with his hands as he nodded in approval. “I really have a smart kitten.”

Ignoring his comment, I spoke further. “So even after figuring this much out, you still refuse to tell me who or what is after your ass?”

Mark grins from ear to ear as he wiggled his eyebrows at me. “Hopefully you, but I prefer to take your ass.”

That’s a no then.

I let out an elongated sigh. “Okay…” I exasperated. “Then don’t blame me if I just suddenly waltz out together with that person if they come to take me all happy-go-lucky.” Sardonic, I turned around and was about to get back to the dining table until I felt something grasping my wrist.

I looked back nonchalantly at Mark.

“What did you say?” He asked dangerously low as anger flashed in his eyes.

I blinked obtuse at him. “What do you mean ‘what’? Never heard of stranger danger? If you don’t tell me what to look out for, then I may as well just go along with them.”

“April.” Mark growled warningly as his hold on me tightened.

“Are you going to tell me or not?” I asked as I tilted my head, unfazed by his threatening demeanor.

Mark glowered at me before he sighed in resignation and let’s go of me. “What happened to the girl that was scared of me just few minutes ago?” He asked sullen.

I laughed. “She died the minute she realized that there may be another killer in town.”