Chapter 21 Please Don’t Kill Me
Whoever grabbed me dragged me around the side of the building, into the dark narrow space between the arena and the service wall. The air felt colder, heavier. I stumbled, almost falling, but he held me upright like I weighed nothing.
My back slammed against the wall.
A pale, icy hand was clamped over my mouth.
Every muscle in my body froze. Fear spread through me so quickly it felt like poison.
His presence was overwhelming. He was tall, brooding, and silent in a way that made the hairs on my neck stand up. I could barely breathe. All I could think was, Oh my God. This is it. I'm going to be raped and murdered behind a stadium. My obituary is going to be pathetic. They'll call me "Local woman" and use my worst photo.
My heart hammered against my ribs as I forced myself to look up at him. His eyes were cold, sharp, and disturbingly calm. The kind of calm that belonged to someone who didn't mind getting blood on his shoes.
And then recognition hit me like a punch to the stomach.
I knew him.
I had seen him earlier tonight.
He wasn't a stranger.
He was the man I had sold the concert tickets to.
Viktor.
The moment Viktor's icy hand dropped from my mouth, I sucked in air like I'd been drowning. My body was still pinned to the wall, my legs shaking so violently I was afraid they would give out beneath me.
He stared down at me with those odd-looking eyes, eyes that felt older than the pavement beneath my feet.
"Hello again, child," he said, his voice low and echoing. "So... you fancied yourself clever? Believing you could pull a fast one on me?" His tone dripped with insult. "How dare you betray me so?"
My brain did a full blue screen of death.
Betray him? I'd literally met him once.
He let his hands fall to my side like I was nothing more than a piece of furniture he'd momentarily leaned on.
"What say you before I drain you of your blood?" he demanded. "What pitiful explanation have you to offer for your treachery?"
"Mr. Viktor, I genuinely don't know what you're talking about," I stammered. "Please don't kill me."
He hissed like a giant, mythical serpent straight out of a medieval nightmare. The sound cut through my bones, and I felt my soul trying to crawl backward out of my body.
His grip tightened on my shoulders. Hard.
So hard I swore I could feel my bones threatening to snap like pretzel sticks under the weight of his fingers.
And then, thank the Heavens, the cavalry arrived.
"There they are!" someone shouted.
Omar. Of all people.
I had never been so relieved to hear the voice of a man who once broke my heart and bored me half to death with stories about golf.
Viktor dipped his head to my ear, his cold breath brushing my skin. "This is not over," he whispered.
Tears sprang to my eyes instantly. Before I could blink, a rush of cold wind scraped across my body, it was so sharp it pricked at my skin, and then he was gone. Vanished, like he had dissolved into the night.
I sagged forward, gripping the wall for support as my breath trembled out of me.
"Girl, are you okay?" Ally cried.
I opened my eyes and saw her and Lala barreling toward me with identical horrified expressions. They both threw their arms around me, squeezing me in a group hug that felt like life support.
"I didn't see who grabbed you," Lala said breathlessly. "Connor, the security guy said he caught a glimpse of someone taking you around the corner."
I looked up at Connor, the bald, broad-shouldered security guard. His nostrils flared as he scanned the alley like he was expecting Viktor to reappear.
"Did that man hurt you, miss?" he asked, his voice firm but gentle.
"No," I whispered. "He just... scared me."
"Did you see his face?" Omar chimed in. "Anything we can use to find the bastard?"
"I know him," I said softly.
Connor's brows shot up. "You know him?"
"Yes... I sold him some concert tickets yesterday."
Ally's mouth dropped open. "Wait—that was Viktor?"
Connor's expression changed instantly. His eyes widened, and he whispered the name like it was taboo. "Viktor..."
"Yes." My voice wobbled. "He said I pulled a fast one on him. I don't know what he meant. But he—he threatened to drain me of my blood."
Ally went completely pale, all the color draining from her cheeks. She opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
"He threatened you?" Lala gasped. "Shelby, why would he do something like that?"
I threw my hands up helplessly. "I don't know! I seriously don't know what he's talking about!"
"Come," Connor said firmly. "Let's get you all back to the crowded area. It's safer there."
We agreed instantly.
The walk felt longer than five minutes. Every sound made me jump. Every shadow felt like claws creeping toward me. My brain kept replaying the way Viktor moved, how impossibly fast he was. How I barely had time to breathe before he had dragged me away like a ragdoll.
I kept trying to rationalize it, maybe fear made everything feel faster. Maybe adrenaline warped time. Maybe—
Or maybe he really wasn't human. I laughed inside. Maybe I was just going insane.
"We should just go home," Lala suggested, her voice shaking.
"No." I straightened my spine even though my knees still trembled. "I'm not letting some creepy psycho ruin our night."
Connor nodded approvingly. "I'll file a report to the authorities immediately. For now, you all should enjoy yourselves." Then he scanned our VVIP tickets again. Omar pulled his ticket out of his wallet. "Go on inside. You'll be safe in there."
We thanked him, still shaken, and he guided us through the ropes into the VVIP entrance.
I tried to breathe.
I tried to shake it off.
But I couldn't stop the thought that chilled me to my core. Viktor said this wasn't over.
And I believed him.