CHAPTER NINE

Flickering my eyes open sunlight, graces its presence from the opened window. I sit up and stretch my limbs.

The place where Leo slept last night was now empty. Where did she go? Freshening up and changing into a pair of jeans and a graphic tee, I walk down the stairs hoping to find her.

But to my surprise, the house seems more silent than it sounded yesterday. The dining table that was surrounded by people yesterday was empty. The staff that occupied every corner disappeared. Where was everyone?

I have to get out of this place now when I've gotten a clear chance. So, without another thought, I move towards a random hall. I tiptoed across the hallway with silent breaths and my heart hammering in my chest.

What if someone catches me?

Arcadio's dangerous expression comes in front of my eyes. Only God knows what he will do when something like this would happen. Shaking the anxiety off, I kept ongoing. I have to say, if I wasn't brought here against my will in this place, I could think about spending my time here on vacation. This home is a giant castle. Every hallway had old paintings on them. The small chandeliers hanging from above gave the hallway a royal yet sophisticated look.

However, the people are more dangerous than the monarchy, and Arcadio was a Devil reincarnated. Yet I can't help but ponder about yesterday night and before. His presence near me not only leaves me breathless but also pulls out certain emotions that I would rather keep at bay.

Finally, I reach a giant steel gate in the middle of another hallway. Was this the way to outside? Saying a small prayer to myself, I try to pull it open, but it is so much heavier than me.

Taking deep breaths and gathering my strength, I manage to open the door. Suddenly a grunt comes from across the hall that makes me shiver with fear. Because it was not a grunt from a pet but a groan from a real man. The way behind the steel doors was a little dim. Yet the howls of the man echoed in the hallway.

"Who's there?" I freeze on the spot hearing the gruff voice from behind me. I try to move, but my legs are stiff. My chest heaved with panic. What the hell should I do?

Slowly I felt my legs work. However, it was too late. Set of rough hands wrap around my hand. I squirm in the hold, yet the man doesn't budge. I gazed at the man. He was muscular because the black suit which he was wearing was tighter on him.

His face etched with a frown. He narrows his eyes at me, "who are you?"

"I...I...." words weren't forming in my mouth.

"Tell me, puta! How did you escape?!" I cringed at the words. He tightened his hold on my arm and pulled me close to him. His breathing down my neck. "I'll show what happens when someone tries to run away!"

Again I try prying away from his hold, yet he only grasps tightly in return.

Suddenly I'm getting dragged by the hulk. My body is a sack of grains for him. Kicking my legs and the free arm, I call out for help, and he shuts my mouth with a cloth. I smell the chloroform, and the next thing I know, I was drowsy. The little fight left in me goes blackout.

I wake up panting for air. The vision in front of me is blurry. I gasp when a hand touches my shoulder. I scramble far from the touch.

"Calm down, your okay now." A soft voice calls out. Looking at the side, I find a woman gazing at me intently. Her hair black and her eyes green. She is wearing a transparent white silk gown.

I look around the room, and it is massive. There is not much in this room. Only the walls were red, and a black faux leather couch was in front of the bed. I'm sitting on the bed with black silk sheets pooled around my waist. It takes me a second to realize that I'm in someone's bedroom! I get up immediately from the bed, and my hands roam around my body to see if I'm missing something. Thankfully, I'm wearing the same thing I wore this morning if it's still morning. I take a sigh of relief.

I question her, "where am I?"

The woman's gaze softens and replies, "you are at the Fallen Angels."

"Fallen angels? What is that?"

The question makes her scowl. "You have never been to a brothel before, right?" Did I hear her say the word brothel?! What the fuck?

"Brothel! Are you kidding me? Why am I here? Who the fuck brought me here? Who does he think he....." The woman shut my mouth immediately.

"Shut up, or they will hear you!" She whispers in my ear.

Flashes of what occurred in the hallway appeared in my mind. The hulk brought me here. My skin burned at the remembrance of his nasty touch. Tears instantly fall from my eyes. The exhaustion of the last three days catches up to me. The woman removes her hands from my mouth and moves back. The strength in my legs gives out, and I fall on my knees with my head bowed to the ground.

I miss you so much, Mom and Dad! Their faces brighten in my mind. The thought of never getting to see them again pains me further. Why did I have to save that cruel man? Maybe if I had minded my own business and left Arcadio dying there, this wouldn't be happening to me right now.

The door breaks open. I don't even have the energy to look up and see whose there. All I could see are two pairs of black polished shoes. "Get the new girl," the familiar gruff voice echoes. But I'm too exhausted to move even.

Suddenly two rough hands are wrapped around my arm and pick me up. I came face to face to the man who brought me here. Fear shivers down my spine.

The other man grips my arm tightly. I'm sure there will be scares later there. Right now, I didn't care about any other things. I was more scared as hell of the thing that goes down in a brothel and that I was in one.

As we are passing by the hallway, red color is all I see. The passing women by us wore lingerie, yet some nothing. Some were dragging men to their rooms, as well as men dragging women somewhere.

Some of them don't need a room even as they are having sex out in the open. Man's hands were roaming all over the woman's body without their conscious and their consent, I know. I get stares and snares from both men and women. The urge to puke my guts out rises in my throat.

Suddenly we are stopped by a man. "Who have you gotten here?" The man asks while smirking. He tries to slide his finger down my cheek, but I move my cheek away.

With an angered growl, he grips my jaw tightly. I move my face from his hold, yet he only tightens it. "What a little fighter you are?"

He looks at the men and questions, "who is she?"

"I found her snooping in the dungeon," the man who found me replies.

"Oh, a bad girl, I see." He comments. Then straightening himself, he asks, "good for you, I know how to tame one."

His face turns cold, staring at the two bulky men, he orders, "take her to my room."

Scared, I move my legs rapidly and shake their hands off of me. However, nothing happened. Instead, they dragged me to the nearest room at a faster rate.