The Chase

"A pet?" Cerys cocked an eyebrow in confusion. , "I do not seem to understand what you mean" she added.

Cerys's throat felt parched, she wondered if the tea on the table was poisoned. Still, she was dehydrated, so she picked up a cup. Cerys could feel the man's eyes on her, watching her as she drank her tea nervously, the cold detachment on his face giving way to a contemplative expression. He takes a deep breath before he speaks, his voice measured and even.

"A pet…meaning you would be my companion"

Cerys is taken aback by his words, unsure of what he means by 'companion'. "What do you mean? What would my role be?"

Ryu's lips curl into a faint smile. "I want you to be my pet," he says, his voice low and seductive. "To live in this estate with me, to serve me, and to share in all the pleasures that I can offer you…that's before I eventually break you" he smirked.

Cerys dropped her cup a little bit forcefully due to her nervousness. She squeezed her dress so tightly that her fingers were already turning red. He wanted to play with her, he wanted to hurt her. This man right here was a psycho. Maybe that's why he was so secluded. He has fun hurting people and watching them lose their valor. He was sick. A sick, sick person.

Cerys knew she needed to be smart with her answer, a strong desire to just get up and run kept flickering into her mind.

"I don't know," Cerys says, hesitating. "I don't know if I can be what you want me to be. I…have never been someone's pet before"

He leans forward, his dark eyes fixed on Cerys's face. "Trust me, Cerys," he says, his voice soft and persuasive. "I will take care of you, and I will show you things you never thought possible. Together, we will explore the depths of pleasure and ecstasy that few have ever experienced."

Cerys's mind races as she considered his offer. She felt a mixture of fear and dread at the prospect of becoming his pet. A sexual slave. That was what he was implying. Cerys wanted to scoff, she don't have a chance of having a better life.

"I need some time to think about it," Cerys finally says, their voice barely above a whisper. She doesn't want to think about it, she wants to shout at him and tell him fuck you and your ideals. She wanted to be brash. She wanted to speak her mind but she couldn't.

"Of course," He says, his lips widening into a smile. "Take all the time you need, Cerys. But know that once you decide to stay, there will be no turning back."

***

After that Cerys went back to her room and consider what to do next.

Her stomach churned, and she had the urge to vomit whatever was left in her stomach. She gripped her chest, trying to calm down her frantic heart. Tears filled her eyes as she stared around the room. The room felt like a plague, a reminder that this was all for the fun of that man. She leaned against the door, slowly falling to the floor, her back pressing against the door.

She hit her hand on the ground in anger. She felt congested and tight.

She hated being weak, she hated succumbing to a fate that was not her own. All her life she was never given a chance to prove herself, she was never who she wanted to be. She was always compared, always used, then she decided to turn to drink to be someone else. Someone no one would recognize. Does the universe hate her so much that even with a second chance…he wanted her to die…to be an empty shell?

She gripped her white hair between her fingers. She took in deep breaths to slowly calm herself.

Cerys couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that settled in her stomach after her conversation with him. The thought of being someone's pet, living in the shadows of this dark estate, and never being able to leave, filled her with dread.

When she made her way back to her room, she noticed the countless doors and hallways that led in every direction. She had no idea how she would be able to escape, but she knew she had to try. She had to. No matter what. She would.

Her eyes landed on the thick bedsheets on the bed, her eyes turned to the window. She connected the two dots in her head and decided on what to do. She didn't have much time, she knew that. She had to move fast before he suspected anything.

Her eyes landed on the window, and she knew that was her best bet. It was small, but she could fit through it if she could pry it open. She rushed towards the window but it was locked shut. The glass looked so thick to break. She couldn't give up. With much-added force, she pushed open the window. It smashed open with a resounding noise, a nail cutting through her skin.

"Ow!" she said, she looked down at the bleeding hand. She gulped but decided to do what she saw fit, she placed the hand in her mouth and sucked on it, using her tongue to lap against the injury. It always worked when she cut herself with a bottle opener or knife back in her past life. And now it did. She smirked when she saw the bleeding had stopped, it stings a bit but she could manage.

Cerys turned to look out the window, her room wasn't that far from the ground and with the help of the sheets it would be able to bring her down. Cerys worked as quickly as she could, she had locked the door to avoid any uninvited entries. She hoped no one had heard the sound of the window opening. But she was wrong.

Her heart raced as she heard footsteps outside her door. Someone was coming for her.

Just as she managed to bring the sheets out the window. She heard the doorknob shake. Someone or he was trying to force the door open. Cerys knew she had no choice but to jump. She climbed out the window using the sheets as support, trying to make her way down to the ground as quickly and quietly as possible.

It wasn't long enough to bring her down, so she jumped. Her ankle is twisted a bit. She bore the pain, but it wasn't enough to stop her and looked up, she saw the dark shadow standing in the window, his expression dark. Cerys knew she had to run, and she took off into the night, never looking back.

Cerys ran through the dark forest that surrounded the estate. Her heart pounded in her chest as she felt hot within. She doesn't have anywhere to go, she wanted to give up but her determination to get away from him was stronger than giving up. Rather than dying as a slave, she would die as a runaway coward. She wondered which one was better. And who knows she might survive.

A whisper through the wind flickered passed her ears. "Run my little pet. I love the chase" A voice. His voice. Chills ran down her spine. Adrenaline was coursing through her vein. He was close. She could fill it. he was so close.

Ahead, she saw a street illuminated by street lights. she wanted to scream for joy. It was so close, but she had to kick a tree root and Cerys collapsed on the ground, her body shaking with exhaustion and fear.

She struggled to get up but her ankle throbbed with terrible pain. She screamed silently as she turned to look behind, her ankle was turned in an unimaginable position.

She looked at the street in the distance and knew that if she could make it there, she might have a chance of getting help. She might have a chance of survival.

But before she could even try to get up, she heard footsteps approaching. Cerys turned her head and saw him standing in front of her, his head cocked to the right as he looked down at her. She was unsure what was the expression on his face but he doesn't look happy. Not one bit.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Cerys was too stunned to say anything, her mind thinking how exactly he found her that fast. How had he whispered into her ear? She had not had a chance to discover more about this world, she doesn't know what type of powers most of them possessed. Yes, she had read about it but it was different from experiencing it. He simply watched her with a curious expression on his face.

Finally, he spoke. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.

Cerys struggled to sit up, wincing as she tried to move her injured ankle. "I-I was trying to escape," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He raised an eyebrow. "Escape?" he repeated. "From what?"

Cerys hesitated for a moment before answering. "From you," she said, her voice trembling.

"It's good. It's good that you are scared. I loved the chase" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. She gulped, he looked like death himself with the way he towered above her.

He sighed and knelt beside her. "You're injured," he said, his voice softer now. "Let me help you."

Cerys hesitated, unsure if she could trust him. But her ankle was throbbing with pain, and she knew she couldn't make it far on her own. She nodded, and he helped her to her feet, supporting her weight as they made their way back to the estate.

As they walked, Cerys couldn't help but wonder if she had made the right choice. Was he trying to help her, or was this just another part of his dark game?

They had walked only a few miles when he lifted her into his arms. She screamed in surprise, he ran through the forest with Cerys in his arms, his legs moving quickly and smoothly. Cerys was surprised by his speed, he was so fast, she could hardly see the trees as they ran. He must have sensed her look because he turned his head, even in the darkness she could feel his gaze on her.

But their momentary connection was short-lived. As they approached the estate, he shifted his grip on Cerys, holding her tighter as he ran up the stairs and into the mansion.

He didn't say a word as he carried her through the dark hallways, his steps silent and sure. Cerys couldn't see where they were going, but she could feel the cold stone walls on either side of her.

She tensed up a bit when he stopped in front of a heavy wooden door and pushed it open with one hand. The room inside was dark, with only a dim light coming from a small lamp in the corner. It was different from the room she was placed in before, this one was shabby.

Without a word, he gently laid Cerys down on the bed making it creak. He began to tend to her ankle. He worked quickly and efficiently, his movements sure and precise as he wrapped her ankle in a bandage.

The silence was so thick that she felt a bit suffocated. She forced the question through her mouth because she was scared.

"What's your name?" she asked but he didn't answer. He just continued.

But as soon as he was done, he stood up and walked to the door, his hand on the handle.

"Wait," Cerys called out, panic rising in her chest. "Where are you going?"

Ryu turned to look at her, his face unreadable in the dim light. "Rest," he said, his voice cold and distant. "And the name is Ryu Barron"

And with that, he left the room, closing the door behind him. Cerys was left alone in the dark, with only her thoughts and fears for company.