Chapter 3: A Deadly Obsession

“Who are you? Let me go!” I wiggled, screaming at him, the cameras in the hallway; this was the right time the campus security should check the damn cameras. I looked from the side of my eye at his face; it was a guy, with a mask, a skeleton mask.

My heart rate increased, and I felt every bone in my body tense up, my heart kept beating against my chest so hard that it made it difficult for me to breathe. I felt his face and lips go to my ear, his breath across my neck.

“Hello, princess. We meet again.” My entire body froze for a second. That name – my head did a spin back. The only person that called me that, the stalker from Dallas. I pushed at the figure behind me and stepped on the toes so hard that the person released me for a bit, giving me a chance to run.

I turned, and my legs began working faster than they have ever done, running through the hallway filled with locker rooms.

“He... help!” I screamed on top of my voice. I couldn’t see him again. I looked back, he wasn’t standing there, he wasn’t chasing me either.

“Do you know how long I’ve fantasized about how good you’d look when you are running away from me with so much fear in your eyes, princess?” I couldn’t exactly pinpoint where the voice was coming from, but I could hear it everywhere, echoing through the empty hallway like he was some demon from hell.

The happiness and hope I felt immediately I sighted the door to the exit of the hallway, or at least I prayed that was what it was; my heart kept pounding against my chest; I felt sweat beads form on my forehead. Immediately my hand held the handle of the door, he came from the side and held my wrist, pushing it into himself.

I tried to fight him, trying to remove my wrist from his hold with my free hand, he didn’t look like he’s even putting any energy into holding me, and yet his hold was so tight I could swear my blood there stopped flowing.

“Let go of me, you sick psycho.” I brought my knee up and instantly used my free hand to tug out my knife, I lunged it at him, but just like he was already expecting it, he held my wrist and twisted it so the knife dropped. He didn’t let it fall to the ground; he caught it. My eyes widened, he was armed, I wasn’t.

“Help!” My voice was loud but quivered; my eyes searched around the hall hurriedly. There should be a big red button to alert security for danger, right? Just like the one in the dorms. None. He twisted my hand behind my back, adding my second hand as well and holding both in one of his big hands.

Before I could say or think of anything, I felt my back and a side of my face on the wall again, just like earlier, except now, I had no hope of escaping.

“Are you done?” He asked, his voice so deep I’d say it was one of those men that read audiobooks.

“Who are you?” I turned my face to look at him; he still had my hands behind my back, and he still held them in his. His second hand went behind me; the hallway got more dim; I could barely see his face.

“What do you want from me? Let me go!” I screamed into his face, but he ignored me. He was working on something behind me. My eyes widened when I felt the cold metal on my wrists; did he just— “Did you just handcuff me, you fucker?” I stared at him with disbelief. He let go of my arms. I felt the knife he was holding go to my neck. I swallowed the invisible lump that grew there. “Who are you? Please let me go…”

“You look like a goddess from a closer view.” I focused on his face; he wore a skeleton mask that covered from his nose downwards and his forehead. His light blue eyes were visible, but his dark brown hair draped over it.

“My goddess.” He cupped my chin with his free hand and brought my face up to meet his, his eyes searched my face with so much softness I didn’t think any psychopath would have. I removed my face from his hold angrily as I tried to remove my wrists from the handcuff; it was impossible.

“Why are you doing this?” My entire body was trembling; the knife was still on me.

“Because it’s time for me to claim you, my princess.” He invaded my space, pushing his body up against mine. I could feel his thick thighs rub up against mine. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for this?” I was speechless. I tried to speak, but I couldn’t find words to make out. I just stared at the sick fool who held me against my will and killed people.

“You’re a murderer. You murdered three girls, and for what reason?”

“I don’t need to have a reason to kill, princess.” He pulled one of the hair strands that blocked my vision behind my ear. “But I get really pissed when people don’t do what they’re told.”

“You’re insane.” If fire and brimstone could come out from my eyes, he’d be down on the ground, dead. His face was covered, but I could swear he was smiling.

“Maybe.” He chuckled.

I brought my knee up to his groin. I tried to, rather; his hand caught my thigh before it got to his groin. He held it in his hand; his hold was hard, strong, masculine. Fear gripped my body as I tried to retrieve my thigh.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, my love.” He didn’t look happy; he looked pissed. I couldn’t see his face, but the way his eyes looked me down, and he twisted his head.

“Let go of my thighs.” I struggled, but he just held on tighter; the knife was still on my neck with his other hand. I have no idea why the knife being on me didn’t affect me as much as his hands on me.

“Beg.” His voice was condensing; he began drawing circles on my bare thigh with a free finger while still gripping it with his hand.

“What do you want from me? Please, just let me go.” I felt my chest tightening up and water building up in my eyes.

“That’s the problem, princess.” He let go of my thighs and immediately spun me so I was now facing the wall and my back was turned to him; he came closer to me as he bent down to my ear. “I don’t want anything from you- I want you.”

Goosebumps were on my body; they filled me up. Fear and every bad emotion I didn’t think I had. I could hear the hammering of my heart against my chest this time as something hard poked my ass through the bum short, I wore. His crotch; he was hard. My eyes widened.

“If you do this, I’m going to report you to the authorities; your life would be over, do you understand? You’d be going to prison.” I said in a shaky voice.

“You still don’t understand, do you?” His whisper held me at a chokehold; his mouth was still very close to my ears; I felt his tongue on it too; my entire body stiffened. “My life has been over since the first time I saw you, Charlotte. I wanted nothing more than to be that cat you hugged and cuddled so much.”

“Cat? My cat died five years ago. Could it be... have you been—” He knew my name, of course he did.

“Yes, princess. I’ve been watching you since you were 17.”