Paranormal Revenge

By Mia Rodriguez

A heinous crime. A monstrous human being. He thinks he can get away with it. There's no worse revenge than the supernatural kind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mia Rodriguez
• Release date: May 21, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301186037

Book preview

Couples fought.

Sometimes their words even drew blood and if they weren’t careful, those ugly scratches could become scars. Annie Ryder especially hated arguing with her husband. He was every bit as stubborn as she was and fighting with him really took it out of her.

When you were a kid and dreaming of your knight in shining armor, thought Annie, no one ever told you that he had bad breath in the mornings and that his ideas wouldn’t always be compatible to your own.

She took in thick, crisp air in her lungs. Stretching before her daily jog, her limbs tried to work out the tight knots in her body. Running cleared her foggy head and made the world a better place. Annie was at her favorite spot in Central Park, probably the only quiet spot in Manhattan, and she was basking in the energy of her favorite time of the morning—dawn.

What was so bad about wanting to own your own home? wondered Annie. Why was he fighting her on it? He wanted to stay in their rent-controlled apartment, but she felt it was time to put down stronger roots. For heaven’s sake—they were married and had a child. He had accused her of never listening to him, of never considering his feelings. But what about her sentiments? Was he considering hers? Even his own mother agreed with her about the house.

Yes, maybe she shouldn’t have been looking at homes without him. Maybe they’d have to move out of Manhattan. Maybe they’d actually have to make a huge financial commitment. So what? Didn’t they have a whole lifetime ahead of them and needed to make these kinds of choices?

CLUNK!

The excruciating pain that struck from the back of her head was the last thing she felt before blacking out.

Chapter 2

Groggy—groggy. Ouch! Sharp pain. Throbbing head. Open the eyes—can’t. What happened? . . . Got hit on head . . .Where am I? . . . Darkness . . . Sounds of traffic . . . Open eyes—open them! . . . Force yourself!

Annie’s eyes fluttered open after several attempts, her head in a violent and anguished spin. But her woken state didn’t last long because the chilling last words she thought before plunging into deep unconsciousness again were, I’m tied up . . . I’m in the trunk of a car . . . Someone has abducted me!

Wake up, sleepy head, a voice above her said, a teasing quality to it.

I . . . I . . . Annie mumbled, trying to unglue her eyelids and ignore the pulsating agony coming from her head.

Wake up, my lazy one, the man’s voice said with quiet tones. We’re home.

Slowly, she managed to get her eyes open, moaning profoundly. The world was a blur until her sight started to focus. She wasn’t in a trunk anymore.

Ahhh! Annie screamed. The voice that sounded almost kind belonged to a man in a black ski mask, his sharp blue eyes attentively on her.

Ahhh! Her voice turned to a screech as she desperately struggled to free herself from her constraints, a taut rope around her legs and stiff handcuffs on her wrists.

Help! Please help me! she pleaded for someone to hear her outside the home office they seemed to be in.

He eyed her nonchalantly. Scream all you want. My nearest neighbor is very far away.

She kept yelling and struggling as much as she could as incapacitated as she was. He quietly stared at her with boredom until she eventually stopped. Her desperate sobs muffled down.

Did you get it all out? he asked. Do you feel better? He put his hand on her shoulder, and she violently shrugged it off. What was that for?! his voice pierced the air, angry and hurt.

Let me go! Let me go! she begged desperately.

Everything is going to be okay, he said soothingly.

Let me go! Let me—

Maybe I should put you back in the trunk until you calm down.

She stared at him with horror. Ever since she had been a small child, she had been terrified of small spaces. Claustrophobia. She quieted down and slumped in a heap.

That's better. . . So, what's your name? he asked.

She glared at him, her eyes large and round.

I don't like menacing you, my dear, I really don't, but if you don't play nice, I'll be forced to put you back in the—

Annie, she blurted reluctantly, her voice shaky.

He sat her up, his hands stinging her. That's a pretty name. An old fashioned name. He looked at her as if expecting something.

"Aren't you going to ask me my name? he continued. That would be the polite thing to do."

Annie stared at him with disbelief. He eyed her as if he was about to menace her again, the blueness in his eyes contrasting sharply with his ominous black ski mask.

What's . . . What's your name? she stammered.

"Well, I can't give you my name for obvious reasons but you can call me Friend."

What are you going to do to me?

Don't worry, Annie. If you do what I ask you to, everything will be okay.

As his hands gently stood her up, she winced at his touch. Then he sat her on a sofa next to his desk. His study seemed like an ordinary, run-of-the-mill, home office except for one thing. Annie stared at an ominous scarlet door with a shovel next to it. He followed her gaze and smiled. He strode to the other door leading to the rest of the house, locked it, and put the key in his pocket.

Are you married, Annie? he asked.

Yes.

"Happily married?

Yes.

"People just don't understand what it takes to make a marriage work.

Communication and compromise are the keys, wouldn't you say?

I suppose so.

"Take me and my wife. I stick by her even when my parents don't like her.

We've been together for eleven years. That's a lot of time, don't you think?

I guess.

My wife is a blonde, but I've always preferred red heads. You've got such beautiful hair, all curly and everything. And your eyes—what color are they? I can't tell with all those tears in the way.

Green.

He nodded. They're green all right but with yellow specks in them. I bet you broke a lot of hearts in high school.

Please let me go! Please!

Annie, you don't have to be afraid. We're going to have some fun. Just a little fun.

Please let me—

I’ll tell you what I'm going to do so I show you I'm acting in good faith. I'm going to take the handcuffs off and undo the rope from your legs. Would you like that?

Annie nodded wearily.

What did you say? I couldn't hear you.

Yes.

"Did I hear a please.’

Please take the cuffs and rope off.

I'll be happy to.

As he removed the constraints, Annie fiercely pushed him away. Friend did nothing to fight back. With all the strength that remained inside of her, she rushed to the scarlet door. Friend sat on the sofa with a smile. His calm and amused gaze sat lightly on her.

You can't escape, Annie, he murmured with a chuckle in his voice.

Realizing the door was locked, she ferociously grabbed the shovel. He stood up, grinning as she tried to land the shovel on him with furious blows. He jumped out of the way as if it was a child’s game.

You're a fighter, aren't you? he asked as he overpowered her, seizing the shovel.

Annie . . . Annie, come to me.

She rushed to the window, her breathing hard and labored. Friend stayed close behind her. Throwing her to the ground, he caressed and kissed her neck as she desperately struggled to escape.

Stop! Stop! Let me go!! Annie cried.

We’re just having a little fun.

Stop!

Friend ran his hands over her arms to her hands. Suddenly noticing something, he stopped.

Didn't you say you were married? he asked frantically. Why aren't you wearing a ring?

Let me go! Let me—

He shook her. Answer me! Where's your ring?

At the jewelers getting fixed, she said, terrified.

Darned! he exclaimed furiously.

He suddenly noticed her silver hoop earrings. In a fast swoop, he tore one out of her ear, leaving globules of red trailing out. He placed the earring on her finger as Annie tried to catch her breath.

Now you've got a ring, he stated.

He unzipped himself.

Get off of me, you pig! she exclaimed, struggling violently. Get off of me!

Stop it!

Get off of me!

He angrily smacked her. If you keep screaming, I'm going to have to shut you up permanently. You do want to stay alive, don't you?

She stopped screaming and sobbed.

Annie never realized when it had become the next day. One excruciatingly painful moment was the same as the next. She stared heavily at the scarlet door, a zombie in a human body. Not being able to feel the physical bruises her body was covered with or even the handcuffs he had put back on during the night.

Friend glanced at his Rolex watch. It's about time to leave. He still wore his black ski mask—not having taken it off the whole night and even though it was ominous, Annie was relieved. Surely it was a good sign that he didn’t want her to see his