Shaken: New, Dark World, #2

By Chrissy Peebles

This is book 2. 

Sky is shaken to her core, but keeps up her detective work to try and catch the serial killer running amuck. Can this maniac be stopped before it's too late? Sky also prepares for life on the surface as her birthday approaches. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dark Shadows Publishing
• Release date: Oct 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386936008

Book preview

Chapter 1

When I came to, I felt the pressure of someone sitting on top of me, straddling me, their weight bearing down on me. Oh my gosh! I have to get away! He’s gonna kill me, my mind panicked.

I tried to look around me, but I couldn’t see a thing, because he’d managed to get the blindfold on me after all. I tried to move my arms, but there was no use; he’d tied me up tightly, and I could feel my fingers wrapped around some sort of metal pipe. From that, I surmised that I was being held captive in the boiler room. It had all happened so fast. One minute, I’d been heading back to my place, and the next, I was bound, blindfolded, and tied up in a boiler room, with a killer sitting on me. I knew that any abduction ran the risk of turning into a fatal encounter, so I had to rely on my wits to help me make the right decisions while I was his captive. Being prepared for the worst scenario was the key to my survival, if I had any chance of it at all. I had to stay a step ahead of the game and predict my abductor’s next move.

I thought about my family, my life, Brett, and my friends. It was strange how many thoughts ran through my head because I was faced with possible death. My adrenaline was pumping, my heart was pounding, and I’d never been so terrified in my life. I waited for his hands to wrap around my throat, and my stomach sank when I felt the tip of his knife against my skin again. He raked the weapon across my neck, trying to intimidate me, and it worked; I knew what the psychopath was capable of, and I wanted no part of that. I pictured my dead body in the hallway, Brett or Rachel or my aunt finding me, weeping over my body, and the thought sickened me. 

Are you gonna cooperate? he whispered. I’m so sorry I had to punish you, but you left me no other choice. Promise me you’ll behave.

I was in a killer’s lair, and I couldn’t stop shaking, but I managed to say, Yes. I’ll do anything you say.

My gut clenched and twisted, and I felt a sickening heaviness in my stomach, but I knew there was no time for panic. I had to remain sharp and alert, to do whatever it took to survive. Part of me wanted to scream at him, to tell him what a sick fuck he was, to let him know I thought he was a pathetic, disgusting freak, but I knew letting my anger out would do me no good at that point. I had to connect with him on some deeper level. I couldn’t ask the typical victim questions: Why are you doing this? Are you going to kill me? Besides, I already knew the answers. I simply had to focus on getting out of there alive and gathering as much information as I could so I could identify him for the authorities. 

Put your captor at ease, I thought. Let him think he has the upper hand. I knew it would do absolutely no good to make threats, yell at him, or try to fight. I couldn’t cry, beg, or become hysterical. Instead, I had to try to calmly establish a rapport with him; I knew if I could just bond with him, even a little and even if it was a lie, it would make him more hesitant to kill me. I’m growing strawberries, I said. My five-year-old niece loves them. You really should try some.

I already have, he whispered.

I strained to identify his voice but couldn’t. Did you like them? I asked.

Very much.

The steel blade was still pressed against my throat. My hands were tied, and there really wasn’t anything I could do but talk to him. My mouth opened, but nothing would come out. Common ground. We need common ground, I thought, and it suddenly struck me. That was a great knockout punch back there, I said. I guess we both love the martial arts.

I didn’t mean to hurt you. I only needed to...contain you.

No, don’t be sorry. It was a killer move. I’d love to learn from a master like you, I said, talking fast because I was nervous. Ya know, my arms are killing me. Is there any way you could untie me?

I can’t.

Then at least take the blindfold off.

No, he whispered.

Why? Are you afraid I’ll recognize you? Is that why you’re whispering.

The tip of the knife pierced my skin. Enough questions, he said, clearly tired of our little Q&A.

When I felt his warm tongue trail down my neck, a shriek escaped my mouth. Stop!

Or what? You’ll scream? Go ahead. Nobody can hear you.

His hand trailed down my body, and then I felt his lips softly brush against mine. Kiss me, Sky, he said.

Get off me! I shouted, struggling in my bindings. I’ll fight you, every step of the way, I warned.

Are you trying to turn me on even more, Sky?

Why don’t you stop whispering?

Kiss me, he repeated. Kiss me everywhere. He then turned very violent and slapped me when I refused. The brute grabbed a tangle of my hair and pulled.

I moaned in pain, and he whispered in my ear. Every time I begged him to stop and leave me alone, he slapped me again, and I could only grit my teeth and wince in pain.

I’m saving your life, and this is how you repay me? he roared.

Suddenly, bells went off in my head, and it wasn’t just the ringing in my ears from him slapping me so hard. My stalker had written the same thing in my note. It was in that moment that I realized I was in the grips of my stalker, not the Asha strangler. The bad news was that the creepy stalker wasn’t just some harmless, lovesick teenager, as Mr. Tams had claimed. It had started with innocent flowers, then all those creepy red notecards, and now he was straddling me, holding a knife to my throat, and slapping me around. I had to wonder for a moment—and hope that I was wrong—if the strangler and my stalker were one in the same, as Rachel had suggested. How are you saving my life? I questioned. Who wants to kill Brett, Rachel, and me?

"They want you dead."

Why? What did we do? And who are they?

If I don’t intervene, you won’t survive, Sky.

Untie me, I said. I’ll kiss you, but not while I’m tied up. I’m not into...bondage.  I knew if he was stupid enough to free me, I’d have a fighting chance, and I knew that could incapacitate him. I was also dying to see his face, wondering who the man was who was hiding behind the black mask.

Prove you want me, he said, brushing his lips across mine again.

Feeling I had no other choice, I opened my mouth and let his tongue swirl around mine in a sloppy, wet dance that I didn’t reciprocate. 

I want you, he said, running his hand through my hair, and I can tell your lips are begging to be kissed.

I didn’t bother to mention that the only thing my mouth wanted from him was to bite him.  I-I want you, I lied, in the fakest nice voice I could muster. I was absolutely terrified, so much so that I was afraid my heart would beat right out of my chest. I was sure he was going to try to rape me, and if he didn’t untie me, there wouldn’t be anything I could do to stop it. 

I’ll wait for you, he said. Let’s sneak this time together now, but I promise our wedding day won’t be rushed like this. It will be so...glorious! I can’t wait until you turn eighteen, Sky, so we can officially become husband and wife.

Husband and wife? I thought. This guy’s delusional! Who, in her right mind, would want to marry a man who tied her up to a pipe, blindfolded her, and raped her?

He plunged his tongue deeper in my mouth, and it took everything I had to keep from puking in his mouth.

When he started to unbutton my shirt, I gasped. Not like this, I breathed out. Don’t let our first time be like this, with me tied up and blindfolded.

He moved lower, down my chest, then trailed his tongue over my stomach. He unbuttoned my shorts and began to kiss my naval. I hated that this stranger was ravaging my body, but there was nothing I could do to stop him. 

Please don’t tease me, I begged. I-I wanna kiss your body too. It isn’t fair.

You’re so beautiful, he said, running his fingers over my stomach.

My face twisted at the uninvited touch, but I knew I had to play along because I desperately needed him to untie me. I wrapped my legs around his waist, as if I wanted him. I can make you feel so good, I coaxed.

He moaned. Mmm. I’ve been dreaming of this moment for so long.

A cold chill ran through me as I imagined him fantasizing about me. The thought made me nauseous, but I had to continue with the charade if I wanted to get out of there alive. What’s your name? I asked sweetly, hoping he’d let down his defenses and reveal his identity to me.

He completely ignored me and ran his hands down my sides. My attacker then kissed his way back up my body, to my mouth. He placed several soft but unwanted pecks on my lips, then fumbled with the back of my black bra.

Untie me, I begged. I want to play too.

He stopped for a moment, and everything was still and quiet.  I’m cutting you loose, he said, falling for my ploy.

I knew that was just the break I needed, and I breathed a sigh of relief when he cut my bindings. I was half-tempted to rip the mask off his head, but I was still pinned down by his weight. He shifted just a bit, freeing my arms, so I quickly wiped the sweat from my brow. He was still on top of me, and I needed to relocate my attacker’s center of gravity and use leverage to maneuver him off of me so I could get out from under him. It wasn’t easy, but I wasn’t about to just lie there and take whatever he intended to do to me. He had been a fool to untie me, and I intended to show him just how much of a fool he was. 

Chapter 2

Isurveyed the situation quickly, knowing that every move I made had to be carefully calculated. I made sure my hands were inside of his arms so I could block any strikes he’d make when I attempted my escape. Anger flooded through me, and I cursed at him, and he pulled his arms back to strike me. When he did, I suddenly lifted my