Taken_A Dark Romance Collection

by JB Duvane

  I pulled the heavy door open just enough for me to squeeze through and moved the flashlight up and down the tunnel. I stood there for about a minute but didn't see or hear anything so I headed to the right, thinking that it looked like there was more stuff laying around in that direction. I didn't know what I was looking for and I knew most people would think I was nuts for even wanting to be down there, but I found it all really exciting.

  There were stacks of crates and old paint cans piled against the wall about ten feet away from the basement door, and just beyond the boxes was, what looked like, a pile of blankets or sleeping bags. That made me a little nervous to think that someone was sleeping just outside my basement door. Someone who might not be very far off right now. I decided to go a little further until I got to another door, which I assumed was the door to the basement of the house that bordered the other side of the house I lived in. It was hard to tell in the dark but it felt like it might have been about fifty feet away from the basement door I had just come out of. I turned to get a better idea but my basement door wasn't open anymore.

  I started to feel a little panicked as I headed back in the direction I had come but I froze when I heard those same footsteps again. I didn't know where they were coming from but they sounded like the same ones Barb and I heard the other night. I was right next to the stacks of wooden boxes so I shut off my flashlight and ducked between two of them so I was concealed from both directions and I waited to see where the sound was coming from. Like Barbara said, noises bounced off the walls down here like crazy, so the footsteps could have been coming from far away, or they could be really close.

  I saw a light way off in the distance coming from the direction of my basement door. It looked like it was pretty far down the tunnel and I hoped the person behind it would stop somewhere before they got to where I was hiding. I held my breath and turned the nozzle on the pepper spray as they got closer, but the light stopped about fifty or sixty feet away from me and it sounded like a door was being unlocked. I heard a slight squeal as a door was pushed open, then for a split second the light that had been illuminating the keyhole on the door flipped backward and lit up the person that was holding the flashlight.

  I couldn't make out who it was, but it looked like they had something very large over their shoulder. The door closed and was locked from the inside and I was in the pitch black again. I switched my flashlight back on and was inside my basement within seconds. Then I shut the door and locked it and leaned back against it while I thought about what I had just seen.

  That was the next door neighbor's door. The hot next door neighbor. And he was carrying something over his shoulder. Something that looked an awful lot like a body in a bag.

  That is absolutely ridiculous, Avery. There are a million other things he could have been carrying.

  But as I stood there, I was having a hard time convincing myself that it was more convenient for him to carry a throw rug back to his house through some creepy, dark tunnel instead of above ground and with a car.

  Barbara's not going to like this one bit, I thought as I headed back up the stairs and shut the basement light off. Maybe I shouldn't tell her.

  Chapter 7 - Colin

  I sat up in bed completely stunned by the fact that the doorbell was ringing.

  Who the hell is at the door? No one ever comes to my door, I thought as I got up and pulled on some jeans. I had been in the middle of a nap after a long night of watching Avery read in her window, and then a morning of slogging a body through the tunnels.

  As I was about halfway down the stairs to the main floor the doorbell rang again.

  Alright, already! What the hell?

  I opened the back door to the mudroom and looked through the window in the back door, but no one was on the porch. The ringing sound filled the house again and it was then that I realized that it was the front doorbell that was ringing.

  There's someone at the front door? The entrance to the store?

  In a total state of confusion, I made my way through the doorway into the grocery store that took up the entire front of the house on the main floor. I hadn't been in that part of the house in months, years actually. To my amazement, everything looked clean, like it had all been dusted and mopped and scrubbed and shined recently, not like it had been sitting there untouched for the last ten years.

  The stretched-out shadow of a girl with long hair moved across the shade that was pulled down on the front door and as I unlocked the deadbolt and turned the handle to open the door I could see that she had already turned to leave. The girl was already halfway down the stairs when she heard the door open, then when she turned around and looked up at me I realized that it was Avery. I was so stunned I couldn't even get a word out. I just stared down at her and watched the sweetest warmest smile I had ever seen slowly spread across her face.

  "Hey there," she said as she came back up the stairs.

  "I just thought I'd come over and say hello again. I felt like the other night was a little weird, well, that I was a little weird, and I thought since we're neighbors I should make more of an effort. That maybe we should get to know each other better."

  I pushed open the old wooden screen door and smiled as Avery walked in past me.

  "I hope I'm not being too forward," she said as she looked around the store, then back up at me.

  "No, not at all," is what I wanted to say, but nothing came out. I felt paralyzed and I didn't seem to be able to get any part of my body to do what I wanted it to.

  Just say hi, you idiot, but still no words came out of my mouth.

  "Are you ok? I mean, is it ok that I'm here? I hope I'm not bothering you."

  "No, of course not."

  Finally, I said something.

  "So, I've seen you in that upstairs window of yours. You seem to spend a lot of time up there."

  I watched her face to see if I could tell what she was thinking, but I had no idea what to do or say. I had never been confronted like this before. In fact, I had never had a conversation with a girl that I had been watching through my window before.

  Mostly because nothing like this had ever happened to me. I had never seen a girl whose face had every single piece in the most absolutely perfect place. I had never seen anyone as perfect as Avery in my life.

  It never worked this way, in fact, I barely talked to any women at all except for my clients at the salon and that was all bullshit. A total act. And those ten-dollar-Marcy-sent-me girls had a rag over their mouths so fast that they didn't even know what had hit them. Then when they woke up here there would be some screaming and begging, but that was about it.

  Or if I was horny I would just go out and pick up someone at a bar and fuck them back at their place, then leave right afterward and come home. But there was never anything special about those girls. There was no real conversation.

  "You're awfully quiet. Is there anything you want to tell me?" she asked as she moved closer to me.

  "I have to admit, the first time I saw you in the window there it freaked me out a little, but after I ran into you on the street, I don't know, I guess I kind of started to like it."

  She took another step towards me and I could feel the heat of her body spread across my stomach and up my chest and I swallowed hard.

  "In fact, I haven't put any curtains up yet because I wanted to make sure that you would be able to watch me, if you still wanted to."

  What? Why is she telling me this?

  I could feel sweat start to travel down my back in streams and when I wiped my arm across my forehead it was completely wet. I couldn't believe this was happening and I wasn't really sure what she wanted me to do. I was afraid that after everything I had done a kiss would be too creepy.

  I felt a drop of sweat trail down my face, but before I could do or say anything she reached up and ran her hands up my chest through the thin cotton t-shirt I had on. She pushed both hands up the center of my chest and then skimmed lightly over the nipple of my left peck and my cock
immediately became rock hard in my pants.

  I was having a hard time catching my breath, and whenever she looked up into my eyes I felt like I was being pulled into a whirlpool that made my head spin. She stepped even closer to me, so that her breasts were gently pressed against my rib cage and I could feel her hot breath on my neck as she wrapped her hands around my neck.

  "I want you to kiss me, Colin. Will you do that?" she said as she slid one of her hands up into my hair and continued to run the fingers of her other hand over one of my nipples.

  Did I tell Avery my name? I don't remember doing that, I thought as I reached up and touched her cheek, my hand shaking slightly.

  I marveled at how light and smooth her skin was, almost translucent compared to the skin on my hand. I pushed her hair back and wrapped my hand around her head, then put my other hand on her jaw and slowly lowered my face to her's until our lips were gently touching.

  I gently pulled her head to mine and slid my tongue in her mouth, slowly at first, but eventually with deep thrusts and as I did, I heard a low moan coming from her throat that sent tingles throughout my entire body. Her hands ran back down my chest and around my waist and then I felt her pulling me into her. She pressed herself against me and slid one of her legs up so that it curled around my thigh, allowing the space between her legs to come into contact with the bulge in my pants.

  While we were still in the middle of our passionate kiss I grabbed her ass and pulled her up and both of her legs immediately wrapped around my waist. Her head was slightly above mine now and her long beautiful hair came showering down around me as I continued to suck and bite her lips.

  She pulled away from me and smiled as she looked deeply into my eyes.

  "Take me up to your bedroom, Colin."

  I couldn't believe this was happening. That Avery was really here and that she really wanted me. I completely believed now that we were meant for each other and that she had come to take my loneliness away.

  She felt as light as air and I carried her up the stairs like I was carrying nothing. I'd never felt this feeling before in my life, almost like I could take off and fly at any moment.

  And it wasn't just the physical sensation of lightness, it was the feeling that someone really wanted me. That someone that I wanted to be with really wanted me too. I mean, the girls from the bars and clubs didn't mean anything at all. They didn't make me feel like this. You could convince one of those girls to do just about anything and it didn't mean jack shit.

  We got up to my room and I was surprised to see the curtains blowing gently from a breeze that was flowing through the window and the French doors that were both open wide. Sunlight was bathing the room from both angles and I suddenly felt like I had a new life, that I had somehow turned a corner and my life wasn't dark and depressing anymore.

  I gently laid Avery down on the bed and continued to kiss her perfect lips and cheeks and nose and eyes. I quickly kicked off my shoes and took off my clothes in between kisses but I wanted to take my time getting Avery's clothes off. I started with her shirt, and my brain exploded as I listened to the noises she made as I kissed her neck and buried my head in that beautiful space where her shoulder gently curved up into her neck. I kissed my way down her chest and slowly unbuttoned her shirt as I went along.

  I reached her stomach and nuzzled my face into the soft mound of flesh there, then unzipped her jeans and pulled them down, leaving her underwear behind. The fabric was sheer and I could see bits of pubic hair curling around the edges of the small triangle in front and it made me smile. She had already kicked off her shoes so I pulled her jeans all the way off then pushed her legs apart as I moved my face back up to her thighs. I kissed the incredibly soft skin in between her legs and her musky, smoky scent completely overwhelmed my senses.

  I ran my hands back up her stomach and over her breasts and as I did she reached behind her back and unhooked her bra. I picked her up off the bed to move her further back and as I did she pulled her bra and shirt off all in one incredibly sexy movement. She smiled up at me and we both laughed for a moment for no reason. Just because we were both so happy.

  I grabbed her bare breasts and took turns sucking and biting each of the nipples and the deep, sexy moans kicked in again. I kept my eyes locked with hers as I made my way back down her stomach with licks and kisses that caused her body to twist and squirm and rise up to meet my lips.

  My God, how can such beautiful eyes even exist, I thought as I stopped kissing her right at the one remaining piece of clothing on her body.

  I continued to watch her face as I pulled her panties off, then slowly kissed my way back up to her perfect pussy. I spread her legs wide and hovered over her, my mouth just barely touching her pussy lips, and I felt her need pulsating out of her. Her breath was heavy and erratic as she pushed herself up towards my face and in one quick movement I buried my mouth in the wetness that was there just for me.

  She let out a cry and grabbed my head as she spread her legs wider and offered herself to me completely, pressing herself into my face and calling out my name. I couldn't have been licking and sucking her for more than a minute and suddenly her legs clamped down around my head and she called out my name one final time.

  As I listened to her breathing slow I couldn't hold back a second longer. I got on top of her and my cock found its way to the slippery wetness that was now dripping onto the sheets, and I plunged myself inside her. Her eyes flew open and her legs wrapped around me and she looked like she was about to cry. I could barely hold back as I felt her warm, wet tightness wrap around me and suck me in and I came with my face buried in her neck.

  After the final shudder of my orgasm I pulled my head back to tell her that I was in love with her and that I wanted us to be together forever and ever, but when I looked at her face I screamed in horror at what was in front of me.

  Avery's eyes were gone and all that was left were two gaping holes and rivers of blood that were streaming down the sides of her head and into her matted hair. Her lips were gone too and I was left staring and screaming at a hole filled with blood and teeth that looked like it was screaming right back at me.

  No! I didn't do it! Not to her! Not to Avery! I can't have done it to her!

  It was with complete terror that I realized what I had done. That Avery had just become like one of the other girls I brought home from the salon. I didn't understand how I could have done it, how I could have done something so horrible to someone I cared about, someone I loved. And I didn't even realize that I had done it until it was too late.

  It is too late, Colin. Once again, you've ruined everything ....

  I couldn't do anything but scream as every fiber of my being filled with regret and the familiar overwhelming feeling of doom that there was nothing I could ever do to make it right again.

  My eyes flew open and I found myself sitting up in bed covered in sweat. My room was no longer brightly lit with a soft breeze flowing in through the open windows, I was back in my same old dark, depressing, suffocating room. I jumped up and turn on the light then pulled all of the covers off the bed, but there was nothing there. No blood, no body, nothing. I ran down the stairs and through the dark and dusty store and checked the front door, which was still locked and still had the board nailed across it that I had put up years ago.

  I ran my hands through my hair and tried to calm down, but I still had that damned feeling that I had done something unforgivable, something that I would regret for the rest of my life.

  I was relieved that it seemed to have been a dream but then it hit me that I might have put her body downstairs. I raced to the basement and turned on the lights and almost completely lost it when I saw a dark haired girl in the cage, but then I remember that I had brought her home from the salon earlier that day. I walked over to the chain link fence and stared at the girl's face and my body shook with relief that it wasn't Avery laying on that bed. I hadn't done anything to her.

  I took the stairs two at a time until I
got back up to my bedroom. I wanted to see her and make sure that she was ok and when I pulled the curtains back and I saw that there was a light on in her room a rush of relief flooded throughout my body. I wanted to call out to her and make sure that everything was ok, that she was safe, but I couldn't do that. I was still too afraid of what she would think of me, that she would know I was watching her.

  But my emotions took an abrupt turn and I felt a massive surge of anger pound through my system and wipe out the last twinge of anything pleasant as I watched Avery move in front of the window with another guy.

  "Who the fuck is that?" I said out loud to no one as I gripped the windowsill tightly with both of my hands and watched him move closer to her.

  Chapter 8 - Avery

  "So, you're finally going out with Trevor tonight, Huh?"

  "Yeah, he's going to text me before he comes over later," I said as I grabbed Joey's mouth and turned his head from side to side as he tried in vain to bite my hand but mostly just covering it in slobber.

  "Hopefully it's a good text this time," she said with a scowl.

  "Yeah, that would be nice," I said half-heartedly, still playing with Joey.

  "Maybe it's just me, but you don't sound very excited."

  "No, I am. I mean, he's really cute and all, and he's the first guy who's actually wanted to hang out with me since I moved here. So, there's that." Joey was now trying to sneak his way under my arm and onto my lap but Barbara stopped him.