Chapter 2: Mystery help

Maria's POV

The air is hot. It feels like she's in a steam bath. The smell of her sweat is so concentrated. But there's another lingering scent. 

One she's familiar with. 

A secluded room in her father's house she stumbled on some times back has the same horrific smell. A day that revealed her father's true identity.

She manages to open her eyes. Just then, she realizes her plight.

With a throbbing head, she attempts to free herself from the chains clasped around her wrist, fixed above her head.

"Let me go!" She screams, terror engulfing her.

A man stands up from a chair in front of a fireplace, approaching her, wearing a smirk.

“I made that mistake once, princess,” he replies with a poisonous voice.

He takes off his hat, puffing smoke from his pipe to her face.

“Perfect timing. You've been asleep for way too long. The priest is just by the door,” he adds, raising her face close to his.

For the first time, she sees his form clearly. The chiseled jawline, a dangerous stare and a smile that spells mischief.

“I'll forgive you for trying to run away from me. Repeat the same act and it would be the end of you. Come on in,” he turns toward the dusty door on the extreme end.

The whole place makes her stomach churn with fear.

It resembles a warehouse abandoned for decades. A complete wreck.

Elvis immediately crosses her mind as a priest walks in, guided in by two able-bodied men–fully armed.

"Where's Elvis! What did you do to him, you bloody murderer!" she screams out.

"Easy on the emotions, princess. It's our wedding night. You should be happy. Shall we proceed, priest."

It has to be a joke. Two weddings in one day? Maria panics.

He stands beside her completely ignoring her words.

“This is crazy! Shut the hell up you…” she orders the priest as he tries to begin the vows.

"You listen to me girl. I make the orders here and you do exactly as I say." He smacks her on the cheek, leaving Maria with no choice but to stay quiet.

"I've no patience for such a display. Proceed," he turns to the priest with a convincing smile.

She struggles with the chains, her eyes soaked in tears as the priest continues chanting what seems like some ritual.

“I, Luca Adolfo accept you, Maria Giovanni, as mine,” the bloody voice chants. 

Lost and terrified, Maria watches in horror as Luca turns to her, "It's your turn. Take your vows, princess."

“Repeat after me,” the priest says as his words tremble.

“Never! Such a coward you're, Luca. You had to wait for my father's death to claim me as your wife. You wouldn't dare lift a finger if he were alive,” Maria breaths angrily, her tears mixed with her beading sweat.

"On the contrary, my dear princess. I killed him," his reply splattered with pride, adjusting the collar of his blood-stained shirt.

His words make her gasp. Not out of pity for her late father, but out of fear of what the beast might do to her too.

"…and I won't hesitate to kill you if you disrupt this ritual."

“I'd rather die than be your wife, Luca,” she replies. 

As much as she fears death, she feared Luca even more. She knows the kind of man he is. 

A hungry beast who would stop at nothing to claim her father's empire. 

"I saw this coming. You leave me with no choice."

He walks away from her, approaching a table filled with weapons and a bag of every dagger size.

"Bring him in."

Immediately, the door swings open and a man is flung to the floor.

"Elvis!"

"That's right. This goes right into him. A painful death. Nothing less, I promise," Luca threatens.

“Don't hurt him. Please let him go,” she pleads.

"That entirely depends on you, Princess. It would be a delight to have him as an audience, if you cooperate."

Tears flow down her eyes as the life of her lover dangles at the mercy of her decision.

"I'll do it. I'll take the vows." 

Her eyes is filled with hate for Luca, weighing her options, there isn't much to choose from.

"Please, Mariah. He doesn't deserve you," Elvis pleads.

Luca makes a wild chuckle walking up to her and tapping her cheeks while Maria recites her vows,

“I accept you, L..uca…” her voice breaks as she speaks. A vow that binds her to the beast, giving him right to everything she owns, including her body. 

Elvis looks badly injured. It is all her fault.

“I pronounce you as one,” the priest concludes.

A gruesome cry follows as a dagger is buried at the center of the priest's chest, making him fall lifeless.

"I've no need of you too," Luca turns to Elvis, aiming the pistol at him.

"No! We had a deal!" Maria screams as Luca pulls the trigger on Elvis.

"Deals are made to be broken, darling wife. You must have learnt that from your father."

One after the other, the bullet flies across the room, drilling into her only hope at a happy life. Elvis.

He wails in pain for a while then becomes still. She can't help him. Instead, she stays behind the damned chains, helpless. Lonely. Terrified–watching her lover bleed. 

And now with her new husband, no doubt, more miserable.

She's too devastated to cry as they drag Elvis' body out of the room. His blood splattered on every side.

Another man drags out the priest. Now, she's left alone with the beast. With all that has happened tonight, she knows it's just the beginning of her nightmares.

“The night is young…Everyone has left. I guess it's time to fulfil my rites.” 

He picks up a small knife from the table, licking the blades seductively.

Maria's heart is about to pull out of her chest as he approaches her.

She tries to back away, but he grabs her.

She feels the cold tip of the knife on her neck, trickling down to her wedding dress.

There's an instant ripping sound.

Maria shudders as Luca rips her wedding dress off her body.

"You know…your father and I used to be good friends. Until he betrayed me. I never forgive betrayals."

Maria's eyes are horridly following the blades pointing against her soft delicate skin.

“Let's see what we have down here…” he says in a whisper, 

She can feel the blade at the parting of her laps.

“Please,” she says with a nervous gulp, as he slices off the g-string off her waist.

He makes an irritating sigh, drawing close to her exposed laps.

“What a beauty to behold.“

Maria keeps her eyes shut. Nothing could save her. 

If only her legs weren't tied down, she would have given him a painful kick under his balls.

She feels his moist tongue on her laps, traveling up to the parting of her legs.

“Master! Big Tom is here. The goods are ready,” one of Luca's men announces at the entrance.

Maria sighs heavily as he resumes his full height. 

"I smell lots of money. I'll be right back for you, darling." He kisses her cheeks and continues smoking his pipe.

As he approaches the door, he concludes,

"Get her some food."

A temporary relief falls on her as she watches Luca leave and a woman takes charge. 

She's released from her chains. Weakly, she slumps to the floor, in front of a small tray of food.

Luca is gone for a while. Her chains are finally off.

She stares at the lady watching her. 

An escape is pointless, especially with her weak body.

“I need to use the restroom,” Maria asks, barely able to speak clearly.

“Whatever you've to do, you do it right there,” the lady spits angrily, kicking the tray of food closer to her, constantly keeping watch on the entrance.

Maria is famished but she knows better than to accept food from the likes of them.

The man guarding the entrance, steps out to receive a phone call.

Immediately, the woman rushes toward Maria,

“You need enough strength for the task ahead,” the woman suddenly whispers, grabbing her neck.

There's fear in her eyes as she keeps watch of the entrance.

"Who are you?" Maria asks, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Doesn't matter. We don't have much time. Luca will be here anytime from now."

Maria rushes the food, her eyes fixed on the short blond woman risking her life for her. Maria watches as she puts out the fire in the fireplace.

“It's the fastest way out of here,” she says.

Maria rushes into a shirt, as she follows behind, trusting the lead of a stranger, enduring the burning woods under her skin. As long as it takes her away from Luca.

The fireplace led out of the room, linking to a tunnel that led out of the warehouse.

There's a car parked ahead of them.

"Why did you choose to save me?" Maria asks in disbelief as she throws a car key at her.

"Because I need your help for a bigger mission and that can't happen if I watch you die. Call me Betty. Your new ID is in the car. Start a new life and stay hidden. We'll keep in touch."

Before Maria can say another word, Betty is out of sight.

She hurries into the car, picking up her new ID that says,

"Sarah Mayhill."