Cat and Mouse

The mansion was eerily silent that night. None of its occupants uttered a single word as they watched a thrashing and shrieking Liam being carried like a sack on Damien's back. They each were deeply immersed in their own thoughts seeking out plausible excuse on why and how they let Damien's latest prey escape. The women huddling together anxiously gossiping, the guards whisper yelling at each other playing blame game.

Liam was shattered. His previous physical abuse compiled with the mental trauma taking a massive toll on his psyche. He vehemently fought with Damien, hitting him with his fist, scratching his face and biting the arms holding him in tight grip in an futile attempt to escape.

Damien harshly threw Liam on the bed. His clothes disheveled, hair messed up, face sporting angry red marks from Liam's claw, he looked further from perfect as he silently watched Liam's tear streaked face. He didn't attempt to get closer to Liam. Damien straightened his clothes, he ran his fingers through his messy hair at same time maintaining eye contact with the distressed boy.

Liam looked at the Devil in front of him. As the rush of adrenaline slowly started to come down Liam realised the gravity of the situation he was in. No matter what he wouldn't be able to flee from the impending torment which he was so keen to escape. A broken sob left his lips as he hiccuped pathetically. Damien was still silent watching him like a hawk.

Without further word Damien left the room leaving a confused Liam waiting for his fate. Damien was seething in his anger. He didn't want to face Liam now as any interaction with the boy would destroy Liam completely. Make no mistake Liam would be punished, oh yes! And what a punishment he would receive for sure! Damien would make it certain that the boy would never dream of leaving again after he was done with him.

As he twirled the Glock in his hand Damien looked at his guards as they waited with baited breath for his judgement.

"How did he reach the main gate?" Damien asked softly. He was seated at his office in his high back leather chair looking at the eyes of the men in front of him, Jacob his second in command standing at his back.

He waited silently, his chin resting on his palm as he watched his men. "I will ask you again, what happened to the surveillance feed? From 6.15 till now the camera feed is off. Who wants to take the responsibility?" Damien asked in a pleasant soothing voice quirking an eyebrow.

The guards looked at each other clearly confused. Damien inspected his men carefully, he was good at reading people. Their faces reflected nothing but the truth. They clearly didn't have any knowledge regarding the live feed. Damien looked at Jacob and at the nod of his head Jacob silently left the room.

The guards stood shivering in the room, tensed with anticipation. Jacob came inside dragging two men with him and threw them at Damien's feet. Damien was calm and composed as ever as he serenely looked at the men shaking in fear at his feet. "Well..well" said Damien in a melodious voice. "Now what do we have here? Mitch and Siam from the surveillance team if I am not wrong, and I am seldom wrong."

He then got up from his seat and crouched low levelling himself with the two men. Leaning closure he whispered in their ears as if sharing a funny secret, "which one of you know what happened to the cctv cameras?"

The two men looked at each other each silently urging the other to take lead. Damien waited perfectly still for two minutes poise elegant even as he was crouching low.

BANG echoed the silent room startling all the men as their ears rang from the loud sound. Siam looked helplessly as his partner dropped dead beside him, half of his face blown away from the close impact of the shot, other half mildly surprised as if he couldn't believe in the outcome.

Damien asked Siam again, voice still soft and amiable. "Have you decided to speak Siam?" His lips twisted into a demonic delightful smile as he wiped splattered blood and brain matters from his face with the back of his hand.

Siam gulped terrified. "Please don't kill me, I don't know anything sir. We had been instructed to switch off cctv everyday for two hours from 6 pm to 8 pm. Mitch made the deal. I swear I don't know. He just gave me a cut of the payout. He said the less I know the better it is. I swear... I swear I don't know anything."

"Calm down Siam, I believe you" said Damien as he hugged the man affectionately. "Don't worry about a thing Siam." Said Damien as he twisted his neck in one swift motion.

It was close to midnight when Damien entered the bedroom. The room was dark but he could sense Liam. It was as if he was attuned with the boy feeling his presence with every fibre of his body. He could feel Liam was aware of him entering the room too from the sudden increase of his heavy sound of breathing.

Liam covered his eyes with his palm as sudden bright light blinded him. When his eyes adjusted he saw Damien standing near the entrance his hands still on the light switch. Damien's face betrayed nothing as if this evening had never happened. In leisurely steps Damien came and stood in front of Liam and looked down at the cowering boy. He could see the confusion in Liam's eyes. His smirked in amusement seeing Liam's baffled expression.

"It seems you like to run away from me Liam. I am surprised you made it to the gate. Impressive!" Said Damien clapping slowly. He bent down and pulled Liam up tenderly. The boy was so confused he didn't even struggle and just looked at Damien with beautiful sparkling brown eyes.

"Your efforts should be rewarded Liam, what say?" Asked Damien sitting on the bed and drawing a docile Liam on his lap.

"R..reward? I..I don't understand" said Liam clutching Damien's shoulder with both of his hands.

Damien looked at the treasure on his lap. Liam was cutely frowning, his pink lips jutted out in an almost pout, his long lashes wet and drops of tears glistened like pearls on them.

"Hmmm a reward. lets play a game. A very easy game. If you win I will free you instantly, no questions asked."

"Wh..what ggg..game?" Liam hiccuped.

"Hide and Seek" said Damien with his signature devilish smile. "There are forty two rooms in this mansion and several other utility rooms I myself do not know about." Said Damien nuzzling his face at the crook of Liam's soft neck. Resisting an urge to bite, Damien continued "if you can remain hidden from me for an hour I will let you leave."

"You..you will?" Liam asked in an hopeful voice suppressing an urge to push Damien off him.

"Of course baby."Damien said as he diligently sucked a hickey on Liam's collar bone.

Liam shuddered as the strange sensation of Damien's hot mouth continued to hold him captivated. His freshly showered damp hair caressed Liam's skin raising goosebumps.

"But the guards will catch me." Said Liam his voice shaky, his breathing heavy as he felt Damien brush his lips slowly along his throat.

"No one will dare to touch what's mine." Said Damien looking straight at Liam with his pitch black orb. "But remember if I catch you before the hour is up you have to be ready for the consequences."

Even if he said no there was no way Damien would let him go. At least in this way Liam might have a chance to escape. He might, just might stay hidden from the monster for an hour.

"O..okay" said Liam softly

"Good boy" said Damien and he stood up gently moving Liam from his lap. He went to his cupboard and came back with two radium digital watch.

"It's 12.30 now, I will give you a 10 minutes head start. Use your time wisely Liam." Said Damien with a creepy smile, his eyes dangerously alive.

"Wh.what hhh..happens after ten minutes?" Asked Liam. Suddenly this idea did not seem so good to him.

Damien licked his lips slowly as his hungry eyes raked up and down through Liam's body, "after ten minutes I begin to hunt".