Into The Shadow

"Huh?" Emma sat up abruptly, disoriented. Was she waking from a deep sleep—or had she fainted? She couldn't even tell.

Her eyes darted around the unfamiliar room. It looked like a hotel, but everything was dark, with heavy curtains drawn tight to block out every trace of light.

She scrambled to get off the bed but immediately collapsed to the floor as her legs gave out beneath her. "What is this? What's happening?" she mumbled, her voice shaky.

Her head throbbed, and her body felt sluggish, but she forced herself to look around, searching for anything—anything she could use to call for help.

As the grogginess clouded her thoughts, only one name came to mind. 'Leon... Where is that man? Isn't he supposed to protect me? What kind of male lead is he?' she fumed silently, even as her body betrayed her, a sudden heat spreading through her veins.

"What... is this?" she whispered, her hands trembling. "Ah, please, let me wake up from this dream. I am not into this kind of dream, please…" she muttered, her voice wavering as she clutched her head.

Her heart raced, and the unsettling warmth coursing through her body only made everything worse. Was this some kind of nightmare? She pinched her arm, hoping the sharp sting would jolt her awake, but nothing changed.

"Great," she groaned, her frustration bubbling over. "Of all the dreams I could have, why does it have to be this one? Can't I get a normal, flying-unicorn kind of dream for once?"

The heat in her body was out of control, making her head spin and her vision go all blurry. Emma gripped the edge of the bed, trying not to fall over. "What… the hell is happening to me?" She closed her eyes, trying her best to calm down.

Suddenly, the sound of the door creaking open pierced through her haze. A sliver of light spilled into the room, hitting her eyes. She winced and squeezed them shut, shielding her face with her trembling hands.

Each footstep echoed in her ears, heightening her anxiety. "Who… who is that?" she tried to peek, but her eyes wouldn't focus.

"Uuu…" A man's voice filled the room. Clicking his tongue, he added with a smirk, "I never knew she'd look this pretty in real life too."

Emma frowned, her head pounding. "What do you mean?" she groaned, trying hard to focus on the figure approaching her. "Who… are you?"

"Ah…I don't think we need to introduce ourselves as I am in a hurry. She asked me to settle the job quickly and I myself couldn't hold myself anymore…" The man squatted down in front of Emma, making her stumble down to the back in fear.

"Close the door," the man barked over his shoulder. Instantly, the door shut, plunging the room back into darkness.

"So, Miss Whitmore," he said with a sly grin, closing the gap between them, "let's not waste any more time." He reached out to grab her, attempting to lift her up.

But Emma's instincts kicked in. With a burst of panic, she kicked her leg forward—and her foot connected squarely with his vital spot.

"Arghh! F**k!" the man howled, doubling over in pain. His voice was sharp with anger. "You don't want to play nice, huh?!"

Emma scrambled back, her body trembling as she prepared for what might happen next.

"I intended to play it cool and gentle with you," the man said, his voice dripping with frustration as he straightened up, taking a deep breath. "But it seems you prefer things the wild way…"

Emma's heart pounded in her chest, every nerve in her body screaming to fight back.

Before she could react, he stepped closer, grabbing her arms with an iron grip. "Let go!" she shouted, struggling against him, but his hold was too strong.

With a quick move, he grabbed her and tossed her onto the bed. She landed hard, gasping as she clutched the sheets, trying to catch her breath.

Desperate, Emma grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it straight at his face. "You don't want to do this, you know… my father…" Her voice shook as she forced out the words, "My father is Allan Whitmore, so you better stop."

"Obviously, I knew that. I've been calling you Miss Whitmore from the start…" The man chuckled, his laughter rang through the room and sent shivers down Emma's spine. "I'll worry about your father later. For now, I'll enjoy my time with you." He leaned closer, licking his lips.

"No, no, no…" Emma's panic surged as her eyes looked around, desperately searching for an escape. Spotting the phone on the side table, she twisted her body, reaching for it with trembling hands.

"Not so fast…" The man grabbed her legs, yanking her back and stopping her just inches from the phone. 

"Leon Gray!" Emma shouted suddenly, her voice shaky but loud. "My fiancé is Leon! You shouldn't lay a hand on me, or else… you know what'll happen!"

The man raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing. "Oh? And what would happen?" He chuckled darkly. "That man couldn't even stop us from taking you earlier. Why should I be scared of him?"

Emma gulped. 'What does he mean by couldn't even stop them?'

"Oh, don't worry…" The man touched Emma's cheek lightly with his thumb. "I made sure the bullet didn't hit the vital spot," he said with a smile. "The one hiring us to do this needs him alive."

"The one hiring…" Emma's words trailed off as she struggled to breathe, the heat becoming unbearable.

"Yes… and for now, Miss Whitmore, just close your eyes and let's enjoy ourselves." His large frame knelt in front of Emma as he noticed she was starting to lose control of herself.

Emma's vision blurred as the overwhelming heat clouded her senses. The man's grin widened, a predator savoring his prey.

"See? Isn't it easier to just give in?" he whispered, leaning closer.

Her hands weakly pushed against him, but her strength was slipping away fast. The room spun, and Emma felt herself teetering on the edge of consciousness.

A sharp noise echoed from somewhere outside the room—a distant shout? A bang? But it was faint, almost unreal, as her world faded further into darkness.

"Looks like it's just us now," the man muttered with a low chuckle.

Emma's lips parted to cry out, but no sound came. The last thing she saw was his shadow looming closer before everything went black.