Chapter 6 HIDE OR SEEK

[10 PM, DREXTON'S OFFICE]

In helpless situations, people tend to make rough decisions to save their loved ones, especially if that loved one is an important part of their life.

You will be ready to make the sacrifice and live with the guilt for the rest of your life.

When it is a situation of life or death, where the only way to life is to hurt somebody else - and not anybody... your long-time crush.

Ixora wiped the sweat from her forehead, trying to calm herself down.

With trembling hands, she reached for the window. The window opened wide, making her freeze momentarily.

"The window is open," she thought, and looked around.

Nobody was in sight.

She fully opened the window and jumped inside the office, landing on her feet.

"Ahh!" She planted her feet firmly to avoid falling.

She was wearing a beanie, gloves, socks, boots, leather pants, and a jacket - all in black.

The office was so cold and chilly, just as she had expected. The weather was cold, as if it was going to rain.

She gulped as she began taking slow and steady steps toward the wall where she had seen the watch.

She used her hand to guide herself, since the office lights were turned off, and her phone was too.

Thunder rumbled in the sky, and she flinched, sweeping her hand across her forehead to get rid of the sweat.

She breathed out before continuing her journey until she reached the glass object.

"Finally," she thought, and tried lifting it.

The cover kept slipping off her hand, so she had to remove her gloves.

She tried again, and surprisingly, the glass cover came off easily. The diamond watch shone brightly on her face.

She took the watch and listened closely, expecting to hear an alarm go off, but nothing happened.

Everywhere remained silent, which she found strange.

She put the watch in the mini bag that was strapped to her belt and climbed up the window.

"I'm sorry, boss."

She took a last glance at the office, and her mind seemed to hint at something.

No thief would rob a place without trashing it.

She jumped back in and fumbled with her mini bag.

She pulled out a dagger... she never knew who she might run into.

She looked at the window and stabbed it.

The glass shattered into pieces, some pieces piercing her hands.

She bit her bottom lip to prevent herself from screaming as blood trickled out.

She rushed to the drawers, and using the knife, she broke the locks and left them half-opened.

She took out some files from the drawer and began tossing them around the office.

Rushing to the window, she jumped out after seeing what she had done.

The lights in the office came on, and there he was, sitting in a chair.

His fingers were stroking a soft fur, while a cruel smirk danced on his lips.

The type that is said when someone has unknowingly fallen into a well-laid trap.

He was stroking a black-and-white wolf - his pet, Drew.

The wolf walked to the window and howled, as if sensing the impending danger.

He suddenly stood and strode to the window, stepping on the broken glass.

The smirk deepened the more.

He looked outside the window, and there he could see her running as if she were in a marathon race.

"Little. Thief," he said.

Something nudged at his leg - Drew.

He stroked the wolf's fur.

"Hunting, tonight?" he asked, stroking its fur.

The wolf kept silent, which meant yes.

"Good."

****

[IXORA'S HOUSE]

Ixora ran back home and slammed the door, as if somebody was chasing her.

She rested her head on the door, panting heavily.

She was about to go to her room when her mother appeared from nowhere, dressed in her nightie.

"Why do you look like you saw a ghost?" She ran her eyes across her body. "And where are you coming from dressed like that?" Georgia asked.

"When you come into this house dressed as a slut, do I ask where you are coming from?" Ixora snapped, and limped her way upstairs.

"She is up to something," Georgia mumbled.

A call came to her phone.

Her face contorted into a frown before answering the call.

"I will be there." She hung up and left the house.

--

Ixora got to her room and slammed the door shut. Her heart was still beating wildly and erratically from the thing that had just happened.

She couldn't believe she had just stolen from her boss. She shut her eyes tightly, allowing a tear to slip out from the corner of her eye. She might have done so many mischievous things with Hazel - things that would have made the security men go after them - but she had never once stolen anything. They would go grifting, puncture the car tires of whoever troubled them, but never had they taken what didn't belong to them.

But today, she felt like a thief, a bloody thief.

How was she going to face her boss tomorrow?

She opened her eyes, cleaning her tears with the back of her palm. With trembling hands, she reached for the light switch, turned on the light, and exhaled softly.

"Blood."

She heard the voice, and her heart flew out of her chest. She froze on the spot for some seconds, then quickly turned around to see him sitting majestically on the couch, holding the diamond watch in his right hand. Her eyes widened in both shock and surprise. She quickly checked her bag, only to find the watch missing. Her wide eyes went back to him, sweat trickling down her forehead. His eyes were on the watch in his hand, as he played with the strap... like his toy.

"They say it's thick... than water." He stopped playing with the strap and snapped his dark eyes toward her.

Ixora immediately staggered without being pushed, gulping down hard.

"I... I... I'm... sorry," she stammered in a cracked voice.

She kept her head bent, finding his eyes too scary to stare at.

"You're like them. There's one thing in common: theft." He slowly stood from the couch, his height overshadowing hers in the room.

"First, my dearest people. Now, my dearest possession." He took two steps, standing in front of her.

Ixora quickly tightened her eyes shut as her back hit the wall.

"Look at me," he whispered, which made her bones lock in place.

Her eyes snapped open, meeting his cold, unflinching gaze.

"Hide or Seek," he said, his voice like thunder. "Pick one."

Ixora narrowed her brows.

"Pick one," he repeated.

She stared at him before averting her gaze, as Hazel's words rang in her ears.

"You are the best when it comes to seeking. You'll seek and I'll hide."

Taking her gaze back to him: "Seek..." she trailed, uncertain of why he would want them to play that child's game.

Drexton twitched his lips. "I hide, you seek. If you don't find me, I'll take my price."

Thunder roared in the sky, and the lights in her room suddenly went off, making her flinch.

The lightning shone on his face, giving her a view of his dark face.

The lightning went off, and the lights came back on.

She gasped, placing her hand on her chest when she couldn't find him.

She looked around the room before bolting to her window.

He wasn't there.

She recalled hearing a slight creak of the door. Rushing to the open door...

He was gone.

His strong presence lingered in the room, like he'd left a piece of himself behind.

The hairs on the nape of her neck stood up.

She would have thought it was a nightmare if she wasn't feeling his presence - but his presence was strong in the room, as if he was hiding.

His voice rang in her ears.

"Hide or seek."

She flinched when she felt somebody coming towards her from behind.

There was no one.

"Was this what he meant? How did he come into my room? How did he know I had stolen the watch? Is he a..." She quickly closed her door and windows.

She climbed up the bed and piled the duvet over her head.

"He is a demon. He is a demon."

She chanted those words like mantras.