All Chapters of ENTRAPPED BY THE DEVIL: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

[UNKNOWN]As I fumble with the lock and step into my apartment, my heart sinks as I'm met with an unsettling scene. The air is thick with the scent of Italian spices, and a hauntingly beautiful English song plays softly in the background.As I stand there, taking in the surreal scene, memories flood my mind. Memories of my dad, the man who was always so particular about the restaurants we went to, the food we ate, the gifts we gave each other. My mom was always content to go along with his choices, never asserting her own desires. They were like two halves of a whole, so different yet so inseparable. And then, with my dad's sudden death, my mom's grip on reality slipped away. She was never the same again.It's a painful reminder that even the strongest bonds can be broken by the merciless hand of fate.Or the wrong people.I’m not sure why I’m hit with those memories right now. This is hardly the time to get emotional over what I lost in the past, but to focus on what I stand to lose

[LIZZY] It’s been two days since Vector returned home and I’m not sure if I’m more bothered by it or relieved. With the way he swept me back to Venice and struck a deal for an heir in exchange for allowing me to keep Joey, I half-expected him to loom over my head like a menacing storm cloud, waiting to pounce on our agreement at the first opportunity. But nothing like that had happened so far. In fact, he’s been so consumed by his work that he hasn’t had a single meal at home in almost a week. I shouldn’t be worried about him, considering the circumstances of our arrangement, but my mind keeps wandering back to him no matter how hard I try to focus on other things. It’s like his absence only fuels my obsession with him, and I find myself constantly wondering what he’s up to, what he’s thinking, and if he’s plotting something sinister. I know it’s ridiculous, and I hate myself for it, but I can’t help the way I feel. The whole situation is maddening, and I can’t wait for it to be ove

[LIZZY]I was his, and he was mine, at least for now….Well, until someone started banging the door as if the house was literally on fire.It required an immense amount of effort to pull away from the fiery embrace, as if every fiber of my being was screaming to stay locked in that moment.The intensity of the moment had left us both gasping for air, with Vector’s chest heaving and his eyes glistening with a lustful desire. His lips remained slightly parted, as if he was willing to hold his breath for an eternity, just to keep them connected to mine. I could feel the struggle within him, the same one that was tearing me apart - the insatiable desire to stay connected, to explore and indulge in each other’s passion.It was as if the world around us had ceased to exist, and all that mattered was this moment, this tantalizing kiss that held us both captive in its spell.But then he frowned, the expression that had become all too familiar among the undead crept back onto his once-handsome

[HAZEL] “Attention, soldiers! Here’s the plan,” I declared, marching around the room with purpose like a penguin on a mission. My miniature army was eagerly awaiting my next move, and I could sense their excitement building. But then little Nico started to venture towards his nostrils, and I shot him a death stare that could make Medusa flinch. He quickly retreated back to his military stance, and I couldn’t help but feel proud of my discipline training. “So, troops, I just saw Lizzy sprinting like her pants were on fire—” I began, but of course, Angelo had to interrupt. “She was on fire?!” he exclaimed, looking like a deer caught in headlights. I rolled my eyes in dramatic fashion. Ugh. “No, you knucklehead. It’s just an expression. Get your head in the game!” I resumed pacing back and forth, my hands locked behind my back in deep thought. “As I was saying, Lizzy was rushing to her room, and it appeared that tears were streaming down her face—” “Lizzy was crying?” came the voic

[VECTOR]After Lizzy falls asleep, I roll over on my back and stare up at the ceiling. I don’t know what it is—but it’s obvious that something is eating her from the inside. Is it only the guilt of lying to a kid about the death of his parents, or is it something entirely else?Something tells me there is more to the story than what’s in front of my eyes.I turn on my side and look at Lizzy’s sleeping form. She is curled up facing me, her eyes gently shut, the leftover tears glistening on her lashes. I move some curls that had fallen on her face and put them behind her shoulder.I still remember the day I saw her for the first time after she ran away from Venice. It was years later, when she was crossing the road, holding a kid close to her chest. She had a bag on her back, her dark-as-night hair floating behind her as the wind blew in the opposite direction to where she was heading. Even with so many changes she had made to herself, it didn’t take me a fraction of a second to know it