You never realise how unfit you are until you're running for your life. I'm now regretting not using my gym membership more often. It has only been a few moments but I'm already breathless.

Sofie's clammy hand holds onto mine tightly as we both sprint down the driveway towards the entry gate.

We avoid running on the gravel because doing so would make too much noise. After jumping over flowerbeds and darting past an array of manicured hedges, we finally make it to the gate. But there is a problem; it's locked.

Grabbing the vertical bars, I push against it and cringe when it makes an awfully loud clanging sound.

Sofie studies the gate from bottom to top, undoubtedly realising what I already know; it is too high to climb.

"What do we do now, Emmy?" she asks nervously.

The answer comes in the form of a familiar and foreboding voice.

"You stay right where you are."

Sofie and I both scream in surprise and spin around to see François stepping out from behind one of the hedges.

I grab my little cousin and hold her close.

"Stay away from us," I say.

"That was a pretty clever thing you did with the bed sheets," he comments casually.

He saw us climbing out of the window?

He observes us in silence, his head tilting to the side ever so slightly. The look in his eyes sends shivers down my spine.

"Come back to the house," he says.

"Fuck off," I retort.

He chuckles softly.

"Oh, ma chérie," he says with superficial wistfulness. "You really aren't making this any easier for me."

"François!" someone calls.

It's Jacques. He jogs toward us. The scowl on his face is even visible in the dark.

"I thought I told you two to stay in the room."

"Did you really think we were going to listen to a murdering psycho like you," I scoff. "How fucking stupid can you be?"

He opens his mouth to reply but is interrupted by the François' sudden bark of laughter.

"This is going to be fun," he says with a malevolent grin. His chuckles fade and his gaze locks on my face.

"Jacques," he murmurs. "Take the blonde one back inside."

Jacques takes a step forward and I jump in front of my little cousin.

"You stay the fuck away from her!" I roar, backing us up against the gate as Jacques comes closer.

He holds up his hands in a non-threatening manner before quickly darting forward and grabbing me by the arm, reaching around me to get to Sofie who desperately clutches onto me from behind like a baby monkey.

Wrapping a muscular arm around her waist, he yanks her away from me and throws her over his shoulder.

"Emmy!" she cries, wriggling in his grip.

"Sofie!" I shout, starting to run after him as he carries her back towards the house but I'm quickly stopped from following by François, who aggressively shoves me from behind.

I fall onto the gravel, grazing my palms as I hold them out to catch myself. A heavy weight settles on my back and hard pieces of gravel stab at my cheek as my whole face is pushed down.

I start to fight but freeze instantly when I feel his breath at my ear.

"I thought I made it perfectly clear to you inside that I'm not someone to be messed with, but it seems you need a reminder."

"Get off of me!" I yell, trying to wriggle out from under him.

The gravel hurts and he's too heavy. I can't fucking breathe.

In response, he grabs a fistful of my hair, yanks my head up and then smashes it back down.

I yelp in shock as pain explodes in my face. Warmth spreads. My lip splits and the taste of metal enters my mouth.

"Ahh..." I whimper.

"Hmm?" he asks mockingly. "What was that? Did you say something?"

As much as I would like to tell him to go and fuck himself, I don't dare make another sound. I'll be lucky to get out of this situation without a broken nose let alone my life.

Shifting his weight, he rolls me over onto my back and stares down at me through lowered lashes before lowering his face towards mine.

A wave of panic crashes through me and before I even realise what I'm doing...

I hit him. In the face. With my fist.

"Petite salome!" he seethes, snatching my wrists and pinning them above my head. You little bitch!

I try to throw him off of me by bucking my hips but this only seems to humour him.

"Femme stupide," he laughs. "Tu n'as aucune idée..." You stupid woman. You have no idea...

He leans in closer, much to my disgust, and whispers, "You have no idea what I can do to you."

When he brings his face mere centimetres away from mine, I think he is going to try to kiss me so I defiantly turn my head away.

When I feel his chilly lips brush along my jaw, I feel sick to my stomach.

Already I know that if this sicko tries anything I will fight him to the death.

If he wants to shag me then it is going to have to be over my dead body because there is no way in Hell that I'm going to just lay here and-

My thoughts are cut short by an incredibly sharp pain in my neck. The sensation makes my body jerk and I hear someone scream loud enough to shatter glass.

For a split second I have no idea who it is and then I realise that the person who's screaming is me.

When an agonising sucking sensation begins, fear overrides my confusion and I lash out, bucking my hips and trying to yank my wrists from out of his grip. But he's strong. Too strong.

I kick my legs but they don't have any leverage and soon I start to feel weak and lethargic.

What the hell is happening to me?

My chest heaves as I drag in oxygen, no longer able to scream. My heart aches with each beat as it strains to keep going.

I feel like I'm losing blood. Too much blood. The pain of it is excruciating but I can no longer think about it.

My mind has started to retreat, my body succumbing to stress, and for the second time in this fucked up night I black out.