The Destructive Adventures of the Lovers-Chapter 53: Masked Man

The night settled in, casting long shadows over the quiet village. Gabriel and Margo disappeared into their room, the soft creak of the door and the muffled rustle of blankets the only sounds breaking the thick, comforting silence.

Matt turned to Ella, his dark eyes still holding a hint of that teasing warmth as he gestured toward his small, cozy bedroom at the back of the cottage. "You take the bed," he said, his voice low but firm, his jaw set, his dark hair falling into his eyes. "I'll take the couch." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

Ella hesitated, her heart pounding, her mind spinning, her blood freezing in her veins as she met his intense, unyielding gaze. "But... I can sleep here," she whispered, her voice trembling, her eyes wide and uncertain. "I don't want to... I mean, I don't mind."

Matt let out a soft, breathless laugh, his eyes shining in the dim light, his lips twisting into a small, crooked smile. "No," he said, his voice firm but gentle, his dark eyes softening as he reached out, his strong, calloused hand resting lightly on her shoulder. "You take the bed. You need it more than I do."

Ella felt her heart skip a beat, her breath catching in her throat, her blood freezing in her veins as she forced herself to nod, her mind spinning, her hands trembling as she stepped back, her eyes never leaving Matt's intense, burning gaze.

"Alright," she whispered, her voice low and trembling, her heart racing, her soul trembling with unspoken tension as she slipped into the small, warm bedroom, her eyes still locked on Matt's dark, smoldering gaze, her mind still spinning, her heart still pounding in her chest.

The door closed softly behind her, the small, cozy room bathed in the warm, flickering glow of the moonlight streaming through the narrow, cracked window. Ella sank down onto the small, worn bed, her heart still racing, her mind still spinning, her blood freezing in her veins as she stared at the dark, twisted shadows dancing on the walls, the soft, whispering sounds of the wind rustling through the trees outside.

She closed her eyes, her mind filled with the image of Matt's strong, chiseled face, his dark, intense eyes, his soft, crooked smile, his warm, calloused hands. She felt her heart pound in her chest, her breath come in shallow, trembling gasps, her soul tremble with unspoken longing as she forced herself to breathe, to calm her racing mind, to steady her trembling hands.

But sleep wouldn't come. Her mind was too full, too chaotic, too alive with the image of Matt, the sound of his voice, the warmth of his touch, the fire in his eyes. She sat up, her breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps, her blood freezing in her veins as she glanced out the small, cracked window, her eyes catching the soft, warm glow of the distant village lights, the twisted, jagged shapes of the rooftops silhouetted against the pale, silvery moonlight.

Suddenly, a sharp, urgent knock shattered the silence, echoing through the small, cozy cottage, the sound sharp and jagged and terrifying in the still, quiet night.

Ella's heart leapt into her throat, her blood freezing in her veins, her mind spinning, her hands trembling as she crept to the door, her breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps, her eyes wide and shining in the dim moonlight.

Matt's footsteps echoed off the cold, stone floor, his strong, calloused hands reaching for the door, his dark eyes sharp and alert, his jaw set, his shoulders tense as he gripped the rusty, iron handle.

"Who is it?" Matt demanded, his voice low and rough, his dark eyes narrowing, his jaw clenching as he leaned forward, his breath coming in slow, steady breaths, his heart pounding in his chest.

The door creaked open, the warm, golden firelight spilling out onto the cold, dark porch, the shadows twisting and writhing like restless spirits. A masked figure stood in the doorway, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps, his shoulders heaving, his hands trembling as he gripped the long, jagged axe, his eyes dark and empty, his jaw set, his soul twisted and broken.

Before Matt could react, the axe came down, a sharp, jagged arc of silver slicing through the warm, golden firelight, the blade burying itself deep into Matt's chest, the sickening, wet sound of tearing flesh and shattering bone filling the small, cramped hallway.

Matt staggered back, his dark eyes wide and unseeing, his jaw hanging open, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps, his strong, calloused hands clutching at his bleeding chest, his blood pooling on the cold, stone floor, his soul slipping away into the dark, twisted shadows.

The masked figure turned, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps, his dark, empty eyes flicking back over his shoulder as he bolted down the steps, his footsteps echoing off the cold, stone path, his shadow stretching long and twisted in the pale, silvery moonlight.

Ella burst from the bedroom, her heart pounding, her blood freezing in her veins, her mind spinning, her hands trembling as she threw open the door, her eyes wide and shining in the dim, flickering firelight.

"Matt!" she screamed, her voice breaking, her breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps, her blood freezing in her veins as she bolted out the door, her bare feet pounding against the cold, rough stone, her mind spinning, her soul trembling with fear and fury and grief.

She scrambled onto the roof, her bare feet slipping on the cold, wet shingles, her breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps, her heart pounding in her chest, her mind spinning, her soul trembling as she chased the dark, twisted figure, her eyes wide and wild and shining in the pale, silvery moonlight.

But the roof gave way beneath her, the old, rotting wood splintering and cracking, the shingles crumbling and falling away beneath her bare, blood-streaked feet. She tumbled down, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps, her body slamming into the cold, hard ground, her leg twisted and broken, her mind spinning, her heart pounding, her blood freezing in her veins.

The masked figure vanished into the shadows, his footsteps echoing off the cold, stone streets, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps, his dark, twisted soul slipping away into the dark, twisted night.

Residents poured from their houses, their wide, terrified eyes flicking between Ella's broken, trembling form and Matt's bleeding, twitching body, their breath coming in short, shallow gasps, their hands shaking, their minds spinning, their souls trembling with fear and grief and shock.

Margo and Gabriel burst from the room, their wide, terrified eyes flicking over the blood-streaked ground, their breath coming in short, shallow gasps, their hearts pounding, their souls trembling as they scooped Matt's limp, bleeding body from the ground, their minds spinning, their voices breaking, their souls shattering as they bolted down the twisted, shadowed streets, their footsteps echoing off the cold, stone walls as they raced toward the distant, flickering lights of the village hospital.