Blood Debt

THE KNOCK

I tried to convince myself I was overreacting.

That was the first mistake.

I told myself the message didn’t mean what I thought it meant.

That people didn’t just get taken.

That things like that didn’t happen to people like me.

But every time I looked at my phone, the words were still there.

You’re the payment.

I hadn’t picked it up again after I dropped it.

It was still lying on the floor, screen dark now, like it had nothing to do with me anymore.

Like it hadn’t just changed everything.

I wrapped my arms around myself and paced the living room for what felt like the hundredth time.

Think.

Just think.

Barth wouldn’t leave me like this.

He wouldn’t disappear without explaining anything.

He wouldn’t send a note like that.

Which meant one thing.

He didn’t have a choice.

My chest tightened.

I looked toward the door.

Locked.

I checked it again anyway.

Still locked.

Windows?

Closed.

I walked over and pulled the curtain back just enough to peek outside.

The street looked normal.

Too normal.

A car was parked across the road.

Black.

I frowned.

Was that there before?

I couldn’t remember.

That made it worse.

I let the curtain fall back into place and stepped away slowly.

“You’re being paranoid,” I muttered.

But my voice didn’t sound convincing.

I ran a hand through my hair and turned in a slow circle, like the house might suddenly explain itself if I looked hard enough.

Nothing.

Just the same walls.

Same furniture.

Same quiet.

Too quiet.

I walked back to the kitchen, grabbed a glass, and filled it with water. My hands weren’t shaking, but they weren’t steady either.

I took a sip.

Set it down.

Picked it back up again.

Put it down.

This was ridiculous.

I wasn’t going to just sit here and wait for something to happen.

I grabbed my hoodie and headed for the door.

My hand hovered over the handle.

Barth’s voice echoed in my head.

Stay inside.

I clenched my jaw.

“No,” I said under my breath. “You don’t get to disappear and then control what I do.”

I unlocked the door.

Paused.

Listened.

Nothing.

Then I opened it.

The air outside hit me immediately, cooler, quieter, normal.

I stepped out onto the porch, scanning the street.

The black car was still there.

Parked.

Engine off.

Windows tinted.

My stomach twisted.

I stared at it for a second too long.

Then

The driver’s door opened.

I froze.

A man stepped out.

Dressed in black.

Calm.

Not rushed.

Not surprised to see me.

Like he already knew I’d come outside.

Every instinct in my body screamed at me to go back inside.

Now.

I didn’t move.

He didn’t speak.

Just closed the door behind him and started walking toward me.

Slow.

Measured.

Like there was no reason to hurry.

“Can I help you?” I called out, forcing my voice to stay steady.

He didn’t answer.

He just kept walking.

That was enough.

I stepped back.

Then turned.

Then walked quickly back inside and shut the door, locking it immediately.

My heart was beating faster now.

Too fast.

“Okay,” I whispered. “Okay, okay”

I moved to the window again, pulling the curtain just enough to look.

He was still coming.

Closer now.

Not running.

Not forcing anything.

Just, coming.

I let the curtain fall and backed away.

This wasn’t normal.

This wasn’t okay.

I grabbed my phone from the floor, my fingers fumbling slightly as I tried to unlock it.

Call someone.

Anyone.

The screen lit up

And froze.

My breath caught.

The signal was gone.

“No,” I whispered.

I moved toward the door again.

Then stopped.

A knock.

Soft.

Controlled.

Not loud.

Not aggressive.

Just

Certain.

I stared at the door.

Another knock.

Same rhythm.

Same calm.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

“Go away,” I said, even though I knew they wouldn’t.

Silence.

Then

The handle moved.

I froze.

I knew I locked it.

I watched myself lock it.

The handle turned anyway.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

The door opened.

And the man stepped inside as he belonged there.

I took a step back automatically.

Then another.

“Who are you?” I demanded, my voice sharper now.

Still, no answer.

Another man entered behind him.

Then another.

Three.

All calm.

All silent.

All looking at me like this was already decided.

My pulse raced, but I forced myself to stay standing.

“Get out,” I said. “You can’t just walk in here.”

The first man tilted his head slightly.

Like he found that interesting.

Then he spoke.

“Kate.”

My stomach dropped.

I didn’t answer.

Didn’t move.

“That’s your name, right?”

I swallowed.

“How do you know that?”

He ignored the question.

“Come with us.”

I let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “No.”

Silence.

Then

“That wasn’t a request.”

Something cold slid down my spine.

I shook my head slowly. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

The room felt smaller suddenly.

Tighter.

Like the walls had shifted without me noticing.

“You don’t have a choice,” he said.

“I always have a choice.”

For the first time, something almost like amusement flickered across his face.

“Not this time.”

My hands clenched at my sides.

My mind raced.

Door.

Window.

Distance.

Three of them.

No weapons visible.

That didn’t mean anything.

“Where is my brother?” I demanded.

A pause.

Then

“He made a mistake.”

My stomach dropped.

I knew it.

I knew it.

“And you’re paying for it,” he added calmly.

The words hit harder the second time.

I shook my head. “No. No, that’s not how this works. Whatever he did has nothing to do with me.”

“It has everything to do with you.”

I took another step back.

They stepped forward.

Perfectly in sync.

No rush.

No panic.

Just control.

My chest tightened.

“Stop,” I said.

They didn’t.

The first man reached for me

I reacted instantly, stepping back and shoving his hand away.

“Don’t touch me.”

For a second

Just a second

Everything stilled.

Then his grip closed around my wrist.

Firm.

Unbreakable.

My breath hitched.

“Let go.”

He didn’t.

“Last chance,” he said.

I met his eyes.

Refused to look away.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

A pause.

Then

“Alright.”

Everything moved at once.

Not chaotic.

Not messy.

Precise.

One of them caught my other arm before I could pull away. Another stepped behind me, cutting off any chance of escape.

I struggled.

Of course I did.

But it didn’t matter.

Because they weren’t trying to overpower me.

They already had.

“Let me go!” I snapped, twisting against their grip.

No response.

Just movement.

Forward.

Toward the door.

Toward the car.

My heart pounded as the reality finally hit fully.

This wasn’t a warning.

This wasn’t a threat.

This was happening.

I was being taken.

As they pulled me outside, I caught one last glimpse of the house.

Of everything normal.

Everything safe.

Gone.

Then

A voice.

Behind me.

Calm.

Familiar in a way that made something deep in my chest tighten.

“You should have stayed inside.”

I froze.

Just for a second.

But I didn’t turn.

Because somehow

I already knew

whoever that voice belonged to

was the reason none of this could be stopped.