The devil's pawn.

One.

POV: CARMEN.

I couldn't decipher what sounded louder in my eardrums– the shriek from the room in the hallway or the beats of my heart that raced frantically in my chest. As I drew closer, the moans that erupted from the iron doors shattered my heart the more. A part of me screamed to leave the house while the other part hoped I was being paranoid.

I pushed the door knob and the sinister scene in the mirror hit me harder than I expected, as reflex tears streamed down my cheeks. I wanted to speak but my lips felt too heavy to move and at the same time, my limbs felt too light that I couldn't feel them. I desperately wished for the ground to open up and swallow me.

“Andrew…” I croaked, tears almost blurring my vision but the vicious image was already smeared in my mind.

The red hair sprawled over the vanity table, one leg on the chair for support and Andrew behind her, gripping her hips like his life depended on it and thrusting into her with all his willpower, too invested to even notice my presence.

“Andrew!!!!” I screamed this time, flickering the blue light on.

“Oh my god! Carmen!” He jolted as his face turned pale, “I’m really sorry about this…..I swear, It's not what you think...”

“What else am I supposed to think?” I fired.

“Trust me, I can explain….” He swallowed, flailing for something that could pass as an excuse, “just– can you let me…finish with her?.” He groaned shamelessly.

“What?!” I scoffed amidst tears. My stomach churned and I felt the walls of the room closing in on me. “Can you hear your pathetic self? How could you do this to me?”

“Baby, it’s not like that. It's just that I have been starving for so long and I couldn't….” He continued but was cut short by the red hair.

“Mmm…. Andrew….. right there…..” she moaned.

“Babe I'm really… sorry…” he groaned, thrusting into her the more. “You can ... .watch….. babe. You are gonna….. like…. it….mmmm…..”

“f**k you!” I yelled, slamming the door behind me.

“Faster..Andrew!” The red hair shot out, her voice fading slowly, as I left the house with the scrapes of my broken heart.

Andrew had been my boyfriend since I was twenty-two. We met in college and after four months, started dating. He was so nice to me and made me feel like I mattered a lot to him, even agreeing to keep my policy of no s*x till I was twenty-five. He never complained about it but, I guess that's because he was getting it from someone else.

With no destination in mind and a broken soul, I got into my car and sped out of the house. The silence of Andrew's betrayal screamed so hard in my pounding heart, I could barely see the steering wheel and the road I raced on. He had been mine for two years – two years of loyalty, patience and sacrifice– but all that had gone down the drain because I wasn't ready to offer my body.

By the time I got to the city, my chest was hollow, my veins burned and my throat clenched so hard that I couldn't swallow. I pulled up in front of the nearest— and hottest club of the night— the JMS club and walked in.

The bass from its speakers blasted through me like a second heart beat, people brushed past me like I didn't exist and neon lights flickered above my head.

I reluctantly took a seat on a barstool when the bartender briskly approached me. His demeanor screamed of luxury and hidden motives and those green doe eyes looked like they'd swallow too many secrets. His hair was a messy curl and his shirt was open at the throat, revealing his well toned chest while his sleeves were rolled up, just enough to show the lines of his forearms.

“Mmmm.. new face?” He brewed, flashing a warm seductive smile at me.

“What gave you the idea?” I queried.

“I have been working at this club for almost five years now, miss. Of course I would recognize one, even with my eyes closed.” He explained curtly. “What would you like to have?”

“I don't know….just something strong.”

“Then our special mocktail will do just the trick.” He beamed, grabbing a glass from under the counter and mixed up a few drinks.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you.” I took the drink from him and gulped down instantly. While its tangy taste hit the tip of my tongue, the sweet taste made it easier to swallow and its hotness burned my throat. Trying to bury my thoughts, I took shots upon shots until I could no longer feel the sharpness of the perfidy I had experienced today. Maybe if I drowned deep enough, I could numb the pain entirely.

I slumped over the counter, tracing the rim of my glass with my fingers when a shadow fell over me. It was a tall man in a finely-tailored black suit. He stood, staring at me like I was a puzzle he had to solve.

“That's very rude of you.” I snapped.

He didn't reply, instead he leaned down and his cologne hit my nostrils.

“You shouldn't be drinking alone, sweetheart.” He teased, sliding into the seat beside me. His build reeked of strength, his looks of power and his smirk screamed trouble.

“And you shouldn't be talking to strangers.” I retorted, my voice sharper than blade.

“Well… good thing I'm not a stranger.” He countered, “two of the house special please.” He gestured politely to the bartender, who nodded quietly, moving with a strange urgency. A fresh glass clicked down in front of me, glowing faintly under the neon light.

“Go on,” he urged, “you look like you need it.”

As much as I wanted to deny it, he was indeed right, I really needed it so I lifted the glass and gulped its content.

The tangy taste on my tongue and the scorch in my throat was familiar but the haze that followed wasn't. My limbs softened, my pulse slowed into something heavy and my vision was tunneling.

“Did you… spike….me….?” My speech was slurry like I had water in my mouth.

“If you would do me the honour miss… my master awaits you.” he commanded, gesturing to the dim hallway behind the bar.

“You must be a dreamer if you think I would follow you to that dungeon..” I seethed, only for him to gently raise his shirt up and the silencer gun tucked neatly into his pants, sent chills to my spine.

“We either do this the easy way or the hard way. It's your call.” He threatened, mocking me with a smile. It then occurred to me that he was in cohorts with the bartender.

Can't today get any worse?

“Alright…fine.. I'm coming with you.” I stuttered, quickly rising to my feet and followed his lead down the hallway, an elevator that led to a basement and finally a room lit with faint red lights.

“Have fun.” He finished and locked the door behind me.

“Wait…” I pleaded but it was already too late.

The air in the room was cooler, sharper and unnervingly icy.

Then I saw him.

Leaning lazily on the gigantic head board, his hazel eyes gleamed like fire under the dim light, staring at me like he wanted to bore into my broken soul. His hair fell on his shoulders and his upper body was heavily tattooed. Even from the distance, he elucidated so much power and authority.

“Welcome to the devil's playground, darling!”