Chapter 1

The room is filled with darkness, a heavy sort of darkness that my eyes can’t penetrate no matter how hard they squinted. I try to look around anyway, maybe out of habit. That’s when I hear his voice. It’s not quite condescending, and comes from somewhere above me.

“Eric, Eric,” he chuckles. “You know, our eyes really are subpar when compared to some animals. The hawk, for instance, can see for miles as it sails through the stratosphere. The owl can hunt even without moonlight; such are its perceptive abilities.” I remember clearly the deceptively soft cadence of his words, like a knife buried deep within a silk satchel. Last time had been too close of a call. I tense my muscles.

“For other creatures,” he continues, “too see with as much clarity as we do would be a tremendous improvement. Perhaps this is why rabbits make such easy prey.” He sounds contemplative, as though he is just coming to this conclusion. I doubt he ever gave a speech like this without writing it days in advance. I try to pinpoint his location with my ears, but the chamber we were in had a strange echoing acoustic. He could be standing anywhere. Maybe there was a balcony somewhere?

I hear his laugh bounce off the stone walls eerily. “As you’ve noticed, our peculiar obsession with the visual can be quite the disadvantage.”

“Maybe you should turn on the lights then. Don’t you want to see me shaking?” I respond. I’m hoping he’ll be drawn closer if we’re in conversation.

“That would be nice, wouldn’t it? But alas, I’m afraid your argument is moot. I have excellent vision. Perhaps if you focused on another one of your perceptive abilities,

we’d be on more equal ground.”

I cupped my ears and tuned into his voice. It was coming from somewhere to my left, in front and above of me.

“Equal ground, huh? Why don’t you leave the nosebleed section and join me on the floor, then? Not much you can do from up there.” If I can get him down here, maybe I would have a chance to tackle him. From what I know, he isn’t much of a brawler.

It’s just a soft tapping, barely audible, but I think I hear his footsteps on a stairwell along the left wall of the chamber. I keep my head straight. I don’t want another evolutionary tirade from him.

“You can hear my voice, can’t you?” The sound sweeps by hears in a soothing breeze. “Isn’t that enough, Eric?” I almost nod, but then my training clamps down. I have to resist his voice if I’m going to make it out of here intact.

“Ah, I see you’ve learned since last time.” He’s like poisoned honey. “But how will you find me if you don’t let your ears just…listen?” I can hear his smile. He thinks I’ll give in, just like that. Curiosity killed the cat, but confidence is this man’s silver bullet.

“This wouldn’t be nearly as fun if I gave in as easily as I did in Shanghai, would it?” I’m certain he’ll keep trying to take me down using his voice. Lucky for me, I’ve prepared for that. All I have to do is keep him talking – and thinking he’s in control.

“You’re quite right, it wouldn’t be.” His voice was on the same level as me now. Perfect. “I’m glad we agree there, Eric. I think there’s so much we could agree on.”

“With all due respect, I disagree. You’re quite the nasty piece of work.”

“You think I killed those men, Eric? I’m offended. Why don’t you listen to my side of the story now?” He’s moved closer, probably about thirty feet away by my best judgment.

“Apologies, I won’t be listening to anything you’ve got to say. I’ve heard it all before.” As his footsteps get closer, I tense my legs to jump him.

“Oh, I’m sure you haven’t!” His chuckle reverberates deep in my ear. “Our ears only listen to half the things that are said. Did you know that? An inconvenience, truly, but to some beasts, even that miniscule level of perception would open entire worlds to them. The snake, for instance, relies on its jaw bone to pick up on vibrations from the ground to hear. I imagine this is highly limiting, don’t you?”

He hasn’t moved, damn it. “I think it might be nice not to listen you, actually.”

“Perhaps you’re right. Hearing is vastly overrated. Snakes are excellent predators, after all, and they don’t even have ears.”

Strange, I can’t hear his footsteps.

“They simply feel their prey around them, even tiny footsteps coursing through the animal’s flesh into its bones and its muscles. A much more interesting way to perceive, isn’t it?”

Where the hell is he, still behind me?

“In the dark, they cannot see, they cannot hear – ” His voice is closer to me, or maybe it’s the echoes? I can’t get a pinpoint on where it’s coming from, so I fling my arms out to my sides, hoping to hit him.

“They just feel.” Suddenly, I feel a body move behind me, invisible hands suddenly caressing the insides of my thighs. I try to jerk free, but the arms around my body are incredibly strong.

“You don’t need to see, Eric. You don’t even need to listen. Just feel me…” His hands moved above my groin, and I stop struggling for a moment. As his hands moved higher onto my abdomen, I try to wriggle free again.

“Get your hands off me, you bastard!” I shout. My voice rebounds against the stone walls.

“Now, Eric, there’s no need to resist. In fact, how can you resist when you’re not even taking in the sensations of our body? Let your body tell you what to do. Feel what it needs, Eric.”

I grunt as his hands slip over my nipples, spiraling around each one, squeezing my tight pecs.

“Stop…now, I won’t… I can’t…”

His long fingers are stroking my neck now, his forearms wrapped tightly around my chest, making it hard to breathe.

“You know what else snakes do excellently?”

I try to shake my head, but I can’t seem to move.

“Smell.” His voice fills my ear and makes me quiver as his hand moves to cover my nose. All of a sudden, my nose is filled with a sweet musky smell, and I know I need more of it.

I inhale again, deeply, taking in the man’s wild, erotic scent.

“Good boy, Eric. Smell me. Feel me. That’s all you need, isn’t it?”

I try to nod, but my mind is filled with darkness.