The Devil's Distraction

19 - I got you, princess...

Author’s POV

The world felt blurry and unreal to Mayura, like she was trapped inside a bad dream. Her whole body was burning with heat she couldn’t control. She moved restlessly on the bed, twisting and turning, not knowing what was happening to her. It felt like fire was running through her blood, making her skin itch and sting.

She kept rubbing her neck and arms, trying to get rid of the strange feeling, but nothing helped. Her hands were shaking, her breathing uneven. The buttons of her shirt had come loose because of her constant movement, and her face was red, showing how uncomfortable and distressed she was.

A small, broken sound escaped her lips—not because of desire, but because she was in pain, confused. She didn’t understand what was happening to her body. She only knew that something was very wrong.

Two masked figures loomed beside the bed, shadows watching a flame consume itself.

“Wow… just look at her,” the first man breathed, his voice thick with a grotesque admiration. “What a meal she’s turning out to be.”

His companion chuckled, the sound cold and devoid of humanity.

“Patience, brother. In a few minutes, we get a front-row seat to the live show. Let the drug do its work.”

“I can barely wait,” the first one hissed, leaning closer. “That dose was high enough to bring an elephant to its knees. She won’t be able to tolerate it. She’ll be begging for anything, anyone.”

Their laughter was harsh and cruel, cutting through the fog in her mind.

Even though her body felt out of control and her vision was blurred, she could hear their words. Each thing they said made her feel more afraid and helpless, like they were promising to humiliate her. It sent a cold fear through her heart, even as her body reacted in ways she didn’t want.
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On the other side of the hall, Rudra stood beside Samaira and a few business partners, the music loud and the laughter constant—but none of it reached him. His eyes kept moving on their own, scanning the crowd again and again, searching for one face.

Her.  His Mayura.

Thirty minutes.

That’s how long it had been since he had last seen her. His jaw tightened, uneasiness creeping into his chest like a slow poison. Something felt wrong.

Without another word, he excused himself abruptly and stepped away, his gaze locking onto Kabir across the room.

“Where is Mayura?” Rudra asked sharply.

Kabir looked around instinctively, confusion flickering across his face. “She was here only, boss. I think she went outside for a while.”

Before Rudra could respond, Rivan and Aaryan rushed toward them, both visibly tense. “Kabir, have you seen Mayura?” Rivan asked urgently.

Kabir shook his head. “Not since a while.”

Rudra’s expression darkened. “She was supposed to be with you two.”

Aaryan swallowed. “Yes… she was. Last time I spoke to her, she said she was on her way back. We waited, but she never came. We’ve been trying to reach her since. Her phone is also unavailable.”

The words hit Rudra like a punch. He immediately took out his phone and dialed her number. Once. Twice. Straight to unavailable. His heartbeat accelerated, fear and anger mixing into something dangerous.