Adrianna hit send and sat back with a deep, satisfied sigh. Three more chapters of her novel were winging their way across the globe to her editor in New York, where the poor baby would be subjected to Eleanor's evil red pencil. She smiled, remembering her shock when she'd received her first edited novel back. Eleanor had been merciless. Since then, she'd published many novels, and though they all received the red pencil treatment, there were less and less red marks these days. She stretched, raising her slender, graceful arms high over her head to work the kinks out of her back. She'd been sitting here all day, working hard, with only a short break for lunch. She was pleasantly tired, and realized she was hungry.
She rose and moved into the small kitchen of the beach house. She'd fix herself a salad and warm up the chicken Marsala she'd made the day before, she decided. She put the chicken into the oven to warm and poured herself a glass of wine. After making the salad, she carried it out to the patio, overlooking the ocean. It was her favorite spot to relax. When she'd become a successful novelist, and was actually making a really good living at it, she had begun going to far off locales to write, visiting all the places she'd dreamed of. They were working vacations, so she chose small houses instead of hotels, where she could have privacy and peace while she created her babies. This one was right on the water, with a small strip of cleared land between the house and the shoreline, and thick trees on either side. There were other houses nearby, all overseen by the same resort, but they were far enough apart that she felt as if she were miles from anyone. She couldn't hear or see her neighbors, and there were no paths that ran behind the houses. They could only be reached from the front.
Of course, there were paths in the dense forest, animal trails mostly, but they were passable if someone were determined. As she sat there, she was unaware of the man hidden in the trees, watching her. It wasn't his first visit. He smiled. Soon, he thought. Soon, we will meet, my lovely. When the sun began to set, Adrianna went back inside, and he eased back into the trees.
Adrianna took her time showering and dressing. There was a musical program up at the resort that she'd decided to attend, though she rarely participated in any of the offerings. But this was a group she'd heard before and enjoyed. Wearing a teal colored sundress of soft cotton that set of her pale blond hair, and white high heeled sandals that made her shapely legs even better, she gathered up her purse and keys, and set out on the path.
The program was enjoyable, but there was disturbing news. Another woman had been assaulted the previous night. The media had dubbed the man 'The Masked Lothario'. The women, six of them now, said he just appeared in their rooms or homes. He was gentle, but he drugged and raped them. When they awoke, he was gone, leaving a single red rose on the pillow beside them. There was much speculation as to who this man could be. The descriptions the women gave were all over the place. The gendarmes were baffled. He left very little trace evidence behind. He was like a ghost.
Adrianna was nervous, hearing about another attack, and she dreaded the walk home in the dark. Gentle or not, it was still rape. She gratefully accepted a ride from a woman and her husband, who were staying in a cabin farther down the line. They waited until she was safely inside before driving off.
She locked the door, and went into the bedroom to change. It was a warm night. She put on a tank top, but wore only her panties on the bottom. She opened the sliding glass door, but made sure the lock on the screen was engaged, before settling down on the sofa with a book and another glass of wine. When she began to yawn, she put the book down and headed in to bed. She was out in minutes.
The man outside smiled. She'd forgotten to close the glass doors, which would make his entrance even easier. He waited, making sure she was sound asleep, before he went in. It was simple to slit the screen and reach through to unlock it. He moved through the darkened rooms silent as a cat, making his way with confidence. He'd already been inside, twice, and knew where every piece of furniture was. He moved into the bedroom and stared down at her. A shaft of moonlight flowed across her like a caress, gilding her pale hair as it laid spread over the pillow. He went about his preparations.
Adrianna awoke slowly. What had awoken her, she wondered groggily. She frowned, and slowly opened her eyes. She was on her side, facing the French doors to the patio. They were standing wide open. She blinked, confused, then sat up with a gasp. An arm wrapped around her shoulders and pushed her back down onto the bed, while a hand wrapped around her mouth. It held a cloth soaked in something. She felt the wetness, then her panicked breath took in the fumes and the world went fuzzy. She didn't pass out completely. She was vaguely aware that someone was moving her around, but she couldn't focus her mind or her eyes. Her limbs felt like deadweight, her mind muddy. It was a while before she began to come around and be able to think again. Her first clear realization was that she was lying on her bed, on her back and someone was standing beside the bed. She stared up at him, her mind whirling. With a start, she realized this must be the rapist. She gasped and tried to roll away from him. It was only then that she discovered her ankles and wrists were tied to the bedposts. She opened her mouth to scream as he sat down beside her.
"No, no, my dear, no screaming, please," a pleasant, accented voice said gently as a hand covered her mouth, muffling her scream. He sounded European. His other hand reached into his pocket and came out with a ball gag. Her eyes went wide and she shook her head. "I must, I'm afraid. With the doors open, I can't take the risk. But it is such a pleasant night. I love the sound of the ocean at night, don't you?" As he spoke he slipped the gag into her mouth and quickly pulled the straps around her head, fastening it tightly.
Adrianna looked up at him, terror squeezing her heart. A tear slipped over the edge and trailed down her temple. He brushed at it with a fingertip. "There is no reason to cry, my sweet. I will not hurt you."
She didn't believe him, of course. She glared at him now, and tried to speak.
He smiled. "I can't understand you with the gag. But I believe I get the gist of it." He sighed, and gently wiped at her tears again. "Do you know who I am?"
She nodded slowly, and tugged at her bonds. They were thick leather straps, lined with fur, so they gave her no pain. But they were fitted snugly and she couldn't escape.
"Then you know you do not need to fear for your life. Tonight is only about pleasure, I assure you. Such pleasure we will give to one another." He smiled, and leaned over to turn on the bedside lamp.
