Queen of the night hallo.., p.1
Queen of the Night: Halloween Standalone, page 1
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents portrayed in this novel are products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or otherwise, events, or locations is entirely coincidental.
QUEEN OF THE NIGHT
Copyright ©️ 2023 by N. Owens, USA
All rights reserved.
The copyright owner must give prior permission for reproducing, storing, or transmitting any part of this publication in any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except as permitted by US copyright law.
Cover by: GETCOVERS
Editing by: Ashley and the Missing Comma
Contents
Trigger Warning
Dedication
1. Trinity
2. Trinity
3. Dante
4. Trinity
5. Trinity
6. August
7. Trinity
8. Chase
9. Trinity
10. Trinity
11. Chase
12. Trinity
13. Dante
14. Trinity
15. Trinity
16. August
17. Dante
18. Trinity
19. Chase
20. Trinity
21. Dante
22. Trinity
23. August
24. Trinity
25. Chase
26. Trinity
27. Trinity
28. Dante
29. Trinity
30. Chase
31. August
32. Trinity
Epilogue- Trinity
Also By
Stalk Me
Trigger Warning
Please read possible triggers before continuing. Your mental health is important to me.
This is a dark romance book containing some dark themes.
Sexual Interactions
Possessive mmc
Kidnapping
Violence
Mention of Sex Trafficking
If this is your thing, please continue on...
DEDICATION
This one is for the ones who don’t think they can find their one (or one’s)
Just wait babe, someone will love your crazy ass for who you are.
Also, huge shout out to my crazy red head bestie.
Girl, this book wasn’t gonna get done if not for you.
Thank you!
Chapter 1
Trinity
“Dad! Stop! You’re hurting her. Please stop!” My dad shakes my mom aggressively, as if she were a rag doll, as I stand there in horror, pleading for him to stop. I had just gotten home from taking a walk in the woods behind our run-down house. I was taking pictures for my portfolio and thought a nature section would look cool. Dad was still at work when I left, and Mom was once again zoned out on the couch, staring at the television. I think she took pills again, but it doesn’t matter. I just need to survive this place for three more years, and then I’m gone. Anywhere but this hellhole will work.
“You stupid bitch. You fucked him for drugs again, didn’t you? You’re a fucking whore.” Slap. I wince at the sound of my dad’s palm landing across my mother’s cheek. This is a regular occurrence under this roof, but Dad seems more unhinged than usual tonight. I can smell the booze coming off him in waves and know that tonight is going to end in a beating for me as well. He needs power over everyone. Even if I kept my mouth shut and hid in my room, he would find a way to punish me for something.
My bedroom light is on. I’m wasting power. A dish in the sink. I’m a freeloader and need to learn my place. Heaven forbid I stick up for my junkie mother. I’m a whore just like her, spreading my legs for every man in this godforsaken town just to embarrass him. Doesn’t matter that I’m still a virgin and never even thought a boy in this town was worth my time.
“You’re a dr-drunk piece of s-shit. I s-should have l-left you years ago.” My mother stutters out and then proceeds to throw gasoline on the fire that is my father’s anger, by spitting blood into his face as tear tracks fall from hers. That’s when it all went to hell. My dad lets out a furious roar, that I swear for a second seemed to shake the paper-thin, grimy walls of this house.
In the blink of an eye, my father throws my mother to the ground and begins to pound into her flesh without mercy.
“You”- punch - “Stupid”-punch- “Bitch”-punch.
I’m frozen in shock for a long second, wide-eyed and mouth agape, as he loses all control in his drunken fury. My mom’s pained groans fill the air, making me snap out of my stunned state, racing forward to stop him from killing the woman he supposedly loved once.
They weren’t always like this. I remember them telling me stories from when I was little, of the time they met and fell instantly in love. Love at first sight, they said, like they knew they were meant to be together. Then I came along and it was a perfect fairy tale. But I suppose all fairy tales come with a curse, and I was that curse. The first few years were great, but then Dad started to work late, coming home drunk, and smelling of perfume that my mom didn’t use. Mom started hanging out with friends, pretending she was still young and didn’t have a young child at home to care for. That led to her taking drugs to forget about the fact Dad was cheating, much like herself. They ignored each other and me for the most part, but some days I wasn’t invisible enough.
Mom blames me for Dad, not wanting to be home. I cried too much. I made too many messes. I didn’t quite look like him enough. She never admitted it, but Dad doesn’t think I’m his. My dad holds me responsible for everything that’s gone wrong in his life. He blames me for my mom’s drug addiction, his partying days being over, and even me not having the same hair color as them. No, I have blond hair and a rare eye coloring that is genetic. Heterochromia. So, in his mind, I’m not his child. I couldn’t be.
I don’t think, just act, as I ram my much smaller body into his, shoving him off her. I stumble after him, hitting the wall behind us hard. My head spins a little, but I give it a little shake to clear the feeling of being disoriented. I look over at the beaten and battered woman bleeding a mere few feet away but instantly snap my head to the right when a grunt sounds. My dad is climbing to his feet, as a monstrous sneer full of rage contorts onto his face. A chill runs down my back as fear courses through my veins and pure hatred flashes in his eyes.
“Oh, Trinity. You’re just like your pathetic mother. A stupid little whore who doesn’t know her place, but I’ll teach you. Don’t worry.” He rolls his shoulders, cracking his neck side to side, reminding me of the sound of the bones I know he broke on my mom’s ribs moments ago. I glance back at her for a brief moment, but all I see is blood. It’s everywhere. A crime scene you would see in a horror movie, but those are fake and this is real. Her face, her body, and everything surrounding her is red. I try to see if her chest is moving, if she is breathing even just a little, but there is so much damage. I hear my dad take a step in my direction, and panic hits me like a freight train.
Run, Trinity, he is going to kill you.
I jump up to race around the kitchen table, but he is much faster. He grabs a hold of my long hair and yanks, sending me flying back, landing like a heap of trash on the floor. I turned on my side to avoid the kick he tried to deliver to my prone body. I attempt to crawl away, nails digging into the floor below me, but a second booted kick collides with my side, making me slide a couple of feet, hitting the wall again. He laughs like a damned manic, enjoying my pain. The bastard. I look around for something to defend myself but only see glass from a broken picture frame that must have fallen when I hit the wall. I scoot closer, knowing it will be my last defense if I need it. My only thoughts running through my head are that I just needed to get outside, then I can run and get him and my mother help. He is just drunk out of his mind and doesn’t know what he is doing right now. He will regret everything once he sleeps it off and wakes up sober tomorrow. I know it.
“Did you know your mom was a slut before you were even born? You aren’t even my fucking kid, I just stuck around cuz your mom was a good fuck, doing anything I asked. She still tries to say you’re mine, but I know the truth. You’re weak and pathetic, nothing like me. You don’t even look like me.” He grins in my direction as I shake my head in denial. “Maybe I can get a good price for you over at the Lion’s Den. They have some clients that like them young.” He lets out a deep belly laughs this time, like selling his supposed daughter to a sleazy strip club is funny. He’s a disgusting pig. How could he say all this when he helped raise me? He takes a step closer, reaching for me, ready to rid me of his life. Rage like I’ve never felt, lights my body on fire right before his hand makes contact with my face; All I see is red before it all goes black.
Chapter 2
Trinity
I shoot up in bed, panting hard, my heart pounding out of my chest. Instantly, my eye snaps down to my hands, but they’re clean, allowing me to take a well-needed deep breath. I’m safe. It was just a nightmare, that’s all. I lean back against my headboard, trying to shake the last of the dream. My sleep shorts and tank cling uncomfortably to my skin, drenched in sweat. After another minute of breathing and reassuring myself that I’m no longer dreaming, I drag myself out of bed and head straight to the bathroom.
I manage to turn the shower on to heat up and do my morning business before I finally turn to the mirror. I cringe at my ap
It’s my first day off in weeks, and I have nothing planned. I start a few online classes soon, which I’ll have to fit into my schedule with working at the diner and the local newspaper, but it will be worth it. I'm giving myself one more year before I gather my belongings to head west. With the limited resources I have, the combination of both jobs, my savings, and my sheer stubbornness, I should have just enough to finally escape this place. My plan is to find a small apartment, continue my photography classes in person, and hopefully secure a new job before resorting to a diet of packaged noodles. As long as I’m far from here is all that matters.
Stepping out of the shower, I wrap a big, fluffy towel around my body, relishing in its warmth and softness, before doing the same with my hair. Looking at myself in the semi-fogged mirror, I notice a slight improvement in my appearance - I no longer look completely drained. I debate for half a second if I should apply a bit of concealer to hide the dark circles, but shrug, heading back to my room. Instead of thinking about what to do on my day off, I throw on some sweats, a sports bra, and a light jacket before heading out for an early morning run.
The outfit is simple, nothing fancy, or over the top; like some girls wear when they work out. My faded black sweats are well-loved from wear and tear over the years and my sports bar is a bit tight, but it holds these puppies in. Ignoring the small tear on the side, I slip on my light pink running jacket and get ready to go. I know my grandmother will have something to say, but she understands why I never spend money buying myself new clothes. My entire income is solely devoted to funding my escape; not a single penny goes to waste, except for essentials and maybe art supplies. Glancing over at the clock on my nightstand, I frown. It’s only 5 am. Shit. I thought it was later. At least I got a good 5 hours of sleep today, better than most nights.
I silently creak open my bedroom door, careful to be quiet as I make my way down the hall. I know my grandma is a heavy sleeper, but I also know she will fuss over my lack of sleep again. Which I don’t need right now. The old bat's stubbornness is astonishing, making it impossible for me to win an argument. She is also the one who I inherited my stubbornness from. She was a saint for taking me in at fourteen. Lord knows the first year or two, I acted out more than normal, but she understood what I had gone through and didn’t blame me. Not like the rest of the town.
I stop in the kitchen, grab a glass of water, and chug it before making my way toward the entry hall. My keys, armband, headphones, and pocket knife lay in wait for me on the hallway stand. I put on my running shoes and securing my armband, ensuring that my phone is safely stored inside. The alternative rock station was already queued up, ready to set my mood. “Creep” by Radiohead fills my ears as I put in my headphones and tuck my key away. Stepping out onto the porch, I take in a deep breath. Before stepping off, heading to the back of the house that parallels the forest. The music engulfs my senses, drowning out the world around me, as I let my body effortlessly guide me to my favorite lookout point. Within minutes, my mind goes numb, and I get lost in the repetitive motion of my feet hitting compacted dirt.
I was kicking myself in the ass when I finally made it to the top of the overlook. I was so focused on expelling the last of my nightmares; It didn't occur to me to bring my camera along. As the sun appeared over the horizon, the view was truly breathtaking. The early morning light painted the sky with gentle pinks and oranges, creating a bright and vibrant scene. The sight of the deserted, sandy shores reminded me that it had been ages since I had visited the beach. It’s still early October, so the mornings are chilly, with a 50/50 chance of a semi-warm midday. Today is shaping up to be one of the nicer fall days, so I'm thinking of spending my day off with a few hours at the beach followed by a painting session in the garage.
After a good 30-minute stretch, I take the trail back down toward the house I share with Gran. Making quick work as I push my muscles to their limits. I reach the back of the house in record time, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggle to catch my breath. As I walk the last few yards to the front, my eyes caught sight of a moving truck next door. I don’t see anyone around, but I know the house has been up for rent for a while now. It's still early, so the rest of the neighborhood is quiet.
I head inside, knowing I’ll meet whoever at some point. I casually kick off my dirty shoes to the side, feeling the cool floor beneath my bare feet. Placing my key and armband on the hall table, I head for the kitchen. A gentle hum floats towards me as I near, and I smile to myself as I pass through the doorway. In the kitchen, Gran stands by the stove, her melodious humming filling the room as she tends to her kettle of tea. To make sure I don’t give the woman a heart attack, I gently clear my throat. She snaps her head up in my direction, giving me a wide smile. “Oh, good morning, sweetheart.” She frowns when she fully takes me in. “Did you get any sleep last night?” With an eye roll of epic proportions, I made my way towards the coffeepot.
“Yes, I got about 5 hours before I woke up, then decided to go for a quick run to the lookout point.” She eyes me with concern, but I wave her off. “I’m fine, Gran. Promise. I was thinking about heading to the beach for a few hours later today. Maybe get a few photos for my portfolio since I finally have a day off.” I sigh, still feeling the exhaustion from the doubles I worked at the diner. Being short-handed this week has sucked ass, but the extra money is helpful and well needed.
“That will be nice, dear. You deserve a break. They have been working you like a damn farm horse.” I giggle at that before pulling a coffee cup from the cabinet and filling it to the brim with life juice. “How you drink that black, child, I will never know.” I smile widely at her while taking a big gulp, embracing the burn as it goes down.
“I like it black, just like my dark heart.” I wink at her for good measure as she shakes her head and focuses back on making her own drink. Shifting the focus away from myself, I bring up what caught my attention outside a few minutes ago. “Did you see we are getting new neighbors over at the old Jacobson’s place?”
She perks up at this. The woman loves any reason to bake, and baking the new neighbors a welcome to the neighborhood pie or plate of cookies will make her day. “Oh. Did you get a look at them? What do you think they would like? A cherry pie? A cake? Oh, how about a fresh batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies? I think I have everything for it.” She shuffles around the kitchen, pulling out ingredients, placing them on the counter in an organized pile. I smile as I continue to sip my bitter coffee, savoring its robust flavor.
After a few minutes, I figure I should go get ready for my day. “Well, Gran, I’ll leave you to it. I’m going to get ready to head to the beach.”
She waves me off, not even bothering to in look in my direction. “Yes, yes, go on. Be home for dinner. Oh, I’ll have you take the cookies over later, so we can introduce ourselves.” I simply hum under my breath, then head to my room. Despite being a saint, the woman maintains her belief that not all people are assholes in the end. She doesn’t even know half of what I put up with in this town.
I don’t bother to do more than change my clothes. Donning a pair of faded blue jeans, I feel them hug my body, revealing every curve. I hastily chose a band t-shirt, not entirely convinced it was clean, and threw on a zip-up sweatshirt to complete my look. With a swift motion, I gather my beanie, camera, sketch pad, and pen and stash them in my reliable black cross-body canvas bag. I then slide my feet into my vibrant green high-top Converse, adding a pop of color to my ensemble. I quickly gather my long blonde hair into a haphazard updo, knowing it will just become tangled, and head towards the front door. Calling out to Gran, who is in her zone as I cross the threshold of the front door, turn right, and head for the beach. As I made my way, I was enchanted by the beauty that unfolded around me. Everyone always forgets how beautiful our surroundings can be, with our eyes glued to screens all the time. I glance back at the newly rented home next door, wanting to catch a peek, but still see no one around. Shrugging, I make my way to the pier for the afternoon.
