Deadly Desires (Twisted Tales #1)

Prologue

Wynter

Running. My lungs burn from the frozen air surrounding me, seeping into my soul. I can’t stop. Not when I know she wants me. The yellow tulle from my ball gown snags on briars and branches, but it doesn’t slow me. I won’t let it.

The Alaskan taiga stretches endlessly before me, a vast expanse of snow-covered wilderness.

Towering conifers, their branches heavy with snow, loom like silent sentinels at night.

The ground beneath my feet is a treacherous mix of ice and snow, each step a gamble.

The cold bites at my exposed skin, turning my breath into visible puffs of mist.

With each step I take, I feel the pins holding my hair slip until it’s whipping in the wind behind me.

The forest is eerily quiet, the only sounds are my ragged breaths and the crunch of snow underfoot.

The moonlight filters through the dense canopy, casting long, ghostly shadows, dancing and flicking.

Now and then, a gust of wind sends a flurry of snowflakes swirling around me, momentarily blinding me.

My legs scream in protest with every step, the muscles burning from the relentless exertion.

The cold has seeped into my bones, making each movement feel like wading through molasses.

My long discarded heels leave my toes numb and a sharp, stinging pain radiates from my feet up to my calves.

The skin on my legs and arms feels tight and hard, as if encased in ice.

I push forward, my heart pounding in my chest. The air is so cold it feels like shards of glass slice through my lungs with every inhale. The thought of him catching me sends a fresh wave of adrenaline through my veins.

Fear grips my heart in a cold, unrelenting vice. Every shadow seems to hide his figure, every rustle of the wind, his approach. Exhaustion is beginning to take its toll; my mind races, a chaotic swirl of panic and determination. I can’t let him catch me. I won’t.

As I sprint through the darkness, a low-hanging branch slices through my arm.

The pain radiates through my body. The blood from the wound is warm against my chilled skin, the metallic smell sharp and pungent.

My vision blurs and darkens, threatening to consume me.

I stumble, catching myself on a tree trunk.

The bark is rough and uneven beneath my fingertips, the sensation anchoring me to the present.

I press my forehead against the rough surface, focusing on the solidity of the wood.

I only rest for a moment because I need to get as far away from Evilin as possible.

I shove off hard from the tree and continue running through the forest, realizing that a small stop could put me in his clutches.

My body is numb with cold, my lungs burning from exertion.

Suddenly, the forest opens up to a vast, frozen lake. The moonlight reflects off the ice, casting my surroundings in an eerie glow. I hesitate momentarily, my breath visible in the cold night air. Behind me, I hear the distant sound of footsteps crunching through the snow. He’s getting closer.

With no other choice, I step onto the ice. It creaks under my weight, but I press on, each step more precarious than the last. Halfway across, I hear a sharp crack. The ice begins to split, and I scramble to stay on solid ground.

Desperation fuels my movements but I push forward, the ice cracking and shifting beneath me.

I reach the other side and dart into the trees as my breathing wheezes.

This corset was pulled so tightly that I think she was trying to kill me before the party even began.

My ribs feel as though they may break from the sheer force of my ribs pressing against the bodice as I fight for breath, but I don’t look back. I can’t afford to.

Ahead, I see a faint light flickering through the trees. A cabin. Hope surges within me. If I can just reach it, maybe I can find help. I sprint towards the light, my legs aching, my lungs burning. The cabin door is slightly ajar and I burst inside, slamming it shut behind me.

Inside, the warmth is a stark contrast to the freezing night. An older man sits by the fire, his eyes widening in surprise.

“Help me,” I gasp, collapsing onto the floor. “He’s coming,” I whimper as my hair fans around me, suffocating me. With all my strength I try to undo the corset, but it’s too late.

Before he can respond, the world tilts and darkens around me.

The exhaustion, the cold, and the fear finally overwhelm me.

My vision blurs and I feel myself slipping into unconsciousness.

The last thing I hear is the old man’s urgent voice calling out, but the words are lost as I succumb to the darkness.