Chapter 12 - Nikki #3
Glancing around, her mind began to work.
She could keep running and try to make it down the trail and get back to town.
But it was rough terrain, and the odds of her tripping and falling once more were relatively high.
If she fell again, Vincent would be on her in seconds, and she wasn’t certain she would be able to get away from him a second time.
The other option was to hide, to get off the trail and sneak into the woods and find a hiding space.
It was risky, but if Vincent kept running past her, she could wait a while and then leave.
The footsteps grew louder.
She stepped off the trail and raced through the overgrown woods as fast as she could. Twigs and thorny bramble scratched her hands and face and clawed at her jacket. She kept moving, searching for something she could use for cover.
She stumbled across a series of large boulders, looming over the rest of the landscape. They were tempting, but something told her they were too obvious a hiding spot. Twisting to glance around, she spotted a thick patch of brush. She could squeeze in if she were careful.
Without giving herself time to talk herself out of it, she wedged into the bramble and bushes, crouching low, obscuring herself but maintaining a decent view of the area.
She panted, willing herself to breathe easier, for her heart to stop pounding so loudly.
The footsteps grew louder, and she knew that Vincent was charging down the trail.
The question now was whether he would keep going down the trail or peel off to hunt for her.
She swallowed, forcing herself not to move.
The footsteps faded.
She sighed, shoulders slumping, relief flooding through her. It had worked. She could wait here for a bit and get away. She might get out of this after all.
Just as she had begun to relax and breathe easier, she heard the sound of leaves crunching under feet and branches snapping.
Her heart seized, jumping into her throat.
It was all she could do to stop herself from trembling, knowing any movement would disturb the branches currently obscuring her from view.
She waited, listening to the approaching sounds, growing closer every second, each crack and crunch sounding like an ominous portent.
The footsteps slowed, then stopped.
“I know you’re here, Nikki,” Vincent said in a singsong voice. “I’m going to find you soon enough. Might as well make it easier on both of us.”
She willed her breathing to slow. The stitch in her side sent sharp, throbbing pains through her. Her throat was dry.
Crunching leaves told her he was close, too close. She covered her mouth, as if that would muffle her breathing. Would it even matter? Vincent was a shifter. He could probably hear her thundering heart, could smell her scent. If he got too close, it was all over.
“For the record, I didn’t like lying to you,” Vincent said. “I mean, we’re friends.”
Friends don’t kidnap friends, Nikki thought, though she bit back the remark. She half-wondered if he was trying to bait her, trying to get her to reveal her position. She wouldn’t put it past him. Either way, she wasn’t going to be trapped that easily.
“Did you know the old alpha was about to appoint me to his inner circle before Hughes came in and ruined it all?” he called over the rustling leaves. “The second that crew barged in, it threw the whole pack into disarray. They don’t deserve to be in charge. Lucas plans on fixing all that.”
By restarting what Sier began, she thought. Thorns and sharp edges of thin branches dug into her.
“You don’t have to hide, you know,” he said. She could hear the crunching leaves, growing closer and closer. “Why don’t you come along willingly? Lucas will appreciate it. If you come along, he’ll go much easier on you than if I have to drag you to him.”
Once again, images of a past life, of Lucas trying to pull her away from the other slaves, rushed toward her. Her hand trembled while the other dug into the earth.
“Besides, is he really going to be any worse than the guy who forced you to marry him?” A sneer had entered Vincent’s voice. “I mean, seriously. You’d rather that?”
Any day of the week if it’s Jasper, she thought, still keeping her hand over her mouth. His voice was growing closer every second. When she peered out, she could see a hulking shape looming nearby, lumbering slowly. She crouched again.
“Lucas is going to have you one way or the other,” Vincent called. “You might as well make it easier on everyone.”
She wasn’t entirely out of options yet. She could slip away and make a break for it.
It was risky, but it was better than any of the other ideas she had, and it was sure as hell better than staying here and letting him get her.
She began to creep away, heart in her throat and limbs trembling.
There was a relatively clear path she could see, once she cleared the bramble.
She could use that. She steeled herself, preparing to sprint.
Vincent appeared overhead, looking down into her hiding spot. He grinned, eyes glinting with malice.
“Got you,” he said.