Chapter 5 #2
I’ll need it, because there’s no more hiding.
There’s only the thrill of the chase, the rushing terror of not knowing when he’s going to grab my shoulder and haul me to a stop.
In a small stroke of luck, the sirens and lights of the police fade into the distance as sweat beads on my brow and drips from my upper lip. I only need to contend with the demons hunting me, which still isn’t as comforting as I would like.
I’m not going to last long at this pace, not with years of captivity making my endurance a shell of what it used to be. The direction I chose is taking me toward the woods again, a haven of places to hide—for both me and my hunters.
Vaulting over a short stone fence, I tear down a sloping stretch of grass and between the thick trunks of some evergreen trees.
Thorny bushes tear at the hem of my pants, threatening to catch me in their grip and stall me precious seconds.
I don’t look back, but I can’t hear the pounding footsteps of Iz following me anymore.
He’s probably creeping around in the dark. The light from downtown is dwindling now that I’ve gotten beyond the first few trees.
I move the knife to my dominant hand, trying to get a solid grip on it despite the sweat. It’s hard to breathe and move quietly when I’m panting, desperate to catch my breath, but I do what I can.
The longer it takes him to find me, the better.
If he drags out this game, I won’t have to spend as much time fighting back.
My feet catch on the dried brush and leaves, giving away my location to anyone paying attention, but Izoran doesn’t burst out to catch me.
He lets me get deeper into the woods until all artificial light is gone, only the moon to guide me.
I can’t hear the sound of cars or the buzz of streetlights—only the occasional hoot of an owl and the sound of crickets chirping.
No one will hear me out here.
He’ll be able to do what he wants with me without risking human interference.
A shiver trails down my spine, and I do my best to shake off the instinctual fear threatening to freeze me into place. It’s good we’re far away from everything—I don’t need the cops to catch me committing a murder, too. If they do, my newfound freedom will be short-lived.
And I’m aiming to kill tonight.
My goal is killing these four demons who are hunting me, who think they have some kind of claim over me. I’ll teach them that they don’t, and I’m not a human that’s easy to mess with.
Getting stabbed must hurt them, right?
When I step into a clear area, free of the bushes and ferns layering most of the ground, Iz waits with his back against a thick tree trunk.
“Brellan loves smart women,” he comments glibly. “He’ll be infatuated when he finds out you wasted hours of our time and then broke into a rifle shop to steal that gorgeous knife.”
I glance down at the knife in my hand. It’s impossible for me to make out the details in the dark, but it is obviously well-crafted. “I don’t want him to be infatuated,” I hiss. “And wouldn’t he already know what I’ve done? Aren’t you all hunting me?”
Iz laughs, striding across the clearing until he’s within striking distance. He doesn’t have a care in the world for the weapon I’m wielding.
“We’re taking shifts on the hunt, Fire. There’s no fun to it if we’re all hunting you at the same time. Besides, we wanted to give you a chance to get to know all of us as individuals.” His smirk shows off gleaming white teeth, pointed and sharp.
They didn’t tell me that part of the deal. I clench my jaw. They’re taunting me by not giving it their all, but as much as it stings my pride, I can’t complain.
Only evading one at a time will be easier—bordering on actually possible. Although I have a feeling in this case, there are two hunters on my tail. It’s not only Izoran’s attention making my pulse spike. I bet his twin is hiding in the dark, waiting for me to make my move.
They took the first shift together.
I’ll have to stab both of them.
“Well, you’ve found your prey. Come and get me,” I say.
I don’t want to make the first move. Not because I have any hesitance about hurting him, but because I know he’ll be anticipating it from me. I have the knife pointed in his direction, serrated blade glinting when it catches the moonlight.
If he moves first, I might have a chance to surprise him.
“That I have.” Iz licks his lips.
He takes big, slow steps toward me. I wait for the right moment—the instant he tries to take the weapon from my grasp.
Except… that moment doesn’t come. He doesn’t blanch when the knife pierces his pec, blood beading and running down his chest. I hold the blade tightly as he groans and lets the tip sink deeper into his flesh.
“What are you doing?” I whisper.
Izoran brings his hand up to clasp mine, helping me hold the handle and keep the blade in place. He takes another step forward, his eyes fluttering shut, before forcing the both of us to thrust the knife into his chest.
Right where his heart would be… if he had one.
I’m not sure he does, because he only grunts and rips the knife back out, leaving it in my hand. I stare at the deep wound, gushing blood.
“You can’t kill me like that, Fire. You’re welcome to keep trying, but I’ll take my prize for catching you now.”
What prize?
I try to reel backward, away from him, but he catches me around the waist. Shouting, I jam the knife into his shoulder, but he doesn’t let me go. He spins us until he can press me up against the trunk of a tree and drop to his knees at my feet.
Then he yanks my pants and underwear down my legs, hauling one of my thighs over his shoulder. He licks a line up my inner thigh and inhales deeply, his husky groan sending a shiver of arousal through me.
“Let go of me.” I shove at his shoulders, and he doesn’t budge.
“You agreed that we could take you as our prize. I’m taking my first taste of victory.”
His tongue teases my folds. I tremble at the promise he’s making with his words and tongue, but I can’t give up yet. This isn’t what I want—I’m playing this game to win my freedom, not to be ravished by a cocky demon in the middle of the forest.
My palm is sweaty, but I still have a good enough grip on my weapon to shove it down, piercing him right through the shoulder.
He doesn’t retreat.
He doesn’t disarm me, not even when I tear the knife from his skin and stab him again.
All Izoran does is hold me against the tree… and groan. “It’s so sexy when you hurt me. Keep going, Fire.”
And then he buries his face against my pussy, and I’m left stunned as my body shivers from the pleasure.