Chapter 27
Evie
“Okay, well on that note, let’s head back to our dorm,” Tessa says, pushing her chair back from the table.
The guys stand as well. I gather my trash, but Zane takes it from me.
When we walk towards the exit, I take notice of how few people are in here and realize it’s probably later than I think it is.
I don’t want to look, though, and ruin the night.
It's been an almost perfect night, aside from the whole Jace thing. I push him from my mind; he’s not going to ruin this night for me.
Quint and Tess keep a running commentary the entire walk back to our dorm, and I just listen with a smile on my face.
Zane bumps my shoulder lightly. “You good? You’re quiet.
” His voice is low and soft, and it sends a shiver down my spine.
A good shiver. I resist the urge to lean my head on his bicep.
I don’t know what it is about him that makes me feel so comfortable around him.
I try really hard not to. But then his hand finds the small of my back, and I feel like all my willpower is leaving me.
“Evie?” he asks in that dangerously low, sexy voice.
“I’m good.” My voice is breathless, and I hope he won’t notice.
One look at his face shows that he does.
He stares down at me. Under the streetlight, I can see those piercing green eyes that seem to glow in the dark.
He takes a step towards me, and I can almost feel his intensity ratchet up another notch.
“Evie,” he says, and his voice sounds deeper and gruffer than before.
Reid suddenly puts his arm around Zane’s shoulder. “Thanks for eating with us tonight, Evie.”
He breaks whatever spell I was under, and I take a small step backwards.
Zane makes a sound low in his chest, and my eyes fly to his.
He’s staring at me with that wickedly intense look, and I don’t know if I can walk away.
I force myself to take another step back.
“Thanks for dinner, Zane.” My voice is not as shaky as I thought it’d be.
He stares at me but doesn’t respond to what I’m saying.
I wonder if he feels this thing between us as intensely as I do.
But then I think of how I thought things with Jace were normal, and suddenly, I doubt myself.
Thinking of Jace is the proverbial cold water I need. “Night, Guys.”
“Night, Evie,” Quint calls out, and I think I hear Reid say goodnight.
I start towards the door, afraid that if I don’t, I’ll do something stupid like try to hug Zane. I’m almost to the door when I hear his voice. “Evie.”
That masculine voice sends a shiver through my entire body, and I’m hopeless to stop myself from turning around.
He covers the distance between us in four long strides, but I take the last step towards him.
His arms come around me, and he pulls me into his chest. I think we both sigh at the same time.
It scares me how much I crave him; I don’t understand it.
This isn’t anything like it was with Jace.
I lay my head on his strong chest and listen to the sound of his heartbeat.
If I’m not mistaken, it’s beating pretty fast. That makes me feel better, like I’m not the only one affected by whatever is going on between us.
I finally find my courage. “Zane, what’s happening between us? ”
“Does it scare you?” he asks softly.
“You don’t scare me, but the intensity of this kind of scares me,” I tell him honestly.
I feel his hand on the back of my head. I close my eyes as his hand runs over the back of my head and down my hair. “I promise I will be good to you, Evie.”
“I know.” And somehow, I do. I pull back slightly and stare up at him. Suddenly, I have a longing to kiss him and be kissed by him. The intensity of my feelings shock me, and I swallow hard.
Zane gives me a tender smile and then drops his arms. I miss him instantly. “Good night, Evie.” He shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks backwards.
“Night, Zane.” I give him one more smile and then start inside.
I don’t turn back because I’m seriously doubting my self-control right now.
My chest almost aches as I walk away from him, and I frown.
I was never one of those kinds of girls that fell hard for every guy that even looked at them, but this is seriously kind of scary.
Tessa waits for me by the stairs with a goofy grin on her face. She links her arm through mine.
“Still convinced he’s not madly in love with you?”
I don’t even bother to reply because as much as I'm feeling right now, I know it’s not possible that either of us is in love. I push all such foolish notions from my head. She lays her head on my arm like I wanted to do earlier to Zane. “Tonight was such a good night.”
I sigh. “Yeah, it was.”
We get to our rooms and go our separate ways. “Night, Tessa.”
“Night, Evie.”
I slip inside, still smiling. The smile drops from my face when I see the expression on Sam’s face. I start over towards my bed. “What did you do?”
I raise my eyebrows at the animosity in her voice. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She crosses her arms and scoffs. “Sure, you don’t.”
“Sam, if this is about Jace, he needs help. He—”
She laughs loudly. “Jace needs help?”
I turn away. “I’m not going to do this with you.”
She laughs again, but this time, something about it sends chills up my spine. I turn back just as something hits the back of my head, and I drop.
____________
I try to open my eyes, but they feel weighted down.
I can’t quite place what’s going on, but I feel like I’m going to throw up.
I feel...I’m moving. That wakes me right up, and I pry my eyes open.
The world is upside down, and I can’t see anything in the pitch dark.
I realize somebody is carrying me. I’m draped over somebody’s shoulder.
With a cry of alarm, I push myself up. An arm of steel bands around the back of my legs.
“Now, now, now, girlfriend of mine. That’s not a good idea. ”
I swear every muscle in my body tenses at the sound of that voice. “Jace?” My voice is shaky. Only his dark laugh confirms that it is indeed him. “What are you doing?” I try and fail to keep the panic from my voice.
“Aw, don’t be scared, Little Lamb. I’m just taking you to my boss.”
His words scare me more than I’ve ever been scared in my life. “Your boss?”
“Yeah. He's going to love you.”
The way he says it is not comforting at all, not at all.
“Jace, I don’t know what’s going on, but you need to take me back to my dorm right now.
” I lift my head but can’t see anything in the dark.
I can barely make out dark shapes, like we’re in a forest maybe?
Fear takes hold of me and grips me tight.
“Right now, Jace.” I make my voice as authoritative as I possibly can.
When he only laughs, panic takes hold of me.
I feel like I can’t breathe. I try to suck in oxygen and keep the panic at bay, or I’ll never escape.
I flop back down on his shoulder like I've given up and then just wait. I don’t know what I’m waiting for, but I find it when he has to release his hold on my legs to pull a branch out of the way.
I shove off of him and aim a well-placed kick at his lower regions.
He stumbles back with a hoarse grunt. I crash to the ground but am up and running a moment later.
I slam into something after only a few steps.
“Going somewhere?”
I recognize Sam’s voice instantly. “Sam, you have to help me. Please!”
She laughs, but it’s cold and sends a shiver down my spine. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to happen, Evie.”
Hurt and shock courses through me. “Sam?”
“Oh, don’t play the pity card. You had to know I could barely stand you; I was only playing a part. We both were playing a part.”
Her words are like glass shards on my soul, but I try not to let them affect me. “What do you mean?” I try but fail to keep the hurt from my voice.
“Oh Evie, come on, did you really think we were friends? I can’t stand you. You’re naive and annoying and way too trusting. Did you ever stop to wonder why you were in a room with a junior when like everybody else in our dorm was a freshman or sophomore?”
I blink my eyes and refuse to cry at her cruel words. “What’s going on?” I’m proud of the fact that my voice doesn’t shake. I very carefully lift my pointer finger to the pocket of my leggings and feel for my cell phone. Thankfully, they didn’t think to take it from me.
“We’re taking you to our Master.”
I take in her words. Okay, that doesn’t sound ominous at all. Time to play up that naive and too trusting facet. “Okay, but he’s not going to like hurt me or anything, right?”
“Sure,” Sam says, and I can hear the smirk in her voice. “Where have you been?” She snaps.
I feel more than see Jace join us. “I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be able to have kids after her kick,” he grunts out in anger.
“Poor baby,” Sam trills.
“Now tie her up and let’s go.”
My breathing speeds up. I have to get away before they tie me up. If they do, I’m done for. I have no idea what is going on, but I know that meeting their master—whoever he is—sounds like a terrible idea.
“You tie her up,” Jace snaps.
“Seriously?” Sam snaps right back. “Do I have to do everything?”
I use their fight as my getaway. I take off, not caring that I make a ton of noise.
There’s no other way to do this. I’m running blindly; speed right now is my only option, not stealth.
As I run, I pull my phone from my pocket and pull up my favorites.
I’m so grateful I added Zane to that list. I push his name and run faster.
I have no idea what time it is. If it’s the middle of the night or only minutes since he left me. He picks up on the first ring. “Evie?”
His voice brings immediate tears to my eyes. “Zane!” I shout desperately. “You have to help me. I—” I scream as somebody grabs my hair and yanks me backward. I crash to the ground and somebody’s boot slams into my ribs. The oxygen is sucked from my chest, and waves of agony roll through me.
“I’m sorry,” I hear Sam’s voice say. “She can’t come to the phone right now.
Can I take a message?” Then she laughs. “Not really.” She leans down next to me.
I can feel her breath on my face as I struggle to take in air.
“Here.” She hands me my phone. “Look how reasonable I’m being.
But you should realize that nobody’s going to get here in time to help you. ”
A fierce growl sounds from somewhere in the trees, and my body jolts in panic.
Sam shoots to her feet and shouts something to Jace.
Then I watch as she starts to take her clothes off.
Panic claws at my chest; I don’t know what’s happening.
Suddenly, she turns into something completely different.
I try to scream but can’t; not a single sound comes out.
I stare in terror at the thing that stands before me.
I take in the hideous creature and know I’m going to die.
When another one comes to stand next to her, I can’t catch my breath.
Something wild growls, closer this time, and they move to the other side of me.
The hideous creatures lift their snouts and sniff the air and then charge forward.
As soon as they do, I push myself to my feet, ignoring the absolute agony rushing through me as adrenaline fuels me.
I begin to run. I don’t know where I’m going; all I know is I have to get away or I’m going to die here in these woods.