Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
LILITH
My head hurts. I woke up not remembering a thing after I had a drink, after that amazing fucking sex on the balcony. A date that turned out to be perfection. Now, if all dates were like that, I would have dated a lot more.
But I have a feeling that is all Reon.
The material of the red dress irritates my skin.
It’s itchy, and I want it off, but it was the only one I could find in my closet. My white dress, which I wore the night before, has been discarded, and the blood that was on me somehow was removed.
My heels dig into the ground as I walk through the grass.
I should have worn the comfortable shoes, the invitation said.
I check the address again—it’s the house I was instructed to arrive at for the event tonight, but it’s a run-down old place that looks as if it’s barely standing.
A cold shiver runs through my body as I look around.
Maybe I should have told Reon about the invite; something is making me feel uneasy right now.
I spot Soren first, though he’s not easy to see since he’s dressed in all black. In his hand, he holds some kind of mask. His boots slosh in the wet grass with each step he takes. “Lilith.”
“Soren.” I smile.
He takes a moment to assess me, and then nods approvingly at what I’m wearing.
“You wore the correct outfit, though you probably should have worn something warmer. The night’s chill can be a killer.
” As he says the last word, he smirks. I stand there as he lifts his mask and slides it onto his face.
He stares back at me through a mask that looks to be made of broken glass scattered all over it.
In the dark moonlight, I can barely see my reflection in it.
“Was I meant to be wearing a mask?” I ask. I don’t even see any cars. He holds out his hand, and I give him a quizzical look. I’m not sure what he wants.
“Keys, please.”
“Keys?”
“Yes, for your car. We’ll need to move it so it doesn’t interfere.”
“With what?”
He stays quiet and opens and closes his hand, indicating for me to give him my keys.
“Will Reon be here soon?” I ask.
“Yes, I’m always the first to arrive to set up.”
“I’ve been standing here for an hour. You’re late,” I say, pressing my hands to my chest. At first, I contemplated not coming, but the anticipation and the money pushed me over the edge.
Even if I have some now, I would really like more.
I’m not sure why I stayed as long as I did.
I should have left. We’re in the fucking middle of nowhere, for goodness sake.
There doesn’t seem to be any other life around us.
“No, the guest of honor is always early. It helps them get acquainted with their surroundings.” He waves a hand around, so I look around again. The moon is hardly visible, with barely any stars in the sky, and there are trees as high as buildings. Furthermore, it’s quiet, so quiet.
“Keys,” he repeats. Soren doesn’t seem like a man who gets told no often.
“No,” I tell him. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to keep them.”
“I do mind.” I hear the rustle of something and look behind me.
“It’s probably just a squirrel,” Soren says. His voice drops as he continues, “Or a coyote.” Turning back to him, I know he is smiling behind that mask.
“I think I should go.”
“I think you shouldn’t. I’m sure you know not just anyone gets invited to the Forsaken Society’s parties.
” He cracks his neck from side to side. “Seems you got into many, though. Tell me, Lilith, how did you do that?” My mouth opens and closes without any words coming out, and then I lift the bottom of my dress and turn to go back to my car.
“Where are you going, Lilith? Don’t you want to see Reon? ” he calls after me.
His words send a shiver down my spine, but I don’t stop walking until I get to my car. But when I see it, I pause.
What did he do?
“It’s best you give me the keys now, Lilith.” His voice close behind me makes me jump.
“What did you do?” I ask, looking at my car. My tires are flat.
“Don’t worry, I’ll buy you a new one…” He pauses. “If you survive.” My heart flutters, and in the pit of my stomach, I feel sick.
“The Hunt.” The words leave my mouth before I can take them back.
Soren goes deadly quiet and leans in close. “Who told you about that?” I gasp when he reaches out and grabs my arm. “Did Reon tell you? He should know better.”
“He didn’t,” I say, pulling my arm back, but he doesn’t let it go.
“Arlo may be blind in some respects, but he is loyal. He would never tell anyone about them. So, that only leaves Reon.”
“Let go of my arm,” I shriek, still trying to escape his grasp. His gaze falls to where his fingers wrap around my arm, and then he releases me. Stepping back, he looks around.
“Tell me who told you, and I will let you go.”
“You’re bluffing. You would never let me go. That much I know.”
“You are a stupid girl for coming in the first place.”
“Stupid? Well, I guess I am.” I shrug. “But what does that make you? A stupid man for getting angry that Reon doesn’t want your fucked-up sister?
Does that hurt your teeny-tiny feelings, Soren?
” I bite back. “That he wants me… trash, as you more than likely call me… more than her? How does that make you feel?”
“He will come to see things the right way.”
“Will he?”
“Yes, he will. Because I don’t expect you to be breathing after tonight.” I can hear the smile behind his mask.
“That’s very presumptuous of you,” I say.
I hear trucks in the distance, but I know for a fact it’s a long walk back to any main road.
It took me over ten minutes by car to get to where I’m standing in the forest with a single house alone by itself, and the only way out is where the trucks are coming in.
Soren glances down at his watch. It lights up, and he clicks a button before raising his eyes to me.
“We let the hunted have a good ten minutes before we give chase. Your ten minutes start now.”
“Where is Reon?” I ask frantically.
“Oh, he’s coming… to hunt you.” His words shock me. “Did you really think you were special? It was his turn to find the one we hunted, and he did a great job.”
“He would never,” I say, shaking my head in denial.
“Do you think you know him after you’ve fucked him a few times?
Do you think he loves you now because he wants to continue sticking his cock in your mouth?
Come on, Lilith, you’re smarter than that.
Reon is a Forsaken. He joined for the sole reason that he loves to hunt, and not animals either.
” He steps back from me. “I’d suggest you get a move on, Lilith.
No one has ever made it out of here alive, so your chances are slim.
But as I tell them all, good luck.” He reaches into his trousers, presses a button, and looks back at me.
“Run, Lilith. And you better hope someone else finds you before I do.” I glance back at the trucks coming our way.
“No,” I say stubbornly.
He chuckles and throws his head back. “God, you are really making this the easiest Hunt ever.” He rubs his hands together as he walks to his car parked behind mine. From it, he pulls out a long stick and holds it up.
But it isn’t a stick.
It’s a fucking shotgun.
He aims it at me and fires.
The bullet hits the ground just in front of me. Absolute panic washes over me when I realize he isn’t playing.
“That is your only warning. Now, run.”
He reloads, and this time, he aims the gun at my face. I watch his finger tighten on the trigger, and when he shoots, I feel the buckshot buzz past my face. He quickly loads again, and I turn and run as he does.
He fires again and hits the tree right next to me, and I hear his laughter as my heels dig into the ground.
“Run, Lilith, run. Because we will find you.”
I don’t slow down. Instead, I keep running until the forest becomes so dark that I can no longer see any lights or hear his laughter.
Tree branches whip past me, stinging my skin.
My feet sink and stumble over the ground.
When my lungs are burning, and I don’t think I can go another step, I stop and slide down a tree, ignoring the bark that digs into my skin until my ass hits the ground.
Surely Reon wouldn’t hunt me?
Right?
No, he wouldn’t.
I shake my head and reach for my heels, slipping them off and knowing my feet will be bleeding.
I don’t care. I hold them in my hands as I lift my dress up and reach for the knife I strapped to my leg—the very same one from that first night with Reon.
Gripping the end of my dress, I slide the knife up it to make a large slit so I can run better.
Trying to stay still and quiet—while attempting to catch my breath—I listen for the sounds of footsteps, but it’s cold, and despite me just running, a shiver racks my body.
Standing, I strap the knife back to my leg and try to work out a way out of here.
There has to be a way.
A road somewhere?
They can’t own everything in sight, surely.
How many people have died out here?
Will I be another on their long list?
I reach for my cell phone, where I stashed it in the top of my dress, but when I pull it out, I see it has no reception and is down to its last ten percent battery. Why did I not charge it?
Sliding it back between my boobs, I hold my heels between my fingers as I start to walk again.
The Hunt.
And now I am the hunted.
Who would have thought this would be how I die?
I bet my father will not only be displeased about this, he’ll be angry and hurt.
And my aunt.
Shit, what will it do to her? Another loved one lost to the damn Hunt.
But then again, her partner was never heard from again. Only she and those who hunted him know he is dead.
He was declared a missing person.
Will that be what happens to me as well?
Will I just be another missing person who is never found?
Surely, someone would have to work it out. And then regret hits me: do I even have anyone who would truly miss me? My father, sure, my Aunty, yes, but anyone else?
A loud horn makes me jump, and I hug my arms around my chest.
This is where I die.
No, fuck that.
I’ll kill anyone who gets too close.
Soren thinks he can kill me…
Reon thinks he can kill me…
Well, that’s not going to happen.
I will not die tonight.
No matter the odds.
The leaves crunch under my bare feet, and I’m thankful snow isn’t covering the ground. If there were snow, I may very well lose my feet due to the frigidness of the night.
Walking in a straight line, I hope and pray it leads me to a road.
I tread quietly and constantly check my surroundings as I go.
I try to keep my breathing to a minimum, but as I think I may be getting farther away from those who are hunting me, a gunshot rings out.
And it’s closer than I anticipated. I drop to the ground, curling myself into a ball as a second rings out, and I can hear loud cackles of laughter.
“It was a deer,” someone yells.
Do they declare when I’m dead?
I should have asked more questions.
How can I even get out of this?
Counting to three, I stand, with my shoes still in my hand, and I run. Again, I run as fast and as far as my legs can carry me. Another shot rings out, and my lungs burn even more. I’m not even sure I’m breathing right now because I’m running on pure adrenaline.
God, I’m so fucking stupid?
“In the shadows, we hunt. In the night, we kill.” It echoes through the forest, a chorus of voices all at once.
They sound closer…
Or is it my imagination?
“We hear you,” one sings out.
I stop and fall forward, bending over, trying to catch my breath.
I listen for footsteps, but I can’t hear anything over my heavy breathing and pounding heart.
“I think she’s stopped. How stupid can one be?”
That voice sounds like Arlo’s. I contemplate calling out to him, telling him it’s me, but what if he knew all along it was me who they would be hunting tonight? What if he was just there to get close to me to watch my downfall.
It’s risky to call out his name.
But what other choice do I have?
Just keep on running and hope and pray they never find me. Will I freeze to death if I manage to do that? Or will one of them find me and kill me before then?
The rustle of leaves gets closer, and I hold my breath as I hear the footsteps. Sliding down the tree into a crouched position, I unstrap the knife and grip it with cold hands.
If I’m going down, I’m taking at least some of them with me.
“I’ve always wanted to play with my prey.”
I’m ninety percent sure that’s Arlo. But I don’t want to risk that he’s here to actually kill me because I’m ninety-five percent sure he is.
I hold my breath for a moment before I breathe through my nose as he steps closer.
He doesn’t know I’m here, but I know where he is.
As soon as he steps close enough, I jump out and stab my knife straight into his arm.
His eyes behind the mask go wide, and he drops his gun.
It’s not like the night in the alley; this is different.
This one, I don’t get to relish in it. This time, I am the one running for my life.
“Lilith?” he says, surprised, his voice echoing with disbelief. I quickly crouch down and snatch the gun before I turn and bolt. “Lilith!” he screams out after me, his voice filled with shock and desperation.
But I don’t stop.
I can’t stop.
I fucking run.
They think I’m weak.
I’ll show them who I am.
I am the Lord’s fucking daughter.