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The stranger pulled me closer to him, his hot breath on my neck. I shuddered at the feel of his hand sliding up my arm, his fingers rough and callused against my skin. I felt sick with fear and disgust.
Screaming and shoving him with all my weight, I was able to break free just long enough to jump off the porch and run toward the sea. I wasn’t going to run to the woods like all the other times.
No, this time was different.
I needed to get away. Now!
Run!
My feet pounded against the sand, the sound of my heart racing in my ears. I could hear the stranger’s footsteps behind me, his laughter echoing through the night air.
I could hear his ragged breaths coming closer and closer, and I knew that I had to keep moving. I chanced a glance back and saw him gaining on me. Panic rose in my chest as I stumbled over a jagged rock, nearly falling face first into the sand.
But I had to keep going. I had to keep running.
When I reached the water’s edge, I didn’t stop. I plunged into the icy depths, feeling the shock of the cold water take my breath away. I kicked and thrashed my way through the waves, feeling the weight of my clothes dragging me down.
I couldn’t stop.
I wouldn’t stop until I was far away from that stranger and his bone mask.
I didn’t know how far I could run before he caught up to me, but I had to try. I had to find a way to escape.
The moon was high in the sky, casting a deathly glow over the deserted beach. I stumbled over rocks hidden beneath the shallow water leading to the wave breaks used for the harbor, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t afford to slow down. I made my way to the pile of rocks and began to climb. I knew I couldn’t outrun this man. But maybe I could be more nimble and climb faster.
Higher and higher I climbed until I reached the top of the rocks. I was panting and gasping for breath, but I felt a flicker of hope ignite within me. Maybe I could get away after all. But as I turned to face my pursuer, my hope quickly turned to despair. The stranger was climbing up after me, his bone mask glinting in the moonlight. He was determined to catch me, and I knew that I had very little time left to escape.
But I was running out of space to go. Once I reached the top of the rocks, the only way down would be to jump into the sea below.
As I looked down at the waves crashing below me, I knew that the only way out was to jump. I couldn’t afford to hesitate, not even for a second. I took a deep breath and readied myself to jump, but the stranger was right behind me. Before I could even move, he grabbed me by the ankle and pulled me back down to the rocks.
I screamed as my head hit the rocks and stars exploded in my vision. The stranger loomed over me, his bone mask gleaming in the moonlight. He didn’t speak, but I could feel the malice radiating from him.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he asked, speaking for the first time. “Are you crazy!”
And then everything went black.
Chapter 21
Locke
Braken found me in the office at The Vault. I knew something was wrong before he even opened his mouth.
“There’s been an accident,” he said. “But she’s okay.”
“Who? What happened?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
Braken took a deep breath. “It’s Storee. She was in an accident tonight, but she’s in the hospital, and they say she’s going to be okay.”
“What the fuck?” Why would Braken be notified and not me?
“I got a call from James Doren who participated in The Hunt tonight. He was hunting… Storee and—”
Rage sizzled through me. “What did that asshole do?”
Braken raised his hands and shook his head. “Of course we’ll investigate, but James swears he did nothing wrong. He said Storee got spooked or something andreallyran. Climbed some rocks, slipped, and got knocked unconscious. He took her straight to the hospital.”
I slammed my fist on the table, unable to contain my anger. “Motherfucker! She told me she wasn’t doing it. She—” I stood up from my chair and grabbed my coat from its back. I shouldn’thave simply taken her word. I should have double checked the list.
