The sound of footsteps entered the maze, a stampede on the hunt. They shouted, winding themselves around.
Silas held me tight against him, doing what he had done thousands of times before, it seemed. He kissed my neck before piercing my flesh. The burning made way for the ebbing ecstasy flooding my veins. Silas pulled away, gasping, as blood trickled downhis mouth and his wounds stitched themselves back together.
Silas kissed me, blood coating my tongue entwined with cloves and spice. The footsteps pounded closer nearly upon us. The taste of salt mixed in with blood as tears welled.
Silas cupped my face. “I promise I won’t be long.”
Within moments, the crowd descended upon us, and Silas was nowhere to be found.
I leaned against the stone, blood coating my lips, as the crowd trampled through.
William spotted me, and his lips curled into a wry grin. “It appeared that the beast had left his lover off in a hurry. Care to tell us where he went?”
My legs wobbled as I stood to confront William. The crowd behind him simply whispered, unsure of the sight that was before them.
“Are we sure that this is the person? She seemed awfully familiar?”
“Wasn’t she the girl always seen with Ayla?”
“Why is she protecting the demon? Do you think he has her in his thrall?” William tossed his gun to a man, grabbing me by the scruff of my dress.
“Where is he?”
Alcohol laced his breath, as did furious rage.
“I won’t tell you.” I spat in his face.
William dropped me to the cold, hard earth.
I flinched as his foot came within an inch of my face.
A man grabbed his shoulder, yanking William back. “Sir, it is highly inappropriate to strike a woman. We are here for the demon, not the girl.”
William shook the man off. “I will do whatever I please even if that means that she comes with me.”
I gathered myself to my feet, squaring up William in the presence of those who I consider an enemy. “You would have to kill me before I ever go with you willingly.”
William contemplated a moment, a heinous grin sliding across his face as his eyes flickered to the space behind me. “I’m sure that won’t be an issue.”
“What—” I began, blinding pain erupting against my skull and my legs crumbled from underneath me.
William and the mob blurred together with the faint torch light and the blackness swimming in my vision.
He dropped to his knees, and the last image I saw was the heinous smile. “Should have listened to me.”
Thirty-One
Drifting.
Falling.
Dreaming.
I awoke to the soft grass upon my feet, the giant willow standing firm in front. The summer breeze rustled through dark curtains as the warmth of the late afternoon sun sank into chilled skin. I searched for the boy often here among the grass, lips tugged high into a lazy grin. But he was not there upon the red flowers resembling blood. The dread swelled during the ball and exploded into a million pieces as my gaze landed on a single skull sitting on top of a freshly marked grave.
“I don’thave much time, Valeria.”
Standing out in the field was a woman with hair that of fire and deep emerald eyes with lips drawn thin into a sly smile. Her pallor was a sickly alabaster, so pale that blue marred her skin in spider web veins and eyes, a ghost shade of white.
