I pause, listening hard. I can’t be sure, but I sense someone breathing nearby. “Do you know what my enemies call me?” I turn in a slow circle, scanning the trees. “Nothing. They don’t know who I am at all, not even after I’ve slit their throats.” There’s a dark shape up in the canopy, but it looks like a squirrel’s nest. These oaks don’t have enough low branches for my prey to climb. “But my brothers call me the Wolf.” I keep walking, weaving through the trees. I see a drift of leaves that might be big enough to hide a person and head over and kick it, but it’s nothing but leaves.
There’s a bit of movement out of the corner of my eye. Instead of turning toward it, I continue on.
The night is young, and I want to take my time. I want this hunt to last.
Elodie
I clenchmy teeth so hard they ache. The hunter walks right past me, carrying on a one-sided conversation. He’s a bigger jerkthan St. James. I add him to my mental People I Want to Kill list and try not to dwell on how sexy his deep voice is.
I must be a freak because my body reads my fear as excitement. Every boom of my heart makes my pussy throb. Wetness trickles down my leg.
This guy wants to fuck me like an animal on the cold, hard ground, and I’m turned on? I don’t understand myself.
His voice grows distant. I hold my breath until I no longer hear him crashing through the underbrush. The sounds recede until I’m left with the silence of the forest. But there’s not really silence. There are strange creaks and cracks and rustling sounds. I don’t want to think about what sort of nocturnal creatures are creeping around these woods. I can only hope they leave me alone.
There’s a whine near my ear, and I flinch. The mosquitoes have found me. And the temperature has fallen. I’d be warm enough if I were wearing clothes, but now I’m shivering.
Another whine and I slap my arm where the bug lands. The mud has dried and started flaking off. I roll my lips to keep in a hysterical giggle. If he does find me, he might think I’m too disgusting to touch.
I wait a few long moments. It has to be close to midnight, right? The window of my normal bedtime has passed, leaving me wide-eyed and wired.
And hungry. And freezing.
Maybe I can head back to the Lodge. Sneak in and hide somewhere warm. It’s breaking the rules, but if I produce myself at dawn, covered in mud and leaves, everyone will assume I did my part.
Slowly, carefully, I rise to my feet. I’m lost in the shadows of the huge tree. There’s no one around.
He’s gone.
I slip from shadow to shadow. I won’t take the shortcut across the meadow. I’ll keep to the woods.
I’ve gone ten steps when a deep voice at my back murmurs. “There you are.”
2
Elodie
I dartacross the grass with the hunter on my heels.
Crap, crap, crappity crap!
He tricked me. He made it sound like he stomped away from my hiding place when he either snuck back around to lie in wait or never left.
I don’t look back. I run in the direction of the Lodge, my legs pumping as fast as they can go.
I was stupid. My whole plan was stupid. What was I thinking, trying to outwit a seasoned hunter? He’s an apex predator, and I’m at the bottom of the food chain.
Now I’m naked and flying across a stretch of lawn around the pond. My boobs are bouncing like mad. Not to mention my butt, belly, and thighs. There’s a reason I’m not a runner. Too much bouncing.
Meanwhile, he’s built like a warrior, able to run and fight for hours. My lungs are shrieking for air after a hundred-yard dash.
If he catches me, he could do anything. The contract allows him full access to my body, and for a chance at life-changingmoney, I signed on the dotted line. When I was in the warmth and safety of the Lodge, it made sense. But now that I’m deep in the dark woods, I’m wondering what the hell I’ve gotten myself into. Out here, a contract is just a piece of paper. It means nothing. There’s no logic, just adrenaline. Things could easily get out of control.
He could hurt me, kill me. Choke me out and do terrible things to my unconscious body, with only the trees as witnesses.
Out here in the woods, there’s no one to help me. No one to hear me scream.
I’m not just running to escape so I can get paid. I’m running for my life.
