The house behind the woods exploded. I turned around to look, and all I saw were orange and red flames. I was mildly impressed, as I was unsure a house this big would go up so easily, but sure enough, it did.
I swung back around and continued to scream for her. Over the fire, I called for her. Over and over again.
“Scout! Nerd! Are you okay?” I shouted and screamed, pleading for her to respond. The dirt was soggy from the rain,and my shoes sank into the ground with every step. The trees were thick, and while they stopped much of the rain from reaching the ground, it only amplified the noise. Between the heavy rain and the house burning down, If Scout was in here, she wouldn’t be able to hear me. But yet, I continued to shout my pleas for her to return to me.
I spent the night wandering the dark forest, and finally,I came outonthe other side just as the rain had cleared. I had reached a highway. I wasn’t sure how far I had walked, but my gut sank as I realized what she had most likely done. I turned and walked back into the woods. The sun was rising, but the trees were so thick and densethatI was confident I’d be able to hide in the trees.
Eventually, I fell against a tree. I was tired. I needed sleep. I tried to get up and keep moving, but my body resisted. I gave up, finding a spot on the ground that was dark and not too wet. Sleep overtook me, and I couldn’t have woken up if I wanted to.
Sometime later, when it was night again, I woke up. I groaned, stiff and colder than usual. I sat up,and something fell from my chest. I blinked as my eyes adjusted to my surroundings and looked down to see what it was. I froze, staring down at it.
It was a tarot card.
My hands shook from the cold and the fear as I reached for the card and flipped it over.
The Fool.
I looked up and saw a dark shadow a few feet away from me.
“Scout?” I whispered. The figure was still for a moment before their foot was brought up and shoved hard into my face before I could react.
15
I sprinted away in the dark, my steps covered by the rain and the leaves littering the forest floor. Desi was lying unconscious under a tree,and I didn’t know how long that would last. I needed to get as far as possible from him, and whatever that large boom had been a few hours ago.
I wasn’t even sure why I went to him while he was sleeping. It was stupid, and I hated myself for that small moment of weakness.
I flewthroughthe woods, dodging trees and jumping over branches. My vampire speed and staminawerein full use tonight, but it wasn’t a perfect science. Eventually, I tripped over a large tree root.
My face collided with the mud,and I scrambled up. My chest was heaving,and my heart was trying to escape my body. I gulped and got back up. Confident I was far enough away from him, I walked.
I shifted the backpack on my shoulders. The nearly empty aluminum cans of blood clanged inside, reminding me that I needed to get somewhere by morning. But where?
That was why I stayed under the protection of the trees this far. Where could I go where I wouldn’t be found?
I gave up my apartment to move into Desi’s. Going home was not an option.
Just thinking about Desi and the memories we had made at his place caused my heart to race and my hands to shake. Everything was tainted now. I had finally seen the real him, and that wasn’t my Desi.
He really was Wrath.
I tripped again, falling on my bare knees. I could feel them scraping,and I let out a small grunt as I struggled to get back up. I was tired. I had planned on sleeping for a bit, but then I heard him calling for me. I wouldn’t be able to sleep if he was in here. It was too dangerous.
I wiped the dirt off my legs and saw the tiny cuts quickly sealing back up. Small injuries like this were painless, but the sight of my blood struck a small shred of fear in me.
He’d smell it.
I bent down to stretch my shirt enough to wipe the blood off my knees. It didn’t look like much, but it was definitely enough for a vampire trained on the scent of my blood to find me. I needed to get away from here.
I closed my eyes tightly, took a deep breath, and steadied myself. I was letting his presence shake me. I was making stupid mistakes, which would get me in trouble. I opened my eyes and started forward, eyes on the ground in front of me.
My body hurt all over. The skin that was exposed to the elements was cold and damp. Bruises were constantly coming and going, the direct result of my vampirism, but the places I had covered were damaged in ways my genes couldn’t fix.
Desi.
What had happened? I sniffled and forced back tears. I had spent the last day since he forced himself on me crying.
I couldn’t get it out of my head. All of it. The smell of cigar smoke and blood, the rock music playing in the background, and the feel of green felt on my face as Tully held me down and urged Desi to take my body against my will. Despite my vampire blood doing its magic to heal the bruises and the damage he did between my legs, I could still feel the phantom pain of his attack. Hisblood-covered fingersshovedinside me, forcing my body to respond, despite the tearing pain. The burn of my bare breasts as he thrust into me caused them to rub against the felt, and my cheeks were itchy and raw feeling from all the tears.
