Run Run Run - Dutch Melrose
I swear, if she gave me the wrong location, I'll strangle her to death, I thought as I navigated the shadowy woods, just past the castle walls.
I had left Victor behind half an hour ago and was making my way to our meeting spot.
The night sounds heightened the eeriness of my journey.
The wind howled through the trees, and shadows flickered, easily mistaken for lurking figures.
But it wasn't just the darkness that made my skin crawl; it was the unsettling feeling that I had been walking for what felt like hours.
"I should have brought a jacket. It's freezing out here," I whispered, hugging myself in search of warmth.A sudden cracking noise sent my heart racing, and the rustling of bushes made me freeze.
"It's probably nothing. What are the odds a serial killer is lurking in the woods, looking for lost princesses right before Halloween?"I hugged myself tighter, continuing to walk. I had never been afraid of the dark, but tonight was different—I couldn't shake this gnawing feeling.
Where the hell was that house?Then, I heard a groan.
No, no—I'm out of here.
I bolted, but tripped over a gnarled tree root, sprawling on the ground.
I could swear something was closing in on me.
I tried to activate a light spell, but the words wouldn't come.
Another groan echoed, but this one sounded different...
"Hello?" I must really look stupid right now.
Something shifted in the darkness.
I could see a massive shadow, but it stood still, watching me—or at least, I thought it was watching.
It was enormous.
"Yeah, um, I really don't want to bother you, so I'm just going to leave, and you can forget I was ever here."
The words spilled out as I stumbled to my feet.
I turned to escape, but once again, I was lost.
What do you do when you're wandering in the dark, and the only thing that might help you or kill you is a seven-foot figure that resembles a person?
"Hey, um, I know I said I was leaving, but I'm lost and—" I turned around, but nothing was there anymore.
"What the... that's just great.
Now I'm having hallucinations."
I frowned, irritation creeping in.
"I am no hallucination," a deep, thick voice whispered in my ear.
"HOLLY FUCKING SHIT!" I jumped back, screaming.
Instinct took over as I threw a punch in the direction of the voice, connecting with something solid.
My eyes were shut tight, but the impact sent a jolt of adrenaline through me.
When I finally opened my eyes, a massive figure loomed before me, dark green eyes piercing through the shadows.
I swear, if it weren't for the danger of the situation, I might have drooled over those eyes.
It was still incredibly dark, but I could make out more of the figure's features, enough to sense the raw power radiating from him.
"You know, for a princess, you have quite the vocabulary," he remarks, his voice dripping with amusement.The height difference is so vast that I feel like I'll get a neck cramp from looking up at him.
"Who...how?" I stammer, taking a few steps back, which feels pointless as he closes the distance with just two strides, now extremely close.
"What is a little girl like you doing out here?" He smirks, the playful condescension in his tone grating on my nerves.
I frown at his comment, irritated by the reference to my small stature.
"First of all, I'm not a little girl—I'm almost nineteen. And second, it's horrible etiquette to stand this close to someone you don't know. So I'm going to ask you to move back a bit."
I try to hold his gaze, those mesmerizing emerald eyes drawing me in, even as I fight to mask my feelings.
Logically, I know this is a terrible reaction.
He could be a serial killer, and I might be his next victim, but the sheer thrill of being stuck in the woods with a six-foot-tall man is undeniably intriguing.He doesn't budge, making the situation feel even more precarious.
I decide to take the initiative, gently pushing him away—not too hard—and escape his intense stare.
But instead he gets EVEN closer with a dangerouse stare"stop being bitchy and tell me....( gets closer) who the fuck sent you?" he says, not letrina me goHeavens, this man... I'll show him just how bitchy I can be.
"Look, I don't know what you're talking about.
I was just trying to get to a party, but as I was saying, I got lost! NOW TAKE YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF ME!" I yell, trying to sound firm, but inside, I'm unraveling.
Even though this is a dangerous situation, I can't help but feel like I've stepped into one of those dark romance novels.
I shouldn't be thinking about that right now, but here I am.
I shake the dirty thoughts away and force myself back to reality—hello, I'm being choked by a stranger.
In a surge of adrenaline, I drive my knee into his groin. He gasps, stumbling back, giving me just enough time to try and-
-RUN.
My heart races as I dart through the woods, branches clawing at my arms and legs.
I can hear him cursing behind me, his footsteps pounding against the forest floor.
Each step feels like a battle against gravity, as if the shadows themselves are trying to hold me back.I push myself harder, the darkness closing in around me.
Just when I think I've lost him, I catch a glimpse of movement to my right.
My pulse quickens, and I can't help but glance over my shoulder.
He's closer now, a dark figure stalking through the trees like a predator.I veer left, my mind racing for an escape route.
There's a faint glimmer of light ahead, and hope ignites within me.
If I can reach it, maybe I'll find safety.But then, the ground beneath me gives way, and I'm tumbling into a hidden ravine, the world spinning as I plummet down.
I brace for impact, my breath catching in my throat.
When I finally land, I find myself in a small clearing, gasping for air.
The light I saw is closer now, illuminating the outskirts of town.
I scramble to my feet, heart pounding.Even though I'm channeling magic to run faster, I can still feel him closing in behind me, relentless and ominous.
"Just a bit more," I urge myself, my heart pounding in my chest.
I focus on the flickering lights of the town ahead; if I can just reach them, surely three people can't take me down.
Just as I'm about to break into the safety of the light, something strikes me hard in the back, a sudden jolt that knocks the breath from my lungs.
I lose my balance and crash to the ground, my face hitting the dirt. Pain blossoms in my cheek as I wince.
"Fuck, that hurts," I mutter to myself, trying to shake off the shock.
I struggle to rise, my body protesting, but before I can gain my footing, he's there.
He grabs me by the chin, forcing me to meet his piercing gaze.
My head is spinning, throbbing from the blow, and the world tilts dangerously.
"I don't like it when they ignore what I ask, princess," he says, his voice low and menacing.
The way he says "princess" drips with mockery, twisting my royal status into a weapon against me.My heart races, both from fear and the lingering effects of the magic I used.
I fight against his grip, but it's like trying to break free from iron chains.
The intensity in his dark green eyes sends a shiver down my spine, igniting something within me—a mixture of fear and an inexplicable thrill."Please," I manage to whisper, my voice trembling. "Just let me go..."But my plea falls on deaf ears.
I can see the corners of his mouth curve into a smirk, the shadow of danger lingering in his gaze.In that moment, all my resolve crumbles.
My vision blurs as darkness encroaches, and I feel myself slipping away.God, those eyes...
My last thought, a haunting reminder of the peril I'm in, echoes in my mind before I succumb to absolute nothingness.