Handcuffed and trapped, Amara's heart pounded as Dante paced in front of them. His cold stare drilled into her, and Liam's jaw tightened, his mind racing for a way out.
Dante smirked. "You two have caused quite the mess," he said. "The Black Veil doesn't take kindly to loose ends."
Amara swallowed hard. "Who are they? What do they want with me?"
Dante chuckled. "You really have no idea, do you? You're more valuable than you think." He turned to Liam. "And you? You should've stayed in line. But I suppose love makes men foolish."
Liam's eyes darkened. "You don't know a damn thing about me."
Dante's smirk faded. "I know enough. And I know that the men coming for you won't be as kind as I am."
The distant sound of engines revving outside caught Dante's attention. His brows furrowed. "Damn it," he muttered, moving toward the window.
Liam saw the opportunity. With a swift move, he kicked Dante's legs out from under him, sending him sprawling to the floor. The gun slid across the room.
"Run!" Liam barked, already moving to grab the weapon.
Amara sprinted toward the door, her hands still bound. Liam got the gun just as Dante lunged at him. A struggle ensued—fists flying, bodies colliding.
Amara's hands trembled as she searched the room for something to help. She spotted a knife on a nearby table, grabbed it, and sawed at her cuffs.
Liam and Dante fought viciously. With a final grunt, Liam slammed Dante's head into the wooden floor. Dante went limp.
Amara's cuffs snapped open. "Let's go!" she yelled.
Liam grabbed her hand, and they bolted out the door.
The Escape
They ran through the dense fog of the night, their breath coming in ragged gasps. The secluded safe house where Dante had taken them was surrounded by thick forest, making it difficult to navigate in the dark.
The sound of engines roared closer. Headlights pierced through the trees.
"They're here," Liam muttered. "We need to move faster."
Amara stumbled over a fallen branch, but Liam caught her, pulling her upright. "Come on!"
Gunshots rang out behind them. Dante's men had regained control, and now they were in pursuit.
"There's an old shed up ahead," Liam said. "If we can make it there, we can buy ourselves some time."
They sprinted toward the shed, ducking behind trees as bullets whizzed past them. Reaching the wooden structure, Liam kicked the door open, pulling Amara inside.
"Stay low," he whispered.
The sound of footsteps crunched outside.
"They couldn't have gone far," a voice growled.
Liam's grip tightened around the gun he had taken from Dante. If they had to fight, he would make sure Amara got out alive.
A moment of silence passed, then—
A rustling sound.
One of the men stepped closer.
Liam didn't hesitate. He lunged out, firing a single shot. The guard crumpled.
"Run!" Liam pulled Amara along as they burst from the shed, cutting through the forest.
Minutes felt like hours as they navigated the trees, hearts pounding. Finally, they broke through onto an open road. A pair of headlights appeared in the distance.
A car.
Liam stepped in front of it, waving his arms. The driver slammed the brakes, cursing.
"Drive," Liam ordered, dragging Amara into the backseat and shoving a handful of bills at the terrified driver. "Now."
The driver hesitated, but one look at Liam's gun had him flooring the accelerator.
As they sped away, Amara glanced back at the trees. The silhouettes of Dante's men faded into the distance.
They had escaped. For now.
The Revenant's Arrival
In New York, a private jet lifted off from a secluded airstrip, heading for London.
Inside, cloaked figures sat in silence. At the head of the cabin sat the Revenant himself, his presence suffocating, even in stillness.
A junior member, Blake, hesitated before speaking. "My lord, is it wise to travel personally? We could send others to retrieve them."
The Revenant turned his cold gaze on the young man. "You underestimate the importance of the girl," he said. "This is no ordinary mission."
Blake swallowed. "But Liam—"
"Liam is nothing," the Revenant interrupted. "He is merely an obstacle. Amara is the key to immortality. She is the first confirmed case of reincarnation in centuries. We cannot afford to let her slip away."
The others nodded in agreement.
The Revenant's voice turned sharp. "Dante has failed us. If they escape before we arrive, he will pay with his life."
Blake stiffened. The room was tense with unspoken fear.
The jet continued its path across the Atlantic.
By morning, the Black Veil would be in London.
A New Plan
Liam and Amara arrived at a train station just as dawn was breaking.
"We need to leave the country," Liam said. "London isn't safe anymore."
Amara nodded, exhausted. "Where do we go?"
Liam scanned the train schedules. "Scotland," he decided. "From there, we can catch a train to France."
Amara hesitated. "Do you think they'll follow us?"
Liam exhaled. "I know they will."
A whistle blew, signaling the next train's departure. Without another word, they boarded.
As the train rumbled to life, Amara leaned her head against the window.
For the first time in days, she allowed herself to breathe.
But deep down, she knew—
The Black Veil wasn't far behind.
The Train to Edinburgh
As the train neared Edinburgh, Amara's nerves were on edge. Every time someone walked past their seats, she tensed, expecting to see one of the Black Veil's men. The encounter with Dante had made one thing clear—the cult would stop at nothing to get her back.
Liam noticed her unease. He placed a reassuring hand over hers.
"We're almost there," he whispered.
She nodded, though the knot in her stomach remained.
The train slowed as it pulled into the station.
Liam stood first, scanning the platform before helping Amara up.
"Stay close to me."
They stepped off the train into the cool Edinburgh air. The station was bustling, filled with travelers rushing to their destinations. The chaos worked in their favor—it was the perfect place to disappear.
Liam guided Amara through the crowd, heading toward the ticket booths.
"We need to catch the next train to Paris," he said, his voice low.
Amara kept her head down as they reached the counter. Liam was about to purchase their tickets when a deep voice behind them sent ice through her veins.
"There's no need for that."
Liam turned sharply, instinctively shielding Amara with his body.
A man stood a few feet away, dressed in a dark suit. His presence was commanding, his gaze cold and calculating.
Amara knew instantly—he wasn't just anyone.
He was one of them.
Liam's fingers twitched toward the gun hidden under his jacket.
"Who the hell are you?"
The man smirked.
"The Revenant sends his regards."
Before Liam could react, the man lunged.
Liam barely dodged, pulling Amara away as a knife slashed through the air. The station erupted into chaos—people screamed, scattering in all directions.
Liam drew his gun, but the assassin was fast, knocking it from his hand with a sharp kick. The weapon skidded across the floor.
"Run!" Liam ordered, shoving Amara toward the nearest exit.
She didn't hesitate.
Amara sprinted through the station, weaving through panicked travelers. Liam was right behind her, fending off their pursuer with quick, precise movements.
They burst through the doors onto the streets of Edinburgh.
"This way!" Liam grabbed her wrist, pulling her into a narrow alleyway.
They ran without looking back, their breath coming in sharp gasps. The sounds of the city faded behind them as they disappeared into the maze of streets.
The Revenant's Wrath
In a secluded London estate, the Revenant sat at the head of a long table, his gloved fingers drumming against the polished wood. The Black Veil's inner circle stood around him, their faces shadowed in the dim light.
Before him, Dante knelt—bruised, bloodied, and trembling.
"You failed," the Revenant said, his voice eerily calm.
Dante's head bowed. "My lord, I—"
"You let them escape," the Revenant interrupted. His cold gaze pierced through Dante. "Because of your incompetence, we are forced to chase them across Europe."
Dante swallowed hard. "I can still find them."
The Revenant stood, his presence suffocating.
"No."
Two masked figures stepped forward.
Dante's eyes widened in horror. "Please, my lord—"
The Revenant turned away as the blade came down.
A sickening thud echoed in the chamber.
Silence followed.
The Revenant faced his remaining men.
"Find them. Bring Amara to me alive." His voice darkened. "Kill Liam Hargrove."
Liam and Amara didn't stop running until they reached a quiet residential street. The distant wail of sirens filled the air, but the city around them remained unaware of the war they were running from.
Amara leaned against a wall, trying to catch her breath.
"Where now?"
Liam pulled out his phone, checking train schedules.
"We need to get to mainland Europe. We take a train from Edinburgh to London, then the Eurostar to Paris."
She exhaled, nodding. "Okay."
Liam's expression remained tense.
"They're not going to stop, Amara. The Revenant himself will be coming after us now."
Amara swallowed hard.
She wasn't just running for her life—she was running from a nightmare that had followed her through time.
And this time, she had to survive.