Page 146 of Boys Who Taint

He holds up his hands. “Whoa, you don’t have to threaten me with a knife.”

“Answer me!”

“He’s out there somewhere.” He points at the forest behind me. “He left with a big bag and didn’t tell us what he was gonna do. Just that no one can follow him.”

“Fuck,” I grit, as I run right back out the door.

“Don’t bring your fucking fight to the Phantoms. I don’t want the whole house to be suspended!” Talon yells after me, but I’m already long gone.

I run toward the woods right across from the Phantom Society, Priory Forest, a place haunted by feverish memories of dreadful mistakes and death. Even the soil smells of sex and bones. People only come here for two things; to party in secrecy, or to murder. And I don’t intend to become part of the latter. But if I must … I will kill Levi to protect Grey.

He went too far this time.

Took something that I wasn’t willing to give.

And I refuse to let him kill the last inch of my happiness in this world.

The trees cast an eerie darkness over the ground as I rush into the forest, not giving a shit about the dangers ahead. Spiders and crickets crawl across the leafy bedding, and I shiver as I steady myself and look around for clues where they could’ve gone.

The forest is gigantic, surrounding the entirety of Spine Ridge University, serving as a wall to surround the property. But this wall is a never-ending nightmarish domain filled with terror, and my heart is nearly banging out of my rib cage.

Where could he have taken Grey?

I stop moving and listen.

Up ahead, a screech catches my attention.

I step closer toward the sound, masking my presence by hiding behind the trees every few steps, hoping Levi doesn’t see me. He’s at as much of a disadvantage as I am in these woods. If I play my cards right, I may be able to get the upper hand and save Grey and free him from Levi’s grasp.

My breathing comes out in ragged breaths as I pause, and another yelp echoes through the woods.

Grey.

I run past some trees and bushes, only to come to a clearing in the middle of the woods. In the middle is a lonely chair, wrapped with ropes, and along with it the boy with pearly white hair who stole my heart.

A shriek nearly rolls off my tongue, so I slap my hand in front of my mouth.

God, I want him to know I’m here so badly, but if Levi hears me, I’ve lost, and Grey is done for.

Swallowing the scream, I look around the area, but I don’t see anyone or anything out of the ordinary. He’s hiding somewhere.

Suddenly, a knife slithers underneath my chin.

He’s so close to me that I can feel his breath against my skin. “Don’t move.”

Sweat drops roll down my forehead. “Levi,” I say through gritted teeth. “Let him go.”

“I don’t think so. I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen, wouldn’t stay away from him,” he grits.

“He has nothing to do with this,” I say.

“He haseverythingto do with this,” Levi growls back, his hard abs pressing into my body. “Don’t you understand?” A maniacal laugh follows, and he pushes me forward, snatching the bag right off my shoulder.

I immediately sidestep and steady my knife, spinning on my heels to stab him, but the second I lay eyes on that scary white mask on his face, my hand begins to quake.

“Do I remind you of someone, little Firefly?” he says, a filthy smile forming beneath the mask. “So is this what your stalker looks like?”

“This isn’t a joke,” I growl back. “You don’t even know what he looked like.”