Page 40

Chapter forty

Ryann

I’m so focused on my phone and the strange message from Lia simply saying, “On route,” that I miss the mascot approaching me until he crouches beside me.

The demon mask isn’t scary. It’s very cartoonish but still stylish, but I don’t like a masked man standing this close to me. My skin crawls, and I lean back away from him.

He holds his position for a long moment, not saying anything. People are craning their heads, watching intently, wondering what’s going on, no doubt.

“Raider’s really hurt. Callan told me to come get you!” The Mascot says.

The words erase my doubts, my fear of him. Everything fades but the pulsing in my head. Raider needs me. He grabs my hand and pulls me up.

“Quick, you have to hurry.”

It’s Raider. I don’t think as I stand up and rush after him.

I never look back at the ice.

I forget about the message from Lia. Nothing matters but that Raider is hurt.

Why did it take so long to come get me? The game is in the second period. I jog up the stairs, ignoring the way his hand on my wrist makes me feel like throwing it off.

He glances back in his oversized demon head, but he doesn’t need to. I’m not letting him out of my sight. I wish someone else had come to get me or that he’d taken the head off, but it is what it is. Fear batters at my chest, and I almost fly up the stairs and into the tunnel.

My pack needs me .

The mascot leads me through deserted hallways, and then he stops. It’s sudden and unexpected. I almost run into his back. I peer at him and then glance around us. No one in sight. Where are all the people?

He just stands still.

I imitate him. The hairs on my neck lift. I can feel the danger in the air so strongly. I glance down at the hand holding my wrist.

“Where’s Raider?”

“Where’s Raider?” His voice is high and mocking.

I shudder and ease back on my heel, putting a tiny bit of space between us. If I scream, I’m sure no one will hear me.

“Who are you?” I demand.

“Who are you?”

I’m starting to sweat, and all I can see is him. It’s my stalker. I know it’s him, deep in my gut. Still, his identity is hidden.

Why does he alone have the power to reduce me to this level of fear? I yank on my wrist. He holds it for a long moment and then lets go. I take several steps back. My mouth is dry, and I’ve got the shakes. I don’t want to die, but I’d rather die than be with him.

He giggles. It’s a manic, high-pitched, terrifying giggle that turns my even breathing choppy.

I know without a doubt that this is the person who has made my life a nightmare and that this is his end game. Either I go with him and disappear or I will die.

“It’s ironic that I always have to face you alone. No one believes that you exist.”

He turns his head, looking over his shoulder. That demon mask sinisterly smiling at me with sick glee.

“I’ve wanted so badly to have this conversation with you,” he says just loud enough that I can hear it. “You were meant to be mine.”

He whirls, advancing suddenly, but I step back, struggling to keep my balance as panic drives me into a poor attempt at fleeing.

“Who are you?” I shriek. My voice echoes around the tunnel of the stadium.

He grabs my shoulder and stops my backward motion. Those fingers dig in deep, hurting me and holding me still.

“You’re coming with me tonight, Ryann. We’re going to be together forever.”

“No!” I whimper.

He chuckles and brushes his fingers down my cheek. I turn my head to the left to avoid his touch and spot the fire alarm.

I see my pack then, sitting on the lounge watching hockey, drinking beers and murmuring. Raider has a hand on my thigh. Wren is leaning back with Callan against his chest. Kit is curled up on my right. This is happiness and family. I make a decision on the spot to fight, shoving him back, ducking under his hold, and breaking the glass. I pull the alarm before he can guess what I’m going to do.

He hisses, dragging me away.

I glare up at him. “Break the fucking ice.”

He curses, but it’s too late. I can hear the thunder of thousands of people rushing to the exits. In seconds, we’re surrounded. I attack immediately, shoving my elbow into his stomach and stomping his foot.

He releases me, and I run.

It’s so easy to disappear into the crowd, but I can’t let them take me out. I need to find my pack. I fight my way through, angling for the team rooms. Elbows slam into me, and I’m shoved back again and again, but I keep going, determined to get to my Raider.

I run down the corridor that’s already deserted and open door after door. Where is he? I can’t find him. I can’t find anyone. The sirens scream so loud I can barely hear my own thoughts. I glance up, checking, and, yes, these are the team’s rooms.

I race through a state-of-the-art kitchen that morphs into a massive lounge with a pool table and lots of couches.

I ignore it all. The silence is oppressive, and my footsteps are loud. I go down another hallway and through more open doors. I glance at the massive weights room and ignore it. There’s a room with super comfy-looking chairs and a huge screen up at one end. I ignore that one and keep going.

Is he even here?

“Ryann?”

I whip my head around and spot movement. I duck into the first room I can find and discover the locker room I was in the last time I came here. The almost circle of lockers is void of their gear and sweaters. The players haven’t come back yet.

I bite my lower lip. Which way do I go? I can’t find a way out of here.

A sob escapes me, and I turn frantically, turning to go back the way I came.

“Ryann, you’re hurting my feelings.”

He’s standing at the end of the corridor near the kitchen with the mask under his arm. The light at his back hides his face, but I’m sure he knows that.

This is all about the fear. This is my punishment. Torment me, punish me, make me run, make me afraid.

I back away, turn, and race in the other direction. It leads to the stadium, but I’ll have to take my chances out there.

I break through those tunnels and look around .

It’s empty, the whole place is empty. All I can see is stairs and orange seats. My trick with the fire alarm worked too well. I jump the divider and climb up the stairs, using the plastic chairs to drag myself up faster.

The chill of the ice reminds me of my mum and dad. I can feel them with me, urging me on, telling me not to give up. My dad’s got his hand on my back, and my mum is holding my hand.

Run, Ryann, you can do it. We believe in you.

I glance back, but I can’t see him. I can hear him, though, and he’s delighting in humming that fucking song. My mother’s song.

I let out a sob. Where are Kit, Callan, Raider, and Wren?

Have they abandoned me?

No! Focus on surviving. I keep my head up, running and jumping the chairs, trying to put as much distance between us before I hide.

I glance over my shoulder.

There’s no one there.

I stop and stand up, listening, but all around me there is silence, and my stalker has vanished again. Then the lights go off.