Page 32 of Cursed

“Exactly.” My voice turns bitter as I think of how Landon knew about my past trauma, used it against me. “And the really sick part? Some of us will leave here thinking we wanted it all along. That’s how good they are at this.”

Mira’s expression grows distant. “Even if I could reach her, what would I do? Tell her she doesn’t really want what’s happening? That the way she feels is manufactured, or worse, that they are simply the body’s physiological response to stimuli even when unwanted?”

“Would you believe that if someone told you?” I ask softly.

Her expression shifts. “No,” she admits. “I wouldn’t.”

Our moment of understanding is shattered by a voice that sends ice through my veins.

“Sadie...”

It floats down the corridor, and my body goes rigid with fear.

“Sadie, where are you hiding, beautiful?”

“Fuck,” I breathe, panic rising as I recognize Landon’s voice. “He found me.”

The voice continues, closer now, with a sing-song quality that makes my skin crawl. “I know you’re here somewhere. Come out, come out...”

“Who is that?” Mira whispers, but I’m already backing away from the direction of the voice.

“Landon,” I say through gritted teeth. “I thought I’d lost him when I—” I cut myself off, not wanting to relive my desperate escape. “It doesn’t matter. He’s been hunting me all night.”

“Sadie...” His voice gets closer, and its calmness is more terrifying than anger would be.

“I can smell your perfume. That vanilla scent you’re so fond of.”

My hands shake as I press myself against the wall. “He’s been watching me for weeks. Learning my habits, my preferences. This whole thing—it’s not random for any of us. They planned this. Meticulously.”

“We need to move,” Mira whispers, grabbing my arm.

But I shake my head, my breathing becoming rapid. “He’s too close. And he knows these passages better than we do. I’ve been running from him for what feels like forever, and he keeps herding me where he wants me to go.”

“Sadie, you’re making this so much harder than it needs to be.” His voice is right around the corner now.

“Shit, shit, shit,” I mutter under my breath.

“Run,” Mira hisses at me, pressing herself against the wall beside me. “I’ll stall him.”

“What? Mira, no—” The thought of leaving her to face Landon fills me with dread.

“He can’t touch me,” she interrupts. “I’m already taken.”

My eyes widen as understanding dawns. If she’s been claimed, Landon would be breaking the Hunt’s rules if he touched her.

“You’re sure?” I need to be certain before I leave her.

“Positive. Go!”

The footsteps are so close now that I can hear the deliberate rhythm of his breathing.

“Thank you,” I breathe, squeezing her hand briefly before turning and fleeing down the opposite corridor, trying to make my bare feet as silent as possible on the stone floor.

As I slip away into the darkness, the fear of what Landon will do when he catches me again battles with a disturbing realization—part of me is curious to find out.

14

LANDON