Page 8 of Unholy Vows

Layla

H e stood by a tree at the edge of the grounds, partially obscured by the shadows. He was tall and broad. The type of man who dedicated hours to pushing his body to the limits.

But his physique wasn’t what captured my attention.

It was the mask that covered his entire face.

It was horrifying with its exaggerated features and devil horns.

The eyes were hollow, dark pits that seemed to follow my every move.

It sent a jolt of fear straight through me, and I had to swallow the urge to turn around and flee.

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Excitement warred with terror until I forced myself to take a step toward him. His posture was relaxed, almost casual. But there was an edge to it. I could sense the power radiating from him, and my skin erupted in goosebumps the closer I came.

He didn’t say anything. Didn’t move. He just watched me.

When the silence became unbearable, I called out, “Are we doing this or not?”

My voice was steadier than I felt, and it gave me a much-needed boost of confidence.

He tilted his head to the side. The gesture was animalistic, predatory even. He was a hunter studying his prey.

Then he took a single step toward me.

Adrenaline surged through my veins, and I turned, sprinting for the opposite tree line.

My breath came in ragged gasps as I cut through the low-hanging branches that clawed at my jacket and whipped my face.

The world blurred around me, and my heart pounded like a drum as the woods swallowed me whole.

I could hear him behind me. His footsteps were heavy but deliberate. He was quickly closing the distance between us, but he wasn’t rushing.

He didn’t need to.

A chill rippled through me.

He was toying with me.

I pushed harder, my muscles burning as I weaved between the trees, the sharp scent of damp earth filling my lungs. Twigs snapped underfoot, and the wind howled through the canopy of leaves above, but his presence remained a dark, unwavering force behind me.

I veered left, hoping to throw him off, but the moment I changed direction, I heard his pace quicken. He was adjusting, matching me move for move.

Goddammit.

My mind raced as I searched for somewhere to hide. I darted around a large bush, pushing myself harder with every step. The thrill was electric. His relentless presence was like a shadow I couldn’t escape, and the thought had heat coiling tight in my belly.

I spotted a patch of thick shrubbery ahead and sprinted toward it. It was my best chance of evading him, and if I was being honest with myself, I desperately needed a brief respite.

I needed to work on my endurance, but that was a problem for another time.

I crouched low, pressing myself into the tangled undergrowth, my heart hammering against my ribcage. My hand flew up to cover my mouth, stifling my heavy breathing. It was then that I noticed the world around me had fallen silent.

No footsteps.

No movement.

Nothing.

The woods were eerily quiet, as though they, too, were holding their breath.

A prickle of awareness erupted on the nape of my neck as if invisible fingers had gently grazed my skin.

The sensation spread down my spine in a slow, electric crawl, making me shiver.

My breathing stilled, and for a split second, I convinced myself that if I didn’t turn around, then it wasn’t real.

That the unspoken warning clawing its way to the surface of my consciousness was a figment of my imagination.

But the feeling only intensified the longer I hesitated. I sucked in a sharp breath as I slowly spun to peer behind me.

The mask loomed just inches from my face.

A scream tore loose from my lungs, but before I could move, thick limbs crushed me, pinning my arms to my sides and forcing me to the ground.

I thrashed wildly, my body twisting and arching as I fought to break free. But it was no use. He was stronger than me, his frame a solid wall of muscle that made my resistance futile.

His power was absolute.

“Caught you, Curious Mouse.”

His voice was low and rough, but it had a strange quality to it, as if he were trying to disguise it. The sound sent a tremor through me, and a pulse of red-hot need consumed me like a wildfire.

His grip loosened as he shifted above me, his weight pressing me into the damp earth.

I couldn’t let this happen. He wouldn’t claim victory so easily.

I jerked my head forward, slamming it into the mask with everything I had.

The impact stunned him for half a second, but it was all I needed. I wrenched one arm free, driving my elbow into his ribs. He grunted in pain, and his hold on me slipped.

I twisted my body, bringing my knee up between us, and planted my foot against his chest. With a cry of sheer determination, I shoved him. Hard.

He staggered back, but I wasn’t done.

As I rolled onto my side, I kicked out, the heel of my boot connecting with his throat in a brutal strike.

A strangled sound escaped him as he stumbled, his hands flying to his neck.

I didn’t wait to see if he recovered.

Scrambling to my feet, I ran like the hounds of hell were nipping at my heels.

My legs burned, and my lungs screamed for oxygen, but I forced myself to move faster. My only thought was that I needed to escape. I had to put as much distance between us as possible before he rallied and gave chase.

Branches tore at my skin as I crashed through the underbrush, and I winced. But I refused to let the pain diminish my advantage. I could still hear him in the distance, coughing and spluttering as he tried to suck in air.

My hands shook with adrenaline, and I curled them into fists as I ran. There was nowhere to hide, and I was quickly running out of options. I broke through the tree line and peered around the cemetery.

“Come on,” I begged, willing the universe to take pity on me and reveal what I was looking for.

The clouds seized that moment to shift across the sky, revealing the moon.

Moonlight illuminated the catacombs, and it seemed as though the cosmos had heard my pleas.

I stepped toward the weathered structure, but a flicker of movement caught my eye.

Leaning forward, I squinted to get a better look.

Through the small side opening, I saw a black… mass… moving inside.

I stiffened and took a step back.

Nope! No fucking way was I going anywhere near there.

Logically, I knew it was just my mind playing tricks on me, but I wasn’t about to bet on it.

The sound of heavy footfalls reached me, and I made the grave mistake of looking over my shoulder. He was standing at the tree line, his broad shoulders rising and falling with each breath.

His mask remained in place, his hollow eyes unreadable.

He lifted a hand to his throat, rubbing the spot where I had kicked him.

“Naughty, naughty, Curious Mouse!”

Even across the open space, I could hear the amusement in his tone.

I swallowed hard. I was so fucked.

I didn’t hesitate as I turned on my heel and ran. Before I could make it through the opposite tree line, his muscular body crashed into me, slamming me into the ground once more.

Fuck, he was fast!

“As much as I enjoy your struggle, Curious Mouse, it’s time for you to yield.”

His hot breath fanned across my face, and I no longer felt the urge to resist him.

He sensed the moment my fight drained away and eased off, flipping me onto my back as he peered down at me.

“Safe word?” he demanded.

My mind went blank as I stared into his unfeeling gaze. I should have been terrified. I should have screamed, pushed him off, fled to my car, and never looked back.

But I did none of that.

“Bleeding rose,” I whispered instead.

He let out an animalistic snarl, and then he was on me.