Page 66 of Venomous Kiss

Will I be another on their long list?

I reach for my cell phone, where I stashed it in the top of my dress, but when I pull it out, I see it has no reception and is down to its last ten percent battery. Why did I not charge it?

Sliding it back between my boobs, I hold my heels between my fingers as I start to walk again.

The Hunt.

And now I am the hunted.

Who would have thought this would be how I die?

I bet my father will not only be displeased about this, he’ll be angry and hurt.

And my aunt.

Shit, what will it do to her? Another loved one lost to the damn Hunt.

But then again, her partner was never heard from again. Only she and those who hunted him know he is dead.

He was declared a missing person.

Will that be what happens to me as well?

Will I just be another missing person who is never found?

Surely, someone would have to work it out. And then regret hits me: do I even have anyone who would truly miss me? My father, sure, my Aunty, yes, but anyone else?

A loud horn makes me jump, and I hug my arms around my chest.

This is where I die.

No, fuck that.

I’ll kill anyone who gets too close.

Soren thinks he can kill me…

Reon thinks he can kill me…

Well, that’s not going to happen.

I will not die tonight.

No matter the odds.

The leaves crunch under my bare feet, and I’m thankful snow isn’t covering the ground. If there were snow, I may very well lose my feet due to the frigidness of the night.

Walking in a straight line, I hope and pray it leads me to a road. I tread quietly and constantly check my surroundings as I go. I try to keep my breathing to a minimum, but as I think I may be getting farther away from those who are hunting me, a gunshot rings out. And it’s closer than I anticipated. I drop to the ground, curling myself into a ball as a second rings out, and I can hear loud cackles of laughter.

“It was a deer,” someone yells.

Do they declare when I’m dead?

I should have asked more questions.

How can I even get out of this?

Counting to three, I stand, with my shoes still in my hand, and I run. Again, I run as fast and as far as my legs can carry me. Another shot rings out, and my lungs burn even more. I’m not even sure I’m breathing right now because I’m running on pure adrenaline.