Page 30 of Within Shadows

Maeve

Why am I still running? I could just give up and get naked at this point, but there’s a primal survival instinct inside of me screaming to run faster.

My lungs are burning and the stitch in my side is threatening to rip me in half, not to mention the sweat dripping down my cleavage.

He could start a fitness program and make millions just chasing women through the woods with his veiny arms and that damn mask.

The loud crunch of a stick breaking behind me cuts through my thoughts and has me pumping my arms harder.

I sprint around a tree and immediately skid to a stop, nearly tripping over fallen branches to keep myself from running face-first into a massive tree.

My head whips around as I decide which way is fastest to get around when a haunting voice starts singing behind and to my right.

“Over it is,” I hiss, scrambling up onto the tree.

Chunks of rotted bark tear away under my hands as I struggle to find purchase and heft myself up.

Taking a deep breath, I swing one leg over, but when I try to swing my right leg, a hand wraps around my ankle and tugs.

I scream, throwing my body sideways to escape.

Thankfully I land in a bed of damp leaves and roll onto my back in time to see Knox crouched on the tree, his head tilted as his shoulders shake with quiet laughter.

My heart thunders in my chest as I scramble to get my feet under me, running away with renewed energy. “You’re an asshole!” I shout over my shoulder, grinning when I hear his snarl. I veer to the right, breathing hard and fast as I push my body to its limit.

“Thalia!” Knox roars, charging straight at me as I glance over my shoulder.

When he gets close, I lunge to the left and dive under a fallen log, flinching when a sharp stick tears across my thigh.

The burn is quickly pushed to the back of my mind as Knox slows and I put distance between us.

Darting between the trees is harder than it looks in the movies, and my legs slow to a light jog.

My steps slow, but I can’t hear him chasing me; my heartbeat is as loud as thunder in my ears, and my ragged breaths fill the quiet forest. I duck behind a tree, bracing my hands on my knees as I try to catch my breath, but that’s when I finally see it.

There are lights ahead, and in the last glimmer of daylight, I can see the metal fence that surrounds Knox’s property.

I grin and take a deep breath, shoving off the tree towards victory.

“So close, little muse.” His voice is right at my ear, and my scream is cut short as he cups a hand over my mouth and wrenches my back against his chest. His throaty chuckle sends a chill down my spine as I try to thrash and break free but stop when he grinds his erection against my ass.

“Watching the glimmer of hope in your eyes, with that cute little smirk on those plump lips, I almost couldn’t hold myself back.

I wanted to slam you to this tree and fuck you senseless.

” His arm around my waist tightens, and I crane my head to the side, staring into the depths of the skull mask.

I shift and intentionally press my backside against him, biting my lip to hide a smile.

Knox groans, snagging my ponytail with one hand to wrench my head back while his other hand flattens against my stomach, inching beneath my shirt.

His rough hand leaves a trail of heat in its wake as he reaches higher, over my ribs and beneath my bra.

He cups my breast, pinching the nipple hard enough to make me suck in a sharp breath.

Knox releases the torment, turning his hand to grip my collar from inside my shirt and drops his hold on my hair.

“Don’t move.” His tone leaves no room for argument.

The soft sound of a blade unsheathing makes my head turn, and Knox clicks his tongue, warning me.

I watch as he brings a knife towards my chest, the blade longer than my hand and sharp enough to make me flinch as he rests it against my shirt.

With one motion, he splits the front of my shirt and pulls the front of my bra up.

“Wait a minute—” Before I can finish, he cuts through one of my brand new bras.

“Knox, what the hell!” I try to turn in his grip, but he puts the knife to my throat, using the back of it so all I feel is the cold of the blade as he grips my hair once again.

He turns us until I’m facing a tree and uses his chest to push me forward, forcing me to grab the tree for support.

“You nearly ran off the edge, Muse.” His voice shakes, and I frown, trying and failing to turn my head so I can look at him. “Do you realize how close you came? If I hadn’t called your name...” He swallows hard and my heart tightens behind my ribs. He was afraid .

“Knox, I had no idea.” My throat tightens and I struggle to swallow, even as his hand holding the knife drops lower, and he uses the tip to flick open the button on my jeans.

He lifts his arm and plunges the knife into the tree before taking my hand and wrapping it around the hilt.

Knox slowly tugs my pants down until they pool around my ankle.

He grips my hips and helps me shuffle back a few steps until my back is bowing and I have a death grip on the knife to keep from face-planting to the ground.

The sound of his zipper makes my pulse jump as I clench my thighs, adrenaline still flooding me from the chase is only making everything more intense.

Feeling the heat from the head of his cock press against me makes my arms tremble as I try to spread my legs further.

A bird flies overhead and I jump from the sudden burst of sound, and Knox takes that moment to ram his hips forward.

My mouth drops open on a silent cry at the overwhelming sensation of being stretched to my limit.

Knox leans his body over mine, reaching one hand up to cup my breast and pressing the other between my thighs.

He swirls his fingers around my clit and I release a whimper, my body rocking as he starts to thrust slowly.

His pace becomes punishing between one breath and the next, stealing every one of my senses.

The panted cries he draws from me echo in the woods, joined by his deep, guttural moans that shiver straight to my core.

“That’s right, muse. Make those pretty noises for me, let me hear you,” he grunts, pistoning his hips into me and matching speed with his fingertips.

My knees buckle as stars burst behind my closed eyes, his name a scream on my lips as I tumble from the edge.

Strong arms band around me, holding me to him as his movements become erratic and he buries his face in my neck.

“Thalia,” he groans, his body jerking as he fills me with his release.

The sound of him moaning my name damn near sends me headfirst into another orgasm as we both pant, struggling to catch our breath in the dark woods.

I peel my hand away from the knife, grimacing as I open and close my aching hand.

Knox gently pulls out of me and helps peel my ripped shirt and bra off my shoulders before unbuttoning and tugging his shirt off.

His mask drops to the woods beside us and catches the rising moonlight.

He pulls his shirt over my head and bends low, kissing my cheeks, nose, and forehead as he buttons it shut.

I giggle and wrap my arms around him, resting my head on his shoulder as he pulls my pants back on and fastens them.

The warm, wet puddle that gathers in my panties makes my lip curl, but at the moment I’m too happy to care.

Knox takes my sore hand in his and frowns at the heated skin on my palm.

He easily wrenches the knife from the tree and puts it back into the sheath on his hip.

“Let’s get a cold pack on this and get you home.

” He wraps an arm beneath my knees and one behind my back to lift me.

His heavy footsteps crunch across fallen leaves and branches, but there’s another sound further into the woods.

I strain my neck, looking over his shoulder as my eyes struggle to cut through the mass of shadows that creep through the woods.

A flash of something reflects the light, but then it’s gone, and I blink hard, assuming I’m seeing things.

“Are you okay?” Knox asks, brushing his nose against my cheek affectionately.

“You fucked me so good, I might be hallucinating.” I grin, and he shakes his head, his bright smile almost haunting in the darkness. Another cracking sound and Knox tenses, his smile dropping instantly as he continues to walk towards his house.

“Knox?” I ask, unease twisting in my stomach.

He frowns, twisting his head slightly, and flicks his gaze over his shoulder.

There’s more rustling in the distance, but this time it’s closer, and my mind flashes with images of wolves hunting us.

We are out of the woods, nearing the massive driveway, and Knox pulls out his phone, unlocking the gate to allow it to creak open ominously.

“Think you can run again, Thalia?” he asks.

He only uses my first name when it’s serious, and my body shivers at the tone in his voice.

“You stay in front of me and stay low, get through the gate, and go right to the house. There’s a gun in my nightstand, get it and lock yourself in the bathroom.

Do not come out until I come to get you, do you understand?

” His voice is low enough that I have to strain to hear him.

I nod, my grip tightening on him as he sets me on my feet and presses a kiss to my lips.

It’s short and over far too quickly as he pries my hands away and turns me, giving a gentle nudge.

My boots pound across the driveway as I race to the door, but when I slam into it, Knox isn’t behind me.

He’s standing on the other side of the gate, his stance casual as he playfully flips his knife in the air.

A gunshot rips through the calm night, and I watch in horror as the brick wall right next to him bursts into chunks of debris and dust.

“Go!” Knox roars, squaring his shoulders as he runs towards the psycho shooting at him with nothing more than a knife.

I can feel it, my heart breaking as another gunshot echoes.

My hands tremble and my vision swims as I struggle to suck in a breath.

I pat my pockets, but my phone is gone, and I bite back a screech of rage as I put the code in wrong once, twice, and finally on the third try, the locks disengage and the door swings open.

Atticus is lying on the couch and I snag him up, earning myself a disgruntled meow.

“You’ll thank me later,” I pant out, racing through the house until I burst through Knox’s door and almost trip over the shopping bags that still litter the floor.

I carefully lock Atticus in the bathroom and whip around in a mild panic. Dropping to my knees, I rip open the top drawer of the nightstand. The gun is small but still ridiculously heavy in my palm as I lift it and stand on shaking legs.

I run through the house and through the front door, listening to the sounds of a fight. Another gunshot fires off and Knox shouts in pain. The sound rips through my heart like a serrated blade, and I brace myself to run into the fight, no matter what it takes, to save him.

“Maeve,” a familiar voice calls out, making bile crawl up my throat. My head turns slowly, and standing by the garage, a figure dressed in black steps out of the shadows and smiles at me. Oliver is holding my ripped bra in one hand and Knox’s mask in the other with a look of disgust on his face.

“I knew you were a whore, but this is just disturbing. You need help, Maevey. He’s taking advantage of how broken and weak you are.

I just want to save you from this and the regret we both know you’ll have once he gets bored with you.

” His tone is sweet and honest, and the gun feels like a lead weight in my hand as it dangles at my side.