Chapter 117: Chapter 117

The rain worsened. Its pitter-patter masked the sound of approaching footsteps, but Elena sensed the vampire from the moment he had gotten too close for comfort. The aura was familiar, inducing fear in her. She knew this person. They had met before, but where…? A tall silhouette stood out against the curtain of rain. At first, it was no more than a looming shadow, but soon enough, his countenance was revealed. The sophisticated choice of clothing didn’t match the bloodthirsty sneer he wore on his face. His hair was immaculate despite the downpour. Elena’s heart stopped for a second, only to continue beating twice as fast.

“It’s you,” she whispered, cheeks ashen and hands shaking. She held the dagger tighter. For the first time in five years, she faced the murderer of her parents. The witch hunter. Many thoughts shot through her head. Her fear returned, conflicting with the anger she felt. She despised this man. The level of hatred she held for him couldn’t be explained with words.

A terrified sob from behind her reminded her that she wasn’t alone. Her head whipped around to Venus, who was watching them. She had seen his glowing red eyes and concluded that he was bad news as well. Elena wouldn’t let him kill her—she would stop him with everything she had. Already, she drew magic into her palm.

“Venus, run.” Elena hissed and threw her a scalding glare. “Go.” Her employee was startled but didn’t ask any questions. She bolted and ran for her life, disappearing behind the curtain of rain.

The vampire watched the scene in amusement. “Are you scared I would murder her?” he asked, the sound of his voice sending chills down Elena’s spine. How many times had she heard this voice in her nightmares, taunting her, threatening her?

“Don’t worry, little witch. I’m here for you and only you. I knew I would find you eventually. Nobody can escape me. All it took to lure you out was a little trick,” he grinned. “How did you hide all these years? Did you use some silly spell thinking it would keep you safe?”

She had made a mistake. She should have never fought the creature—most likely, their confrontation had lured in the vampire… but then again, had she had any other options? He took a step forward. She tensed her shoulders. The pain caused by her injuries faded into the background.

He scrunched his nose when a peculiar scent reached him, and his arrogant demeanor was temporarily overtaken by surprise. “You have a soulmate? A vampire?”

She didn’t answer him, and she didn’t have to. The sadistic smirk he painted on his face was by far the most unsettling thing she had seen today. “Should we scare him a little? Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“What do you want from me? Why did you kill my parents?” she shouted and ignored his provocative questions.

“You’ll find out soon, but first, I want to see how long you can keep up with me.”

His body became a blur. He appeared out of nowhere, right in front of her, and punched her stomach so hard she was flung backward. A scream ripped from her throat—the pain was intense. She landed on the wet street, and her clothes were instantly soaked. The ominous sound of his footfalls came closer. This time, he was not in a hurry. He took his time, intending to play with his target.

She clenched her jaw and pushed herself up, picking up the dagger she had lost. He was too fast, even faster than the creature from before had been. The dagger would be useless against him, but she held on to it anyway. It was like a lifeline—a gift meant to protect her.

“Are you scared yet, little witch?” He smiled at her silence. “I can hear your heartbeat, you know? It seems like you’re terrified.”

“Fuck you.”

His eyes darkened, their red hue dulling suspiciously. She needed a plan to incapacitate him for a while, just long enough so she could run and call Ryder for help—come to think of it, her shift was almost over, and he planned to pick her up at her shop. If she stalled for long enough, maybe he would make it in time. She wouldn’t let this bastard win.

Her green eyes gleamed when she tapped into her magic and, without even moving a muscle, commanded it to strike. This was something he didn’t see coming. He couldn’t. Wolfsbane sprouted from thin air, coiled around his neck like a noose. She created tendrils covered in thorns and let them spread from his neck over his torso.

“What—” he cut himself off and scowled when he realized he was dealing with wolfsbane. His hands ripped at the nasty plant on his neck, wanting to remove it, but his fingers burned like fire as soon as he touched it. The skin on his neck turned red and stung as if he had been touched by silver. He roared in anger and tore off the plants, further injuring himself in the process.

“You bitch will regret this,” he growled and glared at her. However, what he saw irritated him even more.

Elena had used the momentary distraction to her advantage and made a run for it. She dashed through the rain as if the devil himself was at her heels—which wasn’t far from the truth. This was her chance, her only chance. Her pulse hammered in her chest. She searched the pocket of her jacket for her phone. All she needed to do was press Ryder’s speed dial. He would be here in minutes.

An inhumane force crashed into her back. She screamed and was pushed to the ground, tearing holes in her jeans and scraping her hands. The vampire grabbed her and turned her around roughly. The back of her head hit the pavement. Rain continued to pour on them, concealing their forms.

The murderous red eyes of the witch hunter bore into hers. “I want to kill you. I want to snap your fucking neck. You’re lucky you’re important; otherwise, I would have ended your miserable existence right here.”