Chapter 56 Ch. 34.1
Something slammed into her from behind so hard that she didn’t even know what happened until her phone flew out of her hand and hit the ground with a crack.
Her knees burned as she fell, but she pushed herself up fast, her chest thudding like crazy. She didn’t even look back, she just ran, her breath loud in her own ears, the branches smacking at her arms and face. The path twisted in every direction, like it wanted her to get lost, and then she turned and froze because he was right there.
Her stomach dropped.
His clothes were ripped, his hair sticking up like he hadn’t washed in days, and his eyes just wouldn’t stop moving, like he wasn’t all the way sane. She wanted to believe he was just some messed-up guy, maybe a thief, maybe drunk, but then he smiled and she swore her heart almost stopped.
Fangs.
Her throat went dry and her feet stayed frozen in place, too scared to move. Everything within her was screaming for her to leave, to run the fastest that she could, but then his nails flashed in the light and ripped across her cheek, and the sting lit up her face so bad her vision blurred.
No, no, no—this couldn’t be real.
He leaned close, his hand heavy on her shoulder, and she could smell him: the dirt, the sweat, the rot. His tongue slid over his own claws and he grinned wider, and for a second, she thought: This is it, this is where I die, no one will even find me in time...
But then he flew backwards and she could swear she heard his spine crack against a tree.
She blinked so fast her eyes hurt because it didn’t make sense—Ethan was suddenly there, slamming the guy down into the dirt, his whole face twisted like she’d never seen it before. He didn’t look calm like the Ethan she knew. Instead, he looked wild and furious like the night she had stalked him, and for the second time in her life, she didn’t even know if he was the same person.
Her cheek was wet with blood and her jaw sticky, but she couldn’t touch it because she couldn’t move.
Ethan was all over him, hitting so hard the sounds made her flinch, and every time the guy fought back with claws and teeth she thought Ethan was going to lose. But he didn’t stop even when he looked like he should’ve fallen already.
Zara’s chest hurt. She wanted to scream at him to stop, to run, to do something else before he got himself killed. But she couldn’t open her mouth.
And then, the sound of a branch going through that man’s chest and the scream that ripped through the air made her stomach twist until she thought she’d throw up.
Then there was silence.
“Are you alright?” Ethan said, his voice hoarse, like every word scratched his throat.
She couldn’t even answer. Her hand just went up to her cheek, and her fingers shook when they touched the blood still running down.
“Zara…” he said again, but his body dropped, his knees hitting the ground as his hand clutched his side.
Her heart stopped.
Oh God, no.
She dropped down beside him so fast her legs almost gave out. “Oh my God!” she cried, her voice shaking so bad she barely recognized it. She lowered him onto the dirt, her hands flying over him, her eyes catching on the gashes in his chest and stomach.
There was too much blood.
No, no, this wasn’t happening.
Her hands pressed down on his stomach, the blood sliding over her fingers until they slipped, and she wanted to scream because nothing she did was working. Her breath came in sharp gasps, her chest too tight, her brain spinning. Should she call for help? Her dad? No, no, that would ruin everything, Ethan’s secret would be gone. Would Ethan even want that?
Her heart pounded so hard it hurt.
“Stay with me,” she begged, tears in her eyes, her voice cracking. “Ethan, please.”
His eyes fluttered, like keeping them open was too much work. The thought of him dying made her become even more panicky.
“You’re bleeding,” he whispered. His voice was so rough, like it was breaking. His eyes drifted to her cheek.
Zara shook her head hard. “Forget me, you’re the one—”
Then his hand shot up and caught her wrist. She gasped because even weak, his grip was strong enough to hold her still. His eyes burned into hers and for a moment she couldn’t even breathe.
A drop of her blood had slipped into his mouth.
He jolted like he’d been struck, his whole body arching, his hand slamming into the dirt, his chest heaving like he couldn’t breathe.
Her stomach turned cold.
“Zara,” he gasped.