“I swear to God, Marcus, if you don’t find me…” I huff out to myself as I continue to run further into the woods.
The run reminded me too much of when Marcus dragged me away from Everton.
At least this time it wasn’t raining.
***
My lungs are burning by the time I think the fifteen-minute mark has hit. I am gasping for air and my face is drenched in sweat, I can feel it stream between my boobs and down my back.
Bastard didn’t even give me water.
Probably because you wouldn’t be given water when someone was stalking and attacking you, but still, I needed something to aid the burning dryness in my throat.
I scan the woods around me, no sign of Marcus.
The small amount of air I have is slammed out of my lungs as my back hits the ground. The weight of a body keeps me from pulling myself off the ground. A knee comes down on my chest, pinning me in place.
My vision clears and I see Marcus’s dumb perfect grin looking down at me.
How the fuck did he get to me thatfucking fast?
He chuckles slightly before lowering himself to me, his mouth hot on my ear, “Found you, princess.”
I am still trying to get air into my lungs when I swing my leg around his chest to kick him off of me, but he sees it coming and he spins on his feet and darts away.
“Gotta be quicker than that.” He shouts, coming back at me.
I rush to my feet. Finally the pain in my chest is dulling, only to erupt again as he pins me to a tree trunk.
“You aren’t trying, Elliott.” he hisses in my face. “Just like in the gym, come on. Focus!”
I kick my knee in his chest and he pushes back, only coming at me with a bigger smile on his face.
“How are you gonna get away from Samuel if you can’t get away from me?”
“I’m trying.” Samuel’s face takes over Marcus’s, and my blood runs cold.
‘I’ll have you again, Eden. You are mine!’
I panic and run, but a hand wraps around my waist and throws me to the ground. I look at the figure to see that Marcus looks like himself again.
“Fight, like I trained you!”
I bring my feet together and shove them up in the air just as Marcus goes to pounce on me. My boots land on his chest and I shove with all of my strength, kicking him over me. He stumbles as he hits the ground but recovers quicker than I can get myself situated for the next move.
“More. I need more fight, Elliott.” He grabs my ankle and I drop to the dirt-covered ground. Twigs and rocks scrape my palms as I pull away, but his hold is too strong.
When I look back, I see he has shifted to Samuel but this time he’s in the same cleansing ceremonial robe he wore that night. His body drags over my form as I kick and scream, digging my nails into his chest.
Mine. My Eden.
No. No. No.
“Get away from me, Samuel!” I shriek into the air as I shut my eyes firmly and kick again.
“Hey! Hey!” Marcus’s voice returns and he tugs me into his hold in a sitting position. “He isn’t here. I amnotSamuel.”
I feel tears warm my cold cheeks. My breaths are gasping to fill my lungs with oxygen.
