Page 7 of Snitches and Serpents

The force of it makes me stumble, and I have to throw my hand out and catch myself on a tree to keep from falling over.

A loud thud sounds as Tristan slams the car door shut.

Then he turns to face me.

The blood in my veins turns to ice.

Yellow light from the streetlamps along the road paint his face with ominous shadows. His handsome features are nothing but harsh lines, and his eyes are so cold and merciless that I suddenly forget how to breathe.

He’s wearing a black t-shirt that only accentuates just how lethal his body really is, and the tattoos covering his arms shift slightly along with his muscles when he flexes his hand.

I suddenly become acutely aware of the fact that there is absolutely nothing that I could do to stop him if he decides to kill me. Sure, I’m fit and I exercise regularly to keep my body perfect. But against someone like this, the difference in height and weight and muscle and sheer technique is so massive that I would be stupid to even try.

Fear once more flickers through me, and I cast a quick glance over my shoulder.

A gloomy forest awaits me there. The sun has almost slipped entirely beyond the horizon now, only providing the faintest of light. But it should still be enough to see by. At least for another few minutes.

“Don’t run,” Tristan says.

I snap my gaze back to him.

He cocks his head, his intense green eyes burning holes through my body.

I cast another quick glance over my shoulder.

“I swear to God,” Tristan begins, his voice dropping low and dark with warning. “If you make me chase you, I will?—”

I bolt.

My ponytail whips through the air, slapping my cheek, as I whirl around so fast that I almost lose my balance.

Behind me, Tristan curses.

But I can barely hear it over the loud pounding in my ears as I sprint right into the forest.

Branches snatch at my clothes. I blindly shove them aside as I barrel across the mossy ground.

If I can just get far enough away from him, I will stand a chance. If he can’t find me, he can’t kill me.

Terror and panic pulse through my body like lightning bolts as I run.

Why is he even trying to kill me? For a few weeks of community service two and a half years ago? It makes no sense. Why?—

A massive weight slams into my back.

I cry out in shock, but it’s cut off by a huff as I hit the ground chest first with Tristan on top of me. Twisting around, I throw up my arms to shove him away from me.

His hands lock around my wrists like manacles. I yank against his grip, but I’m helpless to stop him as he slams my hands down on the ground. While trapping my hands above my head, he settles his weight firmly on my hips. I wiggle furiously, but I’m completely pinned to the ground now.

My chest heaves with both fear and anger as I stare up into Tristan’s hard eyes.

“I warned you not to run,” he says.

“Was I supposed to just stand there and let you kill me?” I snap back, using my anger to try to sound braver than I really feel.

Light dances in his eyes. But it’s not a comforting light. It’s the cold light of ice shards and dying stars.

A shiver rolls down my spine at the sight of it.

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