Page 37 of Bloody Valentine

I stopped to catch my breath when I was close to the stupid maze. At this point, I should know this damn thing by heart.

I went to walk into the green shrubbery, and like a nightmare, Maddox was there. He was nearly shirtless in the damn winter. The blood from his head both congealed in his hair and spilled down the mask. He looked…deranged.

His eyes were dilated through the bone slits, likely concussed as he lunged at me. I screamed, dodging his arms and running as fast as I could.

“Stay away!” I shrieked. “Help! Please help!” I screamed as loud as I could.

Hopefully, someone will hear my calls.

Maddox was staggering, smashing into the sides of the hedge as he chased me. I screamed again, dodging him as best as I could. The chapel was within my view. If I could just run fast enough, I could make it there.

When I turned around to see Maddox, he saw where I was headed. He just stopped in the maze before walking backward into the shadows of the maze with a cruel smile on his face.

Taking a deep breath, I kept pushing my feet forward to the church. Once I finally reached the doors, I continuously smashed my fists over it. “Please! Open up! Help me!”

Within a few minutes, the priest opened the door, looking at me with surprise.

“Thank god. You have to help. Please. Maddox Valentine is insane! I am being hunted!”

The priest looked past my head, likely not seeing anything but the shadows.

“You must believe me. Please.”

After a minute of silence, taking a look at my ripped dress and disheveled appearance, he gestured forward. “Of course, child. Come in, come in.”

Beware the false shepherd…

The voice in my head gave me chills, but I tried to shake it off, wrapping my dress tighter around my bottom with the broken pieces. We entered the warmth of the chapel. Thank fucking god. I had escaped the madman and the freeze of the air.

“You said Maddox Valentine is hunting you?” the priest said. “Where is he now?”

“I don’t know.” I tried to catch my breath. “I hurt him, and I ran. He stopped chasing me when he realized I was coming here. He is probably still in the maze.”

The priest tilted his head, and a strange feeling crept up my spine. I knew this guy was a bit of a creep, but…

“Um…thanks for letting me warm up. I should be going back to my dorm now…my roommates are looking for me.”

The priest blocked the exit, shaking his head. “Nonsense child. You must stay here and rest. We have a spare room upstairs you can sleep in for the night. I will inform your advisor of tonight’s events.”

“No, really, my dorm isn’t far…” I eyed the exit.

I wish so much I had my phone. I could warn Teagan and ask that she call the police.

“It’s so cold, child. You could catch a chill. I insist you stay here for the night.”

I ground my teeth together, trying to figure out how to get free of this man. “Listen. I appreciate your offer. But I really think I’m better off getting out of here.”

The priest chuckled and walked forward to lock the chapel doors.

“It was not an offer, silly girl. Our leader is finally doing his job the right way, and I’ll be damned if you mess that up. Get upstairs. Now.”

I paled, realization dawning in my bones…leader…

Maddox was the leader of…what?

The priest pulled something from his robes, and the click sounded in the quiet space of the candles flickering.

A gun.

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