Page 58 of Our Little Monster
My brow pinched with mixed emotions while he continued. He talked about me as if he had known me longer than a couple of months. His small, leisurely kisses moved down my neck; I didn’t even tense from the touch, with his mouth being so close to my throat.
“But you’ve also staggered me,Serina. No blood could ever stave off the ravenous madness that you cause me… You’re the thorn in my side that I will gladly bleed for.” His eyes pulled back and never left mine.
A lump of emotion clogged my throat. I didn’t know what to say to the confession that was so intimate, so I said nothing.
Why did this feel like a goodbye?
The thought moved me to speak.
“When will you be back?” I whispered.
“I don’t know, but I have to go now,” he said as he placed a soft kiss on my forehead and then he made sure my feet were planted back on solid ground before he headed down the stairs.
He didn’t look back as he disappeared into the woods off of the driveway.
I was never good at taking orders, especially not from them.
19
Serina
Igotdressedquickly,throwing on my normal all-black outfit before strapping all of my weapons quietly to their proper places.
I didn’t hear the guys downstairs, but I wouldn’t risk going downstairs to find out what they were doing. I moved to the window and lifted it easily. I carefully placed my feet on the roof and looked down, ready to scale down to the ground below.
I placed my hands and feet carefully between the vines and detailed stone as I made my way down the side of the house. Gently landing, I bent my knees to absorb the small drop before I started running through the woods.
I was instantly swallowed by the darkness. The sun was long gone now. Winter made the nights come sooner in the day; it was only six o'clock last I looked at the time, and Bastian had left about thirty minutes ago, but I could still track him.
I quickly ran in the direction he had gone, careful of how much noise I was making as I went. A fresh trail was easy to track.
I slowed down, paying attention to the debris on the ground.
When Vampires moved at their speeds, they created a disturbance along the ground; leaves and sticks shifted as they passed, creating an easy trail to follow, but not for very long.
I followed the trail for what seemed like forever until it became hard to read. Different paths were made like a three-way crossroads, and I didn’t know if he had been followed or if he had done it on purpose knowing I wouldn’t have listened to him.
I chose one and decided to test my luck until a voice echoed through the trees.
“Little monster,” Nox’s whisper caressed me through the woods, making a shiver skate up my spine. I couldn’t figure out where his words were coming from.
He was playing with me, something I knew Vampires loved to do with their prey.
So much for being sneaky.
I instinctively grabbed my stakes, placing one in each hand as I circled, peering through all the trees. Suddenly, I saw him appear from behind one of them and start sauntering toward me.
“You’re no fun,” he muttered.
“Why? Because I’m not running from your little show?” I quirked a brow, pointing my stake in his direction. “What the hell are you doing out here?” I asked.
“We could ask you that same question,” Thorne’s voice came from directly behind me. I turned to face him; I didn’t even jump from the sound of his voice so close to me.
“What the hell?” I said evenly as I faced Thorne.
“Bastian doesn’t want you to get involved.” Thorne shrugged.
“Why not? What is happening to him?” I pressed, and they only looked at each other as if trying to decide if they wanted to tell me anything at all.
