Page 135 of Lost in the Dark

“It’s okay,” I whispered, finding the orange glow of the fire dancing through the thin polyester. “It’s okay.”

But it wasn’t okay, was it?

Snap.

The opening of a beer can made me flinch. A second…that’s all it had taken for him to turn back to his ways as though nothing had changed. But ithadchanged, hadn’t it?

It’s changed for me.

“What the fuck just happened?” I groaned.

Only the best sex of your goddamn life,that voice whispered back.By a creature who cared more for you in an hour than your deadbeat boyfriend had in six motherfucking years.

Stay…

Dregon’s plea resounded.

That’s it, my tiny mortal, take me.

I can’t stop.My own voice followed.

I have no intention of stopping, female.

My hand shook as I cupped my breast, remembering his big hand over me.What are you?

Noceur Hunter.

Noceur Hunter. I jerked my head up, ignoring the murmured voices outside. They were talking about me, trying their best to get back to their happiness…now that I’d ruined their weekend.

I didn’t want to be here. I didn’t want to be with them. The more I thought about that, the more I realized where I wanted to be. I shoved out of Michael‘s jacket, fixed my bra and my shirt, and tied my boots. My fingers trembled and my teeth chattered with the cold. The cold I felt now…to my bones.

I pulled on my own jacket, then grabbed my bag, dragging it with me as I stumbled back out of the tent.

Michael jerked his gaze toward me with a pissed off look. One look at the bag in my hand, and he snapped. “What the fuck are you doing now?”

I strode past him, then stopped and turned back. “You know what, Michael, I want to thank you.”

His scowl grew deeper as he pushed out of his chair. “Thank me?”

I glanced at the others as they stared. Somehow, his rejection melted away. “Yes, thank you. Because tonight you gave me exactly what I needed for a clean break.”

He took a step closer, the beer still in his hand. “What the fuck are you talking about, a break?”

“Exactly that,” I declared, looking at him now with fresh eyes. The glow from the fire bounced off his pockmarked face, making him look sallow…andugly.Hewasugly, and it had nothing to do with his complexion. Before tonight, I'd thought he was the handsomest man I’d ever seen, now I was justdisappointed. “We’re done.”

Relief swept through me with the words. “We’vebeendone for a long time, and I just didn’t see it. But I see it now. Thank you for reminding me of my self-worth.”

I started walking, and it wasn’t back to the tent or the road that’d lead me out of the campgrounds. It was to the forest, to the darkness…and to the monster that waited for me.

Because I knew in my heart, hedidwait for me.

“Where the fuck are you going!” Michael roared.

“Away,” I replied, and kept on walking, lengthening my strides. “To someone who wants me.”

This was stupid. It was absolutelyfuckinginsane. Still, I walked faster, plunging headlong through the trees and toward something I wanted.

“I’m here!” I cried out, hurrying between the trees and toward that bluff. “I’m right here!”

But the forest was silent…

Until it moved.

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