The rain didn’t let up.
It hammered down like it had something to prove, turning the forest path into a river of mud and dead leaves.
Every step Amelia took felt like dragging her soul through quicksand. Her lungs burned, ribs screaming with every breath. But she didn’t stop.
She couldn’t stop.
Behind her, the ghost of Lucian’s voice chased her.
Soft. Sweet. Deadly.
You’re mine now, baby. No more running.
Her foot slipped, sending her crashing to her knees.
Mud soaked through her jeans, freezing against her skin, but she barely felt it.
Her fingers clawed at the earth, nails breaking as she forced herself back up.
Keep moving.
If she stopped, even for a second, she knew it was over.
⸻
She didn’t know how long she ran.
Time had lost all meaning.
There was only the storm and t
