Page 2 of A Touch Of Death

I jump over rocks and fallen logs, winding my way around the forest while my heart tries to crash through my ribcage. Davis' presence grows stronger behind me, but I keep going. I can't let him catch me. I won't let him.

I take a sharp turn to the left and sprint as fast as my thin legs can go. I risk taking a look behind me and see Davis trip over a tree stump that had been hidden by foliage. It makes me move my legs faster, pushing myself to create more distance between me and the threat. I run and run, only to come to a sudden skidding stop just before I fall head first over the cliff I've found myself staring down. There's a large waterfall to the left of me, mist floating up from below where a large body of water lies.

I look around, searching for a way to go or a direction that won't leave me stranded on the ledge of a big fucking waterfall with nowhere to run. The sound of thundering feet hits my ear drums before I find what I'm looking for. Dread pools in my stomach, and I slowly turn around in time to see Davis step through the trees. He stops a good distance away, holding his hands partially behind his back, but the gun in them doesn’t go unnoticed. I know those guns. They’re always filled with tranquilizers instead of bullets. Of course they are. He’d want me alive, given that I’m the only one who survived the Top Psycho killing every other being like me. They kept me alive for a reason. What would be the value of killing me now, right?

With a shaking body, I risk another quick look around for a way to escape but come up empty. My risk costs me some distance between me and the hunter when Davis takes two steps closer to me. My body tenses, and I move back reflexively, the heel of my foot finding nothing but air as I get closer to the edge.

"Now, now, pet. That was a stupid thing to do, wasn't it? Boss won't be happy that you tried to run away." Davis' voice sounds like nothing other than nails on a chalkboard to my frazzled nerves. I can't help but wince as he carries on talking. "I'm taking you back to the facility where we're going to keep you on lockdown. You won't escape again. We'll make sure of it."

He advances, and I find myself close to panicking. My energy is depleted, so using any of my abilities isn't an option. Running won't do me any good with how fast Davis is. He'll catch me easily enough. Plus, where is there to go? There's nothing but a waterfall behind me, and no open spaces for me to run through. The only option I have is to let Davis catch me or…

Or jump.

To jump would surely sign my death warrant, but I meant it when I said I'd rather die than let those scum ever capture me again. I'd rather die a free woman than suffer at the hands of those monsters again. I promised my dad I’d escape, and if death is my one way ticket to freedom, then I’m taking it.

My resolve strengthening with every wary step Davis makes, I lift my chin high and loosen my shoulders. I move backwards a fraction, testing my weight on the ledge and gathering how far backwards I'll need to jump to hit the water below. Davis’ scrutinising gaze watches, and I can see the realisation hit him like a sucker punch when it clicks as to what I'm doing. Panic and rage flash in his eye before he lifts the gun, ready to aim.

"Don't fucking think about it, pet. I'll shoot you before you jump. You'll die if you go over this cliff."

A resigned calm settles over me. If I die, so be it. Dying would bring me more peace than living. Maybe I'll be with my family again. The rest of my people. I'll see my sister’s chubby cheeked smile that she never quite grew out of, my mother and father’s loving gazes, and feel the warmth of their embraces. Yes, death would be a thousand times better than whatever sick plans Davis and hisbosshave in store for me.

With a sardonic smile, I tell him, "I'd rather die free than live captured. Eat shit, asshole."

And then I'm falling.

My hair flutters around my head and face, and my arms open wide, like an acceptance of my decision. A welcoming embrace for death.

Through the rush of wind in my ears, I hear Davis yell, "Nooooo!" A sharp prick pierces my left shoulder, and a sudden numbness grows from where a dart pokes out of my skin. The bastard really did shoot me with a damn tranquilizer.

Before I can panic, the sound of the crashing waterfall draws nearer, and then I'm hitting the water hard. The numbness of the dart has made its way over my torso, so the impact of water doesn't hurt as much as it would have. There’s a sharp sting on my legs and arms, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. Suddenly, my body is submerged under water before I can take a breath, and my body is growing too numb for me to control my movements, leaving me stuck under the water. My lungs tighten, and the need to inhale is strong. With my body growing more numb by the second, I struggle to turn my body through the water. I’ve completely lost track of which way is up, and panic intensifies. My head begins to grow fuzzy from the lack of oxygen, and black spots appear in my vision like a warning that the thrashing water will be the last thing I see.

My consciousness is wavering, and my body grows heavier and heavier. Just before I pass out entirely, I feel a slight tugging of my left arm and leg. My eyes flicker open briefly - when did I close them? - to see water rushing over my head as I uselessly glide through the water. The bubbles leaving my mouth with the small amount of air I had in me is the last thing I see before my vision turns black, and I'm swept away by the currents.

Chapter 2

Phoenix

"Thisis stupid."

I sigh. It's not the first time Ezra has stated his displeasure for our impromptu trip, but I swear on the Fates, I will fuck him up if he keeps bitching about it.

"Dude. Quit the damn whining, would you? You've already made it obvious how much you'd rather be at home pampering yourself like a little bitch instead of trekking through the wilderness. Suck it up, man."

The glare he gives me would make weaker men wilt under the scrutiny. Sadly for the stuck up incubus, his death glares don't faze me. Years of his company has left me and the others immune to his daggered looks, but he still gives it the ol' college try.

"I just don't understand why we all had to tag along on this little adventure." He crosses his arms like a petulant child and kicks a pile of leaves out of his way as we meander through the forest. Why theyhadto tag along?

"Excuse me? I remember telling you I'd go alone. You're the dick who insisted on joining me." I give the others an eye roll and shake my head. Just as I was ready to leave, backpack strapped over my shoulders, Ezra decided that he wanted in on my trip. He didn't ask where we were going, just announced he was coming and slammed the door in my face to go get ready. At least Spencer and Zayn waited for an invitation before getting ready to join me.

"Well, that was before I knew we'd be hiking through the woods. This is the shittiest trip ever." The sun is rising slowly, bringing the first rays of the morning with it, and there's a slight breeze that has a chilly bite to it. It's beautiful out here, but of course the incubus wouldn't appreciate it. He's not an outdoors man, that much is obvious.

Zayn snorts, and Spencer turns his backwards hat covered head towards Ezra with an eyebrow raise. "Do I need to remind you of the lame trips you've forced us on over the years? If Nix wants to take a hike in the forest, then so be it. It beats the time you got us arrested in Vegas because you were pissed from losing at black jack. I'll take walking through the woods over that any day."

I'm grinning at the reminder of the time the incubus was forced to admit he was wrong. That particular trip had turned into a disaster. He's always been a sore loser, but he was adamant on going to the casino despite our protests. Spending the night in jail was worth watching Ezra having to rebuff the old biker guy's attempts at hitting on him, though.

"At least my trips are supposed to be fun. I don't even know what the purpose of this hike is other than to let that animal get his daily dose of exercise in. I thought we'd be doing something productive." He jerks his thumb at me, and I roll my eyes again. His eyebrows are drawn down in confusion, and I see the worry in his brown eyes when I look over to him. I think he knows this has something to do with our wakeup call this morning.

Startled out of sleep at the ass crack of dawn, drenched in sweat, shaking, and adrenaline coursing through my body. I felt panicked, my heart beating double time, and it was as though I couldn't catch my breath. I bolted out of my bed and swung my door open, only to find the other three standing outside their rooms in similar states. None of us understood what had happened, but before I could question it with the others, a sudden urge to go to the forest came over me. I needed to go.Hadto. Something was tugging me to the woods, and a prickling sensation scurried down my spine when I thought about ignoring the pull. We all dressed and gathered our things, ready for a long hike before the sun came up, and set off to the forest an hour away from our house.

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