Page 46 of Dare You to Run
“You know the woods just off to the left of the house?” Her head moves up and down sluggishly. “I’m going to give you a thirty second head start.”
“Head start? To do what?”
“Run, little mouse. I dare you to run.” I trail my finger from her collarbone up her neck and stopping where the helmet starts.
“Why would I run from you?” Her voice trembles.
“Because I like to play with my food before I eat it.” The color drains from her face, her rosy cheeks turning pale, and my body buzzes with need. “Are you ready?”
“Wait. What about wild animals? There could be dangerous creatures out there.”
“Baby, I’m the only dangerous creature who will be hunting you.” I pull her towards the edge of the garage right in front of the door. “As soon as this door opens up, you’ll have thirty seconds to run. And then…I’m coming for you.”
I slam her visor shut then mine, and press the button on the remote for the garage door that I grabbed off of the hook.
Her hand shakes in mine and I give her a little squeeze to calm the nerves. Dagen’s head flies to meet mine, and though I can’t see her face under the dark shield, I can tell she’s surprised by the act.
The sound of the motor stops and I wait for her to make her move. When she continues to stare at me, I lower my voice and say, “Run run run, little mouse. The big bad wolf is coming for you.”
Her body goes rigid and then I hear her gasp for air. In the blink of an eye, she’s pulling away from me and sprinting down my driveway towards the dark woods. I watch her white shoes move farther and farther away until they disappear. I give her a few more seconds and then I bolt after her.
Dagen should have known better than to walk with danger. I’m bound to dim her bright light. But the dark side of me doesn’t give a fuck. Because even if I never see her again after she goes back, there will always be a part of me inside of her. One that I awakened and will always belong to me.
NINETEEN
“Run run run,little mouse. The big bad wolf is coming for you.”
Hendrix's deep smoky voice sends a rumble down to my core that has me frozen in place. Like the firing of a shotgun, my brain says to run and I take off. The landscape lights that surround his home shine across the yard and I use it to guide me to the edge of the woods that line his property.
The visor makes it difficult to see well, and I slow down as soon as I enter the dark shroud. There’s a slight chill in the air and goosebumps pebble my exposed skin. I wear only a thin white t-shirt and leggings as the jacket Hendrix has me wear when we ride is thick and makes me sweat.
I push branches out of the way from smaller pine trees and trudge through dead grass and shrubs. My chest heaves and the inside of the helmet grows thick and warm. I spin around in a circle, trying to figure out which direction to go, but the moon and stars are hidden by the tall trees. I don’t even know where I started. I’m totally thrown off and panic begins to build inside of me.
Just then I hear, “Little mouse, little mouse. Where are you?”
I choose to turn right and start running again. My steps are slow and labored as I stumble when my foot gets caught on something. Sounds from the creatures about –crickets and frogs and birds that prey at night– echo all around. It’s like an ominous soundtrack of a horror film, and I’m the dumb girl who doesn’t run fast enough from the serial killer.
My mind begins to swirl of what Hendrix plans to do when he catches me. Fear turns in my belly but so does a touch of curiosity. He’s opening my eyes to a whole new world that I’ve only heard women speak about. Domination, rough sex, the hand on the throat. All things I told myself I would never like. But now I find myself craving those and more.
“When I catch you little mouse, I’m going to eat you alive. Mmm. I can already taste you on my tongue.” His voice is that of a predator and it sends my pulse racing and my body humming with desire.
I continue to fight my way through the brush, narrowly missing running face first into several trees. I cut left and think I know which way is which when a large hand clamps on to my arm. I screech, but don’t fight off my “attacker”. This is one I will surrender to.
“I caught you.” My back is pushed up against a tree and the bark digs at my back. “You’re mine now, little mouse.”
I raise a hand and lift my visor. “What are you going to do with me?” My breaths are heavy with each inhale and exhale.
His devious laugh is muffled by his helmet, but I hear it loud and clear. “I’m going to make you my meal. I’m going to eat every last morsel of you, leaving nothing for scavengers. I will be the only one to taste your blood on my tongue. No one else will know what your flesh feels like between their teeth.”
His hand runs down the side of my body then moves to slide down the front of my leggings. I feel his fingers trial over mythin, and now soaked, panties. They dance along my covered mound and run up and down the damp fabric that separates us.
“Does this excite you, little mouse?”
“I-I think it does. You excite me, Hendrix.” My hands hold onto the tree behind me, but I itch to touch him.
His visor remains shut and I move to lift it up, but he grips my hand and lowers it back down to my side then proceeds to pull my helmet from my head. I blink my eyes, working to bring the world back into focus and he sets the helmet down carefully at our feet.
The touch of his rough fingers on my stomach makes me tense as he rolls my t-shirt up over my breasts and then my face. It floats to the ground like a ghost in the night. My bra falls loose when he unclasps it, and a primal growl rumbles in his chest that I respond to with a wanton mewl.
