In Silence She Screams (Midnight Mayhem 3)

“I’ll come,” he says, gesturing to my ears. I pull them out and place them on the counter. “I need to fucking run since I hate small places.”

I chuckle as we make our way out the front, comfortable silence falling around us as my feet hit the ground outside. There’s thick forest behind us with a dirt trail leading through.

Eli points to the mouth of the entry. “After you. And by the way, if a King ever tells you to run through a forest, you usually would sprint the opposite way.” We pick up to a comfortable jog, pelting over the bladed grass and heading toward the clearing where the track begins.

“I’ve heard a couple of people refer to you as a King, though I don’t completely know what that means.”

My arms sway as my feet hammer against the soil. The track looks flat but rough, with falling tree branches and scattered leaves. I don’t think people run it often, and I really hope I don’t get kidnapped or eaten alive in here. Hopefully, Kyrin’s cum works as a deterrent, though I’m guessing that wouldn’t be the case since even I didn’t want to wash him off me.

“Ah, a long story that isn’t that important right now, but if you ever want to learn about them, I’ll tell you one day.”

Our breathing puffs in sync as we continue through the forest, jumping over logs and dodging holes. “What about you, hmm?” He nudges me with his arm and I find myself smiling. A genuine smile, not one that is forced to make me look crazier than I am. Usually my smile is carved by a machete, not by something so human like happiness.

My laughter carries through the forest as I swipe my forehead with the back of my hand.

“Well, I was raised very different than you, and even Kyrin. I never left our—area—and would watch people come in and out… in and out…”

He goes quiet, and I hate it. I don’t want him to be just like everyone else by offering me pity, like I’m a sacrificial little lamb who needs saving. I’m more predator than prey, but it’s all I’ve found since joining Midnight Mayhem. I’ve noticed how people all look at me like I’m a tormented child whose trauma response is to kill people. When the next words leave his lips, I relax.

“Well, fuck, I hope you at least had a bedroom there and weren’t on the road like these assholes.”

I laugh again, for the second time in a space of four minutes. It’s a record. I feel my grip around my emblematical machete slowly loosen. “One day we can swap stories.”

“Yeah,” Eli says breathlessly. “But not right now, because if you keep talking to me, I might die.”

We remain quiet for the rest of the run until we’re back at the RV. We both stop, leaning over our legs to catch our breath.

“I’m just saying, I hate exercise.”

“You don’t run like it.”

I shrug, stretching my arms out. “Because I fuck a lot.”

He bursts out laughing, flashing all his straight teeth. Eli is very pretty. With soft skin and features crafted for a model, he truly is the epitome of a pretty boy, but it’s his laugh and his soul that I find myself wanting to stay near. He’s like a hot flame in the middle of a snowstorm. I need him to keep me warm. The thing about fire, though, is it turns wood to ash, and pretty soon, all of the walls I built all those years ago will be nothing but dusted memories. I have to be careful with Eli because he’s the only one who makes me feel that way. Kyrin, on the other hand, would just burn all my shit to the ground and probably use my ash to lace his weed.

Eli hooks his arm around the back of my neck and pulls me close until his lips graze my head. See what I mean… warmth. “You know, I think you’re going to make my trip so much better than I thought.”

I tap him with my hip. “Maybe, or maybe I’ll kick whoever’s ass it was who hurt you tonight.”

His face pales and a flash of something passes over it. I decide to not ask him what it was about. I wish more people extended that same courtesy to me around here.

The rest of the day moves fast. After washing up and eating, it’s already midday, and since Saskia booked us a table for dinner and drinks beforehand, I should probably start getting ready now. I move through my room and shuffle through my makeup bag, finding the look I want to go with tonight. I’m applying the base of my foundation when my phone dings and I open a text up from them.