Cruel Seduction (Underground Kings 2)

“What did you do to him?” I struggle against his hold, and his fingers tighten around my throat until I can’t breathe.

“Hopefully I killed him,” Kendrick breathes against my neck. “I’ve missed your smell, my sweet. The group is going to be so happy with your return.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” I’m not going down without a fight. I’m not the same woman I was two weeks ago, not since finding Sebastian again. Kendrick’s poison isn’t in my head anymore. I know what my life could be now. I have hope. I’m not going to let him take that from me.

“Oh, you’re going to come with me. You’re going to shut the fuck up and deal with the plans I have for you. Not you, not Sebastian, not anyone will interrupt me again. You have no idea the work I’ve put into you. To make you who you are.”

Who I am has nothing to do with him and everything to do with Sebastian. I rear my arm up and slam my fist between his legs as hard as I possibly can and his hand loosens around my neck as he doubles over. I run for it. I want to find Sebastian, but there isn’t time. If I turn around, Kendrick could get me again.

“You aren’t going to see the light of day for weeks, pet!” Kendrick bellows, and his bad intentions slither through the woods, spreading just like the roots of the trees along the ground.

I pump my arms as fast as I can, pushing my legs to run quicker, and my eyes sting from fear burning behind them. Oh god, I can’t believe this. Kendrick has been following me the entire time. How naïve could I have been thinking he had no idea about where I was?

How didn’t Sebastian know? Was all of this a scheme? Maybe the two brothers worked together and liked the game, the chase, the torture of keeping me afraid, getting my hopes up, and abusing me.

No, Sebastian has never been like that. From day one he has loved me unconditionally. He tried to have me break up with Kendrick, many times, but I was always too afraid. Sebastian warned me. He told me Kendrick was a bad man.

Sebastian loved me. I had to believe he had nothing to do with this. My paranoia can’t get the best of me.

The darkness keeps getting darker the further I run into the dense trees. I am lost. The guys at home must be getting worried about us. If I can get to them, I’ll be safe, and we can find Sebastian.

“You won’t be able to run from me forever. You belong to me. To them. You were made for us, my sweet. You are meant to ascend!” Kendrick roars as if insanity has broken his mind.

Ascend? Sounds crazy to me.

I’m not ascending. Whatever the fuck that means. I am staying right here with my two feet on the ground.

A fallen tree comes to view, and the base of it is huge. I debate for a minute if I want to stop. I am getting exhausted. I’ve been running for a while and exercise is the one thing I’m not used to doing. I peer into the tree, and it looks like a huge mouth at the bottom, roots spread out like veins, and I decide to risk it.

Cobwebs stick to my face and hair, and the thought of spiders crawling all over me has me running my hands all over my body and face. I crawl into the tight tunnel of what remains of the tree and curl into a tight ball.

It is dark.

Damp.

Insects crawl all over me, and I cover my mouth to stifle a whimper. The moss inside is slick, and my hair sticks to it as I lean against the bones of the old tree. I can hear footsteps getting closer.

Snap.

Snap.

Snap.

With every step, twigs break in half.

“I know you’re here, pet,” Kendrick taunts. “I don’t hear you running away from me. Did you finally come to your senses?”

I scoot against the tree, wishing I could melted into the bark so Kendrick won’t have a chance to find me.

“You want to know how I always knew where you were?” His voice is too close for comfort. The slimy timbre makes its way through the hollow body of the tree, and I tremble. “Everyone microchips their pets. It was the first thing I did with you. I had to make sure my little bitch could be returned if found.”

He is a sick bastard.

My eyes widen, and I glance up and down my body, my ankles, wrists, and arms, but it is too dark to fully see. Where is it? I am going to take it out. I’ll gnaw my fucking arm until I am able to spit the tracking device out.

“Like right now…”

His voice trails off and vanishes into the thin air as he leaves me pondering his words. Running won’t matter. He’ll find me. He knows where I am.