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Lila
AS I RAN THROUGH THE woods, all I could seem to think about was Marjorie, of the last breaths she’d taken in these very woods. I knew there was a chance that my fate would end in a similar way, and if it did, I would have been okay with that. Anything had to be better than a life spent serving Sebastian, who would no longer be just Sebastian. He would be Sebastian, husband of Alessandra. The idea made me want to vomit.
No, I knew there was a chance I wouldn’t have made it out of those woods. But I hoped that wouldn’t be the case. I hoped that I would somehow make it out of them and that I would find Ty—or anyone who could help me, for that matter. I needed to find a way out of this place, once and for all.
With every step I took, I could have sworn that I heard the sound of movement in the trees. But when I glanced around, I didn’t see anyone.
Was it possible that I would get lucky again? That, just like the first time, I would make it through the woods in one piece?
I’d just convinced myself that it was possible when I saw someone running toward me.
I sped up my pace, not allowing myself to skip a beat. I was focused on one thing and one thing only: to get out of the woods.
I wasn’t delusional. I was certain the vampire would follow me onto the beach. I would come up with a plan between now and then, but I wasn’t sure, offhand, what I would do. All I did know was that I needed to find some way to save myself, but the chances of that had begun to bleak.
I mentally prepared myself for what was to come. That bloodthirsty vampire was going to kill me, and I would never see my family or friends or Sean again.
I supposed that it was inevitable all along; I just hadn’t wanted to admit it before.
As I reached the edge of the woods, the vampire leapt on top of me, causing me to tumble to the ground.
As the vampire held me down, his eyes met mine and he smiled sadistically. Then he sniffed my wrist. “Ah, you smell delicious. Simply divine. I’m going to have a wonderful drink from you.”
He allowed his fangs to come out. Just as he was about to sink them into my neck, he screamed. I noticed the stake that had been pushed through his heart as he slumped to the ground.
Who could have saved me?
I knew it could have only been one person—well, vampire, rather.
“Thanks, Sebast—” I started to say, but then I saw the figure that hovered over me. The brown eyes that stared into mine were not Sebastian’s.
“Sean?” I whispered, climbing to my feet. I blinked. It couldn’t have been. I had to have been imagining it. What were the chances that Sean was here in this other world?
“Lila. Oh, my god, Lila. I’ve missed you so much,” Sean said as he swept me up into his arms.