“You’re making a mistake.”
“I don’t think so,” I say, trying to assess my next possible move.
I only have a split second to decide as Luci flings the chair aside and stalks toward me. Grabbing my skirts, I drop to avoid his arms and slip around him as I make a beeline toward the bedroom door.
Luci rounds the other side of the bathroom and lunges at me, but again, I evade his grasp. Not wasting a second, I run into the bedroom and over to the main door, my hand closing on the handle just as Luci’s wraps around my ankle.
He yanks me back, throwing me off balance and sending me crashing to the floor … face first.
I try to catch myself, but barely manage to keep my head from slamming against the marble. I feel a bag burst beneath me and the odd sensation of something wet and sticky spreading between my breasts.
“What have you done?” he asks, his voice strained.
I glance back over my shoulder at him, and time almost seems to slow as his grip on my ankle tightens. This time, my heart does stop beating as Luci’s expression becomes downright terrifying.
His lip has curled up over his teeth in a snarl, and his chin has dropped so that he’s now looking at me the way you imagine someone who plans to kill you would. Like I’m the prey and he’s the hunter.
It suddenly dawns on me that I am, as I glance down to find the front of my dress slowly being stained a crimson-edged black.
I’ve just destroyed his fix.
Luci starts to pull me toward him, and I react by kicking out at him as hard as I can. Just as I’d done when training with Seven
My foot connects, startling Luci into releasing me as he reels back.
I scramble to my feet and throw open the door, darting out into the hall.
“Help!” I scream, my voice echoing against the walls as I run. “Help, please! Someone, please, help me!”
Two of Valentine’s guards suddenly step out of a hallway up ahead and turn to look my way. I never thought I’d be so glad to see any of his men in all my life. Relief floods my body for a split second just before their eyes shift over my shoulder.
They give me one last look before turning their backs on me and continuing on with their patrol.
“No, please, wait!”
Luci growls from behind giving me just enough of a warning to stumble out of his way as he lunges for me again. I spin on my heel and race down the hall the other men just came from.
I can hear Luci stalking me, and something tells me that he’s doing this on purpose. He’s enjoying the thrill of the chase.
I don’t even know how I’m still standing, let alone breathing as I turn down another series of corridors only to suddenly realize where I am.
Throwing myself at one of the doors, I slam it shut behind me before willingly stepping into the crystal-case maze of mirrors.
9
Evelyn
“Evi, where are you,” Luci calls, the words drawn out in an eerily sing-song voice that almost sounds like it’s coming from nowhere and everywhere all at once.
I’m already lost and starting to think this was a huge mistake as my heart nearly breaks free of my chest with each corner I round.
Tiptoeing through the maze of cases, I try my best to keep the pitter patter of my bare feet from making too much noise against the floor. God only knows what kind of heightened senses Luci has right now.
Bracing myself, I peer around the edge of another wall of cases and am shocked to see the door again. The room has grown sickeningly quiet, and I’m not sure whether I should make a break for the door or continue trying to lose Luci in the maze.
My choice is made for me when something moves out of the corner of my eye. Luci’s right behind me.
I race around the corner, sprinting straight for the door. Only it isn’t the door, but a reflection of it. I slide to a stop just in time, my abrupt change in movement catching Luci off guard.