Taint (Formerly Claimed) Dark Midnight 1

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

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“Hmmm.”  The girl, Alyea, surveyed the area with grudging admiration.  “Seems she’s not so helpless after all, Dev.”  

The wolf growled, as if agreeing.

Ignoring them, Devlin’s green gaze met Miriam's grimly.  Slowly he lowered his sword, but by then she was already starting to back away. 

 “Miriam, wait!”

She ran.  

Turning on her heel, she sprinted past a stunned, bleeding Carl and tore through the side entrance that led out into the fields.  

Outside, darkness had almost fully fallen, swamping everything in dark shadow.  Once she crossed the parking lot and entered the woods, there wasn't any light to see by except for the random glow of a passing car's headlights--until even those faded in the distance.  

 Without any clear direction, she just ran ignoring the icy chill that easily sliced through her thin tee shirt. 

Looking back, she couldn’t have said just how far she’d gone.  A few yards?  A few miles?

 All she knew was that when she finally came a stop, trees surrounded her on all sides and the moon hung pale and full overhead, casting just enough light for her to realize that she was in the middle of nowhere.  

She panted, hunching over to brace her palms against her knees and just tried to catch her breath.  

Her mind.  

Any shred of a gameplan now that she was winded, alone and stranded in the middle of the woods.  

After all, even normal wolves didn't need sight to track their prey as much as smell--and with all the sweat gluing her shirt to the back of her neck she certainly smelled...

“Miriam!”

Her stomach sank.  For the first time, she realized that someone had been behind her the entire time, calling her name.  On impulse, she darted in a random direction, lungs heaving for air.  Branches and thorns snagged at her skin as she felt her way through the brambles with her hands.

She couldn't see anything.

“Miriam, Wait—"

She screamed as ice cold hands encased her from behind, crushing her against a solid chest.  

“Let me go!”

She kicked, bit and screamed but her attacker just held her even tighter.  Finally, she paused to suck in some air--just long enough to hear them insist, “It’s me.”

She went limp.

“E...Eliot?”

She turned.  In the dark, she only managed to catch sight of that pale skin and red eyes, but she was already throwing herself against him.  His arms went around her, holding her tight. 

“It’s okay…it’s okay,” she heard him murmur, fingers running through her hair.  The motion was comforting, even though her scalp still ached from being pulled.  Her teeth were chattering together.  She couldn't stop shaking--but not from the cold.  

He just held her, not saying anything until the last tremor left her body.  Then, gently, his finger slid beneath her chin, tilting it up to meet his gaze.  

“What happened?”

In a rush, she told him everything.  

About Devlin, Carl, Sidney—everything.  His gaze narrowed when she mentioned Devlin’s veiled threat and he looked downright murderous when she mentioned Carl’s attack.