Blood Bound

Chapter 23: Beast and Prey

Out. Out. Out!

It's the only thing echoing in my head as I sprint through the cabin, making a beeline for the front door. Miss Madden's shriek of fury has died down and I'm terrified to look over my shoulder and see that she's in hot pursuit.

Don't look back. Just concentrate on running and getting the hell out of here.

Despite my lack of physical exercise during winter, my flight or fight response gives me boosted adrenaline that makes me run faster than I could have imagined. Thankfully, the cabin isn't built like a giant maze and when I turn left, I can see the reception desk and bingo! The front door!

I run towards it without stopping and practically run into it with a bang. Shoulder throbbing painfully, I fiddle hurriedly with the handle and hope that she didn't lock it. With a creak, the handle turns and I thrust the door open and storm outside, feeling the cold gust of nightair sweep across me.

Almost there.

I almost fall flat on my face as my foot skids in the loose gravel on the ground and I realize that it's going to be hard to run in these natural conditions. But I can't be worrying about that when my life's on the line! Stupid brain!

Adrenaline pumping through my system, I continue to run towards our cabin. Of course, it had to be the furthest one from the main cabin and I can already feel my body is starting to protest this sudden physical exertion. I feel a headache coming on as I sometimes forget to breathe properly in my run.

No! I can't pass out now! I'm almost there!

Blinding pain suddenly erupts from the back of my head and my hair is being pulled back.

"You really thought you could get away?" A voice full of malice hisses behind me and the tug on my hair is more forceful.

The blood freezes in my veins. I try to yank my hair back but a strong hand grabs my arm and pulls it behind my back. I yelp, panting as I'm forced on my knees. Pins and needles begin stinging my sides from exhaustion and pain spreads from my head and arm. I look behind my shoulder and out of the corner of my eye, I see Miss Madden towering over me, her beautiful face contorted into malicious triumph.

„I could break your arm," she muses and pushes my arm higher into my back, making me squeal in pain. „It would be easy, you know. I've still got my enhanced strength. It really was foolish of you to blurt all of it out and to even think that you could outrun me!"

Don't remind me, I think miserably and try to force my brain to think of solutions to get out of this mess. But like always, it's either blank or the solutions it projects all end up with me dying in the most horrible ways possible. I can't fight her; I'm too exhausted and weak to handle her enhanced strength; I can't scream for help, she'll probably snap my neck in an instant; Begging for mercy is definitely not going to help me survive this ordeal. In short, I've got nothing.

"So what should I do with you?" she whispers hoarsely in my ear, her breath fast and ragged.

Her question gives me goosebumps all over my body and the hot sweat sliding down my back swiftly turns cold. My mutinious brain comes up with dozens of different scenarios of torture but I'm not going to give her ideas!

"I usually deal with poison or other medications but that could end quickly and I want you to suffer," she pulls my hair more fiercely as emphasis and I'm worried that I might get a bald spot from all that pulling. "I could tear you apart, limb from limb, but again, I'm not sure if I won't use up all my vampire's blood for it. Plus, it might get too messy," she adds, frowning.