Page 43 of My Forever Sin

“No.” His annoyingly panty-melting voice tickles my ear. “It’s where I plan on fucking my stepsister.” Kain’s arm unwinds from me, his fingertips grazing my collarbone, and, once again, my centre pulses when it damn well shouldn’t.

I growl, creating distance between us, head spinning—a bit of his face paint has smudged from where he clung to mine. I rub my ear, trying to erase the ghost of his breath, and flatten the goosebumps he elicited.

“Good luck,” he says before he retreats into the trees, along with several others.

I take one final look at Cassie who’s glued herself to the bench as they stop in front of her. She tilts her head to the side, leaning forward now and seems to be in conversation.

I linger on them for a few moments more. I don’t want to leave her here on her own, not with whatever might be lurking beneath that cloak. The forest looms before me, all claustrophobic, but open.

If I ran now, no one would know.

But I’d be leaving friends behind—Cassie. I can’t.

“Go.” Is the only word that breaks through the giggles from inside the forest, then a rush of thumping shoes on the ground as we all enter.

The red glow of the church fades out as I enter, replaced by slowly growing darkness. Not even the moon beats through the canopy of trees. I shiver as I meander through the wet branches and leaves that stick to my skin from today’s rain, my heels sinking into the ground with every step I take.

Fuck sake.

“Where are you, asshole,” I mutter, as I wrap my arms around myself, and try to adjust my eyes to the low hue of blue, but it’s impossible; it’s too dark.

Sticks crunch beneath my feet, and it’s eerily quiet.

Too quiet.

Long gone are the giggles, and the musty smell of the church is replaced by an earthy aroma.

This is stupid. Why am I doing this and why did I just let him take me? It’s like something else is pulling at me to find him—wants to find him. New me and old me?

No, it’s just the alcohol.

There’s a good chance someone’s here, but the edge of the forest on the other side beckons me. A hiccup tickles my throat as my feet grow numb from the rapidly increasing effects of the alcohol in my system.

I could run. I could get away from all of this.

I can barely swallow while I meander through the trees, fear slowly creeping its way into my brain.

It’s so fucking quiet. I can’t see.

As I continue, a small, open area catches my eye, one that definitely doesn’t blend in with the density of this part of the forest. I creep towards it and my eyebrows knit as I spot what looks like multiple torn ropes hanging down from thick branches. My foot wobbles on something as I step into the middle of the patch and that’s when I realise I’m walking on stones which are neatly organised in a perfect circle beneath the rope.

Squatting down to inspect some small objects scattered around the stone, a ghostly scream echoes. I snap upright immediately, letting out a shaky breath as my heart rate picks up.

“What the fuck was that?” I whisper to myself.

Leaves rustle beside me and I freeze. I spin around and lose the direction I was heading towards because it all looks the same out here.

Fuck.

After a few seconds, no noise follows, so I continue deeper and deeper through the maze of trees. I don’t know how far away I am from the church but there’s a rustle here and there as my feet carry me faster. Blood pumping, I make my decision. I may not run, but I can at least see how long it would take if I did—

I’m suddenly grabbed from behind by a hard body pressing into me. Before I can let out any noise, a cold, soft hand clasps over my mouth, muffling my squeal of protest.

“Found you.” Kain’s muffled whisper sends a shiver through me, but I growl in my throat, and stomp my stiletto heel into his foot. He relents a little but doesn’t show any other signs of it hurting.

“Stop fighting me,” he grunts as I try my best to wiggle out of his hold. The longer I spend with him, the hotter my blood heats in a mix of anger and something else I don’t care to place and I need to put a stop to it. “Where were you going, little devil?”

I finally manage to twist out of his hold when I dig my teeth into his hand. He hisses, shaking his hand out. “I was supposed to find you!” I fold my arms over my chest, popping my hip out. A shrill scream cuts through the windy silence, making my shoulders twitch upwards, and Kain to look around. Birds flee from their perch in the surrounding trees before silence falls again.