“She hurts herself, and if she hasn’t eaten or cleaned herself, it’s because she refuses to do so.” He moved closer, something dangerous darting through his gaze. “So what’s it going to be?”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“See it yourself,” he said, and before I could turn to dodge him, he had already slung me over his shoulder.
I could have sworn he grinned as he did so, but before I knew it, I was nearly upside down, my hips high at his shoulder and his strong arm pinning my legs to his chest.
I struggled against his grip, but between gravity and his hold on me, it was useless. He crossed the hall into the room I had been nearly attacked in and mercifully set me down on the edge of a bed. I tried to stand, but his hand came quick to my shoulder to hold me in place.
“Stay,” he ordered.
“Or else you’ll tie me up like you did her?”
A grin broke across his face, but he bit his lip and looked away.
“Not quite the same way,” he muttered suggestively. But before I could even chide myself for blushing, he added, “Hear me out, and then if you want to leave, I will not stand in your way.”
My mind and my instincts were at odds. There was a woman in the other room, beaten and captive. But as intimidating as Abram was, nothing about him seemed nefarious, and if he was going to hurt me, wouldn’t he have done so by now?
I squirmed beneath the weight of his hand on my shoulder. I was a fool. Now was not the time to test my instincts, which had a history of failing me enough as it was.
A loud crash came from the other room, followed by screeching. When Abram turned to look down the hall, I used the opportunity to escape from under his hand. I made it to the door within moments, but so did he. His arms circled around to grab to me, his breath hot on my neck.
Gritting my teeth and praying for a little luck, I drove my elbow hard into his gut. He didn’t crumble as much as I’d hoped, but I darted toward the steps regardless. Stairs were not my friends. I had fallen on both these and the stairs leading down to the Castle. So I hopped onto the bannister instead, sliding down it toward the first floor.
My feet thudded against the carpet, and I bounded toward the door, pushing through it with elbows in front of my face to break the impact.
The air hit me hard and cold, gusting through my hair and prickling my skin. The sun was almost down, and here I was—again—in these goddamn woods.
I barreled into the quickly darkening gray. Visions of that monster, the one that chased me, sliced into my thoughts. Would it be back tonight? Was it lying in wait right now, itching to pounce on me?
Couldn’t think about that. I might not have been able to save that girl myself, but I knew where she was, and the instant my phone went back into service, I would have Dalton on the line. Abram would never hurt anyone again, not so long as that poor girl could hold out until help arrived.
A whoosh of wind shuffled past me, and then he was standing there. Abram. His massive chest heaved up and down in ragged breathes.
“Stop!” He growled, his eyes glowing bright red and his already huge frame somehow even more hulking. “You. Need. To. Listen.”
I dodged to the left, but he was there, too, appearing in front of me with impossible speed.
“I said listen!” He grabbed me by the shoulders, wrapping his huge meaty hands around my arms.
“That girl,” I coughed out, tears pouring down my cheeks. “How could you do that to an innocent girl?”
“She’s not innocent, and she’s not a girl,” he answered, red eyes burning into me. “No more than I’m a man. Not anymore.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, trying and failing to pull away from him.
“This is going to sound peculiar, Ms. Bellamy, but I’m going to need you to trust me, regardless of how fantastic it might sound.”
I continued my futile attempt to free myself, which only resulted in him tightening his grip on my arms. His chest heaved, pressing against mine forcefully.
Swallowing hard, he said, “Ms. Bellamy, there’s a beast in me.”
For whatever reason, the revelation weakened his grip. I pulled away, spinning and running as quickly as my tired legs would carry me. The setting sun glared in my eyes, making it hard for me to see, but I pressed on. Even if I ran headfirst into a tree, it would be better than whatever Abram had in store for me.
There’s a beast in me …
He couldn’t possible mean—
He was in front of me again, once again huffing, once again staring at me with glowing, inhuman eyes.
“Fine,” he huffed. “Have it your way.” He grabbed me again, jerking me toward him in a fluid motion that both terrified and excited me.
“I suggest you brace yourself,” he said flatly.
And then he threw me.
Chapter 14
I went sailing through the air. The trees seemed to meet me and then I surpassed them. I was over the tree line.