Not this again, she thought as she massaged her head. She wasn’t even sure what she was doing. He was a complete stranger; a man much older than she. She shouldn’t be walking right to him. If anything, she should be walking away!
The man crinkled his brow and waved to her again. Though the force tugged at her mind to follow his instruction, she refused to move any closer. The man frowned. He turned his focus to the ground, muttering something to the men around him. Deciding it was time to leave, Natti sent a text to Wanda that she would meet with her at ‘Cleopatra’s Delights’ and started through the crowd in the opposite direction.
The warning in Natti’s heart grew stronger while her gut sensed someone behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, finding the two men following her each had a hungry look in their eyes. Fear clutched her soul, freezing it to the core, while her adrenaline took hold. Starting into jog, she ducked by the ‘Tombs Treasure’ exhibits and shot past the ‘Sphinx’s Challenge.’ She quickened her pace, glancing over her shoulder again. The men were still on her tail, picking up speed. Her heart beginning to race, she bobbed and weaved passed the ‘Eye in the Sky’ and the fountain as fast as she could. She forced her way through the thick lines, stumbling over several feet in the process. People shouted and cursed. She even heard someone call out her name, but she couldn’t stop running. Not with the danger she still sensed behind her.
When she broke through the exhibits and storage bins, she entered a clearing where six enormous machines hummed along the back fence. Natti kept going, her lungs constricting between her ribs, until she tripped over something in the grass. Her knee collided with a heavy metallic coating and the sharp edge sliced into her skin. She gritted her teeth against the pain. Hearing the footfalls behind her, she tried to scramble to her feet. Two hands grabbed her shoulders, and Natti screamed.
“Natti, it’s me!” Seth wheeled her around so she could see him.
Natti stared into the familiar, memorizing turquoise eyes for a long time before finally letting relief spread through her weary muscles. Was this how her mother felt while being pursued and abducted? What was she thinking before the knife plunged into her flesh? Before her life slowly drained away? Oh God, Natti couldn’t imagine. The terror she felt now. She could hardly breathe through it. Seth stroked her cheek, the soft touch sending sparks across her skin. She pulled away, still cautious, still frightened. She was in shock. Her body was shaking. She brought her knees to her chest, hoping it would stop.
“What the hell happened?” Seth asked, his voice almost seemed distant to her ears. “Why were you running?”
“I-I-I-I—” Natti swallowed, trying to get a grip on herself. She noticed Seth hesitated before running his fingers gently over her neck. A calm, soft tingling sensation trickled through her body. Her muscles relaxed, and her fear eased.
“I was waiting outside the Haunted Pyramid,” she explained, “and this guy, he had white-blond hair. There was a presence, a power about him. It felt so weird.” She took in a raspy breath, not even believing what she was saying. Yet Seth gave her an encouraging nod. He was listening to her, despite how incoherent and crazed she sounded. She licked her dry lips. “He motioned to me to join him, but it felt wrong. So I walked away. The next thing I know, a couple of guys are chasing after me, and I was running for my life.”
Seth glanced over his shoulder with a scowl. “The Haunted Pyramid, you said?” Natti nodded when he looked back at her. “Well, you’re safe here with me. I swear I won’t let anyone harm you.”
Natti let her chin fall, glancing at the two-foot diameter metal, wedged shield she tripped over. She pointed to it and asked, “What is that?”
Seth turned his attention to the object and scowled. “Utilities probably.”
Though Natti knew he was lying, she let it slide. She was too shaken up. And just having him near her sent a warm, comforting feeling through her. She hadn’t realized how much she missed him since he started avoiding her. It physically hurt.
Seth brushed his hand over her knee, bringing her attention to a small cut and inevitable bruise, his words breaking the uneasy silence. “You took a nasty fall there. You okay?”
A gentle heat seeped under her skin, and she flexed her leg slowly, not feeling any pain. “I believe so.” She stared up at him. “How did you do that?”
“How did I what?” Seth looked at her befuddled, his brow cocked.
Natti raised a brow. “My leg—”
His eyes traveled her figure, the look on his eyes a mix of laughter and want. “Yeah . . .” His voice was slightly playful in tone. “What about it?”
Natti shook her head. There was no extra weight on her chest. Did he honestly not know what she was talking about? “Never mind. Should . . . Shouldn’t we go mention this to someone? Like the police?”