Chapter 4 WE MADE A DEAL

I looked at Debby, and she shook her head.

“I’m not leaving you.”

I looked back at the Demon Prince. He would kill her so easily. I could tell he wasn’t bluffing. There was something in his golden eyes that told me he wouldn’t hesitate to rip her apart if she tried to run with me.

I could be selfish and try our luck by running away together, but the truth was, we couldn’t outrun the Vampire Prince. Not when he was standing right in front of us. He would catch us, and he would end us both.

I wasn’t going to let that happen. I had to let go despite every bone in my body begging me to get the hell out of here right by her side .

“Please go. You need to run now,” I told her sternly.

“Vee…” she started, but I shook my head and let go of her hand.

We both knew she had a better chance if she left now. I had faith she would survive. She was clever, and judging by how far we’d made it, most of our success had been because of her.

I just wished I could go with her.

I pulled her into a quick hug and whispered in her ear, “Run and don’t stop.”

When I let her go, I saw the guilt in her eyes before she sprinted into the forest.

I watched her disappear between the trees.

She didn’t need to feel guilty. I was glad she ran. One of us needed to survive, and if I had to choose, I would rather it be her. She had to make to make , she was so close .

I just hoped Emma would forgive me for not coming home.

The thought made my chest tighten, but I forced myself to turn around before the tears in my eyes could fall.

I wouldn’t cry in front of him.I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.The Demon Prince was watching me. His expression hadn’t changed, and he didn’t seem bothered that Debby had escaped.

Of course he wasn’t.

He could probably catch her whenever he wanted.

He walked closer, and I stepped back.

“You made the right choice,” he said.

I almost scoffed. There was no right choice in these games, only their cruelty.

“Are you going to kill me now?”

He raised an eyebrow.“Not yet.”

Two words.Somehow, they scared me more than a threat would have.

I stared at him, trying to understand what the hell was happening. He had threatened my friend, let her go, and now he was standing in front of me as if he had all the time in the world.

I didn’t understand him.

And I hated that I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.My eyes darted toward the trees.

I needed to run.

It was stupid. I knew it was stupid. But standing there waiting for him to decide what to do with me felt even worse.

So I ran.I didn’t look back. I pushed through the branches, stumbling over roots as I forced my legs to move faster.

Maybe I could find somewhere to hide. Maybe I could lose him in the forest.

Maybe I could survive.

“We had a deal, Veronica Night.”His voice drifted through the trees.

I nearly stumbled.I looked behind me, but there was no one there.

I kept running.

“We had a deal.”This time, his voice came from my left.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I looked around frantically, trying to find him, but the trees were empty.

It sounded like he was everywhere.That was impossible.One man couldn’t be everywhere, could he?

I ran faster.

My lungs burned, and my legs ached, but I refused to stop. I couldn’t let him catch me. I couldn’t let him take me.

My foot caught on something hidden beneath the leaves, and I fell hard on my ass.

“Fuck!”

Pain shot through my hips. I tried to get up, but a strange sound made me freeze.

Fluttering.I looked up.

Bats.

Hundreds of them came rushing between the trees, their wings beating wildly as they flew straight toward me.

“No, no, no!”

I scrambled backward, covering my head with my arms as they swept over me. Their wings brushed against my skin, and I screamed, certain they were going to attack me.

But they didn’t.

They circled above me before suddenly changing direction, moving together as though they were following an invisible command.

I stared at them, barely breathing.

Were they his?

I scrambled to my feet.

Get up!

I told myself to move, but my legs felt weak. My heart was beating so hard that I thought it might give out.

The forest had gone strangely quiet.The bats were gone.I couldn’t hear the other hunters or even the distant sounds of the games.Then I felt it.

A presence.Every hair on my skin stood on end. The air seemed colder, and a horrible feeling settled in my stomach.He was here.I knew it.

I slowly turned around, searching the shadows between the trees.

Nothing.

I took another step back.Then I felt a cold hand close around my neck.

I gasped.In the next instant, my back was pressed against his chest.

He had moved so fast I hadn’t even seen him coming.One moment, I was alone.The next, I was trapped in his arms.

I froze, every muscle in my body going rigid. His fingers rested against my neck, cold against my skin. His other arm circled my waist, holding me firmly against him.

I tried to pull away.He didn’t move.

“Let me go,” I whispered.

He lowered his head, his breath brushing my ear.

“We had a deal, Veronica Night.”

His voice was quiet.

Almost a whisper. “You broke it.”