Darkness That Dwells Within The Magnolias

Prologue

 The only sounds audible in the late autumn night are my feet thundering through the thicket of crunchy leaves that litter the forest floor, and the screaming frogs after the fresh rain. My heart hammers against my ribcage, every intense pulse rings like a warning bell in my skull. I can't glance over my shoulder, I can't check if I'm safe, or about to be captured and drug into the unknown that I'm fleeing from. The warm, humid air rakes in and out of my lungs, but it never seems to be enough when you're running for your life.

I duck under a low branch and dart between the tree's methodically, the only positive to my petite size. I can weave and hide in dire situations, except I've never needed this skill, until now. I curve around a large oak tree, and press my back tightly against the rough bark. The tips of my fingers dig into the jagged surface to quell the dangerous amounts of adrenaline coursing through my nerves. I suck in a lungful of air to silence my panting, listening intently for his footfall. 

A well-versed killer like him though, is as lethal as they come. The ones with the natural predator drive that is deeply rooted in the core of who they are. The ones that can smell the fear emanating from their prey during the hunt, the ones who know where you are at every waking moment, coiling up to strike like a viper. I just have to stay one step ahead, one more chess piece in the lead of my opponent, or in this case the man that's been breathing down my neck everyday leading up to this moment.

Learning of his past, the people he's hurt, and the lives he's stolen has ultimately become my own demise. A hard lesson learned to allow someone this dark so close, but I can't deny that in this very moment of danger, I've never felt more alive. My chest burns like a scalding flame, the pain trying to coax me to take one, silent breath. The sound of leaves rustling softly behind me instantly quells the pain, giving me a few more precious seconds of silence to try and evade my chaser.

"You really think you can escape me, Asteria? You think these trees will keep you safe from me? You know what I can do, and I will gladly add to the list if it means protecting my family, our name." He hisses out loudly between his clenched teeth, but I don't dare move an inch or allow oxygen to find my lungs. I'm as utterly still, and silent as fresh snowfall in the middle of winter's frozen night. I listen intently, his voice still has some distance to it, but not enough. His breaths come in silent, even puffs, as controlled and in his element as possible while hunting his next victim.

My chest burns so intensely it makes my skull throb from the immense pressure, and I dip my face down into my silky restaurant shirt, and silently exhale. I suck in another desperate breath of air, and will myself to remain as utterly silent as possible.

"Come out, come out little stargazer." His voice calls out mockingly in a sing-song like tone, much closer than before.

"I won't ruin you if you beg nicely, you just have to prove to me you won't open those pretty lips of yours about what you heard, and I might have a change of heart, Asteria. If you play your cards right, you can either crawl out of these woods, or rot in the dirt. The choice is yours, and yours alone. What happens from here out, it isn't on me, okay? It's on you."

What a fucking loony toon. Him making the choice to kill me, or not, is definitely my fault. Not the person strangling me, or worse. It hits like a freight train that he's as unhinged as it comes, always finding the excuse to squash the guilt he feels from the death he's brought upon another human.

Utterly deranged.

I'm fully convinced that the money from his family that he possesses is the root of evil, living on figure eight and spending your days in a billion dollar mansion will buy you out of everything in this small town. Including killing a police officer, attempting to drown your sister, and shooting her on 'accident'. A violent chill tears down my spine at the thought, how vile and fucked up to grab your sisters hair, and dunk it in frigid waters until her ex came to the rescue at the very last minute.

We all see him for the ticking time bomb he is, and right now he's a second away from obliterating everything in his path without hesitation if it means their revered name stays safe. What's one more minor death to brush under the rug, and buy your way out of? One little girl who heard more than she should have. One who doesn't have any family left, or anyone really looking for her outside of her small friend group she's recently made. Only he's looking for me, and the thought is jarring in the most unpleasant way possible, or is it? Do I really despise this thrill? Being hunted because my life depends on it? It doesn't help that he's terrifyingly handsome, so much so that it's utterly devastating to my sanity.

His footsteps shuffle past me, and I slowly creep to the opposite side he's passing by, making sure I stay completely hidden behind the tree. His footfall quietly treks forward into the forest, and I wait a long, painful moment before truly allowing myself to breathe again. I have to go now. My legs already tremble from the overuse, but I push forward, or I won't get to gaze up at the moon one final time. My only wish at this moment is to get lost in the moon's mysterious glow for one more night, with my friends laughing beside me.

I wheel around the opposite way from where I last heard his footsteps, and sprint as fast as my feet will carry me. About a hundred feet into my sprint large hands snatch the back of my shirt, and with raw power yanks me backwards, forcing a shriek to tear from my strained lungs. The momentum sends me crashing into the twigs and brown leaves, and all the air rushes out of my lungs from the impact. My gaze flies up to meet glacial blue eyes that are as icy as his heart. A wild glint flashes across them as they stare down at me with utter elation at what these next few minutes will bring us.

"Ra-Rafe, please." I choke out, unable to hide the desperation in my voice, or find the right words that will keep me alive.

"Please, what?" He asks with a lazy grin splayed across his sharp face. I shake my head with my mouth hanging open in astonishment, and scramble backwards to put more distance between us. I turn and launch up to my feet and dart forward blindly into the darkness, desperate to keep as far away as possible. Rafe lets out a wicked laugh, only a mere couple feet behind.

"Run then, Asteria, but don't say I didn't warn you."