Starkissed

Chapter Thirty-Three

The monster that lived in my nightmares, that I thought I would never have to see again, or, as I had so genuinely hoped had died a gruesome death... was now standing right in front of me.

I could do nothing but stare in horror at him as he began to circle me like I was his prey. This wasn't the first time we had done this dance, however... this was the first time I probably stood some sort of chance.

"How?" My voice came out high pitched and bewildered, as if I was trying hard to wake up from a cruel dream that knew exactly where to hit me where it hurt. This couldn't possibly be real.

His laughter started deep within his stomach and soon it was bouncing off of the stone walls, reminding me that I was trapped inside the mountain with this psychopath. The tunnel we had come out of was still nowhere to be seen, even with the small amount of light that my fire emitted. I wondered if he was managing to hide it with some sort of trick of the light.

Before I could even process what was happening, the fire was suddenly snuffed out by the waiting darkness. My vision buckled for a moment as I had to readjust to the complete and utter darkness. I could feel my heartbeat in my chest, fluttering so quickly I could have been a hummingbird.

I felt breathing on my neck.

I screamed, whirling around to face whatever had creeped up on me from behind. I swung my fists out, attempting to hit him. All I felt was air.

I was breathing heavily now as I fought to regain hold on my senses. When my vision finally came around, I sighed in relief. I whirled around in a circle, searching for Kyle.

I found him perched on a jutting rock above me, staring down at me with utter satisfaction.

"What is wrong with you?" I yelled at him, trying to light the flames in my palm once more.

But they wouldn't come. I growled out in frustration as I glared up at him. I really wished I had had more time to prepare for something like this.

But... never in my wildest dreams had I expected something like this.

He chuckled once more. Even in the darkness, his white teeth and good looks managed to come out in the darkness. He was exactly as I remembered him to be, except now...

He was showing me his true form. Allowing me to feel whatever dark powers he possessed.

"What are you?" I spat, still glaring at him from below. My muscles were coiled, ready to spring at any moment as I attempted to anticipate what he would do next. I wasn't sure I truly did stand a chance against him after all, finally knowing the truth. He was a wolf in sheeps clothing.

He pursed his lips at me, mocking my question. "Emily, Emily, Emily. I'm sure you can figure that one on your own." His lips curled over his perfect teeth once more. I ached to knock them out one by one as I simmered beneath my own skin.

"Are you trying to tell me that you are a Selarian?" I all but hissed, unable to do anything else but stare at him in barely veiled horror. It was as if my torturer had just mutated into something that I was unable to defeat on my own.

The cave smelt damp, and the air began to cling to my clothes as I fought the urge to shiver. Selarians were darkness, they were death. They were cold; mind, body, and soul.

The look that lit up his face was terrifying. He looked positively gleeful.

"Does the Department of Defense know?" I growled out, trying to find out just how deep this all went. I moved backwards, putting more distance between me and the psychopath in front of me.