Page 79 of Shattered Souls

I can do that.

“I love you, little scarecrow. I need you to know that.” He smiles weakly at me. “You’re the brightest moon on the darkest night. I’ll spend every waking day reminding you of how much I love you.” I cup his cheek, tears brimming my eyes.

“Tell me once we’re safe.” He nods, presses one more kiss to the crown of my head, and walks off. I watch him for a moment before turning and snaking my way through the pathway of the maze.

I make it out without seeing anyone else. The second I’m past the threshold of the hedges, I run. I run with everything my exhausted body can offer.

The exit is mere feet in front of me, welcoming me with open arms. I can see the headlights of the SUV as it pulls up. The car’s thrown into park, the driver door swinging open, and like an angel descending from heaven, Hayze steps out.

“Hayze!” I’m sobbing as I push my body the rest of the way towards him. He runs, coming to me, but suddenly he’s ripped from my vision.

There’s hands on me, something thrown over my head, and a blinding pain sprouting in my shoulder blade. My arms are yanked behind my back, intensifying the pain that’s now searing half my back.

“Rayvn!” I fall to the floor, the pain a distant thing now. How can I focus on anything other than my name coming from his throat? It’s raw and unfamiliar, but still, he calls for me again. “Rayvn!”

I’m being dragged away from him, my consciousness fading with every pull. But right before my eyes close and stay that way—I smile.

26

Hyde

Idon’t think, I just sprint.

Fear like I’d never felt before gripped my chest as I watched that man throw a bag over her head and sink a blade into her perfect skin. We were supposed to be gone, on a plane already heading to Europe, just as our little scarecrow wanted. But now, she’s limp and bleeding on the snow covered floor of the haunted house.

A guttural scream rips from my throat as I charge at the man. He doesn’t go down right away. He gains a few swipes of his blade on my sides, nothing deep, but I’m on him.

I throw him to the ground, pinning his body to the floor with my knees. The first strike of my fist does nothing to calm my anger. Nor does the second—or the third. I drive my fist into his face, a thick grunt accompanying each slam of my arm.

His blood splatters my face, neck and shirt. I bathe in it, letting his death roll over my skin and avenge the pain he caused my woman.

“Hands up, boy.” I stop, my hand cocked back, the man under me, his face pulped into some sort of mangled human smoothie. Something presses into the back of my skull. “I said, hands up.”

Grinding my teeth, I raise my hands. My whole chest heaves with the force of each inhale.

“Good, now stand up and lock your fingers behind your head.” I push off of the man, his body jiggling under my weight. I keep my back to the man, gun no longer pressed to my skull due to our height difference.

My eyes jump to Rayvn, and her legs slowly stretch out as she groans. I wish more than anything I could comfort her with words, but just saying her name tore my throat up.

“Turn around.” The man instructs me.

I turn, eyes sweeping my surroundings.

There’s three more men coming our way. But what they don’t see is the predator eating away at their shadows. The brother that killed for me before now stalks his prey with his machete in hand.

I face my captor and flash him a sick smile.

“What the fuck are you smiling a—” His team screams, one collapsing to the ground, clutching the back of his leg. The other two are spinning, trying to find the source of their attacker.

I reach down, grabbing the gun Rayvn dropped. And without remorse, I click the hammer and pop a hole in the crotch of the one standing in front of me. He falls, screaming as he clutches his precious jewels.

“Motherfucker!” Kicking his gun out of the way, I take two steps back, putting Rayvn at my feet.

“Hayze?” One of her arms reaches out, grabbing my leg.

“Hyde! Seek!” I snarl as Maverick walks out of the maze. The two remaining men are in the midst of trying to unarm Synn. I raise my gun, aim at the one clawing at Synn’s back, and let the bullet fly.

It hits its mark, my target staggers back, clutching his chest. With only one remaining, Synn drags his machete along the remaining man’s stomach, the crimson that pools from the man’s full gut catching on the moonlight.