She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to focus on Damian.
To find him.
To feel him.
She drifted into slumber again.
44
“Suzanne!”
Someone was shaking her. She opened her eyes and blinked, trying to adjust once again to the pitch darkness.
Damian. His hair was a mass of unruly waves, his eyes sunken and moist. But it was Damian.
“Get up. I’m getting you out of here.”
He didn’t have to say anything more. She stood up, flung herself into his arms, and burst into tears.
“Oh Damian,” she cried. “I was so frightened for you. Are you hurt?”
“Nothing I can’t manage. No time to talk. I have to get you out of here.”
“But how?”
“Shh. Markus is no match for me. Samael left for a little while. I took the chance while I could.”
“Did you kill him? Markus?”
“No. I knew that would upset you. So we have to hurry.”
“My blouse is torn.” It was in tatters.
“I know. But it can’t be helped. It’s warm out. You’ll be all right.”
“What time is it?”
“About half past seven in the evening.”
“What day is it?”
He shook his head. “No more questions. Right now, move!” His voice reeked of authority. He meant to be obeyed.
“Damian?”
“No more, Suzanne! We must leave now. They mean to rape you when Samael returns. And I…” He stumbled over his words. “I can’t allow that to happen.”
Suzanne heaved, doubling over.
Damian held her firmly. “We need to go now.”
Suzanne trembled as she nodded. She grabbed the sparse blanket from her cot and wrapped it around herself, hoping it would shield what her torn blouse could not.
“Come, then,” Damian said, tugging at her hand.
She followed him up a dark staircase and into the living room of a small cottage, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the light. Markus lay passed out on the couch.
“What did you do to him?”
“Punched him unconscious. No more questions. Samael left, but he could be back anytime, so let’s go.”
Her stomach clenched as they hurried out the door. They were in the middle of nowhere, and they had no transportation.
“What now, Damian? How?”
“My bike is gone. They must have done something with it.” He inhaled and let his breath out in a sharp sigh. “We’ll go through the woods. I know the way back to the castle. It’s longer, but it’s less likely we’ll be seen.”
“But it will be dark soon.”
Damian’s eyes swirled. “I wish I knew what day it was.”
“Why? What does that matter?”
He tilted his neck upward and stared at the ceiling. “Let’s hurry.”
45
Suzanne and Damian had been walking for half an hour, and he hadn’t said one word to her. Only grunted every time she tried to talk. He kept looking at the sunset. Suzanne concentrated on the vivid shades of lavender and fuchsia. A beautiful highland sunset, it was. Under different circumstances, she would breathe deeply, relax, and enjoy it. Now, for a reason unknown to her, it made her skin crawl. The sunset seemed to bother Damian.
“Come on,” he urged. “We need to move faster.”
Suzanne regarded her lover. Was he still her lover? He hadn’t tried to so much as touch her since they had left the cottage. He looked like he had lost weight. His green shirt hung on his shoulders, and his face appeared thinner.
She wanted to comfort him, but she didn’t dare. She simply moved faster.
When they came to a large tree, she needed to rest. Her body was betraying her. Her stomach was clenched tight. She hadn’t eaten well in God knows how many days. And her legs wobbled like jelly. “Please, Damian,” she said. “I need to sit for just a minute.”
“We can’t.”
“Please.” Just a few minutes. All she needed…
He stared at her, his lips pursed and his muscles taut. But then some of the tension faded.
“Only a moment, Suzanne.”
She nodded and sat down, blinking her eyes. Only a moment. Through the trees, the sun was setting. Or were there two suns? She blinked again. The sun faded…and vanished….
“Suzanne!”
Damian’s voice ripped through her, rousing her from a deep sleep. He shook her. She opened her eyes. Darkness had set in.
“Suzanne. I’m sorry. I fell asleep.”
“It’s okay. What’s the matter?”
He swallowed. “I need you to run. Run as fast as you can.”
“What?”
“Away from me. Please.”
The swirling irises again. His body trembled. She yearned to touch him, but something held her back. He didn’t want to be touched.
“Are you cold?”
“No!” He pulled her to her feet and pushed her away from him. “Please. Go now. Run!”
Suzanne regarded Damian, bathed in the luminescent light of the full moon overhead. He remained beautiful, but something was off, and it wasn’t just his lost weight.
“Damian?” Despite her trepidation, she reached for him.
He stepped back, away from her touch. Two tears streamed down his cheeks. “I know you don’t love me.”
“Damian—”
“Shut up!” His voice was lower, and it trembled. “I know you don’t love me. I can’t change that. But if you care for me at all, please do this one thing for me. I swear on my life, I’ll never ask you for anything else. Run. Now!”