“You keep slipping away from me. It hurts my feelings,” he breathed against my neck, his voice low and chilling. Before I could react, his teeth sank into my skin. “We’re meant to be together, baby girl.”

“Ow! Get OFF!” I stamped on his foot, getting him to release me from his grip, and bolted holding onto my neck where he bit me. I couldn’t tell if it was saliva or blood on my fingers and I didn’t care to find out.

I heard his heavy footsteps pounding on the ground behind me, getting closer with each second I tried to run. I was too short to outrun him.

Turning each corner I met, I kept going until I hit a dead end. Well, time to go through, I thought while pushing through the corn, the stalks scratching at my arms and face as I pushed through. The stalks sounded so loud as I pressed through them and out into the other side, leaping back into a sprint.

Hoping I was getting toward the end, I chanced to look back but ran headfirst into a hard body. “Oh God, so sorry,” I muttered, trying to sidestep and continue running, still holding my neck like I was preventing myself from bleeding out.

“Jesus Christ, Blondie.”

I froze for half a second, looking up in disbelief. “Brent?”

“Kelly found me at the exit and said you sent an SOS. She said Alexander was in here being a fucking freak, per usual.”

I gripped his arm, my eyes wide in fear. “Brent, he tried to...”

“Not one more word if he’s going to make it out of here alive tonight.” His voice dropped to a low rumble, daring someone to try him. Even in the darkness, I felt his face getting that dangerous look to it. “Why are you holding your neck like that?”

“Don’t beat up anyone else today, Jesus. Just get me out of here.”

I turned at the sound of heavy footsteps crushing leaves, dirt, and gravel beneath them as he almost reached us. “No way you get away that easy, baby girl.” Alexander’s voice was closer now.

“Baby girl?” Brent said teasingly.

“Ok fine. Kill him.”

That was all he needed to hear. The moment Alexander broke through the wall of corn, Brent pounced like a cheetah chasing its prey. It was terrifying—and oddly hot—to see him sprint full force, closing the distance in seconds.

Alexander had no chance to see him coming before he was tackled to the ground.

“What the fuck, bro!” He struggled underneath Brent straddling him, laying into him with his fists. “Get off me,” he muttered.

“Get off you?” A sickening laugh escaped Brent’s chest, his fists still going.