Tatum Gibson and Ian Shimura find themselves to be the only survivors of an airplane crash, leaving them stranded on a strange, deserted island. With her secretive past, and his desperate need to return home, their relationship is strained, but they...
The night was cold, still, and surreal. Tatum noted the fact not even the creatures of the woods stirred, and she wondered, briefly, if they were dead from the winter resettling or because evil was on her heels. Fog dug its frigid talons into her cheeks and her lashes felt sticky, like frost was glazing them. She stood in the shadows of the trees, seeking refuge from the demon tailing her, but fear kept her frozen, lest she make a sound to alert him as to her whereabouts.
She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, see the air escape her mouth in visible puffs, but despite the cold, she was numb. Doc looked like something out of a movie when he flew at her, his expression like that of a beast. It was as if he didn't even remember her, and because of that, tearing her apart wasn't out of the realm of possibilities. Her heart hurt at the idea of him being forever trapped inside that beautiful body, beneath the weight of evil who seemed to have taken the reins from him.
She didn't know how long it would be before Edan could help her. Had they succeeded in their mission, or was it a bust and she was doomed to die by her lover's hands?
Now that her aspects merged with Lilith, she no longer heard their whispers inside her, and she felt so alone. Empty. Their memories weren't voices, and she struggled through the silence surrounding her like a wintery coffin.
She knew she couldn't just stand there, hidden only by shadow, for he would find her for sure. Her eyes sought veiled cover, and she spotted a darkness behind the thorny vines hanging from the side of a massive boulder and moved towards it, desperate to stay sheltered for as long as possible.
Hurry, Edan, she thought, pushing her thoughts towards them, hopeful they were still listening. They didn't answer her, leaving her to wonder if they had succumbed to the endless sleep once more.
Quickly... stealthily, she maneuvered herself behind the vines, wincing as their thick thorns scrapped the flesh of her arms and face. She had a feeling that if she lived through this, she would soak in the healing waters, for the thorns glimmered golden in the moonlight, their tips shimmering with poison.
But before she could consider them any further, soft sounds echoed from beneath the silence, warning her something was coming. A hiss like a feral cat, the grunt of a man wounded, the heavy footsteps of rage impending.
Then she spotted him mere yards from where she hid. His hair hung limp and sweat soaked in his face, his bare torso reflecting the moon's silver light peeking through the pillowy grey clouds. His hands were like claws at his sides and his bare feet pushed through the wet shrubbery as he crept through the night.
He was like an animal, sniffing the air, searching for her scent. The realization of what he was doing was like a knife to the heart, and she held her breath, hoping the wet night would cover her smell, shield it from the primal thing he was now.
He spoke in that ancient tongue she knew so well, but the voice wasn't Ian's. it sounded like gruff hate as he spit out the blood-laced vows, knowing she was close enough to hear him.
"You can't run forever, Lilith. I will find you and I will send you to Hell, where you belong," he snarled in Adamic. The words were not her loves, but they hurt all the same for that mouth and that body was one she knew intimately and loved. The beast shook his head, sending sweat and mist droplets flying, reminding her of a fucking Hellhound. He grunted his frustration even as he scanned the night for any sign of her.
Terror bubbled inside her gut, rising like foam up her throat and into her mouth. She wanted to scream, hysteria threatening to consume her. Yet somehow, she managed to hold it at bay as she squeezed her eyes shut, hoping he would stop standing in the middle of that clearing, feet from her, and move on already! Move on before she lost her shit right there, she needed more time.
Edan needed more time!
And then there was nothingness. No grunting or footsteps. Not hissing or darkly muttered threats. Just the deathly still night pouring into her body through her very pores, and she slowly opened her eyes, uncertain what she would find once she did.
A scream ripped from her throat as she found him staring at her, his face pressed through the thorns, their sharp ends digging into the flesh of his cheeks, neck, and shoulders. The deep cuts did nothing to him, for despite the blood trickling from the thin wounds, his lips drew back in a snarl, his shark eyes narrowing as she screamed. She was helpless to stop him as he reached for her, his long fingers on one hand griping her throat so tightly, it stifled the scream, and with a loud, primal shout of his own, he lifted her from the ground, her feet kicking at him make no purchase.
Tatum was certain she would pass out from lack of oxygen right then, but he suddenly threw her into the air, and she landed on the forest ground, her arms now bloody from the vines he jerked her through.
Gasping for breath, she met his psychotic stare with wide, terrified eyes, and forced herself to stand, refusing to remain just sitting on the ground, waiting to be shredded by the demon.
He moved towards her, and in the reflection of his black eyes, was certain she saw her death reflect back to her, playing out like an old movie on a dark screen.
"Don't do this," she whispered, backing away from him, desperate to reach Ian who she knew was still in there...
Somewhere.
"Please, doc. Fight this. Come back to me. I love you, so come back to me."
As she spoke, she tried to think of a way to escape, but there was no way she could run in either direction, for he would catch her in a flash. Behind her was a wall of titanic oaks, and thick foliage, which would make capturing her from that angle easy, as well.
No, there was no escape. Her only chance was to reach Ian, draw him out of the subconscious and force him to face down the demon he hosted.
As he stepped closer, panic made her speak louder, firmer, her tone a demand for Ian to hear her and pay attention.
"Goddamn it, doc, wake the fuck up and shut this asshole down! Wake up!"
Those words gave him reason to pause, his menacing steps faltering, his fingers relaxing. His features relaxed, his full lips parting in surprise. A hopeful grin touched her lips, and she nodded; certain she was getting through.
"Yes, baby, come back to me. You have to fight, now. Save our lives. I love you, doc. Listen to my words. I love you and have for so long. Please, love me back and fight the demon!"
Tears of blood leaked from his eyes and she could see him struggling to comprehend d her words. He tilted his head, taking her in with a frightened gaze.
But like all of Tatum's plans, a grant 'fuck you' kicked in, and Eve shrieked from the shadows of the tree line.
"Adam! Do as I bid! End her so that we may start our lives anew! I have ordered it!"
Both Tatum and the demon looked to Eve, her long, beautiful black hair blowing from her face by a force no one else felt. In her hand she held a poppy. And not just any poppy, but Ian's poppy, and she raised it high for him to see—a reminder of who was really in charge.
"Fuck," Tatum whispered as she watched his face contort back into the cruel mask he wore before she called to him. He snarled then. Exposing his big white teeth and she shook her head sadly, knowing all was now lost.
But then the wind blew, and a soft whistle shattered the strange silence the night held. The three stopped, eyes scanning all around them, searching for an answer to what this new energy was. Something stood with them.
Something which almost came too late.
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