Crimson Core: Awakened Desire

Chapter 5: 10 Days Missing

I burst through the shadowed veil of the forest, branches clawing at my face as I fled deeper into the darkness. My breathing was ragged, torn from my lungs in gasping sobs, but I pushed myself forward, not daring to look back. The beach and its dangers had to be left far behind.

The forest was a thick labyrinth, the path nearly swallowed by the void of the moonless night. Twisted roots and rampant undergrowth made every step treacherous. I stumbled a few times as I ran, holding my arms close to my chest as they throbbed from my earlier fall from the car.

My right foot caught on a root, and I was sent sprawling on the damp forest floor with a sharp cry. I lay face down for a moment, holding my breath as I strained to hear any sound of pursuit in the dark forest. 

But I only heard the thundering beat of my own heart. 

With a grimace of pain and determination, I forced myself to stand and continued my desperate search for safety.

The trail I had followed terminated abruptly at a cliff's edge. I barely managed to grasp a nearby tree branch in a heart-stopping moment, narrowly avoiding a disastrous misstep off the precipice. Panting, I turned to backtrack, hoping to find another way forward.

But as I pivoted, a dark silhouette suddenly descended from above, taking my breath away. 

I staggered back, a scream locked in my throat as the figure unfurled expansive, dark, leathery wings, his eyes glowing piercing silver in the scant light.

Overwhelmed by terror, I stepped too far back, my foot slipping into empty air. 

A scream finally tore from my throat as my body tipped backward over the cliff. The icy grip of the sea loomed below, ready to swallow me in its cold embrace. I clenched my eyes shut and braced for the crushing impact. But the harsh welcome of the water never came.

My descent stopped as abruptly as it had begun as strong arms encircled me. 

Cautiously, I opened my eyes and saw that the strange man held me close against him. His wings beat a powerful rhythm, holding us aloft above the crashing waves. His face hovered close, those enigmatic silver eyes burning into mine.

"You are such a hassle," he rumbled, his voice a blend of frustration and relief, echoing over the roar of the surf below.

My heart pounded against my ribcage, a frantic drumbeat as the rush of adrenaline surged through me, awakening me to the surreal truth. 

This was no mere man.

With a mighty flap of his wings, we soared over the dark waters, the night air cool against my skin. As the shore approached, he lowered me to the ground beside my car. My knees buckled under the weight of reality as my feet touched the earth, barely supporting my trembling body.

He folded his massive wings behind him, and they disappeared. He then regarded me with a look that mingled curiosity with frustration.

"What are you?" I managed to ask.

Before he could answer, another voice shattered the moment.

"Argento, we're out of time!" 

The urgency in the shout made us both turn toward two dark figures rushing our way. My eyes widened as I discerned the inhuman scale of one silhouette, my pulse spiking with fresh terror.

The voice called out again, more urgent now. 

"Alfonso's men have caught the scent of us. We need to get out of here now." 

As the figures neared, I caught a glimpse of vivid green eyes that sparked a vague memory, an echo of a face I couldn't quite place.

"Alfonso..." I muttered to myself. That name sounded familiar, too.