Serenade in a Coffee Cup

The Hunter's Snare

The gunfire outside the lodge intensified, rattling the windows and reverberating through the dense forest. Orm's chest tightened with every shot, her fingers gripping the gun tighter as she crouched just inside the doorway. She could hear Ling's voice over the chaos, commanding and fierce as she fought her way through Apinan's men to reach Bright.

Orm's breath came in shallow gasps. She was no soldier, no fighter like Ling, but she had to be strong—strong for her, for Kai, for everyone who had gotten caught up in this storm.

She glanced over her shoulder, her heart racing. The lodge was too quiet behind her, almost eerily so compared to the battle outside. Something about it made her skin prickle, as if she were being watched, hunted.

Her mind screamed at her to stay put, to wait for Ling to come back, but something deeper pushed her forward. With a quick glance at the firefight outside, Orm slipped through a narrow hallway deeper into the lodge, her senses on high alert.

The hallway stretched on, dimly lit by a flickering bulb that cast long, distorted shadows on the walls. The air felt thick, oppressive, like it was trying to choke her. Her footsteps were light but cautious as she moved, every instinct screaming that something was wrong.

A sudden creak made Orm freeze. The sound came from just around the corner—a door, slowly swinging open. She raised the gun, her palms sweating, her breath catching in her throat. She stepped forward, inching around the corner, her heart pounding so loudly she could barely hear the muffled sounds of the fight outside.

And then, without warning, something cold and hard slammed into the back of her head.

Orm stumbled forward, the gun slipping from her grasp as her vision blurred. She barely had time to register what was happening before a strong hand grabbed her from behind, yanking her backward. She tried to scream, but a calloused hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her.

The world spun, and when her vision cleared, she found herself face-to-face with him.

Apinan.

His dark eyes gleamed with a cold, calculating malice as he pressed her back against the wall, his hand tightening around her wrist. He towered over her, his presence suffocating, the air around him heavy with the scent of blood and death.

"Look what we have here," Apinan purred, his voice low and menacing. "The little mouse wandered too far from the pack."

Orm's heart raced, panic surging through her veins. She struggled against his grip, but he was too strong, his fingers like iron as they held her in place.

"Let me go," she gasped, her voice shaking.

Apinan's lips curled into a slow, cruel smile. "Oh, I don't think so, sweetheart. You're far too valuable to let go now."

He leaned in close, his breath hot against her ear. "You see, I've been waiting for a little bargaining chip. And now here you are, all wrapped up like a gift."

Orm's mind raced, every muscle in her body screaming to run, to fight, to do something—but she was trapped, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst.

"Ling will come for me," she spat, her voice trembling with both fear and defiance.

Apinan chuckled darkly, his hand moving from her mouth to her throat, squeezing just enough to send a wave of terror through her. "I'm counting on it."

He dragged her down the hallway, every step sending jolts of pain through her body. Orm's thoughts were scattered, panic clawing at her mind. She couldn't let this happen—not like this.

They reached the lodge's back exit, where one of Apinan's men stood waiting, a wicked grin spreading across his face when he saw her.

"Put her in the truck," Apinan ordered, shoving Orm toward the man. "We'll draw Ling out soon enough."

Outside, Ling had just dispatched the last of Apinan's men, her chest heaving with the exertion. Bright lay unconscious at her feet, his laughter finally silenced by the back of her fist. She wiped the blood from her brow and glanced around, scanning the area for Orm.

But she was gone.

Panic flooded Ling's veins. She whirled around, eyes wild, searching the treeline, the lodge, anywhere Orm could have gone. But there was no sign of her.

"Orm!" she shouted, her voice raw with desperation. She ran toward the lodge, her footsteps frantic, every instinct screaming that something was wrong.

Orm's captor dragged her roughly toward a dark van parked behind the lodge. She struggled, kicking at him, but the man just laughed, easily overpowering her. He shoved her into the back, slamming the door shut before she could even think to escape.

The darkness closed in around her, suffocating and thick. She could hear Apinan's voice outside, giving orders to his men, the engine of the van roaring to life as they prepared to leave.

Orm's heart raced, her breath coming in shallow gasps as the reality of the situation settled in. She was bait. Apinan was using her to lure Ling into a trap.

She couldn't let that happen.

Orm clawed at the door, her fingers shaking, her mind racing for a plan. She needed to escape—she had to warn Ling.

But just as she reached for the latch, the door flew open again, and Apinan stood there, looming over her with a twisted smile.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, his voice dripping with malice.

Before Orm could react, Apinan grabbed her by the throat, slamming her back against the van's interior. The world spun as pain shot through her skull, her vision blurring at the edges.

"You're going to be the reason Ling dies tonight," Apinan hissed, pressing his fingers deeper into her skin. "And when she comes for you, I'll be waiting."

Orm gasped, struggling for breath, her body thrashing against his grip. Fear and anger collided inside her, driving her to fight with everything she had.

But Apinan was too strong. He leaned closer, his voice a low growl. "Your friend is good, but she won't make it out alive. Not this time."

Outside, Ling reached the back of the lodge just in time to see the van pull away. Her heart plummeted, dread twisting in her gut.

"ORM!" she screamed, running after the vehicle as it sped off into the night. But it was too late. The van disappeared into the trees, leaving nothing but the sound of the forest in its wake.

Ling stopped, her chest heaving, her hands shaking with rage. She was too late. Orm was gone.

But Ling wasn't giving up. Not now. Not ever.

Her eyes burned with fury as she turned to the general, who had just emerged from the lodge, his face grim.

"We're going after them," Ling growled, her voice laced with a deadly calm. "I don't care how many men it takes. We're bringing her back."

—•

Author's Note: I'm so bored right now! 😩 What entertaining thing would you advise me to do? Help a girl out! 😅