Illusions of Trust

Chapter Twenty: My Not So Charming Prince

Hey, I know, I know, there is no excuse for why I haven't been updating lately. Things have been . . . hectic, to say the least. Anyway, I am promising you guys, as my readers, that I will update every other week at the latest! I am getting my creative flow back and I am feeling incredibly inspired! Thank you all so much for sticking with story! So, without further ado, I present my next chapter. Read. Comment/Vote. Enjoy. :)

Chapter 20:

Skylar's POV

Bam!

My world spun as I was thrown against a nearby tree trunk, the air whooshing from my lungs in a startled yelp.

Get up! A voice commanded in my head sending a dull thrumming ache to my frontal lobe and eyes. I shook my head, clearing the sparks from my vision and glared at my attacker. A tiger stood on top of me, his heavy paw crushing my bruised chest.

The hell is wrong with you?! I gasped when I could finally find the power to breathe. I drew in a shaky breath and cringed at the stinging in my chest. 

Prepare yourself, the tiger snarled, his canine’s glistening at me as his claws dug into my tender chest. I yelped, swatting at him in vain as he just growled back at me.  

Stop! I yelled at him, jumping to the left as he reared and lunged at me. I barely managed to dodge him. My heart skipped a beat as I felt the wind from his attack brush smoothly against my golden, spotted fur.

He kept lunging at me, and I kept dodging. I was smart enough to realize a male tiger could easily overcome the small jaguar that I was. I continually hissed at him and spat warnings but he kept advancing towards me, claws extended and fangs bared.

Attack me, dammit! He roared after I dodged his heavy swipe once again, anger flashing in his startling golden eyes as he ran towards my fleeting form.

I ran as fast as my paws could carry me, dodging twisted tree roots and thorny branches that disrupted my path. I leapt over low tree branches and zigzagged between the large evergreen trees, all the while I heard his massive form crashing his way towards me.

Attack you? I want nothing to do with you, you stalking creep!

Don’t think you can escape! I heard from behind me. My mind flashed back to the little episode in the nurse’s office. Cassimere had yelled the same thing.

Is this Cassimere? I wondered right when one of my paws suddenly caught on a gnarled tree root and I face planted into the dirt right as the tiger went sailing over my head and into a net of prickly thorns.

Dammit! I heard him roar as he snarled and growled ahead of me. This isn’t over! He screamed as I ran towards the area I thought the school might be in.

The hell it is! I panted, feeling myself tire. How the heck is this guy not tired? God, am I really this out of shape? I huffed as I leapt over a tiny stream and clawed my way up a tree. 

I waited and watched as the tiger sprang past, barreling to where he thought I had escaped before jumping from the tree limp and running the opposite direction as quietly as I could. 

Hah, dumbass.

Smirking, I took off in a dead sprint. Trees flashed passed me as I barreled my way through until I came into an opening.

  However, only dread and frustration filled me as I realized where I was. Oh God, please tell me I am not at the abandoned reservoir on the outskirts of town!

I looked around.

Wonderful, I hate everyone. I huffed as I sat down on my haunches and glowered.