His Dark Obsession by Moonlight Muse

49. Against Time

ZEDKIEL.

I shifted the moment I left the castle. The urge to crush the camera entices me, but instead, I hang the strap around my neck and bundle my clothes together before breaking into a run. 1

I’ll find her and if anything has happened to her… The forest is dangerous and it’s not somewhere I want Evangeline alone.

I try not to think of the worst. Obviously, they will have people posted there, but still. It’s over an hour later and I reach the forest, trying to catch her scent. I ran as fast as I could and although I made it here at record speed; I’m beginning to feel extremely uneasy.

There’s nothing…

I’ve been here countless times; I know where all the store cabins are, and any houses located in the area. I’ll check them all out. With each passing hour, my restlessness is growing. I need blood, but at the same time, I can’t shake off the growing unease. Am I overreacting?

I finally reach the deepest part of the forest and approach the small cabin that sits in the middle. I slam into the door, ripping it from its hinges in my anger as I glare into the room. For a moment, my heart skips a beat, and my gaze falls on the top that she had worn that morning, but it’s only for a split second because I realise that it’s not her.

This woman may have similarly styled black hair and may be wearing the same outfit- is the same build and Evangeline’s scent lingers on them, but it’s not Evangeline.

She’s sitting on the armchair, her back to me and I storm over.

“Where is she?” I growl into the extremely silent room.

Was this all for nothing? I have just reached the woman, grabbing her arm, when I tense – realising what is missing in the quiet room.

In my rage, I hadn’t realised that there is no heartbeat.

I shift back, crouching in front of the woman, her head is tilted sideways, and she’s staring ahead. Her mouth is parted and there’s foam at the corners of it.

She’s dead.

“What the fuck…” I mutter. I check her pulse, but there isn’t one.

For a second, I wonder if this is all part of the twisted games, but then I realise it can’t

She’s dead…

“This woman is fucking dead. What the fuck are you lot playing at?” I snarl knowing they can hear me through the camera. “Where is Evangeline!”

I hope they find a way to reach me, because I fucking need an answer.

I look at the woman. She’s still warm, meaning she died recently… but this means Evangeline is out there somewhere else.

My stomach twists, and my eyes blaze red as I leave the cabin, growling in rage. I need to talk to someone right now. Something isn’t right and if this isn’t part of the fucking tournament which I’m certain that it isn’t, it means Evangeline is in danger. Somewhere.

confirmation. Do I keep looking or do I leave the forest? Something else is going on here and it’s

about to launch myself at whatever it is, when two

from the King!” They say,

hearts are beating extremely fast, and I can tell they have come

hating the fact that the mind link is blocked.

issue. The king…” They hold the phone out to me and I take it. They hurry off and I’m certain it’s because they’re

phones weren’t allowed

camera and… Evangeline is the one who should have been there.

missing?” I hiss venomously, trying

she was simply meant to be taken

responsible for escorting her!” I hiss. “I want them arrested right

This was a well-planned game. I’m sorry and we will find her, I promise you that.”

and when I fucking

that caught her at any time of the day, up until she went missing.” I snarl. “I’m coming back.”

I will search from there. There are guards everywhere around the castle. She can’t have gotten out without no one

record time, pulling on my sweatpants and heading straight to the security department. I

I can’t breathe properly. There’s a discomfort in my chest and I feel

The room falls silent, and I

“Son, calm down-”

venomously, grabbing him by the

to our attention.” Aeron says, looking concerned. He can stop fucking pretending. He didn’t

up to

the men as I look at the screen that Aeron is pointing

to be escorted to the forest, she went into the bathroom. The two guards waited down the hall for her, just out of range of the cameras … however a woman in a hoodie comes out first, we think perhaps it’s Evangeline and she had changed clothing… As you can see, a short while later Evangeline comes out, but when I

walk the same way, nor does she look like Evangeline from the back…

but I cut him off.

that’s your fucking job to figure out. I need to find her.” I growl. “The girl in the hoodie. Is

Evangeline. I can tell from the sway of her hips…

Franco muses. “We all know what happened at the ball when she was given

through me like an inferno and I grab his collar, slamming him into the table. “Don’t antagonise me because I will kill you.” I hiss, ready to rip him to shreds.

somewhere.” I command. “I’m going to try to see if I can catch her scent.’

there. I’m feeling worse, and I take a few deep breaths, trying to get rid of the odd feeling that is wrapping around

I jog down the hall. The best place to catch her scent would

is my priority. What if she’s hurt? If something happens to her… My stomach twists and I push the thought away, reaching the north hallway

have been here since. I close my eyes trying to capture her scent. It’s a few moments before I smell it, the faintest hint of her scent. My eyes flash and I slowly follow it. At times, I can barely catch it, but

are all locked and bolted. I head lower but I can smell it now, her scent as well as two others that I don’t recognise, but

shout, my heart racing as I try to calm it. I already feel weak and it’s crippling me.

don’t feel great, maybe it’s all the running….

“Evangeline!”