Fourth a Lie

Pushing a handful of sand over the device, I shook with adrenaline. My ears strained for voices, hoping for victory but all too aware violence lurked instead. Creeping away from the openness of Sully’s beach, I turned my back on the helipad and purple orchids, and faded deeper into the manicured forest.

My heart found a new home in my throat, beating rapidly, quaveringly quick as if afraid its regular drum would wake up evil spirits lurking within Sully’s shores.

Stay low.

Stay hidden.

I travelled for a while, past Jealousy’s villa. Past mine. Doors hung open and furniture had been displaced, footprints masculine and mean in the pathway leading toward Divinity and the main guest hub.

I avoided areas of traffic, catching the scents of gunpowder and blood.

Where were Sully’s guards?

I’d heard him and Cal discussing evacuating the guests and goddesses...but where are the damn guards?

My hands curled to hit someone. My fear was drowned out by aggression.

Sully...God, Sully, please be okay.

I would take on an army for him.

I would slaughter his brother for him.

I might be a girl.

I might be biologically weaker in physical things.

But I wasn’t a coward.

And I wasn’t afraid.

A threat danced on the breeze.

A warning hissed through the trees.

My skin prickled and hair stood up as fresh power commanded my legs to run.

Balling my hands, I ignored the urge and ducked behind a bush instead.

Running would be idiocy. They might hear me crashing through the foliage. Keeping my breathing shallow, I did my best to be the perfect spy—the sneaky snake waiting to strike.

Thunder cymballed directly above, coating the morning in lightning and tossing a monsoon onto my head.

I shivered as I did my best to stay smart; even though I’d been ridiculously moronic to return.

I honestly didn’t know what to do.

Did I travel to Nirvana and see if Sully was trapped there? Did I head to his office and see if I could call for help? Should I try to swim to Lebah before I got caught?

Are you so sure Sully is still here?

Sitting in the downpour, rain blurring the world with blues and greens, I felt as if I was the only person alive.

My stomach tightened, worrying about Skittles and Pika, but with how heavy the rain fell, it made sense that no birds flew. They’d be at the mercy of water missiles.

Tropical peace tried to lull me into a false acceptance, but regardless of the emptiness of Sully’s island, I couldn’t shed the sensation of sinister.

Something isn’t right.

I need to find him...now.

Sighing hard, I pushed back my sopping hair and continued onward.

I’d kicked off my sandals during my swim and twigs dug into my soles as I did my best to stay silent. Travelling deeper into the island, I stopped at the main fork. The fork where Sully had driven inside me, high on elixir, and shoved me face-first into forever.

Dammit, Sully, where are you?

A twig snapped loudly beneath my bare foot.

I flinched and froze.

The air didn’t change.

A threat didn’t materialise.

I kept going.

I kept going until I stupidly began to relax in my hunter prowl.

I neared the undergrowth surrounding the god-awful villa where Sully’s lab cages were housed.

The whiff of cigarette smoke made my nostrils flare.

Signs of life.

The harsh cough of a man.

Turn around!

Now!

Backing up, I scurried deeper into the jungle, my heart chugging wildly.

Was he there?

Had they imprisoned him in the very same cage he’d locked me in after he’d dragged me back from Serigala?

My mind raced.

If he was locked up, how could I free him?

How many men were in there with him?

My thoughts were too focused on a jailbreak. My attention internal instead of external where danger lurked.

It was my fault.

My stupid, idiotic fault that I forgot men had a body that permitted them to piss wherever the hell they wanted.

I brushed aside a large banana leaf, my thoughts on returning to the beach and waving down the police that were hopefully on their damn way, and came face to face with a man holding his cock, spraying a stream all over a shrub.

Oh, shit.

Shock hit me with an icy slap.

Our eyes locked. Surprise mirrored. His mouth opened.

And I ran.

I vaulted over vines and roots, bolting as far away from him as possible.

His shout behind me ignited tears and pure hate for myself.

God, Eleanor!

How could you be so fucking stupid!

I twisted and parried around palms and heliconias, missing the green flutter of a tiny parrot who’d adopted me. Missing the strict rules that’d kept goddesses in line but provided trustworthy protection.

“Karl! Get her.”

Rain fell harder.

I ran faster, harnessing the weightlessness of wind, bolting from the undergrowth and racing down the sandy pathway.

Run!

I raced and raced.

I galloped toward the horizon where rain blurred distance and time, almost reaching freedom.

So, so close.

Waves slapped on the shore with urgent welcome.

Faster!

Faster!

A man stepped out of the undergrowth, directly into my path. A gruesome, ghoulish enemy.

His eyes popped wide as my dress slapped around my legs and my hair glued to my skin. Widening his stance, he spread his arms, blocking me from bolting down the path to the awaiting beach. His crooked teeth gleamed, his dark eyes glowered, his hair plastered on his forehead as rain continued to pummel.

I skidded with speed, ready to slam to a stop and run the other way. The other man had gained on me, crunching through the undergrowth like a lumbering wildebeest.

I was trapped.

It was a split-second choice.

Reckless and crazy but my only hope.

I dug my toes into the sand and ran straight toward the bastard waiting to snatch me. I ducked past him and almost ran headfirst into a palm tree, crushing three orchid plants as I bowled through the neat border of the path, leaving him behind with an almost comical expression of surprise.

The sea.

Run!

I galloped down the beach.

The tide bounced and splashed with raindrops, freshwater blending with salt. Two worlds. Two deaths. One hope.

I ran and ran.

I tripped and kept running.

Launching myself into the water, I waded, leaped, and dived beneath the warm surface.

My lungs burned as I kicked with fury, swim, swim, swimming.

Popping up for air, I focused on the island in the distance.

Lebah wasn’t far.

I could swim it.

I can.

Something wrapped around my ankle and tugged me underwater.

I choked and kicked, thrashing like a shark on a line.

My foot connected with something solid.

A man grunted.

A pair of hands wrapped higher up my leg, pulling me back, reeling me in against my will.

I kicked again.

I screamed underwater as a second pair of hands wrapped around my waist, plucking me from the depths and back to a miserable world.

Clutching me to his chest, the man laughed as I continued to fight and kick.

With a grunt, he trapped my arms, pressing a rancid kiss against my ear. “Hey, gorgeous. Where did you appear from? My dreams?”

I tried to bite him.

I kicked and head-butted him.