Twisted Steel: An MC Anthology: Second Edition by Elizabeth Knox (top 5 ebook reader txt) 📕

took a step forward making sure the woman kept up with me. A few steps is all that was needed in order for us to get to the back door of my cabin. The second that we are in, she darts out of my grip and hides against the wall. Falling down to the ground and tucking her knees into her chin.

“Lock the doors. Please lock the doors. They can come here any second.” She scratches at her arms. “It’s too close, they are going to find me here.” She bites at her lips.

“Hey, no one is going to find you.” I try to move a bit closer.

“The doors! Lock them.” she orders again, breathing fast and clearly in hysterics. Her entire body is shaking even though she is still wearing my jacket. I doubt that she is shaking from the cold but instead shock.

“God damn it.” I turn around and lock all the doors and windows, even pulling down the shutters so nothing could get in through the windows. Once all the shutters were down, I lit up a few candles and the fireplace so that there would be some light in the area. She watched me every second. She didn’t trust me. I didn’t think that I trusted her either.

Once I finish doing all that, I walk back over to her. She hasn’t moved from her spot on the floor but at least the shivering has calmed down.

“Is that better? Are you hurt?” I ask though I can see that she is cut up pretty bad, especially her feet.

She doesn’t answer me, just looks at me and continues to scratch at her arms.

“What is your name?”

Nothing.

“Who are you running from?”

Nothing.

“Are you on drugs?” I ask again. Maybe this time she would tell me a different story.

Yet, she didn’t say anything.

I take a few deep breaths, this shit was frustrating as all hell. I have no idea what I’m dealing with or even if this woman is stable. She could try and stab me at any fucking second.

“Fine, if you want to play mute then do that. I’ll just call the police department.” I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out my SAT phone. It was the only thing that worked out here in the boonies.

“No! Please!” She jumps up from her seated position or at least she tries to. She falls back down when her legs won’t hold her weight. “You can’t call the cops.”

“Why the hell not? You need to get some medical attention.” I can give her a Band-Aid and some peroxide but I don’t know what the fuck to do with some of the deeper cuts on her.

“I can take care of it myself. I’m fine, just please don’t call the cops.” She looks up at me, she is on her knees. She is begging me.

“Why?”

“Because, the cops are one of them.”

Fucking hell what did I just get myself into.

“They are one of who. I need you to give me some information here. Let’s start with your name. Who are you?”

“Dela. Delaney Whittle.” Her voice is soft.

“Okay, Dela.” I sit down in a chair that is closer to her, but not so close that it would look like I’m trying to intimidate her. I’ve seen enough bullshit in my line of work that I know that when someone is scared the last thing that they want is someone practically breathing down their throat. “Who are you running from?”

“The Children of Gaia. Emerson. The acolytes. All of them.”

This is the second time that she has brought this name up. What the hell is that? I’ve never heard of anything called the Children of Gaia. I would need to get more on that later.

“Why are they coming for you? Did you do something wrong? Steal from them?”

“No, I just can’t stay there any longer. They are going to kill me. I had to get out.” She cries harder, her head falling into her hands.

What the fuck. Kill her? I don’t know who is after her but we definitely need to get some backup.

“How long have you been running?”

“Just a few hours. I’m okay.” She tries again to compose herself but I can still see her eyes darting around. Fear is still her number one emotion.

“Do you have someone I can call that could come help you? Parents, husband, friends?” I pull my phone out again.

“No, I have no one.” She runs a hand through her hair. I watch the motion, there is a bright red mark on her wrist. This woman has been tied up somewhere and from the looks of it, it’s been a long time.

“How long have you been with them?”

Her eyebrows scrunch in. “What month is it?”

“It’s May.”

She stares at me, her mouth gaping open like a fish for a second before she closes her eyes as fresh tears start on their way down her face.

“It’s been more than two years.”

Now it’s my turn to stare at her in shock. “Are you saying you’ve been stuck some place for more than two fucking years? Like fucking kidnapped?”

She nods her head. “Where am I? What state? Am I in America?”

“Yes, you’re in America. You’re in Maine.” I can’t fucking believe what the hell is happening right now. No wonder this girl is so damn scared, she doesn’t even know where she is.

“Maine, I’m from New Hampshire. That is where I started.” She catches my gaze one more time. “You can’t let them catch me. Please, just get me away from here. I can’t go back. I’d rather die than go back there.”

I kneeled down where she was sitting and she voluntarily reached out her hand to grab my arm. “Hush, I’m not going to let them get you. You’re safe with me.” I pull her into a hug.

And to think I came out here for some relaxation only to find a missing person. How fucking amazing is that shit.

She stayed in my arms for only a brief time before she pulled