Page 86 of Fall

I turn to walk back to the library entrance when I feel him grab the inside of my elbow.

“I’m not done talking to you,” he growls.

“That may be, but I’m done talking to you. Oh, and I may not be a Knight, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have powerful friends,” I warn.

I snatch my arm out of his grip and keep walking. Once I make it to the stairs, I look back for one last instruction to him.

“I want my sister’s bracelet back.”

Inside the library, I exhale the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. My mind spins a kaleidoscope of half-truths and memories.Could it really be him?

Trying to pretend I’m stronger than I am is weighing on me, but I can’t let my past destroy my future. If he knows, he knows. My heart just needs to let go of the boys I thought they were and move on.

I walk to the back and take a seat at one of the library computers to begin my research.And to see if I can connect anything to Elijah.

I pull up some old chat rooms I used to frequent to see if any of my hacker associates are on when I get an uneasiness in my stomach.

Cautiously, I look around the room but see nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe I’m just being paranoid, or maybe… it’s just Elijah being the stalker that he is. I look around once more and see nothing, so I get back to the task at hand, trying to ignore the sinking feeling that is humming through my veins.

As soon as I get my heartbeat back to normal, I faintly smell the aroma of stale cigarettes mixed with alcohol.

What the…

Within my next breath, there’s a strong hand over my mouth, making me want to gag from the putrid smell. I feel an arm wrap around my neck, lifting me from my chair. I scramble to grab my keys, but my kitty knuckles are just out of my reach.

The arm around my neck squeezes harder, and I know that I only have a matter of seconds before I pass out.

Fight or flight, Evelyn.

On instinct, I grab the arm around my throat. I lift my feet to the table in front of me and push as hard as I can, but the man doesn’t fall. My nails dig deep into his skin, and I forcefully pull down, tearing at his flesh. Once I’m able to pull some skin, I drag my nails over the same wounds, digging deeper into the now bloody flesh, forcing him to let me go.

Falling towards the desk, I grab my keys and start running towards the exit. After I make it down the front steps, I start to run even faster and keep running without looking back.This is why I train.

Adrenaline floods my system as I haul ass to my dorm, taking the emergency exit stairs up to my room two at a time. I need my gun.

I hurry inside and run to my bedroom as Celeste shrieks in fear.

“What the hell, asshole,” she shouts, but I ignore her.

Once the gun is in my hand, the fear that was drowning me is replaced by pure, unadulterated hatred.Come get me, motherfucker.

I walk out to the sitting room and find Celeste staring at me with a mixture of fear and worry.

“Evie, what’s going on?” she questions.

I can’t imagine what I must look like to her, but …

Fight or flight.

“Grab your gun,” I instruct her. “Now.”

My voice is eerily calm, but I’m anything but.

Without question, she gets up from the sofa and runs to her room to get the gun Alik had gifted her. By the time she gets back, there’s a loud banging on the door.

I raise my gun and point it to the entrance in a solid, steady movement, sighting down the barrel.

“Do not open that door, Celeste. I don’t care who’s behind it, I will shoot,” I inform her.