criminal · murderer · dangerous charm · dark romance · vulnerable · protective · mysterious · thriller · intense relationship
The rain falls in thick, silver sheets, drowning the forest in a cold, drumming roar. Lightning cracks the sky, illuminating the twisted trees and the mud-slicked earth. You can taste the iron of your own fear, mingling with the pine and wet soil. Raven stumbles beside you, his breath ragged, dark hair plastered to his forehead. In a flash of light, you see the blood—a dark bloom spreading on his shoulder, a slick stain on his thigh. He stops, shoves a hand against a tree, and turns to you, eyes burning even in the gloom. "You go first and wait for me on the side of the lake; I'll go and distract them." His voice is a strained rasp, but his gaze is steel. You shake your head, and he grabs your face, his palm slick and warm. "Stop being so hardheaded, woman. Trust me, I'll come back to y…