Ten minutes to midnight

I nodded, sliding Sarah’s USB into my back pocket.

I need to escape.

What can I do?

I slowly crawled out from under the desk and looked up at him.

He was tall. Definitely six-foot-something.

I’m tall myself for a girl—five foot nine—but this dude was something else.

“Hi, I was just leaving. I just needed to get something. I didn’t see anything…” I said, staring at the tall figure in front of me.

Blood dripped down his face.

The blood wasn’t his.

That means this boy really did kill Sarah’s uncle.

What the hell?

I glanced to the side and saw Eilo’s motionless body.

I immediately squeezed my eyes shut.

Even if I didn’t particularly like you—

Rest in peace, you sleazy jerk.

I opened my eyes again.

The guy crouched down and looked directly into mine.

I gulped.

What is he trying to find on my face?

Then he moved closer.

I shuffled backward.

SLIDDD.

Woah.

Ouch.

Something feels sticky.

I looked at my hand.

Blood.

No way.

My heart hammered in my chest.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

He stared at me for a moment before kneeling to my eye level.

“What a shame,” he said calmly. “Now that you’ve seen my face, I don’t have any other choice but to kill you.”

He lifted my chin, forcing our eyes to meet.

His eyes were green—but right now, they looked almost red, burning with bloodlust.

I can’t believe this.

Survival kicked in.

I slapped his hand away, scrambled to my feet, and glared at him.

That’s when I noticed the silver knife in his hand.

“When last words?” he asked, smiling.

Am I really going to lose my life to this creepy guy?

Hell no.

Out of sheer desperation, I kicked him straight in the stomach, making him stumble back.

“Not a chance,” I shouted. “I’m not dying tonight!”

I bolted through the door and immediately collided with someone’s solid chest.

I looked up.

Cold, emotionless mauve eyes stared back at me.

He’s with them.

I shoved him aside and ran.

I didn’t look back.

I just ran.

I burst into the front entrance hall—and stopped short.

A boy leaned casually against the door.

Bright blond hair. Blue eyes. Tanned skin.

“Oh my,” he said sweetly. “How did you survive, my pretty angel? Did they miss you?”

He smiled wider.

“Come closer. I’ll make your death swift and painless.”

His voice sounded soft. Almost gentle.

But the air around him felt cold.

Dangerous.

There’s no way I can win against him.

I spun around and sprinted the other way, remembering a hidden passage Sarah’s uncle had once shown her—something I’d overheard years ago.

I ran full speed.

When I dared to glance back, I saw him still standing there, smiling.

Hands in his pockets.

Waving goodbye.

My stomach twisted.

Something felt wrong.

I kept running—toward the farthest bus stop I could see.

HUFF. HUFF. HUFF.

This is exhausting.

I still need to wait here.

The bus isn’t here yet.

I need… a weapon.

I snapped a thick branch from a nearby tree and scanned my surroundings.

Pure silence.

I checked the bus schedule.

Midnight.

I looked at my phone.

11:50 p.m.

“Just ten minutes,” I whispered. “Ten minutes and I’ll be safe.”

I kept scanning for movement.

Nothing.

I turned—

And froze.

Baby blue eyes.

The same guy who blocked the exit earlier.

He smiled flirtatiously and lifted my chin.

“You know,” he said softly, “it’s dangerous for a pretty girl like you to be out this late. You could get hurt. Or worse.”

I stepped back instinctively—

And bumped into someone’s chest.

I looked over my shoulder.

Mauve eyes.

Cold.

Then I saw him.

The green-eyed one.

Leaning casually against the bus stop.

Watching me.

No friendliness. No mercy.

I should’ve run faster.

I tried to bolt—but someone grabbed my arm and yanked me back.

“So,” the blue-eyed one said, stepping closer and brushing my cheek, “what should we do with this pretty witness?”

“Evan, stop being an idiot,” the green-eyed one said lazily. “Marc, just get rid of her.”

Something cold pressed against my neck.

A knife.

I flinched, and it bit into my skin.

“Ouch—!”

I looked up into those mauve eyes again.

“Wait!” I cried, elbowing Marc in the ribs. “I won’t tell anyone! I swear. You don’t have to worry!”

They exchanged glances.

Then they looked back at me.

“Sorry,” the green-eyed one said, pulling out a gun and aiming it at my face. “We don’t take chances.”

“No—please!” I begged. “I won’t say anything! I swear!”

Tears spilled down my cheeks.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

“Please,” I sobbed. “I have a family. I didn’t mean to be there.”

Silence.

Did I finally get through to them?

“I’m sorry,” the green-eyed boy said quietly. “Please forgive us.”

He pulled the trigger.

Everything slowed.

I shut my eyes, bracing for pain.

For the sound.

For death.

But nothing came.

Instead—

A familiar lemon scent.

I cracked one eye open.

I was pressed against someone’s chest.

I looked up.

Daniel?!

What the hell—he was supposed to be gone for three weeks.

But he was here.

Holding me.

And glaring at the green-eyed boy.

“Seriously, Hayden?” Daniel snapped. “You’d go as far as killing an innocent girl?”

Wait.

Hayden?

Do they know each other?

“Well,” Hayden said with a smile, “technically, no one is innocent. At least according to the holy books.”

“Do I look like I’m joking?” Daniel shot back. “You idiot.”

Hayden sighed and looked away.

When he turned back, his eyes were colder than ever.

“Why did you get in my way, Daniel?” he asked flatly.

“Xander told you to kill them,” Daniel said sharply, “not innocent girls who had nothing to do with that corrupted place.”

What was he talking about?

This sounds like a cult.

Hayden shrugged. “Fine. Whatever. I don’t care either way.”

He holstered his gun and looked at me.

His gaze swept over me slowly.

Then he leaned in slightly.

“You’d better keep quiet about what you saw tonight,” he said. “Because next time, you won’t walk away alive.”

I nodded without thinking.

He turned away.

“We’ll meet again, Bunmi.”

My blood ran cold.

How does he know my name?

One of the others winked. “Bye, gorgeous.”

Then they vanished into the night.