Night Lost

by Paaige Turner

When Rose wakes up in the unfamiliar bedroom of Aidan Northman she has no idea who she is. The only clue to her existence is the address written on her hand and the gold necklace she wears. As she tries to work out how she got there, more secrets begin to unravel and she is confronted with a past she is not quite ready to face. Mercyverse spin off series (new main characters)

1. Prologue

Prologue

Her feet dug into the cold wet soil propelling her forward. It hurt. Every inch of her body was consumed in fire – the burning sensation stretching across her muscles causing them to spasm. Cool sweat stretched down her spine and tiny pimples pricked her naked flesh. Her breath, which was ragged from the constant running, had become harder to catch and black spots already plagued her vision. She recognised the signs. She was going to pass out

A little further. She needed to keep going- it was just a little further. Frantically, she glanced over her shoulder, but the night sky and thick brush made it impossible to see. The trees began to sway in front of her causing her to stumble over the sharp rocks. She caught herself, before she fell to the floor, on the thick trunk of a tree. Pain shot across the base of her barefoot adding to the plethora of cuts and bruises that decorated her skin. She thought she'd be used to it by now; she had been running for so long – hours, days even – but it didn't stop. Every step was torture.

Suddenly, the forest broke into a clearing and the distant moon shone brightly down on the open grass. A new spurt of energy surged through her. She knew this place – it wasn't far. She could make it. She knew she could make it. Hope numbed the pain and she made a last surge toward the clearing, trying desperately to stay conscious. Her heart pounded in her chest as her tired muscles pushed harder and harder. A loud crack echoed through the empty forest, followed by a hard thud as her legs finally gave out and she collapsed. The ground hit her hard as she fell forward causing her broken limps to land on the grass in painful positions. Slowly, she rolled her head to the side and with her right eye tried to distinguish the shadows moving in the darkness.

Then she blinked and there they were. Glowing amongst the line of trees a deep yellow colour. They grew larger as they neared the fallen girl gradually approaching her limp body. She saw them. Her breath stopped, and darkness began to consume her vision. She was going to pass-out now. Her eyelids shut but the memory of what she saw was burnt into her brain…

Deep amber eyes.