Page 156 of Coveted

My chest heaves as I steel myself for what comes next. All the rage I felt for Russell simmers inside, fueling me.

With a triumphant grunt, he snatches the phone out of my hand. “No one’s coming to save you, Sadie. I have you all to myself and I’m going to enjoy every moment. Maybe I’ll write a poem about the art I make of you.”

He smashes my phone against the tiled floor, blanking the screen.

I don’t care though, because the distraction worked. I’m already pulling myself to my feet, my hand darting into my other pocket for the stun gun Lucan gave me.

A deadly crackle fills the air as I press the trigger. Diving for Worthington, I aim the weapon at his torso. The searing-blue electrified barbs connect with his ribs, where I hold them.

His limbs lock up and his eyes lose focus. I feel his muscles spasm beneath my knuckles and hear his teeth grind, but he doesn’t fall to the ground like I thought he would.

With my other hand, I reach into his jacket pocket where I saw him put his ring of keys.

He regains a measure of sense just as I grab the keys, jerking his body away from me. The connection between him and the electrified barbs breaks.

As he wheels around, his arm slices up and hits mine. The stun gun sails from my hand, landing somewhere in the depths of his ancient furniture.

He grunts and snarls, forcing his jerky limbs to move.

Oh god. Time to go.

My entire body shakes as I insert the key into the lock and turn, but it jams.

Wrong key.

“Come on,” I say, pleading.

I line up another key, my hands slick with sweat, as Worthington lunges toward me.

CHAPTER 41

Sadie

With the second key, the lock blessedly turns.

I throw open the door and pelt down the hallway, leaving a trail of black feathers in my wake.

Professor Worthington is seconds behind me. He skids through the doorway, pursuing me with a look of pure hatred.

“Bitch!” he bellows. “Cunt!”

Ignoring the pain in my stomach and ankle, I hurtle around the corner into a wider corridor.

I need to find people. He won’t kill me where everyone can see.

Or will he?

After I hit him with the stun gun, he seems to have lost all reason.

He’s not used to his victims fighting back. Everyone said how sweet Hannah and Parker were. From the half-empty teacups and foam from Chuck’s mouth, I’m betting Worthington poisoned him before killing him.

The man isn’t just a murderer, he’s a total coward, like Lucan said.

Deep shadows cloak the hallways, the hardwood floors groaning underfoot as I run. My blood races with adrenaline, the pain in my body muted in favor of survival.

There are no dorms nearby and I haven’t come across any students yet. Dammit. Twenty minutes ago, people seemed to be in every nook and cranny.

Bangs echo outside in the night sky. Moments later, the high windows are awash with luminous orange and green and purple.