chapter 25

This man was horrid. If what he spoke was true, then women were starving and trapped somewhere.

“Anyway, don’t you worry, they can get away at any time. They’re weak and chained up, but they can still get out. I made sure of that. Their bears can help them to escape. All they’ve got to do is chew through their own flesh, and they’re free. No arms, no cuffs.”

“You’re a monster,” she said.

He laughed. “No. You see, if I were a monster, I wouldn’t have given them an incentive. I left a nice clean bucket of water for them.

Of course, if they make it from the blood loss, then they are strong. I’m giving them a chance to learn who they are. There’s no way I can be deemed a monster.”

Tears filled her eyes. The way he described it, she couldn’t imagine experiencing that kind of torture. She hoped he was delusional and those were all lies.

“Anyway, enough of those sluts. I had to do that. They were all making me weak. I’m not weak. Their men weren’t good enough, and all they had was me. I’m a fucking king. They should treat me like one. It’s what I am. I’m a king and they should have been happy to just serve me. Useless fucking sluts. All of them.

All of you females are.” He shoved her again, but this time, she was prepared and was able to keep her footing. She wanted to laugh in his face. Instead, she just kept on walking, not giving him the satisfaction of knowing he scared her.

“So, I need to be reborn. The sleuth, their stench is all over me. I can’t stand it. I need to be clean. We’re all born in water, and I will have to die in water.” He nodded his head. “That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to die and then I’m going to come out reborn.”

She frowned. “How will you be reborn?” she asked.

“I’m a king. I will come out, and if not, you’re going to save me.”

Bethany couldn’t believe what he was saying. He truly believed she would save him? She nearly burst out laughing but bit her tongue. Who would save this man who was a monster who deserved to die? He was crazy.

“What happened to my cab driver?” she asked.

“He’s dead. He wasn’t going to take the easy road.

I’m not a bad guy. No, I’m a good guy. People just need to learn to do as they’re told.” He shook his head, as though he actually believed the shit coming out of his mouth.

They kept on walking and he ranted, talking about how useless the world was. How they were only there to serve him and how everyone should be grateful for his very presence.

She hated listening to him, but she also wasn’t about to tell him the major flaw in his genius plan. If he was going to be reborn, it meant he was going to die.

His heart would stop.

Breath would leave his body. She wasn’t going to save him.

All of this crazy talk terrified her.

They kept on walking and the sun had already set. Did Caleb know she hadn’t made it to the hotel?

He must have known. Or was he too busy hunting for this bastard?

The crazy bear clearly didn’t understand that Caleb wouldn’t just send her to another town and not check up on her. At least, she hoped not. If this were the other way around, she’d have called the hotel and asked to speak to him.

The bear grabbed her arm and laughed. As they came through the clearing, she heard the rush of water. The light from the half-moon highlighted the waterfall. In daylight, or any other circumstance, she would have admired the rare beauty of it. Tonight, not so much.

“Look at it. My rebirth. My growth. This is where I will come into my own. People will see how fucking wonderful I am.” He held his hands up and laughed. “Beautiful.” He roared and she tensed up.

This man was so crazy.

She stayed perfectly still, not wanting to ruin his moment, but also just wanting to stay as clear of this man as was physically possible.

He faced her. “This is a beautiful moment for you, too. You can strip if you’d like.”

“My hands are behind my back, and if it’s okay with you, I’ll wait, fully clothed until after you’re reborn.”

She wasn’t sticking around. Hell no, she intended to run at the first opportunity. So long as he untied her wrists, which she hoped he did, figuring she would need them to actually save him.

He tutted. “You think I’m crazy. You think I don’t see what you’re doing?” He shook his head. “You disappoint me.”

He pulled the shirt over his body and wriggled out of his pants. Fear clawed its way up inside her.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“I can see it in your eyes. You think I don’t see what you’re going to do?” He laughed. “Oh, you shouldn’t underestimate me. I know so much about everything. I can feel the earth. I can sense this. I know what is required of me.”

He spun her away from him and untied her hands. She quickly pulled them up, rubbing at her bruised wrists. The rope had been way too tight.

She watched him as he wrapped an end of the rope around his wrist and then grabbed hers.

“What are you doing? Let me go.” The rope was back on her wrist, this time even tighter and cutting off circulation.

“I’m not a fool. There’s no way you’d pull me out of the water of your own free will. With you in the water with me, as I die, I become heavy, and I will pull you right under with me.

What you’ve got to hope is that your desire to live is stronger so you can pull me out of the water to revive me, or you’re drowning right along with me.”

“What? No, you’re crazy. There is no way this can work.” He was going to take her into the water. “No.”

“Yes.” He marched toward the water. “You had your chance to take your clothes off.”

“No, please, I don’t want to die. You don’t have to do this. I’m human. You’re a bear and you’re bigger than me. How strong do you think I am? You’re going to kill us both.”

“And if that is what needs to happen, I will let it.” “Help me,” she screamed.

The sound got louder as she was pulled into the water. She didn’t even want to think of what creatures could be waiting to eat them in the dark water.

The crazy bear didn’t leave her alone.

“No. Please. Let me go. I don’t want this. Please.” There was no way her life could end like this.

She tried pulling on the rope. Her hand was losing feeling by the second as he’d done it too tightly.

“Caleb! Please, come. Help me.” Her time was running out.

“No, please, don’t.”

The crazy bear smiled at her one last time and sank beneath the water.

Her minutes were numbered.