Hunted

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales are entirely coincidental. HuntedCopyright © 2023 by Nicole CoverdaleEditing provided by Jade HemmingCover art Copyright © Wingfield DesignsThis book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork here in is prohibited without the express written permission of the author. First printing: February 15, 2023Printed in the United States of America www.nicolecoverdale.com Also by Nicole CoverdaleRise of the WitchesDestiny AwaitsOnce Upon a Hallow’s EveCrossroadsShattered DimensionsBound by MagicAnarchy RisingBittenThe Randolph SagaFearlessDark Revelations‘Tis the Season Contents Dedication 1. Chapter One 2. Chapter Two 3. Chapter Three 4. Chapter Four 5. Chapter Five 6. Chapter Six 7. Chapter Seven 8. Chapter Eight 9. Chapter Nine 10. Chapter Ten 11. Chapter Eleven 12. Chapter Twelve 13. Chapter Thirteen 14. Chapter Fourteen 15. Chapter Fifteen 16. Chapter Sixteen 17. Chapter Seventeen 18. Chapter Eighteen 19. Chapter Nineteen 20. Chapter Twenty 21. Chapter Twenty-One 22. Chapter Twenty-Two 23. Chapter Twenty-Three 24. Chapter Twenty-Four 25. Chapter Twenty-Five 26. Chapter Twenty-Six 27. Chapter Twenty-Seven 28. Chapter Twenty-Eight 29. Chapter Twenty-Nine 30. Chapter Thirty 31. Chapter Thirty-One 32. Chapter Thirty-Two 33. Chapter Thirty-Three 34. Chapter Thirty-Four 35. Chapter Thirty-Five 36. Chapter Thirty-Six 37. Chapter Thirty-Seven 38. Chapter Thirty-Eight 39. Chapter Thirty-Nine 40. Chapter Forty 41. Chapter Forty-One 42. Chapter Forty-Two 43. Chapter Forty-Three 44. Chapter Forty-Four 45. Chapter Forty- Five 46. Chapter Forty- Six 47. Chapter Forty- Seven 48. Chapter Forty – Eight 49. Chapter Forty-Nine 50. Chapter Fifty 51. Chapter Fifty-One 52. Chapter Fifty-Two 53. Chapter Fifty -Three 54. Chapter Fifty-Four 55. Chapter Fifty-Five Newsletter “F-E-A-R has two meanings: 'Forget Everything And Run' or 'Face Everything And Rise.' The choice is yours.” ― Zig Ziglar “No!”“Please!”“Someone! Help us!”The shrill screams split through the air and Ashleigh Carlson started. She snapped her eyes open, blinking, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, staring up at the pebbled ceiling high above her. What was it? Nine? Ten feet? Where the hell was she? Better yet, what the hell had happened to her?She slowly rolled from her back to her stomach, wincing as her body ached. Her muscles felt like they were on fire. Her head was pounding like she’d had a few too many drinks, and she had no unearthly idea what had happened to her. Come on, Ashleigh. Think. Think!She pressed her hands into the thin carpet, shoving herself to her feet.“Whoa…”Her knees buckled, and she staggered backward. She slammed back into the wall with a hard thud, her vision blurring momentarily as her head pounded once more. Dots swam before her eyes, and she dragged in deep breaths. I will not pass out. I will not pass out.She chanted the words to herself, drawing in another deep breath, and above her, the lights flickered. She lifted her head, watching as they danced in the darkness. They flickered once. Twice. Then in one swift motion, they flicked on in a gush of white light. “Whoa. Now that’s some serious brightness!” she cried, holding a hand over her eyes, shielding them from the light, and turning to look at the room around her.What the…Her eyes widened, as she stared around the small, square shaped room at the weapons that hung on the black walls surrounding her. There was an axe. A chainsaw. A ball and chain. A crossbow, even a set of swords. Just where the hell am I?Again, the question crossed her mind, and she desperately tried to retrace her steps. She’d been working, hadn’t she?Yes. She had.She blinked, suddenly remembering the busy night at Francesca’s, the Italian restaurant she worked at in Los Angeles. It’d been late. Way after close, and she’d sent everyone home for the night. She’d been taking out the last bag of garbage before heading home herself. Oh. Why did I tell Steph to go home? I know better. Rule number one, never take the garbage out after dark alone.And now, look at what had happened to her. She swallowed, rubbing her fingers along the inside of her wrist, and she winced. Ouch!Pain pulsed from the spot, just underneath her fingertips, and she lowered her gaze, staring at the bruise that lay on the inside of her wrist. There was a matching mark on her other wrist. Were those fingerprints? Had someone dragged her?She froze, fragments of her memory starting to come back together. Someone had been waiting for her in the car. She hadn’t seen them, it’d been dark, and she’d only seen them when she’d been halfway down the road…She gasped, remembering glancing in the rearview mirror. He’d been dressed like a clown, and he’d had a knife. He’d scared her so badly, she’d driven off the road. The car had hit a pole, and her head…She rubbed her forehead. It’d slammed against the steering wheel. She’d been in and out of it, but she remembered them getting out of the car. She remembered their hands grabbing her, tossing her to the ground, and then…She swallowed. They’d dragged her across the ground. It was the last thing she remembered.Oh my God. Someone had kidnapped her.Confirmation of what she’d thought had happened set in, and fear filled her as she stared around her.Why had they been in the car? Where was she? Was she still in California? Did anyone even know she was missing? Was she… going to die?Her breath caught, and she gasped, suddenly feeling like she couldn’t breathe. She dragged in deep breaths, struggling to pull air into her lungs. Oh my God. She was going to die! Ash, stop it. Don’t think like that. You are not going to die. You’re fine. Everything will be fine. Just breathe.Ashleigh snorted. Fine? As if. How could things possibly be fine? She’d been kidnapped!She shoved away from the wall, and took a