The Tainted (The Tainted Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

stared out at a twelve-foot tall chain link fence and an empty field on the other side. There was no Maverick to be seen anywhere. She did a 360 degree turn, searching everywhere for him, but there was no sign of him.
    Slowly, Rebecca trudged back through the crowd and up to the top of the stands where Emily sat waiting. She kept an eye out for Maverick the entire way, in case he reappeared among the masses, but it was to no avail.
    “You alright?” Emily asked as Rebecca sat down next to her.
    “Yeah, I’m fine,” Rebecca answered, though she knew she still looked a bit shaken.
    “Well it took you long enough,” Emily grabbed her Diet Coke and candy from Rebecca’s hands and began to unscrew the lid. The next thing they knew, they were soaking wet, as were half of the spectators around them.
    Rebecca looked over at her friend, who was still staring down at the erupted bottle, completely in shock. “Oops,” she said as the surrounding crowd turned to glare at them.

Four
    Not knowing what else to do, Rebecca came to a sudden halt beside a large tree, pressing her body against it. Her breathing was strained, her heart raced, and her knees kept collapsing forward, her legs struggling to hold her weight. She listened to the sound of several footsteps racing around her in the dark forest, panic gripping heavily at her chest.
    “Find her,” a harsh voice yelled from somewhere in the distance. “Find her now, or I’ll have your heads!”
    It was so dark in this deep part of the forest, yet she could still detect the movement of black shadows amidst the surrounding trees. There were so many of them, probing the darkness, all searching, she knew, for her.
    Rebecca watched, desperately trying to control her panting breath, as the shapes sped off into the distance, each one gradually disappearing into the darkness.
    Finally, when she was sure she was alone, she collapsed forward, hands on her knees. She raked in the air that her lungs so fiercely craved, and her body began to violently shake. Her panic still threatened to overtake her, but she fought it back. She was still alive and that was all that mattered.
    Suddenly, she heard a twig crack somewhere to her right, and her breath caught in her throat. She pressed herself even harder against her tree, desperately scanning the surrounding wood.
    “My, my, my, what do we have here?”
    Rebecca turned to see a tall, green-uniformed figure towering over her. The man’s dark, malicious eyes concentrated on hers, and a satisfied smirk curled up the side of his mouth.
    “Take her,” he barked.
    Out of nowhere, a gloved hand pressed over her mouth and pulled her into darkness.
    *        *        *
    Rebecca flung herself up to a seated position in bed. Sweat dripped down her face and covered her body, causing her to rip her tangled covers away. She swung her legs over the side of her bed and leaned her head down between her knees, struggling to slow her panting lungs.
    It had felt so real. She could still see the man’s evil face, feel his hatred for her. Rebecca gripped onto the sides of her head, willing the images to go away, to stop haunting her, but she couldn’t shake them.
    In a rush, her door swung open and Ingrid came racing in, still in her nightgown.
    “My dear, are you alright?” She raced over to the bed and sat down next to Rebecca. She placed a concerned hand on Rebecca’s back and began to rub it slowly.
    Her head still hanging between her knees, Rebecca struggled to keep her panic at bay. Why was she like this? What was wrong with her?
    “It’s ok honey, it’s alright. Just breathe,” Ingrid whispered, while continuing to rub Rebecca’s back.
    Finally, Rebecca sat up. She could see the sun rising outside her window, as the world slowly came to life. “I’m sorry I woke you,” she whispered, not looking Ingrid in the face.
    “Not to worry. I’m old and I don’t sleep much in the mornings anyway. I was just about to get up when I heard