The car''s interior felt like a trap closing in on me. I pressed myself against the door, watching Anthony''s face harden in the rearview mirror. Something was terribly wrong.


    "Anthony, please," I begged, my voice cracking. "Just take us to a real hospital. ra needs help!"


    He ignored me, navigating the winding mountain road with determined focus. The trees outside grew denser, blocking out what little sunlight remained. We were climbing higher into ckpine Mountain, far from any hospital.


    When I''d climbed into his car at the racetrack, holding ra''s unconscious head in myp, I''d been worried but trusting. Now terror wed at my chest.


    "You know what''s funny, Maia?" Anthony suddenly spoke, his voice unnervingly calm. "You always looked down on me. Both of you did. The arrogant Harding boy who couldn''t possibly be as good as precious ra Vance."


    I swallowed hard. "That''s not true."


    "Don''t lie!" he snapped, mming his palm against the steering wheel. "But it doesn''t matter anymore. After tonight, everything changes."


    ra moaned softly in myp, her eyelids fluttering but not opening. Fresh blood trickled from a cut on her forehead. The crash had been brutal—her car spiraling out of control before mming into the barrier.


    "Look," I said, trying to keep my voice steady, "whatever you''re nning, you don''t have to do this. Just let us go, and we won''t tell anyone."


    Anthonyughed, the sound hollow and frightening. "It''s far toote for that."


    The car rounded a sharp bend, and suddenly he slowed. Through the windshield, I could see a tall figure standing motionless by the roadside. Even from a distance, something about the silhouette sent chills through me.


    Anthony''s face drained of color. He brought the car to aplete stop about twenty feet from the figure.


    "Is that him?" I whispered, more to myself than to Anthony.


    He didn''t answer, but his hands trembled on the steering wheel.


    I reached for the door handle, yanking it desperately, but it was locked. Anthony must have engaged the child safety locks after taking my phone.


    "Please," I pleaded onest time, tears streaming down my face. "Don''t do this."


    Anthony turned to look at me, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw regret in his eyes. Then his expression hardened again.


    "I don''t have a choice," he muttered.


    He stepped out of the car, leaving the engine running. Through the windshield, I watched him approach the waiting figure—an elderly man in simple gray robes. Despite his apparent age, the old man stood perfectly straight, his posture betraying unusual strength.


    I couldn''t hear their conversation, but Anthony''s bodynguage was submissive, almost fearful. He gestured back toward the car several times.


    Taking advantage of his absence, I tried desperately to wake ra, shaking her shoulders gently.


    "ra, please wake up! We have to get out of here!"


    She remained unresponsive, her breathing shallow.


    The driver''s door suddenly yanked open, and Anthony leaned in.


    "Get out," he ordered. "Both of you."


    "ra can''t walk," I protested. "She''s hurt!"


    "Then carry her!" he barked, grabbing my arm and dragging me from the back seat.


    I stumbled out, struggling to maintain my grip on ra''s limp form. Her head lolled against my shoulder as I awkwardly pulled her from the car.


    The mountain air was frigid, cutting through my thin sweater. The sun had nearly set, casting long shadows through the pine trees. We werepletely isted—no houses, no passing cars, not even the distant sound of civilization.


    Anthony pushed me forward, toward the old man who now watched our approach with unnerving intensity. Up close, his appearance was even more disturbing—skin like ancient parchment stretched over bone, eyes that seemed to glow in the fading light.


    "I''ve brought her," Anthony announced, his voice wavering slightly. "ra Vance, as requested."


    The old man''s eyes swept over ra''s unconscious form, then shifted to me.


    "And who is this?" he asked, his voice surprisingly melodious despite his appearance.


    Before Anthony could answer, I tried to run. With ra still in my arms, I only managed a few clumsy steps before Anthony caught me, grabbing my hair and yanking me backward.


    "She''s nobody!" he hissed. "Just ra''s friend who happened to be there."


    The old man approached slowly, studying me with unsettling curiosity.


    "She has a pure energy signature," he observed, as casually as someone mightment on the weather. "Untouched. She will do nicely as well."


    "What?" Anthony looked confused. "But our agreement was just for ra."


    The old man smiled, revealing teeth filed to points. "Consider this an opportunity to exceed expectations, young master."


    I struggled against Anthony''s grip, fighting desperately despite the hopelessness of our situation.


    "Let us go!" I screamed, my voice echoing through the trees. "Help! Somebody help us!"


    The old man made a dismissive gesture. "No one can hear you here. This is sacred ground of the Earth Fiend Valley."


    Anthony''s grip on my arm tightened painfully. "What about our agreement? You promised me a sacred pill if I delivered ra to you."


    The old man reached into his robes and produced a small jade box. He opened it to reveal a crimson pill that seemed to pulse with its own inner light.


    "The Heartblood Pill," he announced. "Capable of advancing your cultivation by an entire realm. One dose, and you will surpass all your peers."


    Anthony''s eyes widened with naked greed. He released me so suddenly that I fell to my knees, still clutching ra against me.


    The old man snapped the box shut. "But I require regr tributes. Three young virgins each month. Can you provide this service?"


    Anthony hesitated, his expression conflicted. "Three? That''s—that''s not easy."


    "Then perhaps you are not worthy of the Earth Fiend Valley''s gifts," the old man said coldly, turning as if to leave.


    "Wait!" Anthony cried. "I''ll do it. I''ll find a way."


    The old man smiled again. "Wise decision." <var ss="phantom-imprint">The m%os-t u#p+?%to$?!da^te v$e+rsi@o@n is on *#..</var>


    Without warning, he extended one skeletal hand toward me. An invisible force seized my body, paralyzing mepletely. I could only watch in horror as ra was lifted from my arms by the same unseen power, floating gently through the air until she hovered beside the old man.


    "What—what are you doing?" Anthony stammered, backing away. "I delivered her to you. She''s mine by right of our agreement at the race."


    The old man''s expression darkened. "You misunderstand your position, young master. You are not making demands here. You are serving the Earth Fiend Valley."


    Anthony paled. "But—"


    "Unless you wish to join these young women in ourboratories?" the old man suggested silkily.


    Anthony immediately fell silent, his face contorted with terror.


    The old man tossed the jade box to Anthony, who caught it reflexively.


    "Remember. Three virgins each month. Failure means your life is forfeit." His voice dropped to a whisper. "And Anthony Harding? Death would be the merciful optionpared to what we do to failures."


    I felt myself being lifted by the same invisible force that held ra. My body floated helplessly beside her as the old man turned away.


    "Wait!" I managed to cry out, fighting against the paralysis. "What are you going to do to us?"


    The old man nced back, his ancient eyes gleaming with something like amusement.


    "You should be honored," he said simply. "Your sacrifice will advance arts that have been forbidden for centuries."


    Then darkness enveloped us, and the mountain vanished.


    ---


    Liam Knight screeched to a halt at the racing track, his borrowed motorcycle leaving skid marks on the pavement. His heart pounded painfully in his chest as he frantically scanned the now nearly empty venue.


    "Maia! ra!" he called out, running toward the few remaining people.


    A young man in overalls looked up from where he was cleaning debris from the track.


    "Looking for the racers?" he asked, wiping sweat from his brow. "They''ve all gone. Race ended hours ago."


    Liam grabbed the man by his shoulders. "The crash—there was a crash. A woman named ra Vance. Where did they take her?"


    The young man''s expression shifted to unease. "Oh, that. Yeah, nasty business. Her car went out of control right at the final turn. Almost looked like the brakes failed."


    "Failed?" Liam echoed, his grip tightening. "Or were tampered with?"


    The maintenance worker nced around nervously before lowering his voice. "Look, I''m just a track worker, but I''ve been doing this job fifteen years. That wasn''t no ident. Right before the race, I saw that Harding guy hanging around her car. Didn''t think much of it then, but after what happened..."


    Liam''s blood ran cold. "Where did he take her?"


    "Said something about a hospital," the man replied. "Carried her to his car himself. Another girl went with them—small, dark hair, looked real upset."


    "That''s Maia," Liam muttered, pulling out his phone. "Did you see which way they went?"


    "North exit." The worker pointed. "But that was over an hour ago."


    Liam dialed William Vance''s number with trembling fingers. The father of ra answered on the first ring.


    "Mr. Vance," Liam said without preamble. "ra''s been in an ident at the race track. Anthony Harding has taken her—and Maia—somewhere. Not to a hospital."


    There was a moment of stunned silence before William''s voice came through, tight with fear. "What are you saying?"


    "I think they''re in danger," Liam said, his voice breaking. "Maia called me earlier. She sent her location, but it cut off near ckpine Mountain. I think Anthony deliberately caused ra''s crash."


    "I''m calling the police," William said, his voice hardening with determination. "Where are you now?"


    "At the track," Liam replied. "I''m going to try to find Anthony''s house. Maybe there''s something there that can lead us to them."


    "I''ll head toward ckpine Mountain," William decided quickly. "Keep your phone on. I''ll contact you as soon as I know anything."


    Liam ended the call and turned back to the track worker, who had been listening with growing concern.


    "You," Liam said, his voice deadly serious. "Do you know where Anthony Harding lives?"


    The young man nodded slowly. "Everyone knows the Harding estate. It''s the big mansion on Oakridge Drive."


    "Take me there," Liammanded. "Now."


    The worker hesitated only briefly before the intensity in Liam''s eyes convinced him. "My car''s over there," he said, pointing to an old sedan in the parking lot.


    As they hurried toward it, Liam couldn''t shake the feeling that with each passing minute, ra and Maia were slipping further beyond his reach. The sun had nearly set, darkness falling over Havenwood City like a shroud.


    Somewhere on ckpine Mountain, something terrible was happening. And he was already toote to stop it.