AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I'm not going to spend my life running. They can look all they want but they will regret ever finding me when they do. I can promise that," Scarlett replied, showing no hint of fear.
"We have to find somewhere to go. Any ideas?" Kane asked, looking at the three of us.
"I hadn't given it much thought, but we will find somewhere," Grayson replied.
I turned to Scarlett, "What do you think? Would it be safe for you to leave with us now?"
"The Shadow Dragons would just send someone to find me. We'll need to wait until tomorrow."
Grayson nodded, "Then we will leave in the morning."
Everyone started talking at once then, discussing how we were supposed to defend ourselves against the Shadow Dragons or finding somewhere safer to hide. I didn't understand most of what they were saying, but their concern for Scarlett was genuine.
Scarlett caught my eye and she smiled. It wasn't an expression that I had seen on her in a while.
Kane walked over to his daughter and bent down to hug her. "You know, you can always visit anytime."
"What are you talking about?" Scarlett responded, "You are staying with us. It is the only way that I can keep you safe."
Kane nodded. "You're right. We will have to stay together until this ends."
Scarlett nodded back as Kane held her tightly, kissing her on the head. I couldn't stop watching how deeply this affected her.
"Well then," I said, "Let's get some rest, shall we?"
We headed back to the abandoned building we had been staying at. I found myself falling asleep almost immediately despite it having been just past midnight. I woke up an hour or two later due to some kind of weird sensation. I looked up to find both Scarlet and Kane sleeping soundly. I stood slowly, trying not to wake them. There was no need to disturb them; they needed their sleep, and I didn't want to wake either one. I carefully made my way out of the building so I wouldn't make any noise.
The moon was full, reflecting off the glassy surface of the nearby river. I walked for a while before finding a good place to sit. My body felt sore all over and there was still some residual pain from the fight. I lay down on the ground, facing the water, and closed my eyes. I listened to the sounds of the water gently crashing against each other and wondered when I'd next see them again.
I heard the familiar sound of something heavy crashing through the underbrush. I jumped to my feet and scanned the area in search of its source. My first instinct told me to run, but curiosity got the better of me. I crept forward cautiously, keeping an eye open for any threat.
Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks as something came into view. A large dog was running directly at me with its teeth exposed in a ferocious grin. I froze where I stood as the creature ran past, its dark coat shimmering in the moonlight. It disappeared into the darkness without slowing down, leaving behind nothing but footprints in its path.
I watched until the animal was out of sight before taking a few steps back toward the buildings. My pulse began to slow down after seeing no sign of another life form within the forest.
My senses were heightened, and I felt on edge as I kept watch over the building, worried about a sudden attack. I knew that there would be no way to relax until we were far away from this place. I sat down inthe grass and began to contemplate our future.
I was tired of being hunted by monsters from my nightmares; it took everything out of me every night. The world was a dangerous place, and I was sure that it would take a lot out of any person to protect themselves from such things. No matter who the beast was, we would find ourselves needing each other to survive.
The only option I had to ensure my survival was to leave town and never return. I'd already told myself, repeatedly in fact, that I would be dead before I returned home so it seemed like a logical conclusion for me to come to. I had nothing to lose. And the only reason my decision was so clear to me now is that I was able to see a new beginning for me.
A short time passed with me thinking about anything and everything, and the sun rose on the horizon. I stood and stretched my limbs, letting the tension drain from my body. I checked my surroundings one last time before making my way inside. Before I got to the door, I heard something moving behind me. I whipped around, ready to fight whoever might be lurking.
"Calm down, killer," Doyle said with a grin, "It's just me."
"Doyle, what the hell are you doing here? You were supposed to leave town." I demanded.
He took a step toward me and looked around to see if there was anyone listening.
"I'm going to, but I wanted to find out if you had survived that meeting with Kane."
"Yeah, I survived."
"Did Blaise? No one's heard from him since yesterday."
I looked down at my feet and then at the water, afraid to admit the truth. Doyle's loyalty had kept me alive, but I still wasn't sure where his loyalties lied.
"Ding dong the witch is dead, huh?" He asked with a smile.
