“Sure.” For the first time that night I looked into his eyes. They were angry and hard.
“You’re angry.”
“At that animal that scared you.” He brushed a hand through my hair.
I didn’t bother to tell him there was more than one. I didn’t want to think about it anymore. I looked out at the walk. It seemed like a twenty mile hike to the front door. In the dark.
“Come on,” Sam said, getting out of the truck and coming around to get me. He led me to the front door, his eyes scanning the yard as we walked. Instead of feeling reassured I felt frightened all over again. At the church he seemed confident that whatever had been there was gone, and his confidence calmed me. But here – he made it seem that he needed to protect me. That something might be watching. Like maybe whatever I imagined being out here all those nights was real and not a fragment of my imagination and bad dreams. It made me wonder if I was safe in my home.
“I’ll see you first thing at school,” he told me.
I nodded.
He leaned in and pressed his lips to my forehead. “Sweet dreams tonight.”
“Bye.”
He waited until I was in the house with the door closed and locked before he left. Once upstairs I did my nightly routine, pausing in front of a mirror before getting in bed. I stared hard at the jagged scars on the side of my face. Scars that could have been made by an animal…I searched every corner of my mind for a memory from that night, even a brief one. There was nothing. It was like the accident had never happened, except it had, and I wore the proof on my face. Did the same animal that attacked me then come back tonight to finish the job? As I climbed into bed I told myself that I was being silly and paranoid and that it was just a coincidence. But, I lay there awake and tense, willing myself to remember, until I gave up – exhausted. Yet I still couldn’t relax. Only after I received Sam’s text that he was safely home was I able to fall asleep.
The Hate
Come out to play little girl.
She was hiding like the coward I knew she was and whimpering like a baby. I thought about jumping into the dumpster, ripping her apart and leaving her to rot with yesterday’s trash. The idea had some merit.
But that wasn’t why I was here, and there wasn’t enough time. As much as I wanted the little bitch to die, I had another agenda tonight. I had a point to prove. He was pushing me too far, not doing what I told him to do. I had to show him who was in control.
And just like I knew he would, he showed up. I made sure that the show was in full swing when he got there so he could see that she was mine whenever I decided to take her. She was just so easy to take advantage of. And his rage was exactly what I wanted to see. He thinks he’s so much better than the rest of us. But he isn’t. He tried to hold back but one gash to the side and he let go of his control.
He fought better than I anticipated. His anger gave him an advantage. But no matter. By the time I am done taunting him he will be half-crazed, and then I will make my move.
Until then I want him to worry every time he isn’t with her to worry that she could be gasping for her last breath. I want him to wonder if one day he will be too late.
One day very soon he will be.
The Hope
“You should have come to me.”
I understood his turmoil and I sympathized. “It wouldn’t have changed anything.”
“We need to do something, she is in danger.”
“She is safe now.” It appeared that he was special, that their love might be enough.
I turned at the sound of his bitter laugh. Bitterness had no place here. “You can’t possibly believe that the sinner will protect her.”
“He has been.”
“He isn’t suitable for her.”
“Your anger is understandable, but it is misplaced.”
“She wasn’t supposed to be involved.”
“You know as well as I that we have no control over these things.”
He gave a curt nod.
I held out my hand, and he came forward and took it. “Let us pray.”
Heven
After my scare the night before, I was feeling a little unsure of my decision to change my wardrobe. Staying hidden was easier, and it called less attention to myself. When I tried to get out of our shopping trip, Kimber wasn’t having it.
“Clearly your inconspicuous wardrobe didn’t help you last night,” she pointed out.
“I should never have told you about last night,” I murmured, shoving a book into my locker.
“Too late.” She smiled. “Come on, Heven, it will be fun. You need this.”
“Fine.” I gave in. I really did want something to wear tomorrow night when I went out with Sam.
I closed my locker door and found his handsome face staring at me. With unreadable eyes he appraised me. When he was satisfied he smiled. “Hey, Beautiful.”
He was the beautiful one, from the top of his messy dark blond head right down past his ripped up jeans to the black boots on his oversized feet. “Hey, yourself.”
His fingers wrapped around mine, and the three of us moved down the hall toward the doors. Cole rounded the corner, his eyes fastening on Kimber. “I’ll be right back,” Kimber said, jogging to his side. Sam and I continued outside. When I smiled up at him, I noticed his eyes scanning the campus.
“You all right?” I tugged his hand.
“Yeah.” He pulled me against him, wrapping his arms around me. It felt good, and I leaned in giving him all my weight.
“Heven, are you ready to go?” Kimber asked from behind.
“No.” My voice was muffled against his chest.
I felt the subtle tightening of Sam’s body. “You’re not going to your grandma’s?”
I tipped my chin up to see him. “Kimber and I are going shopping at the mall.”
He didn’t seem pleased by this, but he slowly nodded. “I’ll drive you.”
“She can ride with me,” Kimber protested.
I stepped out of Sam’s hold and turned. I was surprised to see Cole standing silently beside her. I hadn’t known he was there. “Hey, Cole.”
“Hey, Hev.” He gave me a smile.
“I’m going to ride with Sam. I’ll meet you there,” I told Kimber.
She rolled her eyes but grinned. “Are you going to shop with us too, Sam?”
Judging from the way that he snorted and rolled his eyes Cole didn’t like this idea. Behind me Sam chuckled, clearly amused that he annoyed Cole. “I have to work.”