Seeker (Completed)

Sexy Stalker

Chapter 23

Sam's parents were happy to have us. We say grace and then eat. "Where are you headed?" The father asks Justin. Without skipping a beat he plunges into a story of how to get an education he and Zack stayed with my family just a little west of here but they had heard news that their father had contracted TB and we were headed east to see him one last time before he passed away; this was just our halfway stop to rest and gather resources. "I'm sorry to hear that son." The father says before we turn in for the night.

In the morning I called Nick to help me into another gown (we had made sure to have stolen\borrowed more than one pair). Today was a light pink and white one, I shudder in disgust. I hate pink. I make my way downstairs for breakfast. "You look absolutely ravishing." Sam says. Zack makes his way towards me and offers his arm that I gladly take. "Indeed." He agrees. Sam looks between him and me and flashes another one of his smiles. "Layla, there is something I want to show you." Zack isn't eager to let me go but I peel myself away from them.

At the Art gallery Sam is showing, naming and explaining all of the paintings to me. "This one was painted by Donald Frey. Poor lad was so talented but is barely known. He lived about 200 years ago, had such a hard life. Never settled down or produced kin. He fell for this girl," He gestures at the painting: a beautiful young woman with emerald eyes and silky red hair who was most likely 16 years old.  "When he was 19 years of age, but alas she was already spoken for and he drifted towards alcohol to dampen the pain that was in his heart. He drowned in a river just north of here on his 21st birthday." His eyes grew sad and he glanced out the window, probably imagining - like I was — a heartache so strong that it would cause you to take your life.

He snaps out of it and continues moving on. "This is what I really wanted to show you." He tells me as we reach a painting of a constellation that I'm unfamiliar with. It was titled The Key but the painter's unknown. "And why is it that out of all the beautiful paintings it is this one which you fancy showing me?" He shrugs. "I think it's because I had a dream about it last night. It also reminds me of you...somehow." I view it over.

"What sort of somehow?"

"If you look on the surface you see a cluster of beautiful stars but if you look deeper you can make out a shape...you see here is a pentagon." I freeze as he traces the shape with finger. "It's a powerful symbol. It holds a sort of dark, deadly beauty to it." His gaze is intense on mine.

"I'm not to sure on what you mean." He takes a step closer to me but I don't move, I stand my ground. He caresses a wisp behind my ear. "I think you do. You really are a vision today." He leans in and whispers in my ear, and with that he turns around and leaves.

I'm not really sure how to react. Dark beauty? Powerful symbol? The fact that there is a pentagon hidden within a painting! Weird coincidences or does Sam know something? I'm getting a tad bit freaked out. I need some air so I decide to walk outside. I walk into the Tavern and go and ask for a drink. There're mostly men in here but there're some women to though they look like they all work in a brothel.  

A man stumbles over towards me. "Baby, how much for a night?" He slurs. "Not in this lifetime." I snarl at him and all his friends snicker. "Come on baby, don't be like that." He reaches his hand out for me and I grab, twist and he howls out in pain. "I said no." I push him and his face connects with the ground. He jumps up in anger. "How dare you, lil' whore!" He's ready to charge but I stand calmly, I could take this guy easily. "You heard the girl, run along now." I hear a voice growl from behind me. The man grumbles and storms back to his buddies. I spin around only to find Thorn standing right behind me.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I say in shock. I'm immediately in a defensive stance, though fighting in a dress isn't very ideal. He raises his eyebrows at me. "We're not going to fight in a public place." I relax a little bit. I rapidly make my way outside, walking as fast as I can without seeming suspicious to onlookers. "Where're you off to in such a hurry?" He asks, easily keeping pace with me. "Getting as far away from you as possible." He laughs which just seems out of place on him. "And how's that working out for you?" I stop in my tracks. "It would be just fine if you would quit being a stalker." When I say that this feels weird it is an understatement. The last time we saw each other we had blades drawn and were pretty much at a fight to the death and here we were talking...it's just weird.

He slams me against the alley's wall and I wonder if he actually might be bipolar. I look into those eyes and try not to get lost in them. Why does he do this to me? I mean I know I get distracted by cute boys easily but there's just something about those eyes of his... Stay focused Layla. "Listen, you may have succeeded once but we will always be on your trail. You won't win." I breathe in to calm myself. Layla you must always try to take control of the situation. Glean what information you can.  I breathe out. "And yet you had multiple chances to attempt to kill me and here I am. So why is that Thorn?" He shudders and his eyes go darker — if that's possible — he leans in closer, threateningly. His canine's come out, "Don't say my name." Well tell me not to do something and it just becomes irresistible. "Thorn."

He growls and in his moment of anger I head-butt him. He stumbles back in surprise; I reach down and pull the dagger that is strapped just above my ankle. He lunges at me, I kick him in the side and as he falls to the ground — without thinking — I plunge the dagger into his chest. I pull it out, my green dagger now stained red. Thorn struggles to breath, his hands are clawing at his chest. The fight inside me instantly deflates. Something inside me is screaming to save him, I need him to live. I don't know why but I need him to live but I can't do anything as life slowly drains from him.