Hidden Truth

Chapter 7

Claire

I laid in bed, listening to the clock ticking. Every few hours Blake would check in on me and I would pretend to be asleep. I was waiting for everyone to fall asleep before making my escape. I spent all day with Luke getting a layout of the house and trying to make him feel secure thinking I was okay staying here. I was still unsure of how to get back to town, but I figured the gravel road would lead me there.

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and quickly shut my eyes, slowing my breathing. The door creaked open; I could feel his eyes on my back. He spoke softly, "Goodnight Claire." It was a few more seconds until the door slowly close, but not before he whispered, "I'm sorry."

I waited until I heard him go to his room, and when his door closed, I threw the blankets off my body. Crawling out of bed, I quietly walked to the couch where my jacket and shoes were. I still had on the clothes he left me this morning, and just slipped on my coat. Grabbing my shoes, I tiptoed towards the door. Slowly creaking it open I glanced down the hallway. The coast was clear as I slipped out and shut the door behind me. I crept down the hall, hugging the wall, and looking back every few seconds. When I got to the stairs and I took them one at a time, trying to avoid any creaking wood.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding until I made it to the bottom of the stairs. Everything was dark, the only sound was the clock ticking in the living room. There was something about it that gave all this an eerie feeling. I walked past the dining table and slipped into the kitchen. Making my way to the back door, I slipped on my shoes and flipped the lock.

Sliding open the door, I squeezed through and got hit by a cold breeze. Closing the door slowly, I hugged the side of the house and went around to the driveway. Peeking around the corner of the house I watched the gravel road leading into the woods. It was dark, the only lighting was the moon which cast a ghostly hue across the trees. I hated having to go running through the woods at two in the morning, but during the day it would be too risky.

Making a dash to the trees I hid in the shadows and watched the house for any signs that the men were awake. When I saw no lights and all seemed quiet, I quickly walked down the gravel road. I stayed close to the trees in case I had to hide but followed the winding road hopefully towards town.

A few times I thought I heard something rustling deep in the woods and I would quicken my pace. I used to hear the howls of wolves when I laid in bed at home, and I was not about to die by being eaten alive. It felt like half an hour had passed until I got to a fork in the road. I glanced left, then right, and back to the left. I had no idea where the town was. I was lost.

With one last look both ways I decided to go right. After walking for a few minutes, I quickly regretted my decision. The breeze seemed to stop, along with the chirping crickets. You know that saying when the animals are silent, something is out there. Off in the distance I could see two men crouched on the ground around something in the tree line. I stopped in my tracks and stepped into the trees, trying to hide.

I got down low and tried to peek around the tree to look at them. It was dark so I couldn't get a good look at them. When one turned to look down the road in my direction, I got a partial view of his face. He looked dirty; his face was sunken in, like he came down from a high and needed a fix. Shifting my position, a twig snapped under my foot. Fuck, I cursed as the two men turned in my direction.

It all happened so fast; I never saw them coming. I was thrown back, hitting my head on the ground. I groaned as one man grabbed my arms and held them above my head while the other straddled me. They smelled like death and were covered in dirt. The man over me leaned down, the light from the moon showing his face clearly. His eyes were a bright red, and his cheeks were hollow. His mouth was twisted into a sinister smile as a red liquid dripped down his chin. Slowly his mouth opened revealing two elongated canine teeth and I saw the blood coating his lips.

The man above me looked just as bad, the blood dripping from his mouth and landing on my forehead. I screamed as I tried to get them off, jerking my hips and trying to pull my arms free. It was no use though; they were too strong for me. I could tell they liked the fight, it fed into their hunting instincts. Slowly I felt my body give up. As I closed my eyes and awaited my death, suddenly the weight above me was gone.

My eyes snapped open and the man above me was gone. I looked to my left and saw him knocked on the ground as another man stood between him and I. The feral man crouched on the ground baring his teeth and hissing at my savior. Slowly he turned around I saw Blake's blue eyes piercing into me. He held a look of anger and worry, but it was gone as he turned around to face the guy on the ground. The muscles in Blake's back tensed as the feral creature suddenly charged him. The feral man above me let out a scream and the weight on my arms was released.

"Blake," I yelled as I watched the other creature run at Blake's back. I panicked and found a rock on the ground, whipping it at the feral man's back. He turned back to me and hissed, before turning back to Blake. They were smart, attacking as a pack to get rid of the threat.

Blake was busy fighting off the one man when the second guy slashed at his bare back. He let out a scream and turned to punch the man behind him. I hugged my knees and I prayed for Blake to make it out of this somehow. He turned back to the first guy, ducking from his fist and Blake landed a punch to his ribs. The feral man stumbled back, before charging again.

My heart was pounding as the second man got up to run at Blake's exposed back again. Holding my breath, I was waiting for his attack, but it never came. Instead, it was as if the feral man slashed at a barrier that was protecting Blake's back. He was angrily clawing at the invisible wall as Blake grabbed his buddy and snapped his neck. The first man fell limp to the ground as Blake whipped around to the second man. Grabbing a thick branch off the ground, Blake rammed it into the creature's chest. With a scream he fell to the ground.

Blake stood there breathing hard as he stared at the dead man. Blood covered his chest; I wasn't sure what was his and what was from the attackers. Slowly he raised his head and locked eyes with me. I don't know who I was more scared of. Blake looked like I was next on his death list. I wasn't able to keep his gaze and I lowered it to his lips. There was a glint in the light, and I noticed the elongated canines, like the other men had.

I tried to stand up, but I felt my knees go weak as I fell back down on my ass. My heart pounded as I tried to crawl backwards away from Blake, not taking my eyes off him. My memories of the night I fell slowly resurfaced. I was taking the trash out when I walked in on him and his brothers with those girls. They had blood on their faces, covering their canines.

"Claire," Blake softly spoke as he walked towards me.

"I know what you did," I murmured, "you and your brothers killed those girls behind the bar. That's when I fell, I was running from you." My back hit a tree, and I looked for an escape, but I knew Blake would only catch me down the road.

His expression was soft as he knelt down in front of me, "we didn't kill anyone." He tried to reach out to me, but I turned my head away. Blake dropped his hand and sighed, "Claire, let me explain everything."

"Let me go home," I whispered.

"I'm sorry but I can't do that."

"Why not," I yelled. Getting to my feet, I started to walk down the road as I called behind me, "I'm leaving, and you can't stop me." I didn't make it far before I felt his arm snake around my waist, and he pushed me back against a tree. He leaned into my body, his arms on either side of my waist. His head lowered down and rested above my neck, his breath blowing across my skin.

"You're coming home with me," Blake whispered. I felt his body stiffen as I shifted my feet, and our bodies brushed closer together. A part of me wanted to give in and hold him closer to me. To feel his hands run across my body as we kissed.

My cheeks felt hot as I placed a hand on his chest. Slowly I pushed him back, our eyes locked together. "Tell me what is going on," I whispered.

His eyes studied mine before looking away, back towards the house. Letting out a sigh he agreed. "Okay, I will tell you Claire, but you have to come back with me." He stepped away and I missed his body against mine. Blake held his hand out waiting for me to take it. With one last look down the road, I reached out taking his hand. I trailed behind him as he led me back to the house, and I was going to get my answers from him.