The Rites And Bewitchments Of Bella Swan

The Eyes That Watched Me

I didn't know this at the time, but I was being watched.

That's not entirely correct.

I knew I, well, we – meaning Chastity and I – were being watched by some jerk as we explored each others bodies. That security gate came had to come down for a reason, and though it had protected us from some perv guys in the mall, guys filming us on their phones would've been the least threatening thing to have happened to us.

I had a sensation of danger as I left Spencer's, both Chastity trying to pull ourselves together after joining in passion then separating for the sake of the moment. I originally thought it had to do with the bold act of placing my pride flag in my back pocket, a casual slap back at a world that was somehow getting more bigoted after years of progress.

Then I noticed him.

He was pale. His blond hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail.

He was...attractive, in a psycho way you might say.

An image flashed in my mind with a voice that spoke from the depths of my unconscious, so loud and clear.

He has found you.

I didn't know who he was, and even less clue as to why he was looking for me.

He is unnatural in all things – his hunger, his entertainment, his desires. We have encountered him before, the silent voice called out across the ages.

He is a predator from our time and now he is in yours.

My hand instinctively grabbed the wand, and as I pretended to not see him, he most certainly saw my instinctive act and what I reached for.

He's certain now.

Anxiety hit me. I stopped in my tracks. A mistake, I know, and my hand tightened on the wand. I looked to see where he was.

He was gone.

I turned, found the nearest mall security guard, and ran to him, trying to look like an emotional head-on collision, and since I was still flushed from my encounter with Chastity, that wasn't too hard.

"I need help," I panted as I ran up to the security guard, an unfortunately over-weight middle-aged man who wouldn't have been able to defend an innocent young woman from a psycho predator in his twenties with a head start.

I meant to do some stumbling over my words, but the voice in my head and the look of the guy who apparently had found me and his sudden disappearance had unnerved me. I didn't have to act. The security guard radioed his position, put out a request to identify the mysterious man matching the description I'd given, and he and I returned to the mall security office.

The footage found the psycho guy seeming to watch me carefully, then he blurred for some reason. It's like he was there and suddenly he wasn't.

"That can't be right," the helpful guard said to himself as he checked the footage. He then checked another camera, one outside of Spencer's but, fortunately, not facing inside Spencer's. I insisted he was out in the main mall-way where I first saw him, which was true enough, but the camera footage was backed up enough to know he was watching me while I was in Spencer's, and followed me quietly as I left Chastity behind and, now that I thought about it, unprotected.

"Do you know who he is, miss? Miss?"

My thoughts were of Chastity. It took me a moment to realize the guards were asking more info of me.

"I have no idea who he is. This is the first I've ever seen him."

My thoughts turned back to Chastity – alone and vulnerable.

"...if you see him again, let us or the police know."

"Could you check on...a friend of mine? She works at Spencer's."

The guard then turned his attention to his setup, pushed a button, and brought up the live feed from Spencer's. There was Chastity, stocking shirts.

I sighed heavily, relieved.

"Would you keep an eye on her for me? She's..."

The security guard nodded. "We'll keep an eye on your girlfriend for you."

"Girlfriend?"

The guard smiled, and picked up the pride flag that had fallen out of my back pocket onto the floor.

"Be careful out there, young lady. You and your girlfriend. A decent can of pepper spray doesn't cost much, I suggest you two invest in a few for your own protection."

That won't be enough, the voice in my head said. Without realizing anything about the situation, I felt forced to agree with what was said.