18

Bloodline

"I can't go any further." My chest heaved as he let go of my hand. "Will there is no way out of Sitka especially now the seaplanes are not running." I lent against a wet tree trunk, trying to catch my breath. The seaplane was the only way out of this town, without it, we would be stuck here forever.

"I know Eleanor, I'm trying to think."

"Well how do you get here?" My head hung to the ground as my hands placed onto my knees.

"The hotel arrange it, and my next one isn't scheduled until 6am tomorrow morning."

"Then what do we do?"

"We find a place to lie low until then, you know this town better than I do, where would be a good place to go?" I shook my head in silence. "Think Elle, it couldn't have changed that much." He rested his hands on my shoulders as he smiled softly, he looked more youthful every time I placed eyes on him, he was a beautiful man.

"You see those trees over there, when I was a young girl, that is where I would go with all of my friends. It's secluded and there is a small shelter just near the lake. That is, if it hasn't changed since they took over the town."

"It's worth a look, come on. I can sense there are some strays nearby, we need to keep moving." I sighed as he took my hand, heading toward the trees.

"It's just down here, I can still see the small shelter, it's still there." A funny sense of nostalgia found me as I smiled, clutching my chest.

"Come on, let's get inside." He helped me in the wooden hut as he guided me by the small of my back. "We should be safe in here until the morning."

"Will, I'm so scared."

"I won't let anything happen to you, you believe me, right?" His eyes were like melting chocolate as he looked at me.

"I don't know what to believe anymore. I mean, after all this Carlos business it's difficult to know whom to trust."

"Carlos is dead, so even if he had compelled myself it would no longer work and Eleanor I did not know he had sent me to look for the necklace. I feel sick at the thought he was able to do that." His back slid down the wooden slats as he sat to the damp ground.

"I know, I'm sorry to have even doubted you." I sat beside him as my head rested on his shoulders as I felt his body instantly relax. "You know when Louis told me I would be seeing you again tonight I couldn't help but feel excited." I laughed softly as he stroked my hair. "I just didn't think we would be here."

"I told you I would come back. How could I stay away? Since meeting, you Elle you have all I have been able to think about, you are special, not just in a normal way, in a way I can't quite place my finger on."

"Trust me Will I'm not. In that room tonight I felt nothing but helpless watching my friend brutally murdered like that, and what did I do. I did nothing but watch." He caught my tear with his finger as he sat me up to face him, his eyes soft and delicate.

"None of that was your fault, and you were the only one who showed an ounce of courage in that room tonight. The way you stood up to the master, however much I hated it I had to admire you. That took strength and pure selflessness, to do Eleanor."

"Fat lot of good it did though, hey."

"Don't beat yourself up like that. I won't allow it, Miss Thorn."

"Will, what do you think will happen to Henry and Louis?"

"They will be just fine, do you think there is any chance Henry will not come looking for you." He shrugged, laughing quietly as my lips pursed. "They just need to lie low for a while."