Paw Prints (Book One in the Trails Series) *BEING EDITED-NEW VERSION WILL BE LONGER*

~Chapter Sixteen~ Ancients

Marielle didn't move. "Turn around dear," the voice whispered.

Marielle closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "What are you holding against my neck, Paul?" She asked. She heard her boyfriend chuckle. "Nothing that will hurt you...depending on what you chose to do."

"What has gotten into you?"
"Nothing that wasn't there before."

Marielle shivered. "Please get that thing off of my neck."

There was no answer. After a moment of silence, she felt the pressure lift off of her neck, and she turned around, looking right into Paul's grey-blue eyes. "What was that for?" She whispered, staring at the silver dagger in his hand, stained with blood from a small cut on her neck.

"Where were you sending that?" Paul asked. Marielle furrowed her eyebrows. "Why does it matter?" She replied, not really sure how to handle the question.

"Answer me," Paul said quietly, "or I'll have to kill you."
"PAUL!"
"Answer."
"PAUL WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"

Paul held his dagger at Marielle's throat. "Paul, please." She begged.

Paul didn't even flinch. His eyes were hard and stony, unfamiliar, and to Marielle, he didn't look like the same man.

She felt a twinge of pain in her neck as the dagger was pushed against it. She whimpered as Paul continued to push.

"I don't want to do this, Marielle." He whispered, a tear tracing its way down his face. "But if you are a threat to my people...then so be it."

"What people? I'm not a threat to anybody!"
"That letter was going to the Trackers. I know it was. Marielle I can't let you live...it was the way I was raised."
"How can you tell!?"

"BECAUSE I WAS TRAINED THIS WAY!"
"But what if I said no!?"

"I don't know that!"

"PAUL PLEASE!"

Paul jabbed the dagger a little deeper. "PAUL LISTEN TO ME!" Marielle begged. "Fine. Talk. I'm listening." 
"It's kind of hard to talk when I have a knife at my throat."

Paul pulled his dagger away and wiped it off on his shirt. Marielle took note that he didn't put it away, but continued to hold it tensely in his hand. She took a deep breath and began speaking. 

"I told them yes, Paul, HANG ON!" She screamed as Paul made to run her through with his blade.

"I can back out. We'll just have to...you know, go into hiding."
"You're breaking a promise."
"I'm well aware of that."
"For me?"

Marielle nodded slowly. Paul lunged at her, and at first, she was afraid he would kill her right there, but instead she felt his strong arms wrap around her and his lips touch hers.

And suddenly, everything was okay again.

They pulled apart after a moment and Marielle smiled a little. "I never would have thought that you were part of the Other Side." She told him. Paul smiled too. "Well of course you wouldn't have. It's not like we go around screaming about it. And what about you? Why did they send you that letter?" 

Marielle looked away. "Because everyone in my family was a Tracker. They all died...well actually, my father divorced my mother when I was very young. I assume he's dead...and I always said it was because of the Trackers."

Paul shook his head. "You were raised to be a Tracker and you still don't hate me? You're willing to betray your way of life just to be with me?"

Marielle laughed. "Paul I hate the Trackers for tearing my family apart?"
"Then why did you say yes?"

Marielle paused. "I don't know..." She said slowly. "I think it's just because I feel like I owe my family something." 
"And you're betraying it?"
"No...just putting it off."

Paul grinned. He swept up Marielle and tilted her down. "You know I wouldn't have ever been able to kill you, right?" He whispered in her ear, tickling her skin.

Marielle laughed a little. "I know." 

The moment was perfect.

That was, until an arrow embedded itself in Paul's shoulder.

There was a not tied to it. As Paul stared at his shoulder in shock, Marielle tore the note away, not bothering to take the arrow out of her boy friend's flesh. Her hands were shaking too badly to do so anyway.

Slowly, Marielle read the note.

WE ARE COMING TO FIND YOU.