The Truth Behind Those Eyes

Chapter Ten

It had been so easy. No one had attempted to stop them – not a single unexpected question had been asked.

Although there was no reason for anyone to suspect anything, Nikki was sure they'd get stopped at security before they even glimpsed the plane, but nothing had happened. She'd flashed her passport and filtered through, right behind Josh, no questions asked.

She'd wondered about his passport, after all it had to be fake, but as she inhaled to speak she'd thought better of it. She didn't know who might overhear, and that was not something Nikki dared risk.

In the air, she had tried over and over to start up conversations with Josh but every time he'd either given her a warning shake of his head or a single word answer. Eventually she gave up, accepting the awkward silence between them.

Nikki knew she should be mad at him but since he'd offered her the promise of help, nothing could dampen her spirits. She had a way out, a way to get back to her normal life, a life without monsters, demons or death. So she let him have his silence; she would give him the blood from her veins if it meant she could return to the dull existence she'd been so quick to complain about.

They landed in Bucharest after a three and a half hour flight and Josh had quickly shepherded her towards a car rental company.

Nikki watched with interest as he leaned casually against the rental desk. The ease at which he had moved from culture to culture unnerved Nikki, almost like he did this regularly... But then she had remembered herself, he did do this regularly, or at least five times before. A flourished signature, envelope of cash and a flirtatious smile was all it had taken to accrue them an almost identical car to the one they had left behind.

She shook her head as she thought back over the last eight hours. The gridlock around Luton. Passport control. The flight. Bucharest... It all seemed so far away now as she stared wide-eyed, in awe, at the breath taking scenery around her.

Trees towered above them, forming dense forests that hugged the shore of the lake they navigated. The woodland stretched for miles, lining the slopes of the Arges region, softening the crests of the rolling mountains with their impossibly green foliage.

As they drove around the large body of water, the sun reached its peak in the cloudless blue sky and glinted off the mirror like surface offering an almost perfect reflection of the world above it. Staring at the flat surface of the water, Nikki couldn't help wondering what dark secrets it held below its beautiful façade. But her thoughts didn't linger on the macabre for long. She was rejuvenated knowing that something could help her and this anticipation had filled her with adrenaline throughout the journey, however as the road wound and twisted around the edge of the lake she found herself fighting fatigue.

"Is it much further?" she enquired.

"No sweetheart, another ten minutes at the most."

The softness of his tone startled her and despite her better judgment she couldn't stop herself from commenting.

"Sweetheart? An hour ago you couldn't even bear to look at me."

A wry smile played on his lips. "You have no idea," he replied, turning off the main road.

Again, Nikki bit her tongue. At this moment she was more intrigued with where they were going than Josh's mood swings.

The forest grew thicker the further they drove but the sunlight still managed to trickle through the canopy, dappling the road with dancing shadows.

"Almost there." Josh smiled as he slowed to take a sharp bend in the road.

Squirming with eagerness Nikki kept her eyes on the road ahead. She didn't have to wait long. A couple of bends later the trees parted to reveal the glistening lake bathed in the early afternoon light.