A Known Stranger

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

                Chaotic. That was the only way I could describe the next six minutes of my life. Everything happened all too fast. One moment I was about to tell Noah that I was falling in love with him also, and the next we were on the floor, taking cover, as gun shots went off in the house.

                The music still played through the speakers, Kick Out the Epic Motherfucker by Dada Life blasting all around the house. The only reason I knew what song was playing was because it had come out in Teen Wolf in one of the episodes- the one when they were at the rave in season two. I remembered wondering when I heard it that night on TV how it would feel to be in a situation like that- at a party but not even knowing that your lives were at risk as some fucked up creature roamed around the building killing people.

                Now, as I laid here on the floor of Cole’s house, at his party, I no longer wondered how it would feel to be in that situation, because I was already in one. The only difference was that some freaky creature wasn’t roaming around trying to kill us, no, someone with a gun was.

                “Are you okay?” Noah asked, pulling away just enough so he could look me in the eyes.

                I stiffly nodded, swallowing the hard lump that had lodged itself in my throat.

                What the hell was going on?!

                Noah cupped my cheek with his large hand; so many emotions swirled around in his hazel eyes that it was hard for me to keep up. “We’re going to get out of here, okay.” He told me with such determination lacing his voice, I knew that he wasn’t just telling me those words to help me calm down, no, he was telling me those words because he intended on getting us out in one piece.

                Screams still echoed around the house; as I turned away from Noah and looked over his shoulder, I saw how many of the ones who were crowding the dance floor a few seconds ago were either crouching down also, or running for the different exits that surrounded us.

                I felt my body being picked up, and when I looked back at Noah, I noticed how we were both standing now. His hand slipped into mine and I felt him tug, “C’mon!” he urged, already running towards the back French doors in the living room which were wide open.

                I staggered behind him, feeling my blood pump fast and cold, as we ran out of the house and out into Cole’s backyard. The heated pool came into view, once full of half naked girls and drunken boys trying to get lucky or having fun, but now empty, solo cups, tops, shorts, and even a few shoe’s floated in the bright blue water that had steam coming out.

                I felt the cold December air hit me, wash over my bare arms as we ran through the night trying to get to Noah’s car parked out front. Noah glanced back at me, his light brown hair flying in the wind as we raced, feet hitting sand as we took the short cut through the beach; it seemed we weren’t the only ones thinking that it would be a faster escape.

                It wasn’t long before Noah’s car came into view and he let go of my hand so he could fish out his keys from his jean pockets. Cars were whizzing by, speeding down the main road away from the house. My breathing was ragged, I felt numb, and I wasn’t sure what the hell was going on.

                One moment we were in the living room; the next we were running for our lives.

                A group of guys dressed in all black ran down the street. I was positive that if it weren’t for the beaming headlights of Noah’s car coming to life, I would have never even seen them as they ran passed, all sprinting towards a black Escalade that was already parked and running.

                “Fae!” Noah yelled, catching my attention. I hadn’t even noticed that I had stopped running and stood a few feet away from the car that was already running and ready to go. Snapping my head in Noah’s direction, I quickly ran the remaining feet and jumping into the car, buckling in as Noah sped away from the house.

                Just as we passed the black Escalade that I had seen a few seconds ago, I caught sight of one of the guys slipping into the vehicle. He sat behind the wheel, his hands resting on the circle as his right hand gripped the gear shifter. I quickly recognized him, his familiar facial features registering in my mind as we drove by. A gasp escaped my lips and I felt my heart completely stop, my blood froze like ice and I stopped breathing.

                I didn’t gasp because I recognized Carter Henning.

                No, I gasped because resting on top of the wheel was a silver gun in his hand.