End of Chapter 28
"Let me bank the fire." He said as he went to move, but my arms went down on either side, not letting him move.
"Nope, I'm good." I said as I laughed and got comfortable against his chest.
"Me too," He said as he hugged me against him. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked as he yawned, doing his best to cover it and look cool.
"Could we talk about it tomorrow?" I asked as I closed my eyes and focused on his heart beat, which instantly made me tired again.
"Of course." He sighed as he kissed the top of my head.
"Michael?" I said as I yawned.
"Yes."
"Thank You."
"Anytime." He said as he kissed my head again. "Let's sleep, we should go early." He said as he hugged me tightly, which was the last thing I knew before the sun came up.
Chapter 29
We got up in the morning and fortunately Michael was smart enough to know that I am not a morning person. He went and tended to breakfast as I went out and got the horses ready for the day. Piper and Concho were both very happy to see me, both of them moving to knock me around with their heads as they huffed and blew in my face and hair.
I was laughing at them when I heard the snap of a branch behind me. I froze instantly, knowing that I was being foolish to just sit here and wait for someone to speak, so I took a deep breath and turned to find two middle aged people standing beneath a tree.
The man was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, a faded jacket thrown over one shoulder. The woman looked a bit younger then they guy, her blond hair curling around her face as she smiled at me. I smiled back, and as I did Celest's warning echoed in my head...reminding me that I was not to trust anyone.
"Hello." The guy said as he took a step closer.
I opened my mouth to return the greeting, but two things happened at once. First both of my horses moved almost as one, so that they were blocking me from their view. Secondly, Michael came storming out of the house, his eyes wide in fear until his eyes locked on mine.
"W.O.W" The man said, drawing out his statement.
Michael came and stood by me, pushing slightly on Concho's side so that there was room for Michael beside me. He reached down and touched my arm his smile making me feel safe and protected.
"We were just passing by," The young girl said as she stepped up next to the man. "We just thought we would say hi."
"No harm meant." The man said, and for an instant I thought I saw something...it was like his face changed for a second, then went back to the one that was now smiling at us.
"Run." I said to Michael and at the same time we both jumped on the horses and took off, leaving all of our belongings behind.
I knew that they were following us, I could feel them. I know that sounds strange, but I could feel them running faster then humanly possible, fast enough to keep up with the horses who were being pushed as hard as they could. I heard a laugh from about ten feet behind me, and despite my better judgment I looked back to see the girl running behind us.
"How long can your horses run?" The man called from the left side of Michael.
"We're just warming up, guess who will tire first. You don't want to harm your precious horses...now do you?" The girls child like voice teased.
I looked over to find Michael watching me, his eyes wide as he looked from me to the man on his side and back. I knew he was worried, and knowing him...he was trying to figure out a way out of this.
"Just give in, we'll make it painless." The girl called as she laughed.
"Maybe for her, but the boy will suffer." The man added which just made my anger rise to the top.
I knew that loosing my temper and yelling at them would only help them, only make them feel that they were winning. I looked back to see the girl gaining on me, her smile getting bigger and bigger as she reached a hand out and touched Piper's tail.
I knew we were in trouble, I knew that Michael and I couldn't out run them...and Piper and Conco were getting tired. I knew that they were going to catch us, and once they did..only God knows what they would do to us. I felt the tears rolling down my face before I realized that I was crying. I wished that my mother was here, that she or any of my other newly found family members would find me...wait...or I could find her.
"Michael." I called as I reached my hand out for him.
He pushed Concho over so that we were close enough for him to grab my and in a fraction of a second I worried that it wouldn't work with more then one person..but I had to try. I reached my free hand up and squeezed the rose that hung around my neck, calling to my mother for help.
I wasn't sure if it was going to work, the last things I heard were the woman's voice yelling in anger, and a sound that chilled my being down to my bones, a scream or screech of something that was not human in any way.
"Let me bank the fire." He said as he went to move, but my arms went down on either side, not letting him move.
"Nope, I'm good." I said as I laughed and got comfortable against his chest.
"Me too," He said as he hugged me against him. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked as he yawned, doing his best to cover it and look cool.
"Could we talk about it tomorrow?" I asked as I closed my eyes and focused on his heart beat, which instantly made me tired again.
"Of course." He sighed as he kissed the top of my head.
"Michael?" I said as I yawned.
"Yes."
"Thank You."
"Anytime." He said as he kissed my head again. "Let's sleep, we should go early." He said as he hugged me tightly, which was the last thing I knew before the sun came up.
Chapter 29
We got up in the morning and fortunately Michael was smart enough to know that I am not a morning person. He went and tended to breakfast as I went out and got the horses ready for the day. Piper and Concho were both very happy to see me, both of them moving to knock me around with their heads as they huffed and blew in my face and hair.
I was laughing at them when I heard the snap of a branch behind me. I froze instantly, knowing that I was being foolish to just sit here and wait for someone to speak, so I took a deep breath and turned to find two middle aged people standing beneath a tree.
The man was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, a faded jacket thrown over one shoulder. The woman looked a bit younger then they guy, her blond hair curling around her face as she smiled at me. I smiled back, and as I did Celest's warning echoed in my head...reminding me that I was not to trust anyone.
"Hello." The guy said as he took a step closer.
I opened my mouth to return the greeting, but two things happened at once. First both of my horses moved almost as one, so that they were blocking me from their view. Secondly, Michael came storming out of the house, his eyes wide in fear until his eyes locked on mine.
"W.O.W" The man said, drawing out his statement.
Michael came and stood by me, pushing slightly on Concho's side so that there was room for Michael beside me. He reached down and touched my arm his smile making me feel safe and protected.
"We were just passing by," The young girl said as she stepped up next to the man. "We just thought we would say hi."
"No harm meant." The man said, and for an instant I thought I saw something...it was like his face changed for a second, then went back to the one that was now smiling at us.
"Run." I said to Michael and at the same time we both jumped on the horses and took off, leaving all of our belongings behind.
I knew that they were following us, I could feel them. I know that sounds strange, but I could feel them running faster then humanly possible, fast enough to keep up with the horses who were being pushed as hard as they could. I heard a laugh from about ten feet behind me, and despite my better judgment I looked back to see the girl running behind us.
"How long can your horses run?" The man called from the left side of Michael.
"We're just warming up, guess who will tire first. You don't want to harm your precious horses...now do you?" The girls child like voice teased.
I looked over to find Michael watching me, his eyes wide as he looked from me to the man on his side and back. I knew he was worried, and knowing him...he was trying to figure out a way out of this.
"Just give in, we'll make it painless." The girl called as she laughed.
"Maybe for her, but the boy will suffer." The man added which just made my anger rise to the top.
I knew that loosing my temper and yelling at them would only help them, only make them feel that they were winning. I looked back to see the girl gaining on me, her smile getting bigger and bigger as she reached a hand out and touched Piper's tail.
I knew we were in trouble, I knew that Michael and I couldn't out run them...and Piper and Conco were getting tired. I knew that they were going to catch us, and once they did..only God knows what they would do to us. I felt the tears rolling down my face before I realized that I was crying. I wished that my mother was here, that she or any of my other newly found family members would find me...wait...or I could find her.
"Michael." I called as I reached my hand out for him.
He pushed Concho over so that we were close enough for him to grab my and in a fraction of a second I worried that it wouldn't work with more then one person..but I had to try. I reached my free hand up and squeezed the rose that hung around my neck, calling to my mother for help.
I wasn't sure if it was going to work, the last things I heard were the woman's voice yelling in anger, and a sound that chilled my being down to my bones, a scream or screech of something that was not human in any way.