Chapter 1

I stared out the open window and watched and the sky bled from hazy pinks and purple to inky darkness, the summer heat faltering with the absence of the sun. I sat in the nook at my bedroom window, a forgotten book sprawled open next to me as I watched the sun set. I sighed to myself, sinking lower into the cushions till I was practically laying before the darkening glass. I turned on my side, curling up to watch the night fall. The night sung with crickets and other nocturnal creatures, the cool air slowly leaking in through the window, cooling my skin. It was a beautiful calm night, so why did I feel so restless?

I laid there for moments longer, debating if I should just close my eyes and try to sleep here by the window. Maybe if I didn't move and pretended I was tired I would just fall asleep. A long sigh escaped my lips as I sat up and raked my hands down my face, knowing full well I wouldn't be able to sleep even if I really tried. The house was empty save for me, the night seeming to push in at the walls around me. I hated being alone like this. 

My uncle was away with business, he usually didn't travel overnight often, but it happened from time to time. I was going on my third night alone, and I was wearing thin. I sat up straighter before pushing to my feet, I was a grown up, I could handle a little loneliness. That was a lie but I didn't let my thoughts linger on it as I left my cave of a room and went to the bathroom to shower. I closed and locked the door behind me, ignoring thoughts of the pressing night as I started the shower and waiting for the water to warm. 

Maybe it was because I never had to be alone much growing up, after my parents died when I was still little Chay, my uncle took me in. He was the best guardian a girl could ask for, and despite work or his own social life, he always made me a priority. There were always times like now when he had to be away, but they were few and far between. He dedicated himself to me, to us, our tiny family. As a result, here I was now, twenty two years in the making, scared of being alone. Or, maybe it was the fact that Chays idea of a nice family home was a big empty house in the middle of no where, with a total of 3 neighbors for as many miles. 

I stepped into the steaming water with a sigh, thankful for the bright bathrooms lights as I let the water rain down over my back. Why couldn't we live in the city, where it was bright with street lights and filled with people and life. Out here I felt so alone and isolated in the dark of the night, where no one would hear me scream if someone tried to kill me. Chay hated the cities though, always complaining whenever he had to spend too much time there for work. So here I was, wasting away with anxiety on my own, counting the  days till he returned. 

"Stop being such a cry baby." I said to myself as I finished up my shower then stepped our and toweled off. 

I should at least try to be a little less dependent on his presence. I was young at twenty two sure, but I wasn't a child, I could take a little isolation. I gave myself the mental pep talk as I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror with annoyance. Missing Chay as I looked at myself I started noting our resemblances.

We had the same defined but delicate jawline, same straight dainty nose. But where Chay was tanned and blonde, I was his opposite. My skin was pale, but peachy, and my hair was as black as the night void of stars. Chay was my mothers brother, my skin and hair were nods to my father. My eyes were green, like my mothers, soft and deep. Or at least that's what I saw when I looked in the mirror and thought of her, I imagined her eyes smiling down at me. Thinking of her, or of the absence pf her, made me feeling even lonelier, and I had to physically shake chill away that was settling in my bones.

I brushed my hair that was getting a little to long, falling just past my elbows, then went back to my room to get dressed. I didn't care about the window or the shades being open, there wasn't anyone close enough to even worry about being spotted. I pulled on a flowy tank top and some cotton shorts to sleep in, but I wasn't ready for bed, there was that restlessness again creeping up my spine again. I found myself standing at the front door from habit, usually I would go for a drive, or a late night walk to ease the anxiety fluttering through my body. No way was I going out there now, I never left the house at night when Chay wasn't here. 

My hand came up on its own accord, a bit of defiance straightening my spine as I grasped the cold metal doorknob. I'm an adult. I told myself with confidence and I turned the knob and pushed the door open, the heavy wood sighing softly as I did so.

I stepped through the threshold, leaving the door hanging opening and I took a tentative step farther into the alcove of the front porch. I wrapped crossed my arms over my stomach, holding onto myself and I broke off of the cement entryway and onto the soft grass. I wasn't actually going to go anywhere, I didn't have shoes on and I had left my phone inside, but I wanted to prove to myself I could at least go outside. 

I told myself I was proving a point as I still clung to myself, feeling a bit cold and underdressed suddenly, I didn't retreat back inside just yet. I walked a bit further out, well away from the light that spilled from the open front door, reaching across the grass as if it were trying to beckon me back. I walked till I was fully immersed in darkness, my bare feet sinking into the cool soft grass. I closed my eyes, letting my head fall back as I basked in the moonlight and let the night sink into me. I always enjoyed this, the quiet night, the moon hanging big and bright in the country sky, the stars like white fire across the sky, unobscured by the hazy of the city smog. It was serene, calming, grounding, I could almost relate to why Chay loved it out here so much. 

A loud snap broke the hush and seemed to echo all around me, my skin instantly tingling from goose bumps as my heart jumped to my throat from the intrusive sound. I take it back, I didn't need to prove anything to anyone, I was a scaredy cat. I quickly turned on my heel and marched as quickly back the way I came as my pride would allow. Chay could keep his country fetish to himself, I wanted streetlights and noisy neighbors. 

The hairs on the back of my neck were standing attention and a chill crawled up my spine, I was trying hard to tamper down my childish panic as I neared the front door, dread snaking through my stomach as I saw it was no longer open, but fully shut. No light stretched out to greet me, just me and the darkness at my back, what was I supposed to do now? I know I left it open because I was too scared to close it behind me, no way didn't it close on its own. Instantly my mind starting playing out one worst case scenario after another.

First important question, if there was a big bad guy lurking around, and he was presumably the one who closed the door, was he waiting for me inside, or was he sneaking around out here with me? Second question, what was I supposed to do now? That wasn't really up for debate actually, no way was I waiting around outside in the dark. I quietly stepped into the alcove and strained to hear anything as I slowly turned the knob and pulled the door open. I peaked and didn't see anything out of place, I darted inside quietly and quickly closed and locked the door behind me. 

There I stood, back to the door frozen for what seemed like forever. Nothing happened, no sound or shadow, just my heart pounding away as I tried to asses the situation. Someone was definitely here, right? I knew that had to be true, how else had the door closed? But I heart nothing, saw nothing, the house felt, empty. The kind of empty that told you no one was in the next room. I continued to wait but it seemed more and more that I was the only one present. A few more moments and the a breath shook from my lungs as I let go of the tension that had been building  in my body. The door probably swung back on itself after I pushed it open too far, I jumped to conclusions and scared myself. 

I almost laughed as I pushed away from the door and further into the house, into the kitchen to grab a water bottle from the fridge, practically chugging the cold liquid as I moved to the back door. Did I feel silly for checking the lock, yes, would I also make sure the windows were closed and locked too? Also yes. I almost dragged myself through the house, the sudden spike and loss of adrenalin exhausting me, I hoped this meant I wouldn't have much trouble sleeping now. 

With all locks secured I padded back to the front of the house and headed for the stairs, just as my foot hit the first step a sharp knocking echoed through the house. I froze, breath catching for a moment as I slowly turned to face the front door. Pulling myself away from the steps I stood silent, heart pounding in my ears as I waited. I definitely hadn't imagined that, But moments stretched on quietly that I almost started to question my sanity. Then without warning the house was filled with the loud rapping and I had to swallow my scream from the sudden panic that bubbled inside of me. I quickly crossed the space pressing my hand to the door as I raised my face to the peep hole. It was dark but I could tell there was indeed someone on the other side, a man I didn't recognize. I held my breath as I watched, willing myself into silence as to not give myself away. He was looking off to the side towards the ground, waiting seemingly patiently for me to answer, as if it wasn't strange for him to be at my door at such a late hour unannounced.

 

I couldn't see much, he was abscised in shadow and I couldn't see anything in the distance, no car in the driveway, so how did he get here and why. I wasn't about to open the door and find out but as I watched I saw his chin lift ever so slightly and his eyes shifted sideways ion my direction. He stayed there for a moment, as if he was listening to something I couldn't hear, then he stepped closer raising his hand to rest against the door. I pulled away, feeling a heat rush over me realizing his hand rested on the door opposite of mine, like he knew I was there. No way. I eased back to the door and looked again, I almost couldn't see him now he was standing so close to the door, leaning down into it mirroring me as best as he could with the height he had one me. 

He stayed there for a moment before moving his hand and another round of knocking sounded, softer this time, vibrating the wood under my fingertips. I let out a soft gasp, taken by surprise and I saw him pull away with a smug smile. 

"Open the door." He managed to speak quietly but I could still hear the request. 

He stood there at his full height now, hand confidently in his pockets as he waited, sure that I would comply. I didn't move frozen with panic now mixed with confusion. 

"No." I managed to croak out a little more than a whisper that thankfully had a little more backbone in it than than what I was currently feeling. Still pressed to the door watching him he had the audacity to smile, cocky, amused,  still so sure that I do just as he asked. 

"Chay sent me," He said in a more serious tone, "He said don't forget to leave the light on for him."

I was stepping away from hugging the door and reaching for the knob at the same time. That's what Chay always said whenever traveled overnight for work, it started as him teasing me when I was younger because he would come home to all the lights on because I was scared of the dark. I didn't need to leave the lights on anymore, but he still said it, like a ritual now. Always at the doorway as he was leaving 'Don't forget to leave the light on for me', it was like his way of saying 'Bye, see you later, love you.'

So I knew he was telling the truth, I might not know who this man was or why he was here, but Chay was vouching for him buy giving him that line to tell to me. I swung the door wide without another thought and suddenly the light was spilling out into the alcove, and the stranger was illuminated before me. 

I had already known he was tall, but standing  face to face now he seemed to tower over me. He was maybe 6 foot, but something about him made him seem bigger, more intimidating. Black boots laced up over his ankles with black jeans tucked into them, tight and hugging his legs all the way to his waist that were wrapped with a simple black belt. His shirt seemed to hug and hang over his torso in just the right places, his arms bare to the night air as he stood there waiting, hand in pockets, I could make out the edges of a tattoo of his left forearm. His shoulders were broad enough to save his lithe form from looking delicate, at it was then that I noticed that even though he wasn't bulging with muscles they were definitely there, a tension of strength just under the surface. 

He made a small movement that brough my attention to his face and I realized I had been starting, practically sizing him from the toes up the whole time. Now that my attention was on his face I had to focus on not continuing to stare. 

"What's going on?" I questioned, because although I had decided to trust him enough to open the door, I still wasn't sure why he was here. 

He moved before he spoke, stepping towards me and I mirrored him, stepping back further into the house to give him entrance.  It felt like a dance, him moving into me as I moved away, both of us turning in our movement so that when he moved past me and turned to face me I was turning as I closed the door to look up at him. 

"I cant give you details till were on the road, but I have to get you out of here and somewhere safe." I had been watching the way his hair fell around his face and shoulders as wed moved around each other, and inky straight darkness what framed all that pale skin. His strong jaw flexing as he talked, his lips almost dark against his skin and I got a small glimpse of perfect set of teeth before he stopped talking and watched me watch him. 

It took me too many extra moments to register exactly what he had said.

"What do you mean safe? I'm home, I'm as safe as I'm gonna be." We were staring at each other now and I made a prompt mental note to focus more on the conversation then his looks, but not before noting his deep hazel eyes framed by dark lashes. 

"Ill explain as soon as we get going, but now's not the time to argue," I opened my mouth to do exactly that when he cut me off, "Chay wouldn't have sent me with that message if it weren't important." He words were matter of fact, but there was a slight bit of gentle reasoning in his tone, almost like he was trying to ask my nicely without actually saying please.

I stood there for a moment, almost immediately sunk on my notions of arguing any further. I did know it had to be important, whatever it was, and that I should listen to reason especially since he was trying to be nice about it. Still, there was a part of me that wasn't really happy about letting it go without an argument, Chay did always say I was stubborn. I kept my mouth shut though.

"You can grab a few things, make it quick." He tipped chin towards the stairs, as if to say go on. I had the urge to get the last word in again but I turned to the stairs in silence. Stubborn, not me.

Reluctantly I did as he asked and hurried through my room, grabbing a few important things. I didn't know the situation so I could pack appropriately, but I grabbed a spare set of clothes, my wallet, phone and charger, my to-go bag of toiletries, the book I had been trying to read earlier and my laptop. I shoved it all in the over sized tote I had for weekend trips, slipped on my shoes and headed back down the stairs as I was throwing my dark curls into a messy bun. 

As I had packed my mind was racing, what was going on, was Chay okay? What could possibly be going on that I was in danger, and who was this guy he sent? But as I bounded down the stairs there was only one question that escaped my lips.

"Was that you creeping around outside before? You scared the crap out of me." I said as I finished with my hair and looked up to see his expression change to puzzlement at my question. 

I'm not sure what he would have said next because as my foot hit the last step a loud bang sounded as the door behind him was being thrown open by some great force. The hinges gave and the door fell into him and he fell to the floor, my eyes shot up to see a hulking figure stepping through onto the fallen door, he paid no mind to the man under him as he walked over the debris, his eyes never leaving mine. 

The tote fell from my shoulder as I turned and practically launched myself back up the stairs. He was a big man, and his eyes were cold and death, paired with an almost deranged smile and he seemed to be enjoying the chaos he was creating. My blood ran cold looking into those eyes, I didn't waste a second trying to get away from him, because it was very clear he had his sights on me and he was about to enjoy the chase. Distantly, as me feet pounded up the steps, I realized this was probably the situation that I needed to be kept safe from. I wasn't sure how all the dots connected, but Chay had known in some way that someone was coming after me, and since he was indisposed somewhere else, he had sent the other man to keep me safe. So much good that seemed to be doing. 

Panic tightened my chest and threated to steal the air from my lungs, I was running down the upstairs hall approaching a dead end. My only option was to  hope I could make it to the spare bedroom and get the door locked behind me before he caught up. A second after I had the though I felt the air move at my back, too late. I dropped to the ground, not knowing what else to do, and scrambled back the way I had come after feeling his large form trip over and sail past me. Just as I as turning to jump back down the stairs I knew the large man was at my back again, he was big and fast. 

The tall handsome man from before was back on his feet, reaching the top step just as I was coming down, his hand came out reaching towards me and then past. I heard the slap of flesh as he grabbed the larger man and in one fluid motion swept me to the side while pulling at the larger man, using his bulk and momentum against him to throw him down the steps. He didn't waste a second and stalked down the steps after him, catching him just as he was climbing to his feet. He was fast, moving in and driving his knee into the other mans face before he got upright, blood splashed again the tile floor as his head flew back. 

The man recovered quickly and the two of them grappled for a moment before the smaller man landed a few solid hits stunning him. He circled behind him dodging a meaty hand that weakly reached out for him. I saw him towering behind him, noticing that the other man was large and imposing but he was the shorter of the two. In one moment they were standing there facing me, I saw him reach from behind the other man to seemingly cradle the other mans face in his hands, then the next a sickly crack echoed through the room and the large man slumped to the floor with a loud boneless thud. 

I think I stopped breathing for a moment, my eyes locked on the meaty form of what used to be a man, then my gaze flicked up to the one still standing. Are eyes met over the scene of what had just transpired, my heart beating fast and loud in my ears as he watched me process the moment. He was a bad guy. I gently reasoned with myself, and while I very much appreciated not dyeing, nor did I feel much sadness for his life, I did not know what to do with the vision of him falling to his death on the tile floor of my home. 

There's a dead guy in my entryway, then a secondary thought followed, he was trying to kill me.

I looked up to the stranger that was still standing, there was a smear of blood across his hand and up his arm, his breathing was calm as if he hadn't just been involved in an altercation, let alone a murder. He watched me for moments while I said nothing, did nothing, then he took a small step back towards the door.

 

"We should get going." It was a challenge, a question, would I still go with him? He had saved me, protected me like he said he was here to do. This was proof enough that my uncle did indeed send him here to keep me safe. Would I still go with him?

I looked down at the fallen man, remembered the dead look in his eyes. If he hadn't been stopped it might be me on the floor right now.

 I didn't speak but I moved around the body to stand by the door, he backtracked and grabbed my fallen bag, its contents half spilled and forgotten. We didn't look back at the tile floor as we left, it wasn't till we were at the end of the drive where the car was waiting out of sight did I look back the the house. The darkness covered the home save for the gaping hole where the door used to be, light spilling out like a an open wound. My face flushed hot, tears stinging my eyes as I ducked into the back seat of the unfamiliar SUV, and watched my house shrink from view as we drove off into the unknown.