by Kayla Krantz
The one who threatened to tear her to pieces.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” she said, straightening her spine and looking up at him defiantly. “You’re a Satanist, and you hide that from everyone. You live in an old, rundown house, you’re emancipated from your parents, and you faked being drunk to get me grounded. I mean, come on—who does that?”
He stepped closer, pressing his body against hers as he ran his tongue along his teeth. He reached out, grabbing a lock of her hair to twirl between his fingers “I’m not normal, congratulations on figuring that out. But you’re not either.”
“Just get away from me!” Luna screeched, shoving him. She didn’t like the demented gleam that had appeared in his eyes.
Chance stumbled backwards a few feet away from her. He didn’t fall, but something tumbled from his pocket and landed in the dirt beside him. She squinted at it, and her eyes widened in horror as she recognized the snake-handled dagger from the dream. Dried blood covered the silver blade. Next to it on the ground sat a white ribbon splattered in the same red as the dagger.
She stared at the fabric, her hand reaching up to cover her mouth. It was Susan’s beloved hair ribbon. Luna could guess the blood belonged to her as well. She lost her balance at the shock and sat on the ground, her eyes stuck on the bloody objects which had fallen out of his pocket. Chance bent down to pick up the knife and the ribbon. He slid the ribbon into his pocket as quickly as he could though he held the knife out to her.
“This is nothing, really,” he said nonchalantly, waving the bloodstained knife in the air.
“Just stay away from me!” she stammered again as she stood up.
She had seen enough to know she had been right…to know she had always been right. Before had been nothing but speculation but the last minute of her life had given her the physical evidence she was after.
“You can’t leave now,” he said bitterly, grasping the top of her arm roughly.
“Just don’t come by me!” With that, she pulled herself free and ran as fast as she could.
Luna didn’t hear any footsteps behind her, but when she threw a glance over her shoulder, Chance followed her slowly, his eyes like hardened sapphires. The dagger was gone, and she guessed he had hidden it in his pocket along with Susan’s ribbon. He had definitely killed Susan with that knife, and to make it worse, he hadn’t even bothered to clean it off afterward.
She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, making sure she didn’t trip over her feet. For a minute, she considered screaming out for help, but Chance would act innocent the second someone came to her aid.
She was on her own.
A dog howled in the distance, and Luna felt her muscles tense. That wasn’t a normal dog—it was Chance’s dream dog coming to his aid to help him hunt…like he had told her his dogs had done for him before. It was the dog that had nearly killed Max.
Luna kept running until the park lay far behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and realized Chance wasn’t behind her anymore. She let out a sigh of relief at the chance to take a break. A chill ran down the length of her spine. She knew why he had been following her. He wanted to scare her into silence because the blood had belonged to Susan Cross.
Chapter Forty
LUNA KEPT RUNNING, though she didn’t see Chance anywhere behind her. He knew where she lived so it wouldn’t be hard for him to follow her. Her stomach twisted in a knot at the thought. She couldn’t go home. She skidded to a stop as she reached a road.
Luna needed to find a place to hide, and she needed to find a place quick. Behind her, Chance was closing in. She suddenly knew what it felt like to be hunted. The panic, the desperate need to live sparking that fight-or-flight reaction, rose like bile threatening to make her vomit. She laughed to herself at the irony—another reason to hate hunters. She looked up and down the road, her heart beating so hard so she thought she would throw up. A deep red car the color of blood slowed down as it approached her.
She watched it, fidgeting her fingers as she shifted her weight between her legs, unsure if she should run away or not. Was it one of Chance’s friends? The window slowly rolled down, and she held her breath until she saw Amy peering at her. Relieved, she let out the air she had been holding.
“Luna, are you okay?” Amy asked, drawing her brows together in worry.
Luna stared back, completely speechless. How could she explain the situation? She heard a rustle in the bushes behind her and knew Chance was close.
“No. I need help,” she replied finally, clasping her hands together in front of her chest as she gasped for air.
Amy popped open the passenger door. “Get in.”
Luna climbed into the seat, closing the door behind her as fast as she possibly could, clicking the lock into place. Amy stepped on the gas and drove down the road. Luna leaned back against the chair, finally able to take a deep breath and relax. She was safe. She looked in the side mirror to see Chance emerge in the place she had stood just moments before by the side of the road.
Amy noticed him too. “Is that Chance?”
Luna nodded weakly, catching the angry expression on his face as his figure grew rapidly smaller. She had successfully gotten away, but it would be impossible to run forever.
“What happened to you?” Amy asked.
Luna bit her lip as she tried to think of an idea that would cover all of the things that had happened.
“Well, I got in a fight with my dad, and I ran away from home this morning. Chance’s dog got loose, and it chased me. I guess he hasn’t found it yet,” Luna explained, trying to sound normal.
Amy looked at her, a slight frown turning down the corners of her pouty lips. “You didn’t get bit by it, did you?”
She shook her head back and forth. “No, I managed to outrun it, but I might not have been able to if you hadn’t shown up when you did.”
“It was no problem. So, I guess that means you don’t have any place to stay tonight?”
“No…I can’t go home, and I don’t want to risk staying outside with his dog loose.”
That wasn’t a lie. She didn’t want to end up falling prey to one of Chance’s cruel dogs—or Chance himself.
“Well, you can stay with me as long as you need to,” Amy offered.
“Really?” Luna’s eyebrows shot up. Of all the people she knew, she hadn’t expected her to be the one to offer something so generous.
“Yeah. I live with my sister, and there’s plenty of room at our house. I’m sure she won’t mind,” Amy replied, shrugging.
“I would really appreciate that,” Luna admitted, chewing on the nail of her forefinger.
“Then it’s no trouble at all.”
Luna looked at her. After all the instances of Chance trying to hurt her, it was nice to know there were still people willing to help.
***
CHANCE EMERGED FROM the bushes in time to see Luna crawl into a red car, which quickly sped away. He clutched the handle of his dagger in frustration; he had been so close. Obviously fearful of what she had seen, he was sure if she got the chance, she would tell. He hadn’t planned to kill her—just scare her into silence like he had done to Susan. He watched the car speed off down the road. Felix came to a halt by his side, and Chance reached down to pet the big, mangy dog between the ears.
“Don’t worry, Felix, she only got away for now,” he said to the mutt.
***
AFTER ABOUT TWENTY minutes, they reached Amy’s house. Luna was glad to see the normalcy of it in the middle of a quiet neighborhood. Her house had a red tile roof and a tiny porch with a couple steps. It didn’t look big, but it looked comfortable.
Amy pulled into the driveway, and they climbed out of the car. She led the way up to the door, which had a path leading to it with flowers growing along both sides, and pushed it open. Luna stood in the doorway as Amy disappeared through an arch between the entrance and the kitchen. Luna couldn’t measure the relief she felt when she saw the fully-functional li
ght fixtures and furniture clean of dust and cobwebs. It was the opposite of Chance’s house in every aspect. Luna peeked into the living room, and she could see a hallway with a lit bedroom at the end of it. The corner of the living room held a staircase and a wall separated the living room from the kitchen. It was a comfortable house.
Luna peeled off her muddy boots and set them beside the door as she took an uncertain step inside. Amy reappeared in front of her with a much taller girl walking beside her. The girl resembled Amy with the same flowing brown hair and eyes, but Luna could tell she was older, if only by a few years.
“Luna, this is Michelle. She’s my sister,” Amy explained.
Luna nodded at her then turned to Michelle. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”
Michelle also nodded. “Same to you. Amy told me the situation. I understand it completely. I remember being a teenager. I had problems with my parents all the time. They’ll blow over eventually, but until then, you’re welcome to stay with us as long as you’d like.”
Luna smiled at her politely. “Thank you, that’s very kind.”
“It’s no problem,” she insisted. “We love the company. I’m making dinner, and you’re more than welcome to join us.”
“Please,” Luna agreed.
Michelle smiled, and walked away, disappearing back into the kitchen.
Amy glanced at Luna. “So, what do you want to do until dinner?”
“Hmm, I don’t know,” she said thoughtfully. “What do you like to do?”
“Come on up to my room, and I’ll show you.”
Amy turned and led the way up the stairs, and Luna followed her. She opened the first door in the long hallway and flicked on a light, and Luna looked around in amazement. On the other side of the room was a fluffy white bed with a light blue dresser beside it. A window sat above it and white carpet stretched across the floor. The walls on every side, along with the ceiling, were pink. Huge canvases of white paper stretched out on every wall with detailed cartoon drawings on them.
“Did you draw these?” Luna inquired, running her finger along the edge of the nearest drawing as her eyes darted over it, taking in every inch.
“Mhmm. I love drawing cartoons. It’s my favorite thing to do when I get the time.”
“They’re really good,” Luna murmured as she stepped up to the closest paper to study a cartoon elephant.
“Thanks. I hope I can make a career out of this.”
“With this talent, it’ll be no problem for you,” Luna replied as her eyes darted between the rest of the papers in the room.
“Thank you. Want me to show you how to draw one?” she asked curiously. She dug through her closet on the other side of the room, then re-emerged clutching a box of colored pencils and a small sketchpad. She seemed so full of life, different than the way Luna was used to seeing her at school.
“Of course,” Luna said, smiling at her.
They sat down on her bed, and Amy held a pencil to the paper as she drew out a cartoon slowly and explained every step of the process. Luna watched her with amusement, feeling like she hadn’t truly known Amy before this moment.
Was everyone so different outside of school?
Was that how Kate and her friends had been out of school? Had they had promising potentials which had been cruelly ripped away from them? Luna found it hurt to think about Susan. What future had Chance ripped away from her? Finally, Amy finished the drawing and held it up. A smiling dog stared at her from the paper, and she looked at it proudly.
“Not bad for a quick drawing.”
Luna smiled at her again, trying to bottle the reaction that thoughts of Susan gave her. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“Amy! Luna! It’s time for dinner!” Michelle called from downstairs.
Amy set down her newest drawing and stood up. “We should get down there. If you wait too long, she starts to get anxious. She has this weird fear that people hate her cooking even though she’s brilliant with food.”
“That is a bit strange,” Luna agreed and followed her as she led the way back downstairs.
Michelle placed three plates of Salisbury steak on the table, and the smell of food was enticing. The bowl of cereal Luna had eaten that morning was hours away. Luna sat down to eat, and Amy sat beside her. Michelle watched both of them scarfing down the food with a pleased expression on her face.
“This is really good, sis,” Amy said through a mouthful.
Luna didn’t compliment her because she was too busy eating. Amy’s comment said it all—her food was good.
Michelle appeared even happier at her comment. “Thanks, it’s a homemade recipe. I tried not to miss a step. What do you think of it, Luna?”
“It’s really good, thank you for letting me have some,” she replied, smiling up at her as she finally managed to swallow the large bite she had taken.
Michelle looked proud as she sat down in front of her portion. A knock rang out from the front door, cutting through the silence. Michelle slammed her knife to the table, seeming frustrated that she hadn’t gotten to eat a bite of her food yet.
“I’ll get it,” she said, standing back up.
She disappeared into the living room to answer the door. Luna could hear her voice mumbling as she talked to someone. She reappeared, with Chance trailing behind her. The bite of food Luna had taken stuck in her throat. She forced herself to swallow it. She coughed, and he looked at her through eyes gleaming with satisfaction. His shoulders were cocked back, making him seem taller as watched her with a small smirk on his face.
How in the world had he found her?
“Luna, this boy says he’s here to take you home,” Michelle said, glancing between them.
Luna stood up, clutching onto the edge of the table as her legs shook beneath her. “That can’t be right.”
“Oh, come on, Luna. Your dad’s in the truck, and he’s worried sick about you,” Chance said, tilting his head to the side as he shifted his weight subtly between his legs. “He just wants to talk to you.”
Michelle and Amy looked at her at the same time, like they couldn’t decide who to believe. She was on her own again.
“Well, it looks like you have to go,” Amy said, wiping her mouth with a nearby napkin. “It was nice having you over, and I hope we can do this again sometime.”
“Come by anytime you like,” Michelle added. “You’re a nice guest to have.”
If they let her go with Chance, there might not be another time for her. Her eyes darted between both Amy and Michelle as fear pierced through her. They obviously believed he was sincere. Luna swallowed the fear. She shouldn’t be scared of him, she should be facing him.
Gathering her courage, she walked up to him, head raised like a lioness and looked him in the face. “Okay, I’m ready to go.”
He smiled at her, nodding approvingly, and gently grasped the top of her arm to lead her to the living room. When Michelle and Amy were out of sight behind the wall blocking the kitchen, he threw her ahead of him and opened the door. After thrusting her outside, he closed the door behind him.
In the time she had been at Amy’s house, the sun had risen to its highest point in the sky and then sunk again to slip beneath the horizon line. The moon was a mere scratch in the dark sky with the stars a light glitter around it.
Luna could barely see Chance, and she knew it would be harder for anyone going by to see if she needed help from him. That thought inspired panic in her, but she wouldn’t let Chance know that.
“Okay, what do you want from me?” Luna asked him, stomping her foot bitterly. “How did you know I was here?”
“Just get in the truck,” he said, his tone calm.
“No,” she countered, standing to her full height. “You can’t make me.”
He sighed. “Yeah, I can.” He put his hand to her back.
He pushed her gently toward the truck, and her feet dug at the ground the entire time. When she stood beside it, she could see her father sitting in the passenger seat an
d relaxed a bit. Chance hadn’t been lying. She wouldn’t be with him alone. Relief pierced through her with the knowledge that he wouldn’t do anything to her with David there.
“Get in the truck,” he said again.
Luna turned to him, glaring before she opened the door and climbed into the seat behind her father. She was safe for the moment, but what would happen the next time Chance was alone with her?
Chapter Forty-One
WHEN LUNA CLIMBED into the truck, she sat down carefully. She didn’t know what Chance had in the backseat. It seemed as normal as any truck…except for the empty duffle bag at her feet. She kicked at it absently, wondering what she had been expecting to find.
“Luna, where have you been all day?” her father asked her worriedly from the passenger seat.
She glanced up and realized he had turned around in his seat to look at her.
“I was away, what does it matter to you?” she snapped, tightening her face as she remembered her anger at him.
“You’re my only daughter,” he replied as Chance climbed into the driver’s seat and closed the door. “Of course it matters to me what happens to you.”
She ignored him. He didn’t care about her; he had already proved that much. “How did you know I was here anyway?” She looked away to the window.
“I didn’t.”
“I did,” Chance piped up. “I had a feeling you’d be at her house.”
“How? You didn’t even know that I know her.”
Her father didn’t give him the chance to answer. “You’re lucky he found you, Luna.”
“Why’s that? Because I was actually hanging around decent people for a change?” she growled, folding her arms across her chest.
“Luna, I apologize, but having an attitude with me right now isn’t helping anything,” her dad said.
“Just let me out.” She spoke in the same bitter tone. “I’ll walk home. That’ll help a lot.”
