Unfamiliar (The Vandran Legacy Book 1)

by Anna-Louise Dann

  “You ok to walk?” drawled the familiar male voice from earlier. This startled her – she had been expecting to fight, not have a conversation.

  She couldn’t let him see how scared she was. “Yes, I am,” she said, trying to sound tough but her voice was raspy and let her down big time. She sounded exactly how she felt, terrified.

  “Come on, we need to get inside.” His voice was commanding and sounded impatient. She half walked, half crawled to the opening, avoiding banging her head on the van’s low roof. She stumbled as she got to the opening, wincing as a sharp pain shot through her injured thigh. This caused her to drop the water bottle which rolled away and out of her grasp; she internally cursed her own clumsiness. Her captor’s big arms suddenly reached out to grab her, she tried to scream but no sound escaped her. She kicked and punched out wildly, adrenaline taking over. She connected a few times but he was too strong. His arms wrapped around her in a bear hug, pinning her arms to her sides. She tried to throw her head back to headbutt him but it was useless, her body was too weak to fight him off.

  “Calm down,” he growled in her ear. “I know you’ve been through a terrifying ordeal and it’s not over yet but I am here to help. Please trust me and stop fighting, I promise won’t hurt you.” His deep soothing voice had her calmed for a second and she tried to relax her tense limbs against his big chest, while she anticipated her next move. She had to expect the worst after everything she had been through, she would play along and as soon as she could she was running again; she would die before she went back to that cell, back to that monster.

  “I am going to release my grip on you now,” he whispered in her ear. She allowed herself to relax fully against him, it was pointless trying to fight him anymore. Her eyes filled with tears of frustration and defeat, she didn’t want to give him a reason to seriously hurt or kill her and he could quite easily. He eased his grip on her and she slumped to the ground, her knees pulled up to her chest. He followed. Moving around to her front, he put his big hands on the top of her arms, kneeling over her. The warmth from his hands seeped through her flimsy sweatshirt; she looked up at him and her breath caught in her throat. The look of compassion and concern in his big, dark, beautiful eyes astounded her. The tears that were threatening to fall overflowed.

  “Please,” she begged, her eyes wide, pleading with him. “Please just let me go.” “I wish I could,” he said, his voice deep and filled with remorse. He met her eyes with his own again. “It’s not safe for you to be alone out there.” He paused, gathering his thoughts. “Please, I’ll explain more very soon, I promise. I know I am a stranger and I am asking a lot but please trust me. You’re safe as long as I am with you, but we need to get inside.” He pointed behind her. She turned her head, taking in their surroundings, and was surprised to see a little bed and breakfast sign. It looked like something out of an old movie set; there were little cabins all joined together like apartments. The main building was a big old farmhouse, it had a ‘PLEASE SHUT THE GATE’ sign on the fence and a big lawn with what looked like a flowerbed in the centre of it. A dim light lit up the large porch area which had a bench outside and flowers in pots. The curtains were drawn in the massive windows but she could still see some light showing through the gap at the top, this place was unbelievable.

  “Where are we?” she croaked, turning back to look at him, puzzled.

  “With people we can trust, let’s get inside,” he stated. “Will you be ok walking?”

  She nodded and he offered his hand. She took it, allowing him to pull her up, which he did with ease. “The name’s Colt,” he said, keeping hold of her hand. The warmth that travelled down to her stomach when he held her hand surprised her, and she couldn’t seem to prise her hand free from his. She looked at their hands joined and then at him for a moment, trying to grasp what was happening. He held her eyes, the butterflies in her stomach seemed to become more intense and she blushed. “Clara,” she replied. The look of embarrassment must have been apparent on her face as she shook her hand free from his awkwardly. Why was she reacting like this to him? Maybe it was because he was the first male in a long time to be nice to her and show her compassion... No, she thought. Shock. Yes, that was it, she was in shock.

  Shit, shit, shit. “Well Clara,” he drawled with a half -smile on his face which seemed to make his dark eyes shine and light up his face, “let’s get inside and then I’ll explain everything.”

  As he turned to close the van doors she decided to head towards the main building and put some distance between herself and the stirrings she had just felt. This day was becoming increasingly more bizarre by the minute.

  She contemplated running again but knew it would be useless, it was getting dark and she wouldn’t get far. She would have to ride this out and see where this stranger’s intentions lay. Her first step was a bit awkward as she tested putting her weight on her injured leg, but to her surprise it really didn’t hurt, it just ached a little – she found herself walking almost normally. It wasn’t dark yet but the night was coming. There were trees surrounding the car park and the buildings, they were somewhere secluded and private. Surprisingly there was a calming air surrounding the place. The only sounds came from the rustling of the trees as the evening breeze caught their branches and the crunching of the gravel under her feet as she limped along. She should have been terrified but she sensed there was something familiar and safe about this little place.

  Colt had said, “People we can trust.” She just had to take his word for it, she was certain she would find out soon enough.

  “You ok?” he asked from behind her, startling her out of her train of thought, and she stumbled clumsily. He reached for her, grabbing her right arm to steady her. The same warmth she had experienced before travelled up her bicep and down into the pit of her stomach. She shot him a warning look and shook him off aggressively. She was fed up of being manhandled by this stranger and the funny way her body reacted whenever he touched her. He obviously understood the look because he let her go, holding his hands up in protest.

  “Hey, take it easy,” he said, the amusement in his voice apparent. He was obviously trying to lighten the situation but she wasn’t in the mood. He grinned at her, obviously finding her frustration funny.

  This was the first time she had taken in his features properly. He had dark hair which looked like it had been tied back – a few loose bangs fell over his face. He had a strong, wide jawline which was covered in heavy stubble, and high cheekbones. Her gaze drifted to his mouth; his lips were full and drawn into a smile which showed off his straight white teeth. Damn, he is good looking, she thought. Tearing her gaze away from his edible mouth she let her eyes travel up to the thing that she had noticed first – his eyes. They were deepset and dark brown but looked almost black in this light. They drew her in, and the rest of the world faded away; she was enchanted by them. Her breath caught in her throat and she contemplated leaning in and tasting that kissable mouth. As if sensing her thoughts, he broke eye contact and kicked at the gravel, putting his hands in his jeans pockets, looking uncomfortable and a little embarrassed.

  He cleared his throat. “I’ll walk ahead and go and tell them we’ve arrived,” he said, turning away, obviously trying to create some distance between them, glancing over his shoulder at her. “You take your time, I know you must be tired,” he said gruffly. All the amusement was gone as he marched off in the direction of the house, leaving her alone wondering what had rattled him so badly. Only moments ago, he was ordering her to hurry. Had he felt the connection too? Something about him seemed to bewitch her. She watched him stride away, fascinated by the way he moved so gracefully. He had to be about six foot five and was built like a man mountain. He had a short ponytail tying back his dark hair, which brushed against the black t-shirt he was wearing. His shoulders were broad; she could make out the muscles of his back hidden under his t-shirt. This guy was a predator, but as she watched him walk away she couldn’t help the stirrings heating her up ins
ide again. Her eyes moved lower to his blue jeans and she blushed again. She mentally shook herself, what had gotten into her!? He could be a maniac leading her into a trap and she was ogling him like some hormonal teenager, this had to be the weirdest situation ever. Cursing herself for her inappropriate thoughts and the realisation that she had been stood there staring at his backside for long enough, she decided she better catch him up and find out what fate this house and its inhabitants held for her.

  Chapter Three

  Iris Startled by a knock at the front door, Iris nearly dropped the knife she had been using to chop the vegetables for the next day’s meal. She hadn’t been expecting any more guests until next week and Jake wasn’t due back from his trip for a few days. She was still pondering as to who this visitor could be as she made her way to the front door. She turned on a switch as she exited the kitchen which lit up the hallway and front door step.

  “Who is it?” she called as cheerfully as she could, although she was far from happy at being disturbed without any calls or text.

  “It’s Colt,” a familiar voice answered. She hurriedly unbolted the door and swung it open. “Colt,” she said, and threw herself at him. He wrapped his arms around her, embracing her in a tight bear hug. She gazed up at his face. “It’s so good to see you, little brother,” she whispered, trying to hold back tears.

  “It’s good to see you too, Iris,” he said and released his grip on her. Holding her at arm’s length, he looked at her lovingly. “It has been far too long,” he said and let her arms go. The look on his face told her this wasn’t a social visit; the almost black circles under his dark brown eyes, the pained expression that filled his handsome features, were signs that he was struggling with something serious. Their father always had that same look every time he came back from whatever mission the army had sent him on.

  “What’s happened, Colt? I haven’t seen you in...” “Listen,” he said, interrupting her chastising. “I need your help; do you have any spare rooms going?” She was just about to carry on scolding him when she noticed the young woman limping across the car park towards them in a soiled blue sweatshirt and torn jeans. “Who’s that, Colt?” she muttered, looking at him worriedly.

  “That’s Clara.” His eyes softened as he spoke. “She’s in a bad way, I’ll explain more later. She needs help, there’s some pretty nasty people after her.” His shoulders seemed to slump, his eyes silently pleading with her. “I know she’ll be safe here.”

  Leaving her brother, she ran down the path glancing over her shoulder, shouting to him, “Go and put the kettle on, Colt. I’ll make us some sweet tea.”

  Iris got to Clara in seconds. Taking in her appearance, there was something really familiar about her, but one thing was for certain, she had definitely been through some kind of hell. Her long auburn hair was loose and hung ragged around her face, she had deep scratch marks on her cheeks, a cut lip and a massive bruise underneath her right eye. The light blue sweatshirt she had on had a rip in the arm and her jeans had a massive tear out of the left leg where there was a dressing covering a wound. Damn, this girl had been through a battle and it looked like she had barely made it.

  “My name’s Iris, I am Colt’s big sister,” she said, offering her arm for support. “Clara,” the woman said warily, and managed a weak smile. The strain of her ordeal showed in her voice. She reluctantly took Iris’s arm. Sensing the tension and wariness radiating off this poor creature, Iris reassured her gently.

  “Don’t you worry, honey.” Iris patted her hand. “You’re gonna be ok now, we’ll take care of you, you’re safe here.” Clara seemed to relax slightly and allowed her to take some of her weight.

  When they got to the house Iris led her straight into the lounge, sitting her down on the big cream corner sofa. The open fire was already burning away so she didn’t need to add more wood just yet. She placed some cushions behind Clara to give her more comfort. “You rest here, honey, I’ll get you some sweet tea.” She turned to exit the room and realised the girl must be famished.

  “Are you hungry, honey? I have some stew in a big pan I can warm up for you.” Clara nodded at her, tears glistened in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered, and turned to watch the fire, lost in thought.

  “It’s no problem,” Iris said warmly. “I will get you some fresh clothes so you can clean yourself up too. Let me get you a warm drink first though, please make yourself comfortable.” Iris left the room. She needed to speak to Colt, the girl was terrified and looked like she had been through the wars. He needed to tell her everything and she wouldn’t stand for any of his bullshit.

  When she reached the kitchen, Colt was leaning against the sink staring into space, a look of pure anguish on his face.

  “How is she?” he asked, his face full of concern. “She has definitely been through s omething... care to elaborate, Colt?” She looked at him for a response; she had never seen Colt look so guilt-ridden. She softened her voice, pressing him further. “What happened?”

  He looked at her for a moment and she could tell he was searching for the right explanation. She knew her baby brother and he should realise she would see right through any crap he tried to throw at her; even as a child he had worn his emotions openly.

  “She was in the middle of Hunters Woods near to Lincoln Cliffs – she was beaten to shit.” His eyes darkened as the spoke and he let out a shaky breath. “Heather found her and asked me to take her somewhere safe, I patched up her leg best I could and brought her here.” He put his head back as if he was searching for more answers, the fatigue showing on his face. “You’ve seen her, right? You think it’s weird, the resemblance?” He eyed Iris, waiting for her answer.

  “Yeah, Colt, I see it,” she sighed, turning on the slow cooker to auto to warm up the stew. “If Heather has asked you to ke ep her safe then this girl is important.” Iris gave her brother a half smile, getting two bowls out of the cupboard. “God knows that poor girl looks like she has fought a battle and lost already,” Iris said, keeping her voice low. “Listen, let’s get her watered, fed, and rested. After good night’s sleep she may feel up to talking to one of us.”

  Picking up the tray Colt had set out which had a teapot full of fresh-brewed tea, a small bowl of sugar, a jug of milk and three mugs, she made her way out of the kitchen, turning at the door. “Hey, it’s going to be ok. Come on, you look like you need to rest too, little brother.”

  His mouth lifted in a half smile and tired eyes met hers. “Yeah, I’ll be through, just give me a minute,” he said gruffly.

  Nodding an understanding at him, Iris left the kitchen and headed to tend to her unexpected guest.

  Colt Colt stood in his sister’s kitchen and let himself relax, taking in the warm and welcoming surroundings and aromas of his big sister’s home. She had bought the bed and breakfast cabins and farm house after her husband John had been killed brutally thirteen years ago. She had wanted a fresh start for herself and her now eighteen-year-old son Jake after the tragedy, which had left her widowed and heartbroken. Colt had been seventeen at the time, he had stayed with Iris and Jake for a while but he never felt settled after John’s death. John had been like a father figure to him, his death had left so much restlessness in him to find out the truth behind the murder. He had been an angry, messed up teenager; he supposed it was because the case was unresolved and John’s killers had never been caught.

  At seventeen he was trying to come to grips with what he was becoming; his body was changing and he was dealing with visions and recurring nightmares. It was a fucked-up time in his fucked-up life. He had spent a lot of his time away from home travelling and discovering others like him, he had wanted to find somewhere he belonged. Iris never flipped out or got on his back about things, she was so supportive, and when he was home he helped look after Jake. He idolised his brave big sister, she was the strongest person he knew. She had used all their savings and bought this place, she said it was to give folk from the spectral community a haven or a break
from the ‘normal’ world. Colt knew her husband’s death had rattled her more than she would ever say, but this place seemed to help her and give her something to focus on, a purpose.

  Only a trusted few knew and used the place. They had always referred to it as The Sanctuary, which seemed very apt considering it was in the middle of a forest away from any ‘normal’ people. He looked around the kitchen, surprised that nothing had changed in the two years he had been away. Opening the cupboard under the sink, he sought out the firstaid kit and placed it on the counter. He knew he had made the right decision bringing Clara here. He knew Iris would have his back, she always had even as kids.

  They had grown up in Malahide, a little town near to Dublin town centre in Ireland. It was a beautiful place near the sea; he had some fond memories of that little town. Iris had taken on the mothering role after their mother had become ill with terminal breast cancer. It spread rapidly and their little mum never stood a chance. Iris had stayed strong through their mother’s death, never showing how much it devastated her, but he knew her heart was torn apart because he used to hear her crying in her room at night, sobbing into her pillow, but she maintained her composure around him and their father. He always commended her for her strength. Their father had always been away ‘working’ so it was just him and Iris against the world for a long time; even when their dad was home he hadn’t had time for them and spent most nights out with his ‘mates’, coming home too drunk to see straight. He wished he could say their father’s behaviour was a because of their mother’s demise but their father had always been a selfish bastard, choosing drink and other women over his family. He wished he could say he was sorry when he passed, but it had come as a relief to him and Iris. He rubbed an angry hand over his face, reliving old memories. They always brought back too many ghosts and things he would rather forget. It had been a hell of a day, one that he never wished to relive again. Damn, he felt shitty and pretty pissed at himself. He hadn’t handled things well; locking her up in the back of his van had seemed like the best way to get her here, but the look on her beautiful face when she looked at him, the fear shining in her emerald eyes, she had been like a wounded animal about to be fed to a beast. It was a stupid move on his part.