The Skinwalker Hunter

Chapter 3 - Mia present day

I pulled into Grandma's driveway, turning off the car and grabbing my things from the front seat. The heavy, steel door groaned in protest as I forced it open with my shoulder. The poor, old thing had seen better days and lately, there were more bad ones than good.

I don't know if anyone else gets emotionally attached to a car but Tilly was like an old friend to me. She was my first car and a classic at that if you considered her age.

Fumbling with the keys in the door, I locked the seventy-eight Toyota Celica, as if someone would want to steal it, and headed up the driveway to check the letterbox. Juggling my work bag, jacket and lunch box into one arm so I could check the mail, I glanced up noticing the shiny red Lexus parked in front of the house. I scrunched up my face in confusion. I'd grown up on this street knowing every neighbour and what car they drove. This car, I didn't know. 

Reaching in and grabbing the few letters, I snapped the lid shut and narrowed my eyes once more at the red intruder before turning on my heels and heading to the front door. 

When I went to open the door, I stumbled over the step in the entrance, nearly falling flat on my face.

"Mia, you're home." Grandma squeaked, door handle in hand and look of surprise fading as her warm violet eyes met mine. She stepped to the side to let me in with a weird look on her face. Even the smallest of shocks for a woman her age wouldn't be a good thing I guessed.

"Hey, Grandma, " I said leaning down to plant a kiss on her cheek. "You'll never guess what happened at work today."

"Tell me all about it over dinner, " she told me with a strained smile.

I did a double-take, confusion and worry seeping into my thoughts. Something was wrong. As little old ladies went, my grandma was overflowing with sweetness. The lines embedded in her face were from years of happiness, laughing and natural smiles, not this pained excuse she was trying to pass off as a smile now. I was not going to let this go. Well, I would dump my stuff in my room first and then I wasn't going to let it go.

Taking another stride down the hallway two things happened. Firstly, her eyes widened and her mouth slowly dropped open and secondly, I slammed into what felt like a brick wall, bouncing backwards and falling on my butt.

I glanced up trying to focus on the dark figure now standing above me. Scooting backwards along the floor, my leg scraped across a stray nail and I yelped in pain. The figure took a step closer, leaning down with an outstretched hand. Thick, black curls tumbled down his forehead,  swept back into place with his other hand while looking at me expectantly. Glaring at the hand like it was about to grow teeth and bite me, I scrambled to my feet taking a protective stance in front of Grandma. A mountain of muscles in the form of a man was standing in my hallway looking like he just stepped off the runway. His designer white shirt and jeans screamed out the expense and I couldn't help but wonder what the hell he doing in my neighbourhood let alone in my house. 

"Mia, this is Evan Delano, " she said placing her frail hand on my waist and shoving me out of the way. She may look small and frail but my grandma was packing some mighty strength under that cardigan. It was enough to knock some sense into me or at least stop me from drooling, which we both knew was going to happen. 

"Pleased to meet you, " he said extending his hand once more.

I wearily eyed his hand still waiting for teeth to jump out at me, before mentally slapping myself and meeting it with mine. His hand was cool to the touch and sent a rush of electricity throughout my body. Not helping with the drooling situation one bit. Flinching back, I reefed my hand from his and held it behind my back. Don't get me wrong, the sensation was a pleasant one and the instant my hand was free I wanted to grab his hand again. 

"Mia, " I belatedly told him, fighting the heat I could feel rising in my cheeks. My eyes locked with the dark pools that were his eyes. They weren't the serial killer type, more like warm and inviting and so intense.

"I know, " a slow smile started to emerge on his perfect face, reaching only one side of his mouth. "Your grandmother told me all about you."

Yeah right, I sniggered to myself. My grandma was the Fort Knox of information. "Oh, right. Of course."

"Evan was just leaving, " Grandma said pulling me to the side so Evan could get past. If I wasn't mistaken, my grandmother wanted this guy to leave. Then I would drill her until she spilled the beans. Who was I kidding? Not even James Bond had a chance prying anything out her tight lips.

His arm brushed against mine as he walked past sending another wave of tingles through me. My breath caught in my throat, heart started racing and that damned heat was riding in my cheeks again. Get a hold of yourself, Mia I scolded, unable to stop from sneaking a peek at the firm muscular butt filling those jeans. 

He turned quickly as soon as he was outside, locking those eyes on mine. I sucked in a breath and held it, convinced he had busted me checking him out.

"It was a pleasure speaking with you, Mrs Sinclair, " he said shifting his gaze to Grandma. "I look forward to seeing you both again."

And with that, he turned and strode down the footpath. Neither of us said anything until he turned the corner at the end of the street in that shiny, red Lexus.

"Pick this up," Grandma made an air circle with her fingers over everything I had dropped earlier. She closed the door, clicking the lock into place before walking down the hallway. 

My mouth dropped open as I stared after her. Who was this woman and what had they done with my grandmother?

"Stupid Lexus driver, " I muttered gathering everything off the floor and dumping it on my bed. My excitement and happy mood from earlier had been strapped into a roller coaster and taken for a ride. 

Letters clutched in my hand I entered the kitchen, feeling uneasiness settling deep in my stomach. Grandma was sitting at the table, hands folded in front of her waiting for me. She gestured to the seat on her left, once more folding her hands.

Gulping down the lump now forming in my throat, I sat down placing the scrunched letters on the table. The silence stretched out before us in what felt like an awkward eternity. Finally, she reached across the table grabbing my hand in hers. My heart sank, this wasn't good.

"Mia, " she started to say struggling with something.

"What is it, Grandma?" My stomach was knotted up with worry. Tears were stinging my eyes, threatening to spill down my cheeks. I'd never seen her like this before. Grandma was all rainbows and puppy dogs, not dark clouds and whatever else she was right now. She was freaking me out.

"Mia, " she started again. "I'm afraid we have to move."

"Move. What do you mean move?" She wasn't making sense, we'd lived here nearly all my life. "We can't move. I don't want to move."

"I'm afraid we have no choice, sweetie." Her expression was glum but very serious. She was serious. My heart began to sink as my head filled with so many questions needing answers.

"We have no choice, " I stuttered, "Why do we have no choice? Don't you own the house? No one can force us to leave if you own it, right?"

She shook her head slowly still not giving me anything to go on. Damn Fort Knox of information. Anger started to course through my body, burning a path as it went and the room started to shake. Grandma squeezed my hand and her face came back into focus.

"That's it, Mia. Come back to me. Take control, " she soothed now gently stroking my hand. My eyes dropped to the table as shame now washed over me.

"I'm sorry, " I whimpered still not quite in control. "I don't understand. Is that Evan guy taking your house? Is he some kind of bank type person, because in all honesty, he should have dressed more professionally. I can make a complaint about his behaviour if you want. Buy us more time to figure something out."

Grandma chuckled at my ramblings and squeezed my hand again. "No, sweetie, he wasn't some bank type guy."

"So why do we have to leave," I asked still at a complete loss for what was going on. "I know he's involved somehow. Please tell me?"

"Evan is here to help, "she explained. "We are not safe here anymore. We have to leave."

I sighed, nodding my head in acceptance. Grandma wasn't going to tell me any more than that no matter what I did or said. " When do we have to go?"

"That's my girl, " she smiled, pushing her chair back to stand. "Evan can have us out of here by tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night, " I gasped, feeling my throat closing up again. "Where are we going?"

"To the country." 

That was that. Grandma's actions and tone told me the topic was over. She was Fort Knox. You could tell her anything, but nothing was getting out without her say so. She'd been like this only a few times since I came to live with her and each time she kept her vault of information tightly locked. Both my parents had died when I was three years old and twenty years later, I still had no clue how they died.

"Wait, what," I stuttered, not completely getting out what I wanted to say. Like a light switching on in my head, a whole new bombardment of questions desperately needed answers. "If we're moving to the country, how am I going to get to work each day?"

"You're not," she said simply. "You have all day tomorrow to tie up loose ends, including giving your notice at the zoo."

"Oohhh," I whined. "I like this job."

"You'll find another," she declared, flitting about the kitchen, pulling out different pots and pans.

"But I like that one." I was starting to sound like spoilt brat years younger than I was. I shook my head, hopefully shaking off the petulant child and set about collecting ingredients for dinner.

Grandma smiled at me, the smile almost reaching her eyes and handed me a knife. "So, tell me what happened at work today."

I laughed at the complete one-eighty our moods and conversation had taken. This was the sweet little old lady I'd grown up with and loved. Peeling the veggies in the sink, I did a play by play on what happened with the lions and the boy, while grandma listened intently.