HIS SCENT IS A MOON LIT LIE

Chapter Seven

Elara’s POV

I couldn’t move.

Not even if I wanted to.

So, I remained there, my eyes staring at the building right across the street, at the two men who now had their eyes on me. My lips parted slightly, and my brain did the one thing it shouldn’t have.

Growing up, Dad always said I seemed to have a death wish. As a kid, I was the one who ran towards danger rather than away from it. Dad and Mom used to practically go through the entire house every day to ensure I wouldn’t find something that could put my life at risk.

The same thing was happening, and I couldn’t stop it.

Rather than my body pulling away from the window, to close the blinds and never return, I leaned forward instead, my eyes narrowing and my heart thudding hard against my chest.

Nothing stirred, and for what seemed like an eternity, the only audible sound was that of my own heart. But it all changed in one second.

It felt like a split in the order of things as the boy with Jordan suddenly bared his teeth in a grin. For some reason, a shudder ran up my spine, cold and raw.

“Get inside.”

The voice came through my head, and it took a minute to realize it was him. I still hadn’t gotten used to hearing him that way, to listening to someone inside of me other than myself.

“Now!” This time, he was louder, enough to push me backwards. I scrambled away from the window, pulling the blinds shut and running to my bed, where I folded half of my body, my knees touching my chest.

My eyes darted to the closed blinds at intervals, and I tried to make sense of it all. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, so why did he yell at me that way? And now that I think about it, I had nothing to be scared of.

I’d seen the guy talking to Jordan around before. My mother warned me to stay away from him, that he was no good news. I should warn Jordan, too, before he initiated him into whatever cult he operated.

“Yeah,” I whispered to myself, jumping out of bed and racing out of my room as if I was being pursued. My hair billowed around me, dancing according to the beat of the wind, and my feet hit the stairs in loud thumps that got everyone in the kitchen Island looking up.

“Whoa!” Dad yelled first, sliding off his stool. His hand reached out to touch me, even though he was far away from me. “I never thought I would have to tell you this, but no running in the house.”

“Sorry!” I called over my shoulder in a loud pitch as I turned towards the entrance. “I just remembered I asked Ethan and Maya to meet me at the lake an hour ago!”

“Elara!” This time, it was my mother. Although her eyes held warmth, there was a certain defiance about them, strong enough to have had me halting. My legs jittered restlessly, and I counted the seconds in my head.

“It’s almost time for dinner,” she murmured, shaking her head slowly. “You know the rules of the house. And besides, your friends were here earlier today. Don’t you think that is enough for one day?”

“Maya’s parents are getting a divorce!” I blurted suddenly, oddly breathless. It was wrong for me to use my best friend’s problems as an excuse to meet the weird stranger across the street, but I was willing to justify it in my head.

Maya wouldn’t have minded. I was certain of it. This was me saving him from the wrong company. He just moved into town. He wouldn’t know who to steer clear of.

“Oh dear!” My Mom’s face melted instantly. She reached for a napkin and wiped her damp hands. “How…How is she doing?”

“It’s the reason we agreed to meet by the lake.” My lies were getting much more complicated. I turned towards the door again and then back to her. “Mom…”

“It’s fine,” she whispered, pressing her fingers against her temples. Her eyes strayed to my father, and for the first time ever, I wondered if she ever had the same fear. They were nothing like Maya’s parents and their constant bickering. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder.

“Thank you, Mom,” I gushed, already racing towards the doors again.

“Be back on time for dinner!” She called. “It will be nice to have you around before Gabriel leaves.”

“Right.”

I wasn’t sure if she heard me, but I didn’t care at that moment. When I stepped out into the setting sun, they were still there, facing each other.

Without thinking, I crossed the street, my eyes wary and my head trying to think of the right words.

It all happened so fast. One minute, I was still in the middle of the street, and the next, strong hands gripped me, pulling me towards a corner so fast that it almost knocked the wind out of me.

His scent teased my nostrils. It tingled where his hands touched me.

“Who do you have here?” the other boy sneered, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “You didn’t tell us you were inviting a friend along, Jordan.” He gave me a once-over, his eyes roaming from my hair to my feet and back.

I hated how it made me feel, like I had been thrown into something I had no idea of.

Jordan let go of me slowly, taking a step forward, and it felt cold instantly. For some reason, the air tightened. I felt eyes watching me from all corners, but each time I darted my gaze, only the growing darkness stared back at me.

“Adrian…”

“Come on,” the boy scoffed. “Don’t be stingy.”

Jordan took another step closer to him, his eyes suddenly growing darker. “Get out.”

The cocky grin on Adrian’s face faded instantly, replaced by something much more sinister.

“Make me.”

And from the corner of the building, a loud growl suddenly tore through the silence.