BLOOD LEGACIES
Chapter 44: What To Explore

Chapter 44: What To Explore

"Is this safe?" I asked.

"About the view or..." he mused.

"Not the view," I said as my eyes scanned the area.

"If you’re worried about wild bears or lions, you don’t have to, the mountains are safe that’s why Juneau is called a sanctuary"

That was satisfying to hear. "The founding families, Juneau’s, Adams, Sherman’s, Hathaway’s, I saw their dates and how they came to this place but not the Devereaux’s"

"Seems like you have been reading your book"

"Yes I have, and it’s hard not to think about it"

"I don’t want you to dig deep into this Emma," he said, coming to a halt and I did too. "For your own safety"

I gulped, nodding my head. "Everyone will always say that to me, it’s getting annoying" I muttered.

"I know, I want you to..." He paused, licking his lips. "Is not that I don’t want you to find out about me, it would be easy if you did"

"Then what’s stopping you?" I said, taking a step closer to him. He pulled some strands of my curly strawberry hair behind my hair and I closed my eyes, imprinting his touch. Next, I felt his breath on my face and I flicked my eyes open.

"I’m many things, Emma"

"I-I know"

"No, you don’t" shook his head. "I should stay away and not drag you into this every passing second, I shouldn’t have..."

My heartbeat quickened, what was he trying to say right now?

"Yo Dace!"

We broke apart.

"Come check this little thing out, your phone’s much better than mine, come take a picture of this" Coach Noah called from afar, nope he wasn’t, he was just a distance away and he didn’t really need to shout.

"Stay here okay? I will be right back"

I just stroked a nod, and he gave me a prolonged stare. What he just said a few seconds ago sort of scared me. It made me feel like he regretted being this close to me, maybe he didn’t want me to be his girlfriend.

I watched as he walked towards the two teachers and I sighed looking away, I need some air, no... a walk would suffice.

"Check that out, the flowers are so pretty," some girls said as they took some pictures.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying their trip but I didn’t feel up for it. I heard my phone vibrate in a ring. I knew it would be none other than Owen again trying to ask if I’m safe, just what is with that guy? And for what? Keeping an eye on me for my aunt? Was our friendship a lie then?

I felt the breeze against my skin and I loved how it calmed me down, the air was fresh and gave that earthly scent as well as the flowers, maybe this school trip wasn’t such a bad idea, to come out here and explore nature, and take in the new environment it was nice, real nice.

I squat to a flower I saw, they were beautiful but I had no idea what they were called, I felt it with my hand and the petals were soft, maybe I should take a picture, Coach Noah might be annoying again and ask what were prove that we did to explore, I can already picture that.

I slid my phone out, great, I couldn’t get it right, I can see why he called Dace to use his phone, my camera was messy, a new phone was definitely in my budget now.

I rose to my feet, I should ask Dace for his and take a better picture, I whirled and I paused, okay what the heck? What I met with was an empty forest, where is everybody? Have I perhaps walked far without realizing it?

"Shit" I cursed quickly dialing Dace’s number but there was no network bar, fuck! Now I see why the Coach told us to stick together, I was so lost in my head that I wandered too far.

"Dace told you to stay right there silly" I murmured under my breath. scolding myself before walking to a path I hoped was the right one, along the way I kept trying Dace’s number and then Owen’s but they weren’t going through.

"Fuck!" I cursed scratching my head, I felt so so stupid. But I couldn’t have wandered far, maybe if I keep walking I might spot any group. The rest were indigenes of this place, they can find their way back unlike me so I better start walking and I did, please be the right path, I kept chanting in my head.

And then I spotted someone.

"Hey!" I called rushing ahead, thank God I saw something but the moment the person whirled, I halted not recognizing him at all, this person was not from my class.

"Can I help you?" he said with a smile on his lips that gave me the creep and a hot chill ran through me. He looked slightly older than anyone in my class and he didn’t look like someone who was hiking, no bag, nothing, he looked exquisitely dressed. All black attire, black turtleneck sweater, and jeans and shoes.

"Um sorry, I thought you were my classmate"

"Oh... are there others here? I didn’t know that"

"Sorry to bother you"

"Are you lost?" he asked in amusement, his black eyes pinning me down. "I am myself, I’m looking for the path that leads to the town, you see... I’m trying to find my way but I got lost"

"A-Aren’t you from around here?"

"No love"

I cringed. "Okay" I murmured, feeling sweaty, his looks were off, his skin was so pale, maybe he was a sickler or something. The wind blistered in, it came with cold air and he did something that made my stomach turn, he took in a whiff of the air, mostly directed at where I stood, closing his eyes.

"You smell so good" he groaned like he was having a boner. I instinctively took a step back when he licked his lips and then his nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Some god awful smell is ruining it," he said, flashing his eyes at me that were no longer the black orbs but suddenly bloody red, I think my heart just stopped beating. "Are you one of them?!"