They can’t do anything.”
“Why?”
“The men after us are my kind, Laura. There’s nothing that will stop them. If we go to the police, they’ll just tear right through them before getting to us. The best thing we can do is run, and never look back.”
“And then what?” Laura demanded. “Do you expect to just run forever?”
“You haven’t seen what they can do,” he said quietly. “You have no idea what they’re capable of. If we run, we have a chance to get away. If we’re smart, we might be able to lose them before they can reach us. But it won’t be easy.”
“You can fight them!” she blurted out. “I saw you fight four guys at once like it was nothing!”
He laughed again, cruelly this time. “Laura, you have no idea what they’re capable of. I fought when there was little at stake, against four children. The two men behind us – they’re bounty hunters. They’re my kind. And when they fight, they fight to kill.”
Laura had to get her head straight. She had to think. That momentary lapse in thinking when she said Logan could fight… that wouldn’t do. They were both in danger, and the least she could do was understand what she was facing.
“You mentioned weaknesses earlier. Of your race. Maybe we can use that to our advantage. What are you bad at, compared to humans?”
Logan sighed. “Not much that is helpful in this case. Our vision in the sun is the main thing. Things become hazy in direct sunlight. Glare, when the light reflects off glass, nearly blinds us on any day. And these woods might give us a slight advantage, as well. The air is dense here, and your scent is harder to pick out. It might make it—” Logan cut off with a strangling sound, and in an instant was at the door. “They’re coming,” he hissed back to her.
“What? Already? You said we have until nightfall!”
“I was wrong.” He shut the door quickly and rushed to the opposing wall. “You need to hide.” He pulled back a board to reveal a small cubby in the wall. “Quickly!”
Laura ran over. “Get in,” he told her, “and don’t make a sound.” Laura nodded. Her pulse was racing, and she felt that kick of adrenaline again. A mixture of fear and dread came over her as she pushed herself into the wall. There wasn’t much space, and splinters and rough pieces of wood pierced her skin and got caught onto her clothing. She wedged herself further in, and Logan replaced the board.
Light scattered in from cracks along the wall, and Laura pressed an eye to one of them to peer out. She could see the entire space between her and the entrance door. Logan stood with his back to her, facing the door. In a predatory stance. Anxious minutes passed. Only Laura’s ragged breaths broke the silence, and they sounded loud as hammers to her ears.
Slowly, the door started to move. Logan tensed. The door creaked open all the way, and a tall figure stepped into the entrance. Laura’s breath caught. It was the same man from the dream, the same one she saw at the school.
“Where’s your friend?” the man asked Logan crudely. He spoke with a harsh accent.
If it were possible, Logan tensed even more. The man took a step forward. He had the same long coat on from before, the same dark hat. He and Logan were approximately the same height. Leisurely, he started to take off his coat. Logan still hadn’t moved.
The man dropped his coat in a pile at the side, and Laura saw that he was much thicker than Logan. Bigger, more developed. Stronger.
“Don’t try to hide her. I can smell her stench from here. I know she’s been here.”
“You will not have her.” Logan’s voice had a steely edge to it. The man laughed derisively in reply.
“Oh? Is that so? Or what, you’re going to stop me?” He laughed again. “You are but a youngling, only a child, and you have broken the ancient creed by bringing her into our world. You will answer for your crime harshly, as will she.”
“You will not have her,” Logan repeated.
The man waved dismissively, and took a step towards Logan. “You cannot stop me,” he said. “And I don’t intend to take just her. You’ll be coming along, as well.”
“No,” Logan growled.
“Oh, yes, I will take you both.” The man was only a pace away from Logan, now. “You cannot imagine what they