6. Secrets
Dan's footsteps echoed against the stone floor as he headed down the hall. The voices of the others was heard from behind the closed door before him and he took a deep breath before he knocked lightly and stepped inside.
A group of people, all looking to be in their twenties, sat around a table in the middle of the room. A rushed conversation had earlier been held, but now the voices quieted and all eyes turned towards the new arrival.
"Well?" Mr Gregs was seated at one end, facing the door. His dark eyes carried a hopeful spark and Dan nodded slowly.
"The trap is closing. I believe he is not far from breaking. She is too much of a temptation." He heard the approving chuckles and knew he had done well.
"Our next stage is to reveal it to her. What we know yet, she has no idea of their real identities, hasn't she?" Mr Gregs raised an eyebrow in question and watched as Dan nodded again.
"Indeed, that's true. She has no idea who they are. Not even the ghost has made her suspicious yet." His words caused spread laughter and he smiled to himself. Stupid humans. They had no idea of the world which rested under their noses. They always blamed strange attacks on animals. As if an animal could attack people inside houses.
"Good." The woman seated next to Mr Gregs leaned back in her chair and ran a hand through her short hair. "You know what to do, Dan. Make it happen tomorrow."
Dan bowed his head in understanding, before turning and leaving the room.
The empty hall before him echoed once again of his footsteps and he pushed his hands into his pockets as he walked. Now came the part he knew he wouldn't screw up. The part that he had been looking forward to since he had first laid eyes on the woman.
"Are you all right?" Annie's concerned look when Katie stepped into the kitchen that morning told her exactly how bad she was at hiding her feelings. She had thought she would have been able to hide away the confusion inside her for a few more days, maybe even weeks, but she knew that Annie understood everything. She had probably known for days, but only chosen not to speak of it. Until now.
"I am fine."
She knew she would not be able to avoid the subject, but did her best at trying as she made herself breakfast. It was Wednesday morning and too early for her to handle this properly.
Annie watched patiently as Katie finished making her breakfast and seated herself by the table. She knew very well she was avoiding to speak of what Annie wanted to know.
However, this only made her more determined to find out.
"You're not fine, Katie. I know you well enough by now to understand that." Annie seated herself opposite from her and met her gaze. "I know this has something to do with Mitchell. So, come on, spill it."
Katie tensing up at the name told her she was at the right track and Annie crossed her arms over her chest to show she was serious about it.
"There is something... strange with Mitchell." Katie spoke slowly, her eyes turning from her friend's face to the contents of the bowl before her. She therefore missed the shock that played over Annie's face at her words.
It was obvious to Annie as soon as Katie spoke, that she was close to finding out. Something had happened that made her doubt and that was what Annie had been afraid of all along. She realised now how stupid she had been for believing a human could live among them. She was bound to find out, after all.
Annie opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by footsteps in the stairs and then Mitchell appearing in the doorway.
"Good morning." He shot her a smile, his eyes staying for a moment too long on Katie, before he started preparing tea for himself.
"I should go." Katie suddenly rose from the table, avoiding to look at anyone as she set her bowl in the sink and started towards the door.
"Katie." Mitchell's voice was soft as his hand gripped her wrist to stop her. "Wait five minutes and I can go with you." It was his way of trying to get her alone again, but she only shook his hand off and took a deep breath to steady herself.
"I prefer walking alone." For a moment she looked up at him and she opened her mouth as if to speak again, but nothing came over her lips. Instead, she disappeared from the kitchen to go make herself ready for leaving.
"What on earth have you done to her?" Annie was quick at confronting Mitchell as soon as they were alone. "I've never seen her like that before."
Mitchell sighed and stared down into his tea cup for a moment.
"I kissed her, Annie." He shook his head slowly. "As you know, we drunk quite a lot this Saturday and I... kissed her. But..." He broke off, unsure of how to continue.
"Don't tell me there's a huge 'but' in this." Annie rolled her eyes. "What have you done?"
"I lost control." His words was nothing more than a whisper, but it still gave quite the effect. Annie's eyes widened in surprise and her reply was an angry hiss.
"Did you bite her?" Her anger was obvious to him and he placed his hands on her shoulders to keep her steady.
"No, I didn't. I blacked out for a second or two, but it was enough to scare her. I blacked out enough for it to take over and drive her away." His voice broke and he lifted his cup to his lips to make himself stop talking.
They both stayed silent as Katie's footsteps was heard in the stairs, and they only waved at her as she pulled on her coat and left the house.
Not until she was safely outside and the door was closed again, did Annie speak.
"You have to explain it to her." She put her hands on her hips and glared up at him.
"Oh, and scare her even further you mean? 'Hey, Katie, I blacked out cause I'm a vampire who wants to slit your throat.' Yeah, that's a bloody brilliant idea, Annie." He rolled his eyes and took another sip of his tea to still his anger.
"No, I didn't mean that. Tell her it was the drinking or something. Tell her you felt ill and had no idea what you were doing. Tell her anything that makes her feel better. She's suspecting something and we can't have that." Annie shook her head slowly.
"I will do it now." Mitchell set his cup down and started towards the door, but Annie stopped him.
"No. She's on her way to work. If you do it now, she won't be able to concentrate all day. Go there when she ends and take her out for dinner or something." Annie shrugged her shoulders and smiled. "You will figure something good out, casanova." He laughed at her words.
"Oh shut up, Annie."
She ran her hands over her dark dress nervously and watched as the children filed out from the room. Another day was done and she, who usually only felt relief over it, suddenly wanted it to continue. She didn't want to go home and meet Annie, George and Mitchell. She didn't want more questions, more concerns. She wanted to be alone.
She turned towards the board with her own round writing on it and started to erase it while humming to herself. She only had this small task left to do and then she could go home. Go home and shut herself into her room to avoid everyone who wanted to talk to her about how she felt. She had a perfect alibi for staying away as it was, so she would make sure no one bothered her. Or so she hoped.
The sudden sound of a knock on the door and then someone entering the classroom, caused her to turn. Her heart skipped a beat in her chest as she saw the person who had entered and she shook her head furiously.
"No, I don't want to see you." The man started towards her and she stared at him in surprise.
"Katie." A smile came to his lips as he stopped before her. "I need to talk to you."
"Well, I don't want to talk to you. Leave me alone." She reached out to grab her coat, but his hand gripping her wrist tightly stopped the motion.
"Listen very closely, Katie Bryce." Dan smirked and held onto her wrists tightly as he pushed her against the wall to assure she wouldn't be able to escape. "You are in a dangerous game of life and death here. You are playing a key role and you can't mess this up."
"I don't understand what you want me to do." She fought against his grip, but he was stronger than her and like at the museum, she was standing no chance. She couldn't escape.
"We want you to bring us John Mitchell. He needs to answer for his actions." Dan leaned closer, his breath brushing her cheek. "Can you do that, sweetie?"
"I won't do anything for you if you don't tell me what is going on. I want to know what he has done you before I..." Her words was cut off by the door being thrown open and the person the topic was about, entered.
Mitchell's eyes burned with an angry fire as he started across the classroom towards them, his hands clasped by his sides.
He had been waiting outside the school for Katie to come, but as time had passed and she had not turned up his patience had failed him and he had gone to look for her.
By the directions of another teacher, he had soon found the classroom she taught in and seen the sight of the man in there with her through the window.
The anger boiled inside him as he took in the sight before him and took another step closer.
"Release her." He glared at the man, who made no sign of moving away. "I said, release her, or I will slit your throat." His eyes registered Katie's confused look and he regretted every word he spoke. He didn't want her to know, but he saw no other choice.
"I don't think that's wise. Do you really want your little girlfriend to know your dirty secret?" The man had placed Katie between them now, his dark eyes hungrily eyeing her throat. "If you want to get to me, you have to watch her die first. Do you really want that?"
Mitchell's eyes found Katie's and he saw the fear in hers. She understood nothing of this and he hated what she might have to witness. His demon self might be exposed, only for him to save her.
"Mitchell?" Her choked whisper caused him to look at her again. Tears fell down her cheeks and his anger rose higher as he looked at the man. He was responsible for her fear and he hated him for it.
"If you want her to live, there is only one thing you can do." The man ran his finger down Katie's throat, the young woman squirming in his grip.
Mitchell frowned suspiciously, his mind trying to calculate any other way out.
"What do you want me to do?" He met the man's gaze and saw the hunger and glee in them.
"Tell her." The man's finger once more ran down the pale throat. "Tell her your dirty secret. Tell her your true identity."
Author's note: Ohhh, cliffhanger :p Haha, I'm sorry about that. I hate to have to do it, but it's necessary to keep the flow in this. The end of this will come in the next part (whenever that comes up, cause I will get a lot busier soon) and I hope you will like it.
I just want to say a massive thank you to all of you who reviewed on the last part! I'm totally surprised over all the positive feedback you've all been giving me and I hope I won't disappoint you with the rest of this story. There's still quite a bit to go, so.
Before I go, I have a question which I would love to have some answer to: Who do you think Katie's faceclaim is? I've been thinking Adelaide Kane, but I'm not sure if that's a reasonable one. Do you guys have any other suggestions? :) x
Thank you for reading! I would love to hear some more from you soon xx
