Whirling around when someone rounded the corner and nearly took me out, I saw that it was Sam. My eyes went wide with the realization that I was dressed very masculine for the times. "Oh it's you! Ummm please excuse the way I'm dressed. I sometimes borrow my brother's clothes because I like to help with the horses.", I went on almost clumsily. Sam smiled down at me reassuringly, his smile unarming me and causing me to feel like more of an idiot, "It's really alright. I'm used to the girls dressing this way from where Dean and I came from." He reached out and lifted my braid with one long finger, "I like the braid." He rubbed the hair between his thumb and forefinger, causing me to shiver. I hadn't had much experience with boys and none with men. I dropped my eyes under his intense gaze and swallowed hard.
Finally I stepped back when Sam dropped my braid and then I looked back up at him, "Can I help you with your horse?", I started toward the horses and over to the large black horse he had ridden in on. I had already removed his tack and given him a good brushing. Rubbing my hand over the smooth flesh I then turned back toward Sam, "He's beautiful you know? Not many people have horses as nice as this one and the one your brother came here on." Sam smiled again, this time it didn't cause me to feel as stupid. "Well only the best horses for the sons of a king." My eyes went wide again and I gave a small bow. "Oh I'm sorry I wasn't aware that you and Dean were princes! Forgive me for not being more respectful." Sam stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder to have me stand back up straight, "You do not have to do that. We're not from this area." "But sire I have been very disrespectful. You are and prince and a grown man and I am only the daughter of a land owner and only 19 years old."
Sam stepped toward me again. When I looked around almost nervously I realized that I was between two horses with a wall behind me and this mountain of a man in front of me. He leaned forward so that he was more at my eye level, "I'm telling you that you do not have to treat me any differently. I'm here to do a job with my brother and nothing more." With him this close I could see that his eyes were an indescribable color of blue with a few brown flecks. His skin was flawless and my palm itched to reach out and touch the stubble there on his cheek. His lips were not overly full but as he stood there so close his tongue peeked out and wet his lips causing them to look very soft and inviting. I realized that I had inhaled sharply when he looked down at my own lips and then reached to smooth a finger over the bottom one. I felt a tightening in my lower regions at the contact of his slightly calloused finger.
Just as things were getting tricky there was a crash somewhere behind where we stood. I ducked under Sam's arm and around him so that I could see what the commotion was. It was the stable boy, Alfons, sitting down some buckets a little too loudly. "Alfons where have you been?", I said as I smoothed my hands down the fronts of my legs. I wasn't sure why I felt almost dirty. "I had to go and get the water for the horses those two men came in on. You know that!", he said almost as if he were aggravated with me. Just then Alfons looked over my shoulder and saw Sam standing there. He then looked to the area where I had come from and his eyes went wide. I knew what he was thinking and he was almost right. Although nothing had actually happened it may have if he hadn't come in to interrupt it. Sam stepped around me and took two of the buckets, "Let me help you with those boy.", he said almost condescendingly. Was he aggravated that we were interrupted? I had to wonder.
Alfons handed Sam the buckets and then looked at me one more time before he headed out to bring in more water. I realized a strand of hair was hanging in my face and tucked it behind my ear before I turned to see where Sam was. His arms bulged beneath his shirt and I tried to contain myself. Before I could make a complete fool of myself I hightailed it out of the barn as fast as I could. It was time that I got home before I did something I would later regret.
I headed in the direction of my home that was through the woods. I needed to get through them before it got too dark. The sun was just beginning to go behind the trees as I walked into the shade. I tried to hurry through the woods when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. When I turned toward it something hit me hard from the other side. I was knocked to the ground and my knee was scraped. I could tell it was bleeding beneath my pants. I heard something while I was still on my bottom on the damp ground and looked up in time to see a man standing over me. His face seemed to be distorted and when he opened his mouth it was filled with rows and rows of teeth. I had never seen anything like it in my life. I opened my own mouth and let out a blood curdling scream hoping that the village wasn't too far away so that someone was able to hear my scream.
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When I turned back around from placing the buckets in front of the horses Nikola was gone. Damn that girl! I had more I wanted to say to her. She drew me in and something inside me thrilled when she told me she was only 19. That awoke a hunger in me that I hadn't felt in a few years, maybe not even since Jessica. While I stood there remembering how her soft lips had felt against my finger Alfons ran back inside the stable. He looked around almost frantically, "Where is Nikola?", he said in rushed tones. "I do not know. When I turned back around she was gone. Why? What's going on?" Alfons face turned ghostly white as the blood drained from it, "I thought that sounded like her scream." I rushed to him and grabbed him by his shoulders, "Her scream? Where Alfons?" When he didn't answer me quick enough I shook him. "It came from the woods between here and her house.", he said finally and pointed in the direction of the woods.
I grabbed my horse and didn't waste time putting a bridle or saddle on him. I swung easily onto his strong back, guiding him with just the lead attached to his halter I kicked my heels into his sides and tore from the barn. When I made it to the edge of the woods I pulled up quickly, my horse slid on his hindquarters and reared slightly in the front. We stood still for several long seconds listening to see if I could hear where Nikola may be, my eyes scanning the lush undergrowth while I listened. It was then I saw where the dirt and leaves had been disturbed a few yards into the woods and under a large tree. I swung down from my horse's back and dropped the lead. He would stay where I left him because that was how he had been trained.
I dropped to one knee beside the disturbed ground and looked for any sign that may tell me where to start looking or what had happened here. It was then that I saw a few drops of blood on a couple leaves. There were footprints that were hard to see but they were there nonetheless. One set was a smaller set that clearly belonged to Nikola, the other was large and booted. The blood had me concerned but at least there were only a few drops. My eyes scanned the area but I couldn't see anything else from where I was. I decided it was best to go back into the village and question around some more. I'd start by finding Dean at the pub to see if he had found out anything else. I swung back onto my horse and rode quickly back into town, stopping in front of the pub and tying the lead to the post out front. I walked into the dark room and scanned for Dean. I found him in one of the back booths with a voluptuous blonde. She was giving him doe eyes and her hand was concealed under the table. Dean had a satisfied smile on his face and a cold beer on the table in front of him.
I walked over to the table and slammed my hands down on it, startling both of them. "What the hell is wrong with you Sam?", Dean growled while the blonde sat up straight and looked me over as if I were going to jerk her across the table. I forgot sometimes just how big I am compared to other people. I held up my hand hoping that would convey that I wasn't a threat and spoke quickly to Dean, "The girl Nikola is missing. She was in the barn with me and then when I turned back around from watering the horses she was gone. Her friend, the stable boy, Alfons, heard her scream from the woods. I went to check it out and found a few drops of blood and a disturbed area of dirt." The blonde beside Dean threw the hand that had previously been under the table up to her mouth. "Oh no! That's where the others came up missing!", she said frantically.