Chapter 6 - Hide and Seek

Turel gave chase as Rachel crested a nearby hill, pushing her way through a large thick patch of bracken. Because she knew the landscape reasonably well, she had an advantage. However, Turel was much larger and stronger than Rachel, and found it considerably easier pushing through the dense growth of the bracken. Rachel charged down the other side of the hill, now free of the impeding plant life. Dashing through a stream, she risked a look over her shoulder. Turel had reached the top of the hill behind her, and was closing in on her, fast. Rachel frantically looked around for a place to hide. Seeing a large hollow tree that had fallen into the river, she dived inside it, plunging herself into the accumulated sludge and rotting leaf litter within the half empty, gnarled tree trunk.

The frightened girl lay in the cold mud motionless, barely breathing, listening intently for any sounds of her pursuer. Despite her endeavors to still her frantic heart, she feared its pounding would give away her hiding place. A few moments after Rachel had tuned out the sound of blood pumping through her head, she could hear the sound of footsteps approaching.

As Turel approached the small stream, he came to a halt. He looked around for the girl, but could see no sign of her. Sniffing the air, he noticed not only her footprints stopped at the water's edge, but her scent also. After a few seconds, he deduced that she couldn't have gone far, and was probably hiding near by. Jumping nimbly over the stream, Turel landed on the other side at the edge of some woodland. He walked downstream a little way, found a hefty stick, and used it to prod a thicket of brambles that was growing over a part of the stream. Discovering nothing there, except the occasional frog or eel, he left and walked back upstream. As he did so, Turel noticed a fallen tree that had landed in the stream. He looked on both sides of the trunk, checking to see if the girl was hiding behind it. Still no luck. Tapping the log with his stick, he found that it was hollow. Although Turel knew he couldn't possibly fit inside it, a slender girl of about seventeen could easily crawl inside and hide. Standing to one side of the log, Turel used his stick and used it to lever the tree trunk out of the river; it shifted to one side then slid down river several feet, then came to an abrupt stop against a large rock in the water. Crashing to a halt, the hollow tree flipped over onto the bank, throwing the girl out onto the leaf litter.

Get up, Rachel! Get up! He's found you! Despite the warning in her head, Rachel lay paralyzed on the ground, her breath coming in short gasps. Turel stood over her and took hold of the only part of her that was still dry. Lead back to camp by the shoulders, Rachel decided that it was futile trying to escape from these vampires and thought she would probably be safer if she simply acquiesced. No! Fight back! Try to escape! Anything! Rachel sighed deeply, and thought for a change she would ignore the voice in her head.

As Rachel and Turel entered the campsite, the smell of rotting leaves pevaded the night air. Dumah, comming out his tent, saw that Turel had caught the girl, and went to greet them. "Good god, Turel! What is that stench?" Turel pulled a face and looked at the girl.

"It's her. I found her hiding in a hollow tree amongst a puddle of decomposing leaves."

"So she'll be wanting a wash, then. I don't think the Master would be at all pleased to see her like this."

"Hmm."

"You can go back to the tent if you like. I'll watch her for the time being."

Turel smirked. "Yes. I can't imagine she would be able to beat you up."

After Rachel had been allowed to get clean, dry clothes from her tent, Dumah escorted her to a small shower block near the campsite car park. "I heard what you did earlier." Dumah said, a grin gracing his broad features.

"Oh yes." Rachel replied politely.

"Quite ironic really."

Rachel frowned slightly. "How so?"

"Well... The Sarafan who are trained fighters can't usually lay a hand on any of us before we strike them down. I suppose you must have caught my brothers Raziel and Zephon by surprise. It must have been the last thing they expected to become incapacitated by a scrawny little girl!"

Rachel smiled, glad the tension was being relieved at last. "It looks like Lydia's advice came in handy after all!"

"Who's Lydia?"

"Oh, she's a friend from school who studies martial arts."

When the two of them entered the shower block, Rachel looked around with distaste. "Uhh. I hate communal showers." Dumah smiled inwardly. Rachel placed her dry clothes on a nearby bench, and began to undress. When she noticed Dumah staring at her, she scowled at him and shieked, "I can't do this with you watching me! You could at least turn around! Let me have some privacy!" The vampire smirked anddid as she said. Shortly afterwards, the sound of water splashing down could be heard. Getting bored of looking at shrubbery, Dumah chanced a look over his shoulder. After half a second of feasing his eyes on the gentle curves of the young girl's body, she noticed him once again, and threw a water logged sponge at him, which he easily dodged. "Stop gawking at me, you big perv!" Dumah quickly averted his gaze and began giggling fiendishly.

Ta-da! Chapter 6 has finally arrived! After being postponed because of horrible course work, I have finally been able to finish this chapter! YAY! Hope you enjoy. Please review. XD