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Prey For Protection

"I'm afraid I can't explain myself, sir. Because I'm not myself, you know."

-Alice (Alice in Wonderland)

Chapter Three:

Forty-five minutes into the flight, a dark-haired flight attendant came by with her cart of refreshments. I gratefully accepted a coke, in the hopes that the caffeine would help me get through the rest of the day. I popped the top on the can, and took a long sip. As she pushed her cart further down the aisle I took note of the gentleman in the seat next to me. He was dressed in beige slacks and a short-sleeve light blue button down shirt; and he looked to be in his mid to late sixties. Any thoughts I may have had about engaging him in conversation to help pass the time were immediately dashed, as I saw his head loll to the side; he was asleep.

I returned my attention to the small window to my right, but the low-lying clouds prevented me from watching the miniscule countryside below us pass by. Discouraged, I put my headphones on and hit shuffle on my iPod. I scooted down lower in my seat in an effort to get comfortable, and closed my eyes. It wasn't long before I found myself setting adrift in my memories…

XxXx

When I woke up the morning of Christmas Eve I felt like I was slowly emerging from a thick fog. I didn't remember going to bed; in fact I couldn't remember anything about the previous evening. I lay there for several minutes trying to clear my head; before finally crawling out from under my down comforter and into the shower.

After getting clean, I stood under the hot jets, reveling in the feeling of my tense muscles loosening and relaxing. I have no idea how long I stayed there; but I waited until the water started running cool before finally turning it off and stepping out into the steam-filled room. I dried off and wrapped a towel around myself just as Renee rapped on the bathroom door to alert me that brunch was ready.

I hurried into my bedroom to get dressed before joining Phil and Renee at the table. I pulled on my favorite blue jeans and an old, baggy, Arizona State sweatshirt that I'd swiped from Phil. After pulling my hair up into a ponytail I made my way to the dining room.

Renee and Phil were already at the table when I arrived in the dining room. I couldn't decide if they looked adorable in a dork-ish sort of way, or dorky in an adorable sort of way in their matching red and green Rudolph the red nosed reindeer sweaters. They were Christmas gifts from Phil's mother. I bit down on the inside of my jaw in an effort to resist laughing at them. Phil looked up with a look that screamed 'Don't say a word'; it was almost more than I could handle.

Christmas Eve brunch was a holiday tradition at our house. It wasn't anything fancy, and it was just the three of us. Every year Renee made her ham, egg, and cheese casserole, that unlike most of her concoctions in the kitchen, wasn't just edible, it was really good. We'd all sit down together, just enjoying each other's company, laughing, talking and eating.

I grabbed a mug from the cabinet and helped myself to a cup of hot, steamy coffee and settled down at the dining room table to eat. Renee was jabbering away about New Years parties and Phil's travel plans for after the holidays. I tried to focus on the conversation taking place around me but my mind kept wandering.

My lack of memory regarding the previous night left me feeling ill at ease. The more I strained to remember the more frustrated I became. I remembered Renee and Phil leaving for their party, and I remembered eating dinner by myself; but I kept drawing blanks after that.

James' beautiful face flashed behind my lids every time I blinked. I must have dreamed about him last night, I rationed. Although I didn't actually recall dreaming about him and I was usually pretty good at remembering my dreams…

"Isabella!" I cringed when Renee's obviously, annoyed voice interrupted my reverie.

"Huh?" I started, "Oh. Sorry mom, I uh…. I guess I spaced out there for a minute. What did you say?"

Renee shook her head and sighed deeply. "What are we gonna do with you Bella?" she breathed. "I asked if you had any plans for today. Phil and I are going to go visit his sister Lois for a couple hours this evening. Her husband, Randall, is stuck in LA on business so she's flying out to meet him first thing tomorrow morning."

"Oh. No, not really. I thought I might call Tiffany and see when she wants to exchange gifts. So I guess I might go visit her," I shrugged.

"Well, don't be out too late, we'll be home around 9 o'clock and I was hoping we could go look at the lights and maybe listen to the carolers for awhile tonight."

Another of our holiday traditions, Renee and I always went for a drive on Christmas Eve to look at all the beautifully decorated houses. We'd then head downtown to see the lights and the enormous Christmas tree that the city always decorated. Unless the temperatures dropped to the extreme, you could always find carolers gathered around the tree singing Christmas carols until close to midnight.

I nodded absent-mindedly as I shoveled the last of my eggs into my mouth before getting up to wash my plate. I drained my coffee cup and washed it as well, putting the dishes in the rack to dry before heading back to my room to call Tiffany.

I plopped onto my bed and reached for the cordless phone on my nightstand. Next to the telephone was a piece of red parchment paper folded I half. It wasn't anything I'd left there, so I reached for it instead of the telephone. I carefully unfolded the heavy paper and immediately recognized James' handwriting.

'If I offered you forever

I wonder what you'd say,

Would you fall into my arms?

Or would you turn & walk away?

I never meant to hurt you

And soon you'll understand,

When I offer you forever

You & Me – the way we planned.'

I knew for a fact that the paper hadn't been there before. I'm a neat freak by nature, so it wasn't like it could've been overlooked amongst the clutter. There was only one possible explanation… He'd been here. In my room… There was no signature, but there was no doubt in my mind that James had written it. But then… when? How? I lay on the bed reading and rereading the poem, and forgot all about calling my friend. I knew I was missing something; but I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was. Then there was the poem itself… What did it mean?

Renee peeked her head in my room to remind me to call Tiffany, and I almost told her about the poem. "Hey mom, " I began with an unexplainable sense of trepidation.

She arched her brow and looked at me expectantly.

I chickened out. "I uh… I was just wondering if I could invite Tiff over here to swap gifts? Maybe she could go look at the lights with us tonight?" I asked instead, surprising myself at how easily it slipped off my tongue. I am not a good liar.

"Sure sweetie, I think that'd be great," she beamed before ducking back out. "Come help me in the kitchen when you're done," she called from the hallway.

I called Tiffany and she agreed to come over around 7:30 that evening. We chatted for a while before she had to hang up so she could go with her mother to help out at the community soup kitchen, an annual charitable act her mother insisted on including her in. She groaned and I laughed as we said our goodbyes.

I returned my attention to the poem, and read it one last time before folding it back up and sticking it in the drawer of my nightstand and joining Renee in the kitchen in preparation for the following night's feast. We made apple pies, pumpkin pies, chocolate cream pies and tore up bread for stuffing.

By the time we finished in the kitchen it was time for Renee to get ready for their evening at Phil's sister's house. She reminded me about all the dinner options available to me before running off to jump in the shower. A few minutes after 5 o'clock she reappeared looking refreshed and absolutely beautiful in he red sequined sweater and black pencil skirt. She had her hair swept up and held in place with red rhinestone combs, with small wisps left loose to frame her face. I couldn't hold back my grin when I saw her girlish blush when Phil quietly told her how beautiful he thought she looked. They were the epitome of the happy couple.

Moments later they were out the door; and I was once again, alone in the quiet house. After throwing together a sandwich and grabbing a bottle of water, I shuffled off to my bedroom and pulled James' poem back out. As I ate I read and reread the short poem over and over again. Once I finished my sandwich I lay back against my pillows and closed my eyes. I tried to focus all of my efforts into remembering my dream from the night before, if in fact it was a dream.

I could see his face in my mind's eye, and I could almost hear his voice, but it was so faint. They weren't right, not the face, the voice; and this realization only served to further convince me that there was something amiss.

The only thing I'd accomplished after several more minutes of concentrating was becoming increasingly frustrated and developing the first inklings of a headache. I sighed in resignation and turned onto my side. I pulled my soft, white comforter up around my shoulders, and it wasn't long before I was asleep.

~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~

"I still don't understand why you're toying with her. If you want her take her, make her yours and be done with it. You tempt fate every time you come here." The voice was female, agitated, vaguely familiar and sounded like it was coming from far away.

There was a deep sigh, and then I heard him speak. "I told you. The easiest way, the safest way is to get her to come willingly. I can do that. We can't fucking move her during the burning and we can't very well stay here for another three days."

"Perhaps you should've timed your little revenge a little better hmmm?"

"Ideally, perhaps," James acknowledged gruffly, "but in all this time that was the first opportunity I've had. I HAD to take it. Who knows how long I would've had to wait for another chance Fucking bastard!"

The female chuckled, "Was a shame about his wife though," she sounded smug in spite of her words, "I could've sworn he'd been alone."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" James growled. "Get outta my sight, go tell the others we'll be leaving tomorrow. I'll be by before sunrise, and Isabella will join us by dusk."

~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~

The ringing of the telephone brought me from my slumber. The conversation I'd heard, (in my dream?) was still fresh in my head as I reached out blindly for the handset.

"Hello?" I grumbled into the phone.

"Bella? Were you sleeping?"

"Uh, Yeah… I guess so. Sorry. What's up Tiff?" I asked sitting up and grinding my fist into my eyes in an effort to rub the sleep out.

"Just wanted to let you know that I was on my way," she responded cheerfully.

"Great. I'll see ya when you get here." We said our goodbyes as I stepped into the bathroom to wash my face in the hopes of further waking myself up.

As soon as I hung up the phone, there was a knock at the front door. I hurried to the door, knowing there was no way that it could be Tiffany already.

I opened the door and gasped. Standing there, leaning against the doorframe, smiling casually and looking almost inhumanly beautiful, in faded blue jeans, an old Floyd t-shirt, and jean jacket, was James. As soon as I saw him the events from the previous night assaulted me. He had been here…

"James?" was all I could force from my lips.

He straightened up and his smile widened as he extended his arms to me as though he expected me to throw myself into them. I can't deny that for a second, a small part of me wanted to do just that; but it was only a small part, and therefore resistance took minimal effort on my part.

I took a step backwards instead, and seeing this, James' smile faltered and he dropped his arms to his sides dejectedly as he stepped into the house.

"Izz…" He started, but I cut him off.

"Where've you been? Why were you gone so long? Why didn't you call me?" I demanded angrily.

He chuckled, "you know you're fuckin' adorable when you're pissed off." When I didn't return his grin he became more serious. "Look can we sit down for a few minutes and talk Izz? Please?"

I nodded dumbly and lead the way to the living room. I sat down in Phil's recliner in an effort to keep some distance between us. I felt a little more control of my faculties that way. He gently perched on the edge of the couch closest to me.

"Well?" I persisted when he didn't speak right away.

"Izzy." He sighed, and I knew he was struggling with his words. "It's… It's all really complicated. I really shouldn't even be here now, but we're leaving tomorrow, and I… I want you to come with us Izz. I want you to be one of us."

"What the hell are you talking about? Who's leaving? I've been to your house James; and it looked to me like you were already gone. You can't drop off the face of the earth and then just show up here without a damn good explanation. I mean do you really think I'm gonna just go off with you without knowing where you've been or where we're supposed to be going?" I could feel the traitorous tears stinging my eyes, but I refused to let a single one fall. I was angry and hurt and more than a little confused; and I wanted answers damn it, not to turn into a blubbering baby.

"Izz-" he started again, but I didn't give him a chance.

"And what do you mean you want me to be 'one of you?'" I finger quoted. "You're nuts if you think I'm joining the little cult you ran around with. Wearing those stupid contact lenses and scaring people… What's up with that anyway? They all act like they think they're better than everybody else," I continued in disgust.

At that point, James started chuckling. At first it was just a quiet chuckle, but as he continued it built until he was laughing so far he was practically doubled over on the couch.

There was a knock at the door then, and he froze immediately. I stood up and looked from him to the door undecidedly. There wasn't a trace of humor left in his eyes when he rose and stared deep into my eyes. I felt an unexplainable urge to run away from him, but my feet were frozen in their spot.

"Isabella," he started, his voice still sounded musical, but there was a hardness to it that I wasn't accustomed to. "We leave tomorrow, just after twilight. I will not leave without you. I know you're angry and if I had the option to wait for you to get over it I would, but I don't. One way or the other you're coming with us. Deep down you still love me and we both know it. You can't fight destiny Izzy, the only thing I did was redefine forever."

The knock at the front door sounded again and he moved toward the back of the house, appearing intent on leaving through the back door. "I'd like to think you'd come of your own accord," he called back; "meet us at the skating rink on 4th. Otherwise I'll come pick you up myself. Oh, and Izz, Merry Christmas."

And he was gone.

I stood there, rooted for another minute, staring after him.

Had he really just threatened me?

The third time I heard the knock on the front door it was accompanied by Tiffany's concerned voice. "Bella! I'm gonna count to ten and then I'm gonna let myself in! Come on Bella," *KNOCK * KNOCK * KNOCK* "you're scaring me I know you're in there! OK! 1… 2… 3…"

I shook my head emphatically in an effort to clear it and rushed to the front door. I swung it open as she was saying "7…"

"Hey Tiff," I offered breathlessly, "sorry about that."

She walked into the house but paused just inside, a strange expression on her face. "Bella? What's the matter? You look like you've just seen a ghost!" The concern in her voice was apparent, and I tried to mask the multitude of emotions that were raging through me at that moment.

"Bella?" She pressed when I didn't offer an answer.

"James was here," was all I could say.

She gasped, "like just now?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah, like he just walked out the back door."

"Wha- what'd he want Bella? I mean… are you ok? He didn't hurt you or anything did he?" She had never been a fan of James'. She'd reached out to me in friendship several times and saw him as the reason we hadn't become friends sooner. She didn't trust him at all.

"Of course I'm ok, he didn't hurt me Tiffany." I admonished. "He… he wants me to go away with him. He said he's leaving tomorrow, for some reason he can't wait any longer and he wants me to go with him."

"Did he say why he can't wait Bella?" she asked quietly.

"No he really didn't explain anything to me at all. He said he couldn't have come to me earlier, that he shouldn't have come now. He didn't explain that either." I sighed in frustration. "Come on," I said desperate to change the subject before she had a chance to ask more questions that I didn't have answers to. "Your present is under the tree."

We exchanged gifts and I tried to feign enthusiasm. I gave her a t-shirt I'd spied her eyeballing at the mall and a new journal. She gave me a Vera Bradley case for the laptop Phil and Renee got me for my birthday. There was a palpable tension in the air between us that neither of us was used to.

Tiffany took her gifts to her car and was gone for several minutes. When she came back she was carrying a newspaper, and she looked ill.

"Hey," I called to her, "what's wrong Tiff?" I asked.

"Bella, I don't know what it means, or even if it means anything at all, but…" she trailed off.

"What?" I asked.

She silently spread the newspaper open. I couldn't contain the shudder that ran through my body or the gasp that escaped my lips as I read the article she pointed out.

Local Couple Falls Victim to Savage Animal Attack

Two bodies, identified as 42-year-old Calvin Hodge, and his wife, 36-year-old Sophia Hodge, were discovered last night in Acacia Park. Both, apparent victims of a savage animal attack. Police were unwilling to comment to the type of animal responsible but have advised that citizens exercise caution in going outdoors at night until they are able to capture the animal or until they can ensure that it has moved on.

There was more, but I couldn't read it. My head was spinning. James' parents were dead? Cal? Sophie? They were gone? I could hear his voice in my head. "…that was the first opportunity I've had. I HAD to take it. Who knows how long I would've had to wait for another chance. Fucking bastard!"

James?

No!

He wouldn't!

He… he couldn't!

But on some level, I knew the truth.

He would. He could. And he did.

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe and the room was spinning. I felt myself falling into the darkness, and I embraced it.

A/N: As always, thanks for reading!