The Hunter and His Prey

Chapter 49: Revelations

He didn't even bother to put his hand over my mouth this time and I didn't even bother to scream, because my brain was screaming at me, it's him. It's him!

"It was you," I finally said quietly as we both stood in the pitch black room, our breath fanning each others faces as the only indicator that we were both there.

"It was me," he agreed softly.

"Why," I choked out, my brain replaying every moment from the cabin. His face now etched on what was once blank. A loop of him coming into my bed after screaming. Him whispering the same words, "Shh, Violet, it's just me," as he comforts me before crawling into my bed upon my requesting and making me feel safe. And now the safety, this illusion of him begins to crack and break. My heart unleashes itself into a horrendous pace that I don't think possibly anyone can live through.

"Because I fell in love with you. That's why. I couldn't help myself. I had been trailing Heather for so long. Everything that was said was true. I have the evidence to prove it. I brought it all here to you. You can look through it. I trailed her and Jeremy and through them I saw you and I feel in love with you from afar. And I know that sounds crazy and doesn't make sense, but it's the truth and I knew I was going to kill then that day in the forest. And I wanted to be some hero and swoop in and save you and have us meet and see if it really was love and it ended up getting all messed up, but I'd do it all again because I know I do love you and I'd led me to knowing that I can't bare to live without you."

I couldn't speak. I didn't know what to say. How could I have fallen in love with this person who did these horrible things, who tricked me, who hurt me. How I felt right now for him I didn't know, because I didn't know this person in front of me.

When I finally found my worlds I changed subjects. "How did you get in here? The cops swept through here, no one was in here. I watched as they did their sweep."

"I have worked with these men for a long time. I know how they operate. I was in here the whole time. I know how to make myself invisible, how to elude people," he said as a matter of fact as if it wasn't setting me on edge. How many times has he been in here without me knowing.

And as if he read my mind he said, "I have only hid from you twice before. I tried to give you space. Time to see that we should be together."

"There is no we," I explained harshly. "Everything was a lie. It all was a lie. You killed them. Murdered them!"

"What they did to my sister was worse and I would do it all over again. That is not a lie. My love for you is not a lie. I will always love you. I will always want you. I knew from the second I saw you," he said pain leeched within his words, "but I won't be the cause of your pain anymore. I am going to leave. And I won't return, not unless you want or need me to. I will always be watching you from the sidelines waiting and ensuring that you are safe, but all I ask is you look at the evidence and see the truth."

He stepped away from me and I turned the light on as he made his way to the window and opened it.

"Won't the cops see you," I asked as I gripped the towel tighter around me.

"It's Benny on duty. He owes me one, a big one, so even if he did see me it would just be a debt repaid," he states.

"Did you kill someone for him," I asked.

"Would you want to know if I did," he asks in return.

"Who are you, Ian," I gasped as he stepped out onto the lower roofline.

"A person I was hoping you would never have to see, but now you do. I tried to keep this side of me hidden, but unfortunately you'll find out all about it. The whole world will," he said and looked down. "I'm sorry Vi," I really am," and with that he disappeared.