Lucian's Mark

Chapter Two

As soon as the creature left, the adrenaline hit.

Oh my God. Oh my God what did I just do?

I had offered myself up as fresh meat to a being that wasn't supposed to exist. Or maybe I had imagined it. Also a possibility, considering all I've been through. Either way I had to get out of these woods. In case my delusional mind wished to prove me wrong once more.

Beth! Where was she? Was she in danger? It was completely dark now, the stars and moon acting as my only source of light. I ignored the angry sounds of hoots and chirps, that had magically un-muted, as I ran wildly through the trees, rustling loudly. I could care less about whose peace I had been disturbing at this point.

When I finally reached a clearing, having the faint light of a light post, I was startled by a loud sound.

"There you are!" came the annoyed voice of Beth, "I've been looking for you for the past twenty minutes! Where have you been?"

"Are you ok?" I asked, breathing heavily. Her outward appearance looked unharmed; I registered quickly, relief spreading within me.

"Yea why wouldn't I be? I mean I've only been looking all over for you! Where have you been?"

I tried to answer but nothing came out, my lips glued with the thought of what I had just endured.

"Wait a minute!" she said conspiratorially, two hands on her hips, "What is that!" She pointed to my neck and I felt my heart plunge... had I been bit and not realized it?

No, I would have felt it surely. What I had felt was something different entirely...

"What?" I asked weakly.

"THAT Lilly!" she thrust a compact mirror towards me.

I opened it frantically and aimed it towards my neck.

Oh no. Oh no, no, no.

It wasn't a bite; it was something much, much worse.

"A hickey!" Beth exclaimed excitedly, "I've been searching for you, when all along you've been getting it on with some creature of the night huh!"

She had no idea.

"I guess I underestimated you!" She then proceeded to wink.

I winced, great this is all I needed, the cherry to top off this dreaded day. I stared at the deep red mark in horror.

Beth nudged me playfully, "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul...so who's the guy?"

I released a long breath, my heart still pounding with the fear, my mind swimming with the unexplainable contents of the night, "It's not... it's not what you think."

No, definitely not what she thought.

I entered my grandmother's house twenty minutes later, happy to rid myself of Beth's prying eyes. I had already decided on the walk home that I would not whisper a word of what happened to anyone... not yet at least. Who would believe me, the new girl, when I said their town was infested with... with...

I darted straight to the bathroom, before my grandmother could see me, careful to keep one hand on my neck. The mark was nearly the size of a quarter, the color of coagulated blood. I searched the contents of the mirror for anything that would help conceal it. After finding and applying a thick mixture of powder and old foundation I was satisfied. Though a bit discolored, it would do.

I opened the bathroom door with a throbbing headache.

"Lilly is that you?"

"Yes, grandma," I followed the voice to the living room, where my grandmother sat on her wooden rocking chair, knitting some sort of blanket or sweater.

She looked so frail, I walked over and kissed her on her soft forehead.

"Did Susan Maguire's daughter show you around?"

I nodded, "Yea, somewhat."

She smiled at my response, reading between the lines.

"I never really cared for that girl either, too talkative for my taste," she then sighed, "But Susan had offered so I couldn't have refused. Sorry dear."

"That's ok grandma, it wasn't too bad," I attempted to smile through that lie, "But I'm pretty tired so I think I'm going to go to bed now. Is there anything you need before I go?"

She glanced at me warmly with her bright blue eyes, then returned to her knitting, "No that's ok sweetie, I'll leave you to your thoughts. It's been a long day for you."

I kissed her atop her head once more, "Good night."

I had already reached the stairs before she called out, "Lilly?"

I turned.

"I know this isn't the best situation, being the circumstances that made you come here."

I cringed as she continued.

"But I want you to know that I really do enjoy your company, and I hope that you can come to think of Black Forest as your home."

Her sincerity warmed me, "I already do."

Her eyes lit up, "Good, and by the way, the county fair opens tomorrow and Susan offered to let Beth take you, introduce you to the town...Sorry." She smiled guiltily, shrugging her small shoulders.

I paused before answering, "That's ok. I'm sure I'll enjoy it."

I bid her goodnight again and made my way upstairs. All the while thinking of the many reasons why being further introduced to the town was not on my immediate 'to do list'. I sighed, why couldn't Black Forest just be the nice, peaceful, quiet haven that I had so desperately anticipated it being?

I hit my bed with a reverberating thud, massaging my temples as I attempted to be alone with my thoughts. But before I could dwell on all that had occurred to me on this fateful night, I fell asleep. Every inch of me slipping deep into a state of dreamless haze.