The Night Children

Chapter 25

I rose to the bait; despite being petrified of his anger. "You say this, yet he was the one who was there when I was on the verge of dying during my seizures." My voice came out as a snap, causing Aaron to flinch. "If he was a killer, he wouldn't have saved me. Yes, I admit, I don't know the part he plays in this. But never has he harmed me in a way that I feared for my life."

Aarons flecks had disappeared within his irises. A stray piece of his fringe was brushing his eyelashes, giving him a boyish appeal. "Maybe you're the outlier Renee," he hissed. "Have you ever considered that?"

I clamped my mouth shut. The outlier. Someone who was different from the rest.

'You have no idea what you're getting yourself into.' Clearly Isaac knew the path ahead. But I wasn't sure if he was the right direction to take.

Was there a reason he had visited me in hospital? Was there a reason behind his need to show me Ambers body? Had I been different from the rest of his victims for a reason beyond my understanding?

"Look at me Renee," Aaron said, lowering his voice to barely a whisper. Slowly, I met his green eyes. "Believe me when I say he was dangerous." His hands, warm despite the rain, cupped around my cheek.

I said nothing. I shoved down the urge to swat his hands off my skin, regardless of the way his touch made my heart skip a beat.

"I can't lose you," he breathed.

His words shocked me. The honesty in his eyes said it all. But his fingers, soft against my cheeks, had only clutched a gun mere seconds ago. Those lips had curled into a cruel smile and his eyes had fixated on Isaac in such a malicious way that I'd grown scared of the person Aaron had suddenly become.

I pushed away from his warmth. "You already have," I said firmly. Hurt flashed beneath his eyes, but a quick frown drew my attention away from it. "You killed him Aaron. That's something I can never forgive you for."

Aaron shook his head, opening his mouth to reply but I quickly spoke above him.

"You pulled a trigger on another person. You shot for his heart." I stared at him, trying to recognise the person that stood in front of me. His green and gold eyes were still there but they held a haunted look. "You didn't intend to injure him," I said steadily, making sure to spread each word to emphasise my opinion. "You intended to kill him."

"He's a monster Renee. He was a—"

"A what?" I cut in, my voice sharp against his. "A murderer?"
Aaron flinched again, his eyes darkening instantly.

I stepped away from him. "If anyone's the murderer at this point, it's you."
I saw him swallow my words, his gaze steeling over in anger. His eyes trailed to glare at the ground. He knew what I had said was true.

"Isaac claimed he hurt people," I began, all my anger from the previous weeks spraying out in my words. I had kept to myself for too long. I was cracking. Guns, lies, bullets, coma's, hospitals, blood. It was too much. "But we have no legitimate evidence. You on the other hand," I eyed the gun resting in his pocket. "I've seen you use that without hesitation. In my eyes, you are the dangerous one."

Aaron closed the distance again. A growl escaped his throat. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

I felt my eyebrows furrow. "I think I do," I replied. "You say Isaac is guilty, but there is a lot of secrets you're hiding from me."
Aaron seemed taken back, but bit back his next accusation.

"Why did you move here? And where did you get that gun?" I studied him, watching his face for any tell-tale slips of a façade. He remained passive. "What made you pull the trigger, and what gave you the right to 'protect' me from someone who did nothing wrong?" I swallowed. "I know nothing about you. I know nothing about your family, your parents, your history. You're a stranger to me. Maybe that's why I was so surprised you could pull the trigger. I never guessed you would have such little humanity."
But Aaron was seething now, fury lining his face, and darkening his eyes. "Why do I have a gun; I should be asking you why you have a dagger," he said icily. "You're not so perfect yourself. What were you really doing that night Aleena was put into a coma? Why have you been questioned by the police? And why are you out here in the woods with Isaac?" His eyes slid over me, as sharp as his words. "You shouldn't even be here; you should be in hospital. It seems running away into the woods at night has become a habit of yours."