Evaline | L. Lioncourt ✔

[13] Spy In The Woods

"See, I told you it was a wild animal," Gordon's companion exclaimed before turning his attention to him,"hey, Gordon, can you hear us?"

He dipped his head in a nod. The wound on his throat had clotted up and it was not fatally deep.

"Where is the wench?" Rob demanded coming up front,"where is Evaline?"

"Evaline?" He looked up at them blankly, his senses still clouded by the heavy liquor.

"The girl you took, where is she?" Malcolm elaborated.

"What girl? I ain't seen no Evaline..." His voice was slurred and he was dropping in and out of consciousness.

Deciding that it was useless to talk to him further, Rob spoke up, "go back to your places."

"But Eva...?"

Turning to Malcolm, he remarked, "if she does not return by dawn, she will be no worse than dead to us."

"But should we not look for her at least?"

His eyes flashed in irritation, "Malcolm, were you not the one terrified as hell when you got back here? Do you wish to go to the woods and search for her?"

His features fell and guilt spread across but he shook his head.

"Go back to your places," Rob repeated in a louder tone, "or leave the tavern."

***

The darkness of night faded announcing the arrival of dawn. It was just a matter of time until the sunlit rays would filter in through the windows, making it impossible for Lestat to stay beside her.

So before that happened, he gently shook her, speaking as softly as possible, "Eva... It is near dawn, wake up."

Her body stirred a little but her eyes were still shut.

He glanced back at the window, knowing that the sun would rise any minute, "wake up, chérie."

Her eyes fluttered open and she snatched her hand away from his, retreating in alarm.

He realized that she had not yet recovered from the shock so he gently held her by the arms, speaking in a soft tone, "Evaline, you are safe here. There is no need to get scared."

Gradually as her senses began to function, she looked around realizing that she was not in the forest but in Lestat's house. A sigh of relief escaped her and as if by instinct she rested her head on his shoulder, hands laying on his chest as tears poured down her cheeks upon recalling last night's events. 

While Lestat soothingly weaved his fingers through her hair, holding her close until she calmed down considerably, finding comfort as his scent settled around her. "Pray do not cry, Eva," his hands lingered on her shoulders as she pulled apart slightly.

"Monsieur Lestat..."

He smiled reassuringly at her, "are you alright?"

Her head still throbbed in pain but she nodded in reply, accepting the glass of water he handed her, downing it cautiously.

But then her gaze fell upon the panels of the window and she drew back in alarm, "I have to go... It is too late. Rob would be furious..."

Sunlight had started to pour through the windows and Lestat clenched his jaw, suppressing the pain that had shot through his body upon coming in contact with the searing rays.

However, he took her hand in his, helping her to get off the bed but then pulled her away from the window into the darkened area of the room.

"Monsieur, what happened?" She had noticed the traces of pain on his features as she asked.

"Nothing chérie. Vampires are vulnerable to sunlight hence I cannot stay in it for long. It burns my skin."

"Oh."

He gently turned her around, pushing her hair aside as he tied the loose ribbons on her corset, fingers delicately brushing against her bare skin. A deep blush dawned on her cheeks but she kept silent.

After the knots were done, she turned back to face him, "Monsieur, how did you find me?"

"I followed you," he replied.

"And that man... Is he dead too?" Her blue eyes were wide in terror but he gently held her close, trying to diffuse the fear that was coursing through her at the moment.

"No. I did not kill him."

"Thank heavens," she sighed in relief, "I do not want you to kill anyone else on my account. I feel horribly guilty."

He nodded but then as if he had suddenly recalled something, he spoke up, "now listen to me carefully, chérie, I can not accompany you back to the tavern because the sun has risen and I will get reduced to ashes if I dare step outside. You will have to go on your own today. But be warned that last night there was another man spying on you in the woods. I am certain the owner sent him to ensure that you did not leave your client."

She knew Rob did that with tavern maids who were unreliable in his eyes, "did he see you?"

"No, it was too dark and I made sure not to cause unnecessary havoc. The man who had brought you there was not injured severely either, just enough for it to pass off as a wild animal's bite."

She kept silent allowing him to resume because at that moment nothing was making sense to her.

"The spy ran off before I could get to him so all I want you to do is to return to the tavern but not tell them that you had been with me," he added in a soft coaxing tone, as if softly making her understand his words, "if they ask you where you were, tell them that you had fainted in the forest and came back soon as you gained consciousness."

When she still did not reply, he glanced down in her blue irises, palms gently cupping her cheeks as he tilted her head upwards so that she was looking straight in his grey eyes, "Evaline, you understand what I am saying, right?"

She merely nodded in reply though her mind was wandering off to the thought of the havoc that would erupt at the tavern upon her return.

"Just tell them you got hurt too and returned soon as you woke up in the forest," he repeated in a reassuring tone, "and pray do not get scared. Everything will be fine."

"But Monsieur if he had seen you then..."

"He was terrified and ran for his life. I am certain he saw absolutely nothing worth worrying about," he assured her, leading her out of the room and then down the stairs towards the main door.

He turned open the lock but stepped aside so that she would step out and he would close the door immediately afterwards, not letting the sunlight penetrate further into his darkened house.

"I am sorry I can not escort you back," he spoke up right before she was to step out.

She shook her head, "pray do not be. You have already done enough for me."

Giving him a last farewell glance, she stepped out and he shut the door behind her, hoping that she would reach the tavern safely and would not be questioned a lot.

The presence of the spy had made the whole deed a bit difficult for him and had also risked the exposure of his true identity to the townspeople. And he could not take any more risks or else it would get a lot more threatening both for himself as well as for Evaline.

***