Wicked Chase

♚ Chapter Twelve

[dedicated to Celeste who has always been so loyal (banner credit) ]

CHAPTER TWELVE

"Genevieve, get up," a masculine voice entered my head, the fogginess that clouded my mind parted slowly, "we have to go." My mind gradually cleared and I looked up suddenly aware that my body felt clammy and I felt very hot. I opened my eyes and as I adjusted my eyes to the little amount of dim light that filtered through the dense, tall trees I was momentarily confused as to where I was. Then all of it came crashing down in an instant and I sat up straight, the sleeping bag sliding off my torso as I looked to the source of the voice.

My eyes met Alastair who was squatting next to me, I presumed that his hand on my shoulder was only there to shake me awake. Once I had opened my eyes and I was fully aware of my surroundings, I asked as I rubbed the sleep off my eyes after letting out a tired yawn, "what time is it?"

"Almost six," he replied, his silvery voice laced with a bit of an edge, after he had glanced at his wrist. Was he wearing that yesterday? How had I not noticed him wearing a watch before? Assuming that he had put on the watch that he stored somewhere in that duffel bag of his, I got out of the sleeping bag and looked around me.

"It's still dark," I commented, before I turned my attention back to the sleeping bag and started rolling it up.

"It's best if we go now," he said, standing up and dusting his backside before he peered over my shoulder and in the direction ahead of us. His face looked serious and while I was so used to that serious expression of his, this expression seemed slightly different. It held a look of urgency, impatience and anxiousness to it and I couldn't tell why until he said, "Anything could be waking up in a few hours. I should have woken you up earlier."

"Alastair?" I called out as he began to take a few steps forward, walking past me. He heard me yet he kept moving forward, his hand tightly secured around the strap of the duffel bag that was thrown over his shoulder. I quickly tucked the sleeping bag under my right arm and walked faster to catch up with him. Once I fell into step with him I placed my hand on his elbow and brought him to a halt, my skin slightly tingling at the mere skin contact. I removed my hand immediately and asked, "Alastair, did you sleep at all last night?"

"Of course not," he said as he spared me a cryptic gaze, his eyes heavily guarded like he had already found out how I read his emotions so well, before he turned and continued the trail he was pursuing.

I almost let out a defeated sigh before I walked faster to catch up with him again and once I fell into step with him again, I placed my hand on his elbow and I didn't bother removing his elbow from my grip, no matter how insanely weird my stomach and body was reacting to just a simple touch, because I knew that he would keep walking on without looking at me which would made it easier for him not to be outwardly honest.

"Why didn't you sleep?" I asked and I couldn't stop the concern from seeping into my voice. His face looked weary and there weren't exactly bags under his eyes - contrary to popular belief, those don't appear overnight - but I could see the tiredness that whirled around in the swirl of grey when he cast me a brief glance before looking away instantly.

"It is my job to protect you," he replied after a moment of hesitance.

"I wasn't aware I needed a guardian. Well, at least not at someone's expense."

"I can easily catch up on sleep. I don't need much of it anyway."

"Alastair," I began.

"Look," he snapped, his grey eyes whirling with annoyance. He was beginning to get agitated at my concern. "We stayed by the border because dangerous creatures lurk around in the night so it was safer for you. They go back to their hideouts to sleep or rest when the time of dawn is close. Dangerous monsters hide before dawn but other dangerous monster seek after dawn. The likeliness of us getting attacked last night weren't that high but I had to be on my guard because it was my duty. And now, we're wasting time talking about sleep which isn't the most important matter right now and who knows what creatures can come out after dawn."