There's Nothing Like a Trail of Blood to Find Your Way Back Home

Nikki’s POV

Honestly, I don’t know how I did it. It’s a wonder to me that I was able to do this. As soon as I got into my car after my little talk with Mariemaia, I had driven for two days straight to Colorado with no sleep or food in my stomach. The only stops I made were for gas and bathroom breaks. Otherwise, there were no breaks for me. I just kept driving and somehow, I ended up in the place I never thought I’d step foot in again.

The house I grew up in or as I refer to it now, “My dead father’s house.”

I knew that if I had gone to Woody Creek, Hunter would find out and look for me with Anita or someone. When he found me, he’d keep me in his house until Jimmy, Tash, Leane, or Liz came and got me. I couldn’t go to Las Vegas either because anyone would be able to find me there. Criss would get all his friends and have a huge search party looking for me. And of course, I couldn’t go to Van Nuys because that would be the obvious place to look for me.

No, instead, I went here. I want to my father’s house and stayed there. I had the key so I could get in easily and besides, I figured no one would think to look for me here. I mean, I’m about an hour and a half away from the nearest big city which is Denver. Staying here was my best bet of staying hidden for as long as I could.

Luckily, I had this place cleaned up as well. No one has been here for about six years so I had people come in and clean it up and stock the pantry and fridge as well. I would be set for a couple of months if I’m lucky. I could get food and whatever I needed delivered here so that I wouldn’t have to leave this house.

Yes, I had this all done as soon as Brian left. Something in my gut told me that I should get this place all squared away. Good thing I did.

My cell phone rang but I left it on the counter, avoiding it. Ever since I left California, I’ve been getting phone calls non-stop. I left my phone on the counter and haven’t touched it since. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. Hell, I didn’t want to be near anyone. I just wanted to be alone.

Actually, there was one person I was willing to talk to and it sure as Hell, wasn’t any on my friends. No, there was someone from my past that I wanted to talk to because he had something I wanted, something I needed.

The doorbell rang and my head immediately snapped to the direction of the front door. It rang again and I got up to answer it, hoping that it was who I was expecting. I hoped that no one had figured out where I had gone and that I could just waste my life in peace.

“About time,” I snarled.

“Sorry for the wait, sweetheart,” answered that same daunting voice that I knew so well, “I got a bit lost. You know it’s been years since I’ve been to this love abode.”

“Spare me the dramatics,” I said, allowing him in, “Do you have what I asked for?”

“Do you have what I asked for,” he asked back, walking in with a suitcase.

I tossed him a stack of fifty dollar bills adding up to a total of five hundred dollars. He caught it and flipped through the stack, making sure none of them were fake. He should know that I would never give him fake bills. He’s the only one that knows exactly why I contacted him and him alone.

“You always paid me in cash and you still do,” he said, putting the money in his jacket pocket, “That’s why I always had a fondness, Nicole.”

My eyes narrowed as he handed me his suitcase and I opened it on the table. I felt the corners of my mouth twitch as it attempted to smile but I refused to show any emotion aside from annoyance in front of him.

“Is this what you wanted, Nicole,” he asked, looking over my shoulder.

“It’s exactly want I needed, Morgan,” I replied, closing it.

“I’ll see you around, Nicole,” Morgan called as he let himself out.

I locked the door behind him as soon as he drove off my driveway in his black Range Rover. As soon as I felt safe, I took the suitcase to my room and opened it. This room was my childhood room and it remained the same except that scent of heroin and cocaine was gone. Oh well, I knew it would return soon enough.

Especially after tonight.

It surprised me that after all this time, I still knew what to do. That is when I smile formed in my lips. My eyes closed as I felt the needle pierce my skin. It’s been so long so since I felt this.

The dragon was being chased once again…….