Don't Go Out in the Woods Tonight...

I get out of the car this morning, a Saturday, and struggle with the umbrella. Troy comes around to my side of the car and pulls me close to him, turning so that he protects me from the rain and wind.

"Got it." I whisper as the umbrella unfolds and I cover us both from the elements.

Troy only nods and turns to walk towards the store. Today my mom dragged the two of us here to do some shopping at the Greater Valley Mall. Nice name, huh? Wonder if there is a Lesser Vally Mall? It was a slower than normal week at school, so the little adventure sounded almost fun.

"Doubt it."

I snap my attention to Troy. He's talking to Mom, not responding to my thoughts. All though... he seems to be able to do that too. I guess it's 'cause we've been together two months now. Almost every day, so it feels like it's getting easier to know each others thoughts.

"So, when we get in there," He's silver gold eyes turn to mine, "We're going to window shop and then meet back up at the food court. 'Kay?"

"As long as I've got you." The whisper slips from my lips. I look away quick. I feel my cheek flare a deep red and nod. I try to speak again once i've gotten control of my words, "Yeah, that's fine."

I look back up at Troy and he's smirking. He heard me I smile up at him, hoping to look innocent, and we follow my mom in to the mall, hand in hand.

"Now remember..." Mom turns to us, "Don't die."

She smiles and then turns to disappear into the crowd. I raise my eyebrow, trying to wonder what she could possible mean. Then Troy tugs my arm. I turn to face him and he smiles at me.

As we walk through the Mall, I look at all the decorations. Reindeer, holly, snowflakes hang from every available space. We got lucking today, the weather man had said. It was going to snow. A lot.

"Where to first?" I ask Troy, who casually looks back at me.

He points and my eyes follow to a little hole-in-the-wall store. It as a dark wood store front and the glass windows are full of glass shelves. Each shelf has crystal and glass figurines. It is beautiful.

Troy pulls me into the store. Shelf upon shelf is lit from the bottom, giving the figure the look of shifted mist or shaped fog.

Troy shows me to one glass case with little horses. I see a small one, hidden behind a bigger statue. I tilt my head to see the smaller one and let out a small gasp.

It's amazing

The horse is rearing, twisting to the side. By its side stands a wolf. But they aren't fighting. The horse isn't showing fear and the wolf isn't showing it's teeth.

It more like a dance.

The crystal edges of the mane and tail of the horse fade to an ebony black and tips of the wolf sparkle a smoky gray. The eyes on each animal shimmers with green glass crystals, and the crystal glass of the stand fades to a soft green.

I stare at it. Then the clerk comes and opens the case. I watch in disbelief as he pulls out my statue and starts to wrap it up. I assume it is for the elderly couple opposite the counter, who are also watching the clerk.

Then the clerk hands the bag over to Troy. I stare up at him with my eyes wide. He turns to me and smiles before giving me a small kiss on the cheek. I blush and turn away when I see the clerk and elderly couple smirking at us.

We leave the store and start walking no place. I spot a pet store and try to drag Troy to it. Just so you know, if you haven't figured this out, Troy does not get dragged. Anywhere. By anyone. For any reason.

"Finally." I say under my breath as he decides to come in the store behind me.

I hear him chuckle, which makes me spin around to stare at him. Are you insane? Chuckling like that...in public

"You look funny when..." Troy says, " you think that I'm crazy."

"Maybe you are." I say, turning back around and walking over to one cage.

"You're right." He say, "You always look funny. So I must be insane."

"Ha. Ha." I fake a laugh as one of the bunnies hops over.

Troy steps up behind me and wraps his arms around me. As I stroke the bunny rabbit, I feel Troy rest his head in the crock of my neck and sigh softly.

A little girl runs up next to us and gently pets the bunnies. Her big brown eyes wander to Troy and I.

"Are you two married?" She says, " 'Cause mommy and daddy hug like that too."

Troy pick his head up off my shoulder and turns to the girl. I half expect him to eat her. But he surprises me by only smiling and then pulling me gently out the door, like he's embarrassed. That makes me smirk.

Unlike Troy, I have the ability to be dragged places. So I follow him out of the store. I glace back over my shoulder to look at the bunnies.

"Hey! Watch it!."

I look forward in time to nearly miss running into some old lady. I step to the side and run against Troy.

Who, as we know, enjoys the art of catching thing. Things being me.

We land on one of those pesky, yet well-placed, benches that are put all over the mall. I sit with Troy for a little bit. I start to people watch and then...

...

I spring off the bench and look away, ready to start walking away from the person I've spotted. Troy gets up after me and shakes my shoulder gently. I don't respond, I hold perfectly still, praying the he goes away. Troy starts to shake me harder.

"Kate. Kate!" He says.

"Shhhhh!" I hiss at him and look over my shoulder.

He sees me. Oh, No! Please. NO NO NO!

I spring to life as the boy starts walking towards us. The boys name is Lyris, and he is a nightmare from the black abyss . He is tall, lean and has brown hair that cuts across one eye.

And his eyes... they are such a deep, dark brown they look like black orbs. They stare out at the world with no emotion other then disappointment and sadistic amusement.

I never liked him. I didn't eat lunch with him back where I lived. I didn't even know his name until one day he decided I was his.

You see, that's the thing with Lyris. He believes whole heartedly he is a god and demands to be treated as such. So when I said that I was not his and would never be his, I went home with a bruise.

This continued till one day I smacked his hand as it had tried to find its way in to my pants. That day I went home with a black eye and came back with a restraining order. That got me a cracked rib.

So now I'm here. In Washington's Greater Valley Mall, being followed by my worst nightmare. I'd been trying to forget, and had managed beautifully up until this point. Troy walks beside me, waiting for my explanation.

"Tall, brown hair, black eyes" I say in short breaths, "I have to get away."

"This way." Troy grabs my hand and pulls me cleanly into a department store.

I look up at him, my eyes wide with the fear that is running through me. I see his eyes glazed completely in molten gold as they scan the crowd and land on Lyris. He look from him to me and I nod.

Troy nods and takes my hand in his. His warm fingers sooth my fear just enough for me to stop panicking.

"Come on." Troy's voice has the low cutting edge to it as we go up the escalator.

He pushes me gently in front of him as he looks behind him. I don't dare look back. We get to the top and Troy takes my hand and we walk away. We go into a store and move towards the back.

We dart in between some shelves, which are stuffed with bed linens, and pillows and big fluffy stuff. I sit down, pull my knees to my chest, and cover my face in my hands

"Look at me." The Troy says.

Troy unlaces my fingers and looks at me. I manage a tiny half smile for him, but break down as some customers go by.

"I. Will Not. Let Him. Hurt. You."

The way he growled out the words, and how each word was singular and defined, made me feel...strong.

"I know." I whisper back.

Then I hear a small chuckle, and it's not from Troy. . .