XII.The hunt

Cara

I WAS PRACTICALLY FLYING through the living room trying to tidy up the place. It was almost five o'clock. Ivan was going to be here in a few minutes. He had been coming over at exactly five o'clock for the past week and a half except for the weekend.

I always looked forward to his visits.

I don't know how I had managed to turn the living room upside. Gathering up my strength, I pushed the couch back to where it's supposed to be and dragged the table back to the middle of the room. It's a wonder how the house had become such a mess in the one hour I had been home from school.

Everything seemed fine now.

Just as the hour hand of my father's hideous grandfather clock (I hadn't yet found a way to get rid of it) struck five, there was a knock at the door. Straightening up, I made sure I looked fine and untied my hair and ran my fingers through it a little to forgive it a little bounce. I wanted to look good for Ivan.

I opened the door. There he was. I could not help but smile. It was as if a part of me had feared I would open the door and he would not be there, that he was indeed a phantom of my imagination.

A small smile tugged at his lips."Come in," I invited him inside, realising that we had just been standing there like idiots. I let him in and closed the door.

"Thank you,"he said. I took him to the living room. We usually hung out there or the kitchen. Never upstairs as per the 'no boys upstairs' rule.

"Ummh...so what do you wanna do?"I inquired, taking a seat next to him on the couch.

"Before anything, I have something for you..."

"What do you mean?"I asked.

"I mean I got you something,"he replied. He reached his hand into the pocket of his coat. He pulled out a small wooden box with a small crest carved into it.

There was a necklace inside. The necklace had a slightly large pendant. The pendant was circular with what looked like the head of a wolf at the centre and around the metallic centre was a circle of a glassy dark blue stone. And the circumference of the circle was full metal, the same as the chain. It looked like brass.

Ivan gently took the pendant necklace in his hands and stood. He approached me. I stood up.

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful...but I cannot accept it. It's too much..."

"It has been in my family for centuries. I want you to have it." Without waiting for me to say anything he brought it over my head and put it on me. He looked at it as it hung around my neck along with my mother's.

"I doubt anyone can wear it as well as you do, Malen'kiy"

***

"Let's go to the woods,"I said as we were in my plain backyard. It was like I had completely forgotten what happened the last time I was there.

I had convinced him that we should for once hang out outside rather than being cooped up inside like the elderly.

We had not lived there for long so the backyard had nothing at all, no grill, no tree , no swing set, just an empty grassy land where I planned to bury dad's grandfather clock.

"Don't you remember what happened last time you were in the woods? I told you never to go back there. You could get hurt or worse." His tone changed and his eyes darkened from the alluring grey I had grown accustomed to to a darker midnight grey, the blue specks disappearing. Oddly enough, I was not afraid.

He closed his eyes for a second, regaining his composure.

"Come on, Ivan. It's still light out." I crossed my arms over my chest in a more confrontational pose." If you think the woods are so dangerous then why were you there that night? Huh?" He was silent. I had him beat.

"All right then," he yielded. He stepped closer to me, I did not however step back." Understand this, Cara, you are not to ever step foot in that place without me....Do you understand?"I nodded. "Say it. I need to hear you say it."

"I understand...argh! So controlling,". Muttered the last part under my breath. But I didn't really care whether he'd heard it. It was true. He could be a little controlling. Had I not been wearing a sweater, I bet he would have had me put one on before we left.

I matched over to the gate feeling very pleased with myself for beating him and pushed it open.

***

The trees were as beautiful as ever in the dim light of the setting sun. The air was quiet save for the sound of rustling leaves under mine and Ivan's footsteps.

It was fairly bright but it got darker as you ventured deeper into the thick wood, however, I was not afraid. Ivan's presence alone made me feel safe. Ever since we met the air around him had created an ever-growing feeling of safety in me despite his cold aura.

These woods had a dangerous vibe that caused a shiver to rush up my spine but I found it too enchanting here to stay away, I went further and further inside.

"Have you always been this...adventurous- for lack of a better word- ?" Asked Ivan.

"Uh-huh...ever since I was young."I thought back to my younger years. Even when I was small my father had trouble keeping me still. He'd often turn to do one thing and on turning back poof! I was gone. Somehow that spirit of curiosity hadn't gone away as I grew up.

"Which was exactly how long ago?"

"What do you mean 'how long ago'?"

"The concept of youth and age is a little lost on me."

"How can the concept of age be lost on you?" He did not say anything." Well it depends. Youth is relative.  When someone is let's say twenty-one,  they are young compared to an eighty year old while when someone is eight they are young compared to a twenty-one year old. Get it?"

"I do.  Now answer my question."

"I guess I was 'young' when I was still a small child like six years old maybe which was...twelve years ago. Since I'm eighteen." A look of surprise washed over his features -his oh-so handsome features. "You seem surprised?"

He stopped walking and so did I.

"No. You're just so young." Something flashed in his eyes but it went away as I began to speak.

"Is that a problem? I don't think it is, do you?"

"Not at all,Cara. Not at all. " And that was the end of the topic. We kept walking.

Ivan kept close.His gaze was sharp on me.

"Let's play a game,"I suggested trying to loosen him up a bit.

"What do you have in mind?" I could not help but grin mischievously as he spoke. Before he could say anything else I took to my heels.

"Cara! Stop!"

"You'll have to make me. Come on. Catch me."I shouted running faster . I slowed down my pace. He was tall and big, running was probably an issue for him.

He proved me very wrong. He was fast, his strides were large and quick. He was catching up fast.

It was like a hunt, I ;the gazelle, he ;the lion.

Like a wolf hunting its prey, he was tactful and keen not to lose me as I meandered between the trees. I sped up trying to increase the distance between us. He was catching up quickly.

I kept going. The trees started getting more spaced and the forest floor was now covered with purple wildflowers. I had never seen this part of the woods, not even on the night I got lost. Clearly, I was very far from home.

Looking around, I could not see Ivan. It was silent as a graveyard. I could hear my own breaths. I heard a twig break and immediately turned to the direction the sound came from.

"I-Ivan." I called for him then repeated it louder, "Ivan."

God, what if I lost him.

It's his property.  He must know it inside out.

Everywhere looked the same. Great, I'm lost...again.

I searched in every direction.

I felt like I was being watched. Studies show that when you feel like you are being watched, you probably are.

Hot breath fanned my neck. Something was behind me, I knew it. But when I turned nothing was there. Turning back, I jumped in shock to see Ivan.

Before my brain could process my next thought, I was on the grass with him hovering over me. I could have sworn I heard him growl. He had me pinned down the same way a lion pins down a gazelle before it devours it mercilessly.

His eyes had darkened again. I dismissed it. I was used to it now. It actually amazed me.

"Alright, you caught me,"I breathe out. "You're better at this game than I thought." I laughed.

He shut his eyes and when he opened them they had gone back to their usual mystery-filled steely grey.

"If that was a game then it looks like I would win." He leaned in a bit. His nearness, the heat around him. It was all so new...but it felt right. It was as if my body was made to be next to his.

And before I could even begin to think again, his lips were on mine.