Page 50 of Norah

He’s tall, well over six feet. Large but not bulky, more soccer player than football. Dressed all in dark colors; black coat and pants with a gray sweater. Expensive looking black loafers, a watch that looks like it might be a Rolex.Definitely not a regular burglar, my stunned brain tells me,as his clothes are nicer than mine.

His dark brown hair is long, tied back into a low ponytail. His features are sharply angular, almost feral, and thin lips twist into a smirk. Hazel eyes gaze at me mockingly, one arched brow raised in amusement.

“That wasn’t very nice.” His voice is smooth, with a touch of a British accent. Though he speaks softly, there’s an undercurrent of anger. The amusement leaves his expression, allowing me to see the depth of cruelty behind the facade.

Looking into his eyes reminds me of some photos I’ve seen of German soldiers during World War II; empty and grasping for violence and depravity. As I make this connection, I realize that however bad I thought this might be, I was wrong.This is worse.

He trails his fingers along the doorjamb, carelessly, then taps his nails against the wood. From the way he looks at me, I know this movement is intentional. Why?What part of the game is this?

I receive my answer almost immediately, as he rips the entire wood frame out of the doorway effortlessly, then tears it to shreds. An expectant pause slips by, as a smooth smile slides over his face like a mask. His gaze narrows, darkens, intensifies. My chest gets tight, constricted by fear, but I refuse to give him any sign of what I’m feeling.

Something in his expectant expression tells me he’s waiting for a particular reaction from me. Fear? Anger? Begging? Whatever it is, I’m not giving it to him. Despite the pure terror screaming through my body, I force myself to stay calm. To think of Ethan and his strength. He wouldn’t cower; he’d stand tall and look this enemy in the eyes, demanding respect. Demand to know why he is here.

I must do the same. Not just for myself, but for Ethan, too. Because even though I’m alonenow, I won’t be for long. When Ethan gets here, he’ll need a partner, not a weight to carry along in this battle.

So I push down my fear and stand tall. I never thought I was brave before. But courage can emerge from the most dire of circumstances. Keeping my expression neutral, I say, “I hardly think you’re one to talk, since you broke into my home.” His eyes flicker with surprise at my cool tone, which gives me the impetus to go on. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

“Ah, so we’re playing it this way?” The smirk turns into a wintry smile. “That’s fine with me. I don’t mindchattingbefore getting down to business.”

“Thenanswerme.Who are you and why are you here?”

“My name is Simon.” His smile widens further. “And I’m here to kill you.”

Oh. Shit.That’snotthe answer I had hoped for. Any other answer would have been preferable. And he’s not lying, not that anyone would lie about that. There’s no sign of a lie; no shadow of darkness around his face. My stomach has now crawled up the back of my throat, and I have to swallow before I can speak.

To have any chance of surviving, I need to know the whole truth. So Ipushas I ask him, “Why do you want to kill me?”

Simon’s eyes widen, flickering in surprise, before narrowing. He steps forward through the doorway, and I’m forced back a few steps. A look of satisfaction twists his features at his small display of dominance. “I see what you’re doing, Norah, but I don’t mind. The truth has no bearing on the outcome.”

He gives me a knowing look. “What Iwantto do is my duty to the cause. I am a hunter, and I find those I’m instructed to hunt. There’s no need to know anything else. They have ordered me to kill you, so I will.”

He knows what I can do. And he doesn’t care.Curiously enough, this makes me feel the tiniest bit better. Maybe I can use this to my advantage somehow. If my mind would work again, I could figure out a plan. I need to stall him a little longer; give my poor brain a chance to figure out a way out. I push again. “This hunting- why do you do it?Howdo you hunt?”

Simon takes another step towards me, and my body moves backward of its own accord. His sick aroma of oily darkness slides closer, seeking. “Braver than I thought, young one.” His gaze is appraising, almost appreciative.

“You want to know, I’ll tell you. I hunt because it is what I am, and Ilikeit. And I’malwayssuccessful. I’m centuries old, my power ahundred timesgreater than a young one likeyou.” He pauses. “A hunter can… find anyone. All I need is an image, and we’re forever linked. Until the hunt is complete, that is.”

He reaches into his pants pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper. As he unfolds it, a sick feeling washes over me. It’s a photo taken months ago, a quick capture of Ethan and me as we walk down the street. I’m laughing at something Ethan has said, unaware of his expression, one of pure love and devotion.

Ethan.If nothing else, I need to do whatever I can to protect Ethan from this monster. Time is running short. I don’t know how much time has elapsed since I texted Ethan, but it won’t be much longer until he gets here. I need to do something, and fast. My brain has been clunking along until now, slowed by fear, but at last it kicks into high gear. Like dominoes lining up in sequence, I realize what I must do.

I capture Simon’s piercing gaze and take a small step forward. Shove the fear further down, so deep it can’t touch me. I am onlycourageright now, brave and strong and dedicated to my duty to protect. I gesture at the photo. “What about him?Is he your target, too?”

Another forced truth. “No, not right now. Although if he were to get in the way… he’d be collateral damage.”

“Why?”

“He’s not important. Only you.” His eyes darken, contemplative. “You’re much more than I expected. It’s almost too bad we have to end this all so soon.” His hand reaches up to capture a lock of my hair, and he twists it between his fingers.

My muscles are vibrating with tension. I can feel Ethan drawing closer on some instinctive level, and I know it’s almost time to move. An intense ache swells in my chest, almost choking me with sorrow and regret. A vision of the life I’d hoped to lead with Ethan flashes through my mind, only to be swallowed up into a dark emptiness.

All the memories, the love; all leading to this inevitable farewell. I wish I could say goodbye, tell Ethan how much I love him. That he’llstillbe loved, even when I’m gone. The knowledge that my decision will cause him so much pain is almost unbearable, but I must bear it. It’s the only choice if I’m to have any chance of saving him.

Time pauses, one moment stretching eternally. I know what I must do. But it hurts, so profoundly I have to force myself from falling to my knees in agony.Ethan. My love. Please forgive me for this.I close my eyes for a second and see Ethan on our first date. Ethan, proposing. Ethan, loving me.

Then I fling myself backward with every bit of strength, crashing through the window and down. I catch sight of Simon’s shocked expression, then a blur as he leaps towards the window after me. But I’m already on my way down.

I’m sorry, Ethan.

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