Chapter Eighteen: Impromptu Swim

(Prayers By Night)

***

Shock.

That was all Allison could feel as she stared at the pool, the cloud of blood steadily growing bigger, and the body floating just beneath it. Because despite everything they'd been through tonight, despite the monster they'd seen, she hadn't expected to see someone dead.

But now she had, and Allison's brain was trying to comprehend it as she just kept staring at the pool, Nick holding her as she held the bow and arrow, as they all stared at the body.

Silence passed, before Kaitlyn asked, "Is she like one of those hunter dudes?"

"I don't think so," Ryan answered as Allison realised who they were talking about—the eyepatch lady, who had disappeared just before they arrived at the pool. Just before they saw the body.

"I just... I can't..." Hayden stammered as Dylan held her awkwardly, trying to provide her some comfort. Distantly, Allison noted they should have cauterised the wound, but there was no time—and nothing they could use for it.

"You okay?" Kaitlyn asked, the question directed to Ryan.

"I don't know who that other girl was. I've never seen her before," Ryan answered, voice cracking.

"I haven't either—and I'd remember a girl wearing an eyepatch," Hayden said.

"Me neither. But her?" Kaitlyn clarified, pointing to the pool—and the body.

A pause, before Ryan answered, voice breaking slightly, "Yeah. That's Kaylee Hackett."

Allison's eyes widened as shock and now grief flooded her as Hayden breathed, "Oh my God..." while Nora stifled a sob and Abi let out a quiet gasp. Because while Allison had never truly got to know her, she'd always been so nice. And now...

Now she was dead.

"Mr. H's daughter? I thought she went home with her brother," Kaitlyn questioned.

"Kaylee. Yeah. I thought so too," Ryan answered, voice cracking with grief at the end.

"I think we all did," Hayden whispered, leaning against Dylan as he rested his stump on Ryan's shoulder, offering him comfort as well.

It was at that moment Allison felt Nick's arms tighten around her, turning what usually felt like a comforting, secure embrace into something that was too restricting, too uncomfortable.

"Nick," she whispered, trying to squirm free but his grip was strong as he breathed heavily, setting off warning bells in her head.

"Oh man. Poor Kaylee..." Kaitlyn murmured, but her voice sounded underwater as the bells kept ringing in Allison's head.

"Nick, let me go," Allison demanded.

"You smell so good," Nick breathed, a predatory growl in his voice.

Allison's eyes widened. "What the fuck? Nick, let me go!"

"Nick, what are you doing? Let Allison go," Hayden demanded, moving from Dylan to head toward them.

"You alright there, bud? Maybe dial it back a bit, huh?" Kaitlyn asked in a warning tone.

Nick moved back a bit, but only to snap at them, "Fuck off, Kaitlyn. Hayden."

"Whoa," Kaitlyn said as Hayden's eyes widened and she asked, "Nick, what the hell?"

But Nick only pulled Allison back, as behind her she heard Nora say, "Sarah, get off of me."

"Sorry, but you smell so good," Sarah murmured, right as Nick held Allison tightly, possessively again.

"Nick, seriously, what are you doing?" Allison demanded.

"I want to taste you..."

"Hey!" Allison yelled, her warning bells sounding higher and higher as she struggled in Nick's unusually strong grip.

"Come here," he growled.

"Nick, what the hell? Let me fucking go!"

"Nick, didn't you hear Allison, she said to let her go!" Hayden yelled as she grabbed Nick's shoulder to pull Nick off of Allison—right as Abi pulled Sarah away from Nora, Kaitlyn yelled, "Watch out!",  and the point of Allison's arrow came into contact with his injured leg as she yelled, "I said let me go!"

The minute the arrowhead touched Nick's leg, he yelled in pain as he let go of Allison and Hayden pulled him back, but he'd lost his footing and fell backwards into the pool, Hayden letting go and kept from falling in as well due to Ryan grabbing her just in time. A loud splash erupted as Allison stared in shock at the pool, Hayden staring with wide eyes and a slack jaw as Ryan let her go. Behind them, Nora and Sarah were standing a foot apart, Nick falling into the pool snapping Sarah out of the bared-teeth snarl she'd delivered to Abi when she'd pulled Nora away from her, as they stared at the pool.

As Nick didn't come back up.

"Nick?" Allison whispered, as guilt slammed through her, because what if Nick didn't come back up, what if he had hit his head and was he drowning, she'd only wanted him to let go, oh God, what if he was dead...

"Come back up. Nick, please, come back up," Hayden begged, staring at the water like that would bring Nick up to the surface.

A second passed, then the water erupted as Nick burst back up through the surface, screaming in agony.

"NICK!" Hayden yelled as Allison stumbled back in shock, watching in shocked silence as Nick thrashed around in the water, screaming like he'd fallen into acid instead of water.

"Whoa!" Ryan shouted as Allison just stared, paralysed.

Hayden wasn't, as she dropped the knife and jumped into the water, swimming toward her brother and swinging his arm around her, leading him to the edge as he still screamed and fought against her.

"Are you okay?" Kaitlyn asked Allison as the brunette still stared at Nick, his pain-filled screams thundering in her ears.

"I just wanted him to stop. I just wanted him to let go," Allison breathed. She hadn't wanted this, wanted to hear Nick screaming in such raw agony. She only wanted him to listen to her and let her go.

"Nick! Dude!" Ryan yelled to Nick as Hayden was still steering them both to the edge, Nick fighting against her with every stroke.

"Nick, stop fighting against me! I'm trying to help you!" Hayden shouted as, finally, he stopped screaming and fighting, enabling Hayden to swim them both to the pool's edge.

"I got him!" Kaitlyn exclaimed, walking toward the edge as she grabbed Nick's hand and helped pull him out of the water, Hayden following a step behind, panting as she rested her hands on her knees. Allison stared at Nick, lying on the ground and shivering, still looking like he was in the throes of pain.

"What did I do?" Allison whispered as she put the arrow back in the quiver and moved to Nick, as Ryan said, "I-I don't know."

"Good thing Hayden can swim," Abi said, looking at Hayden.

"Yeah. Good thing," Hayden agreed as she moved to sit beside Allison, looking at Nick with worry and confusion as Allison reached to touch Nick.

She pulled away, whispering, "He's freezing."

"Okay, l-let's get him in the pool house. Dry him off," Ryan suggested.

"Good call," Allison said, the words leaving her numbly.

"I'll dry off as well," Hayden commented, before she and Ryan pulled Nick up, Allison watching as he still convulsed. It didn't help that it had started raining—that couldn't be good.

At least water got onto the wound, Allison thought dimly as she hovered near Nick as they walked to the pool house—and noticing that when Nick and Hayden passed, Sarah moved back, like she didn't want any of the water on them to touch her.

Allison frowned, but she couldn't worry about that now. They needed to get Nick dry and maybe Hayden too.

But as she walked next to Hayden, neither Allison nor any of them noticed the small burn on Nick's leg.

A burn in the shape of an arrowhead.

***

Heheheheh...

Yes, we're finally getting to the pointy end of Nick and Sarah about to transform into werewolves!! And yeah, Allison was in Abi's place here, and her arrow burned Nick!! (they won't find out until later)

Also, poor Kaylee—I feel so bad for her, especially since her death is the one always guaranteed :(

And the pool! I loved writing that a lot and Hayden immediately jumping in (because despite what happened earlier, she cannot stand to see her brother struggling and in need of help) and Sarah also freaking out over Nora and Hayden and Nick dripping water. And yeah, the arrow burned Nick >:)

But we're FINALLY at the pool house scene!! I am VERY excited for it!! Are you? >:)

Please read, comment and vote!

GhostWriterGirl out!