The Silk Of The Predator (Book #1 In Series)

Elias

"Althea"

I had been wondering why I had saved her life, why I had followed her. Why I had felt drawn to her. Now I knew. Althea. As soon as she said her name. My father had told me that one day, I would come across a girl named Althea, and I was destined to kill her. So why didn't I want to kill her? I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with her spunkiness, or the way she fought and ran for her life. Maybe I felt bad. No that wasn't it, I had killed before, many times before, and I never felt bad. I was a killer. So why couldn't I kill her. I stared at her, with that long light brown hair, those wide, beautiful grey eyes that drew you in, and that sinewy build of hers. She was built like a runner, not a fighter. She didn't even seem dangerous, just scared and alone.

She stared at me, and there was concern in her eyes. "Elias? You okay?". Concern?! Why was there CONCERN in her eyes?! I blinked and looked away, "Yeah, fine. We should get going". "Yeah! Of course!". She turned and started walking. We were in the woods now, a good place to loose people. I touched the handle of my knife that was on my belt. Just really quick. One slice and she'd be dead. So WHY couldn't I do it?!

I pulled out my knife. I can do this!!! I can't let Father down! If I do, then he would have died for no reason! But do I really care? This is my life, and I'm not just going to have someone tell me how to should live it.

Father had always trained me hard to be a fighter, a killer. That's not what I want to be, despite my nature. I wasn't going to kill Althea.

She glanced back at me with those eyes of hers, and asked worriedly, "Elias? What are you doing? What are you doing with that knife". I blinked, and looked at the knife, that I was gripping so hard with my hand that my knuckles were white. "Uh, nothing, don't worry, sorry." I replied and put the knife away.

"Sorry" she said with a quick embarrassed smile, "it's just that I've been on my own for so long, I don't exactly trust people, I guess I'm a little paranoid, sorry". I realized how beautiful she looked when she smiled, even if it wasn't a really real smile. "Don't worry about it, it's fine, I understand, I've been kinda on my own for a long time too. I know how it is, trying to survive, not exactly trusting the people around you".

4 hours later

"Hey, are you tired? I know we've been walking for a long time?" she asked me. Yeah, I was tired, but I knew she was even more tired than I. "Yeah, let's take a break". She plopped down on the ground, and leaned against a tree. I sat down across from her. I reached into my pocket, and pulled out a few granola bars I had picked up in the house I'd been hunkered down in. I gave her two, and ate the one I had.

"No, I can't take two while you only get one! It's not fair!" she said. "Yes it is, just eat it". And it was fair. She deserved it more than me. "Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked after staring at me for a few long seconds. Why was I being so nice to her? Althea split the other granola bar and gave me half. I opened my mouth, about to argue, when she said, "Shut up, and eat, it's only fair". I smirked, and ate my half.

2 hours later

"We should find some place to stay for the night, and I think I know just the place. I know your probably thinking that I'm leading you to a trap, so I'll let you check out the house, and I'll even give you my knife" I told her, suddenly wanting her to trust me. "Really?! You'd do that?" "Yeah". "Well, you don't have to do that, if you say it's safe, it's safe. You haven't given me a reason to distrust you, yet". So, after a few minutes walking to the house, and we got settled in. I took the chair, and she took the couch.

"So, how did you find this place?" she asked softly. "I stumbled upon this a while ago, when I'd been on the run". "On the run?". "Yeah, let's just say I made some important people mad. And by important, I mean some Souls and other Supernaturals". "Are you serious?! You couldn't have told me this before I told you my name?! I mean, what if you get caught?!". "Do you honestly think that I didn't think about that when I told you my name?!". "Whatever. I'm leaving tomorrow. And don't you dare follow or I will cut you!". I held up my hands in surrender, and said,"Don't worry, I want to go back to being alone as much as you do!". That was the first lie I told her.

"ELIAS!"

Althea was screaming. I jerked awake and to my feet. Where was she?! I looked around, then ran outside when I heard her scream again. A guy grabbed me from behind. I started fighting, throwing my full weight back, trying to break his grip. I wished I could see my attacker, see what I was up against. The guy was to strong. Then I saw her. Althea. I stopped fighting and went limp. My gaze narrowed in on Althea, everything else blurring.

She had ropes tied around her, and a knife pressed to her throat. Her knife. "Stop squirming, or we'll slit her throat!". I froze. I stared at her, "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?". "No, I think my arm's broken", her voice broke with the tears that streamed down her face. The guy's grip loosened, so I threw my self forward, but the guy holding me tightened his grip on my arms, making them twinge with pain.

"You're going to pay for hurting her! I'm going to kill you for what did!" I yelled, and I made sure to make my voice threatening and sure. Then I focused for two seconds, my eyes closed, I reached deep inside of myself, searching for powers that I had buried.

When I opened my eyes, and the knife flew out of the guy who was holding her hand. The ropes broke away from her. The guy holding Althea flew backwards, as did the guy holding me. I ran to Althea. A ring of fire burst to life around us. I made it burn brighter and higher when the guys came close. "I told you that I'd kill you for what you did, right?".

The guy that had held Althea, who had dreads and a goatee, looked close to passing out. The other one, who I could finally see, also had dreads but no facial hair. He was pale and sweat started trickling down his face. They both backed up, then a wall of flames burst to life behind them. "Elias, stop, please." Althea said quietly. And I did. I stopped.

Then I noticed that she had her arm tucked against her chest, and her other hand gripped my arm. "Althea" I said softly. "Wait, this is Althea?! The great ALTHEA!?!" the one who'd had me said. "Elias, what are they talking about?". "There's some prophecy that says that you're supposed to save the world, thats why the Souls and Supernaturals want you dead. But they cant kill you, only one person can". "And who would that be?". "Me".