Phantom Shadows

Chapter 4

"Where are we going?" I asked as Nikolas continued to pull me away from the cottage we were just in.

"I'm getting you out of there and taking you home." He replied, no intention on stopping.

"Why are you so protective of me? You barely know me."

"I don't know." He huffed and kept pulling me forwards.

"I don't believe you." I ripped my arm from his grip. "And you still haven't told me what the hell happened this morning."

"It's a Hunter thing that I'm really not in the mood to explain to you. Come on," He held out his hand, "Let me take you home." I took his hand and we continued walking back to my house. After a while he looked over at me. "You're not gonna stop asking me, are you?"

"Nope." I giggled.

"Ok fine but you have to promise not to tell a single living soul." He gave the most serious look ever so of course I had to be an idiot.

"What about dead people?" I smirked.

"Thea!" He laughed. "I'm serious. Do you promise?"

"Yes, I promise." I giggled again, and Nikolas looked at me in almost admiration.

"Ok. Now don't freak out when I say this but for a Hunter, visions like that normally mean soulmates." I looked at him with wide eyes. "I said don't freak. But that's why I feel so protective of you, I feel in my gut that I need to take care of you. You feel it too, I know you do."

"Ok, maybe I do." I looked at my feet awkwardly as I realised He was still holding my hand. "But you said this is a Hunter thing so is there any other perks to it?"

"Glad you asked." He smiled. "Soulmates can generally share abilities if they're holding something significant to the other person. For example," He let go of my hand and pulled a small, dark ring on a chain from his pocket. "This belonged to my mother and it is possibly the most important thing to me ever." He held my hand up and placed the chain in my palm. A rush of power hit me, and I stopped walking. "See, you feel that. That is my power, my abilities that you are able to use." I looked up at him and grinned. "Maybe not right now though." He lifted the ring out of my hand and put it back in his pocket.

"Boo! Spoil sport." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Wow, you are such a child." He sighed.

"Yep." I replied, popping the p for emphasis. I re-clasped my hand in his and started walking towards my house again. We chatted and laughed all the way there, so much so that when we reached my door, I didn't want him to go.

"Well this is my stop." Nikolas smiled. I nodded in reply. "I'll see you at school." I nodded again, and he started to descend the stairs we just walked up.

"Nikolas." I called out and he turned around.

"I think we've gotten to the point where you can call me Niko." He smiled, and I smiled back.

"Well then, Niko, I was going to say, thanks."

"For what?" He walked back up a few of the steps so he was a bit closer.

"For today. I mean it was terrifying but probably one of my favourite days ever, not to mention completely unforgettable." I looked straight into his eyes. "Just thank you."

"No problem, Ace." I giggled at my new nickname. "See ya tomorrow." He called as he walked down the rest of the stairs then ran off down the street.

"So, Ace?" I spun around to see Dex leaning against the door frame, door wide open behind him.

"Shut up." I play punched him on the shoulder before pushing past him and into our living room. "Are mum and dad home yet?" I dropped my bag on the couch and Dex closed the door.

"You're lucky they're not. They would kill you for being home this late on your first day without telling them." He had a look of mischief on his face.

"Dex? There's something you're not telling me." I scowled.

"Let's just say your little brother has your back." I glared at him until he told me. "Ok so mum called the home phone and asked to speak to you because you weren't answering your phone."

"Shit." I muttered under my breath. Of course I wasn't answering my phone, I was running away from ghost monsters.

"So I told her that you were taking a shower after your long day and to not bother calling your phone because you wouldn't answer." I nodded. That's viable, I do that. "Then I told her you were planning on taking a nap until she got home so whatever she needed done she could get me to do it." Also viable, I nap a lot.

"Thanks little brother." I patted his shoulder as I headed over to the kitchen.

"You're not out of the clear yet. She'll be home soon, and she'll expect a sleeping daughter so may I suggest getting upstairs and into bed, like now." I nodded at him and started heading towards the stairs when I heard a car pull up outside.

"Shit." I said again, but far louder.

"Run. I'll hold her off a bit." Dex ushered me off and made his way to the door as I rushed upstairs, quickly getting changed into my PJ's and climbing into my double bed. I pulled the blankets over me just as I heard her footsteps just down the corridor. She opened my door and I quickly pretended to be asleep.

"Honey, it's time to wake up." She sat down on my bed and placed her hand on my shoulder, shaking me gently. I groaned and moved slowly like I was actually waking up, not just getting up.

"Oh," I mumbled sleepily, "Hey mum." I sat up in bed.

"Hi sweetheart. I figured I should wake you up otherwise you'd miss dinner." I nodded.

"I'll just get dressed and I'll meet you downstairs in a minute, hopefully more awake." She nodded and walked out. I swapped out my PJ's for the clothes I had been wearing that day and made my way downstairs.

"So, how was your day?" Mum asked me and Dex and I joined him on the bar stools that sat on the other side of the kitchen bench that mum was currently making dinner at. "Make any new friends."

Dex started to ramble on about our new group and I just sat there, thinking about the amazing afternoon I had and when I might get to do it again.