Chapter 4 Attacked

• A week passes by the same as the last, Cayson once again hiding from her as she continues to walk through, still with the same questions she had before. She enters the cemetery, eyes glancing to the floor as she steps over the fallen branches of the tree. Looking up, her body stops.
• Olivia’s eyes widen as she stares at what can only be described as a wolf, but it’s big and somehow different. Gazing in shock, her body trembles as she considers screaming. She has her proof now. Proof that something is happening here. She moves to take a step back but her foot hits something hard and she stumbles, a low growl escaping from the wolf’s throat. Whatever she walked into is solid and cold; she feels hands gripping her arms. For a brief moment she relaxes. Is it Cayson?
• She tries to turn but her body is still frozen, too scared to drag her eyes away from the wolf. Suddenly she screams as she feels the person’s nails dig into her arms; there’s a sharp pain on her neck and then- bliss. She smiles, no longer afraid of the wolf or able to feel pain. Her body is floating through the sky, her eyes flutter shut, and everything goes black.
• When she wakes up, she finds herself back at Cayson's house. Olivia jumps up, backing away towards the wall.
• “You bit me!” She accuses, pointing a finger at the man who is watching her from across the room. Cayson looks at her shocked, shaking his head.
• “Look, I’ll tell you what really happened, and then hopefully you stay the hell away this time! Let’s grab a drink, I can’t do this sober.” Without waiting he strides out of the door, Olivia rushing to catch up with him. Cayson doesn’t stop, remaining silent as they walk to the bar. When they get there they order drinks before sitting down opposite each other. Olivia admits that she would rather talk about things here, where she is at least surrounded by people and therefore safe.
• “You bit me.”
• Cayson shakes his head.
• “I didn’t touch you, Olivia. What I said the other day was true. You just wanted to laugh and mock the fact I said it.”
• Olivia remembers the last time they were here, how he had said it as if vampires were real.
• “Are you really saying that man is a- a vampire?” She stares at him; surely he can’t be. Those things are just in dreams and stories, aren’t they? Surely if they were real, more people would know about it.
• “Yes, Olivia. Things aren’t what they seem. I know it sounds crazy, I thought it was crazy at first too, but it’s real, it’s all real. Everything from your nightmares, everything you were scared of when you were young; it exists.” His earnest expression does nothing to convince her. I won’t fall for it; she insists to herself, I won’t let him get to me. Maybe it’s some sort of a cult or something, she knows there are some people out there who’d believe anything. Either way, she might as well have some fun with Cayson.
• “So, what- witches exist? Like real witches with magic spells and everything?” She blinks innocently, keeping a smirk off her face and watching as he nods.
• “And werewolves as well?”
• He nods again. Her mind goes back to the wolf she saw tonight. It was so different from a wolf, but then again she’s never seen a wolf in real life, so how can she be so sure?
• “Angels?” She presses further, and once more he nods his assent. He tilts his head slightly, looking at her confused. How many things is she going to list?
• “So you’re telling me that everything in storybooks, all the stuff we were taught isn’t real, actually does exist? Like gnomes and trolls and leprechauns?”
• He splutters, chuckling. “No, those things really are just stories. But there are a lot of things you see so often in films that do exist. It’s just that people never survive to tell the tale.”
• She nods. She can tell he’s being serious but there’s still a part of her that wants to laugh at him. “You’re crazy, you know that right? To think I’ll believe all of this? So, tell me, what exactly is your friend then? Is he some sort of crazy psychopath that tortures people for fun, part of a cult, something else?” She’s had enough of his games; he’s clearly friends with the other guy. He obviously gets kicks from hurting people, and for some reason Cayson just didn’t want him to kill her.
• “I’m telling you the truth, Olivia. Whether you believe it or not, it is the truth.”
• “And yet every night you survive. You said you’re there to protect people, but why doesn’t this vampire just kill you as well? Let’s be honest, if that really was a vampire we'd both be dead right now.”
• He swallows, looking at the ground before flicking his eyes back up to her. He may as well tell her: hell, if it makes her believe him and stay out of that graveyard it’ll be worth it. He thought she would have already worked it out, seeing him stood in front of her, but apparently not.
• “I’m… different. That is why he hasn’t bothered touching you; it’s because I’m constantly on your tail.”
• She raises an eyebrow. “Then why did he attack me last night and the time before?”
• “The first time was because I got sloppy. I was too distracted to check everywhere, I let myself relax and that gave him a chance, one he knew he could get away from.”
• She nods, unsure what to believe anymore. “How were you distracted?” Had someone else been there as well? Maybe he was trying to watch them both and it got too much for him to handle?
• “It was you, Olivia. You distracted me. I was thinking about why you would put yourself at risk like you’ve been doing over and over again. You didn’t seem to care if you lived or died and that intrigued me, so I wasn’t thinking right because my mind was firing questions at me like you are right now.”
• Olivia knows he’s right. She didn’t care if she died; she just wanted answers for Dan. Or, she did until now. With Cayson standing imposingly in front of her, his gaze boring into her soul, she felt powerless. “And tonight? How did that happen?”
• Cayson shrugs his shoulders. “He obviously saw you coming. I planned to get there first and cut him off but you were already there and he came up behind you.” He had wanted to stop the attack so badly, but she’d had him frozen where he stood.
• “So, this guy, is he the one making people go missing or turn up dead?” With Cayson’s nod, she realises that he could be the one who took Dan, which means there was actually a chance she could find him.
• “Why not just kill them all? Why kidnap some of them?” Scratching his head absentmindedly, Cayson grimaces. “Some are taken to be used as a meal for later. Others… well; others show potential and are changed.”
• “So, Dan, he could be dead? Or alive, or- one of them?” She stares at him; she would honestly rather he was dead than the other two right now.
• “He won’t be alive, Olivia.” She doesn’t believe that, and how does he know he won’t be?
• “He could be; how do you know? You have no idea if he’s alive or not.” He nods. She’s right, he can’t be sure.
• “Look, no one has disappeared from that graveyard since I started patrolling it two months ago. They wouldn’t keep him alive for that long; it would be a waste of time and effort. Whoever this Dan guy is, the answers aren’t worth what you’d risk to get them: you’re in far more trouble now that you know what you didn’t before. The only reason I told you is so that you don’t go looking for that guy to ask him!” He pauses for a breath before throwing his arms up in exasperation. “Look, you’re young. You’re what, like seventeen?! Go home, enjoy your life. Forget about all of this.”
• Olivia laughs. “I’m nearly nineteen, thanks, and you don’t look much older than me anyway. I won’t come back, don’t worry.” She needs to just accept that Dan is gone instead of carrying on searching for him anymore. Maybe she could try to find out who that other man was…if she knew where he lived, she could perhaps find Dan.
• “You’re right, I do look nineteen, but I’m a lot older than you’d think. Look, the graveyard isn’t the only place you need to be careful of.” Sitting down, Cayson explains a few local places she should avoid at night, places she never usually goes to at night anyway so it won’t be much trouble to avoid them.
• “I should get going. Look, here’s my number in case you need me. You’re better off staying away from me, Olivia; as far away as you can. Stay away from those places and stop looking for answers or you’ll just end up getting caught up in it all.” Cayson stands and walks out. Olivia looks around her mindlessly before getting up herself and making her way home.