Secrets in the Cove by Shelly Gautreau (warren buffett book recommendations .txt) 📕

 Kate's heart began to beat faster. She didn't have to look back to know the trouble which she wanted to avoid was following her. She was by the rental cottages now and knew it was time she made her move. She took a running start grabbed the fence in front of her and flipped over landing in a crouched position in the back yard of one of the cottages then froze.

There was a huge dog bigger than any dog she's ever seen before sitting right in front of her and he didn't look like he was welcoming any strangers as he growled showing off a very intimidating set of fangs. She was contemplating what her next move would be when he jumped over her and into the fence knocking whomever was trying to crawl over off and warning off anyone on the other side with his low horrifying growls.

"Come on, we'll catch up with her another time" she hears one of them say. A moment later she is again face to face with this gigantic dog. She stares at him for a second then puts her hand out softly trying to convince this giant creature she did not mean any harm, "I'm sorry boy, I didn't know what else to do" she almost whispers. His eyes entrancing her with their emerald color with a red line surrounding the iris. She's never seen such beautiful yet strange eyes before. She wants to look around to check her surroundings but is too afraid to take her eyes off the creature that has circled around her and then turns his back to her and walks towards the cottage pausing and glancing back at her.

"You want me to follow you boy?" she asks him thintking maybe she should just jump back over the fence but knowing it may not be possible that when she did jump over the fence it was because she had a lot of adrenaline built up from fear knowing what those losers wanted.

Most the time the cove was a safe heaven but there were times when outsiders came in looking for trouble and these three guys have been to the cove before. She's pretty sure these are the guys that brutally raped and almost killed a 13 year old girl in the cove two years ago while her parents were out getting groceries. Just remembering the last time she ran into these creeps made her shiver. They didn't catch her that time either but it was close and they made it perfectly clear she would experience a horrible nightmare she would not wake up from if they ever did catch her. She was usually careful not to be out after dark but she had lost track of time while enjoying the water. It still wasn't completely dark yet so she thought she would be alright. There wasn't many staying in the cove anymore ever since the 13 year old was attacked but Katie didn't have any where else to go besides the covej was pretty secluded which is how Katie liked it. 

Katie stood slowly stood up from her crouched position and started to follow this massive beast hoping she could just walk out the front door. The back door was open, probably so their dog could go in and out to the back yard. It was dark inside so Katie hesitated before stepping inside. When she did step inside somehow she managed to run smack into a huge solid form. She froze yet again and in an instant she realized it was the man that lived here. Taking a step back she manages to squeak out,"I....I'm so sorry" she stammers out trying to focus her eyes from the light outside to the dark now engulfing her. A low and deep voice boomed from above her "what are you doing here?" She is able to take another step back while she states "I'm so sorry....I was being followed... and.... and... I got scared....I didn't know what to do...so I jumped your fence to get away from them...I truly am sorry" Katie takes a deep breath then adds "I'll leave right now if you could just show me the front door?"

She hears him move away from her then a click as a small light illuminates the room. she watches him move to the front door unable to take her eyes off him. He must be close to seven foot tall, muscles radiatng from every movement. He's massive just as his dog Katie thinks to herslf. He's now standing by the front door just starring at her as she's still just standing there looking at him. "Sorry", she stammers again. "Maybe....if you wouldn't mind.... I should stay here a little while just to make sure they are gone?" she asks. "NO" his response boomed out.

She stares at him with disbelief then quickly exits the house throwing back "fine" then spits out "sorry for the inconveince" and walks off. She repremands herself out loud once she is away "how rude Katie! You treaspass and then snap at the person kind enough to let you walk through his house....nice" then she realizes she's alone again so quickly heads towards her house then starts to go up the steps of her front porch but then stops. The powder she sprinkled on her front porch has been disturbed and she can see one of the glass pane windows that is beside the door is missing.

Katie quickly twirls around and smacks into someone. She instinctively knees the person then starts to turns to run when she does a double take back...it was the stranger who's house she invaded. "OH...MY....GOD!! I am soooo sorry!!! Geez I thought you were one of those losers! Are you alright? Is there anything I can do?" he looks up and her heart skips a beat...those eyes!! His eyes are the same emerald green with the slinder red line circling the iris. How could that be? 

Drake is taken back by this stranger that practically summersaulted into his back yard. He thought that all the women left this cove when the attack happened two years ago. He had moved in just a year earlier being warned about the thugs that brutely attacked an innocent little girl and left her for dead. Due to a technicality of shabby police work the thugs were not punished and are still roaming free on the streets. Luckily they said the little girl survived the attack and is slowly getting her life back on track but that night will haunt her for the rest of her life.

Drake figured this would be a good a place as any to settle especially since he wanted to be alone more than anything. Drake finds himself stareing at this small delicate creature as she apologizes for taking refuge in his back yard now his home. He understands her plight but irritated his sanctuary has been disturb so ready for her to go on her way.

Once she leaves he realizes he can't just let her walk home alone. He can sense the danger still lurking for her so he trails far enough behind her to keep out of sight to make sure she does arrive home safe. He hears her reprimand herself for being rude to him even though he didn't take it that way, silly girl.

He senses the men waiting for her and quickly goes to stop her from going any farther when she whirls around and smacks into him yet again. He looks into her golden brown eyes noticing that she is starring at him with her mouth open. He places a finger under her chin to close her gapped mouth. He is use to the stares hes obtained ever since he obtained the scars a year and a half ago. He shakes the thoughts out of his head as she says, "your eyes...." she trails off and continues in a near whisper, "I think someones in my house".

I wonder how she knows without even going up to the door he thinks to himself, of course she's right I can not only sense them but I can smell three of them waiting inside for her. Before I know it I hear myself saying, "you should stay at my place tonight then we can come back and check it out in the morning when the sun's up".

Before she could respond he sensed the losers eagerness and knew it was time to move! He didnt want to make her aware that the thugs were watching them and were getting restless so he just led her away as fast as he could thankful she didn't argue or pull away. Before he could get too far though he sensed the movements he was hoping wouldn't come. He instantly stopped and pulled her close to him to block her body from them. Again he was surprised she didn't complain or push away but also greatful since there was no time to argue before the first few shots rang out. He grabbed her up and ran having an intense desire to keep her safe. 

He got her to his house and once inside he gently put her down then told her to stay inside as he closes the door behind him on his way back out to detour the thugs. He knew they were following them and he could not allow them to get to her knowing their thoughts and knowing the brutality of those thoughts. He morphed as he ran, he was already hit a couple times before he ran off with her and morphing would increase the healing time. As he landed on all fours coming around the corner he meets up with the losers.

There were three of them. Two were pretty skinny while the other one was fat. All three were pretty out of shape and stunk pretty bad. A mixture of cheap booze, a strong odor of weed and smokes, and sweat like they hadn't bathed in months shot out at his nostrils along with that stitch of adrenaline they posessed in search of their victim. He waited until they could see him clearly. They walked up, one of the skinny ones said "oh man...is that a freakin' dog?" Then the other skinny one huffs out "I go 'em" as he lifts the gun and fires. Drake didn't move, he didn't have to the bullet wasn't even close.

"You mother fucker! You didn't even get close! Let me show you how it's done, asshole!" as the fat guy rang out a shot. Drake seen it coming and side swept the bullet as he rammed his horrific size into the first skinny guy knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying several feet.

"Holly Shit boys we got us a demon dog!" Fatty calls out whlie ringing out another shot. Drake jumped over the oncoming bullet and came down right on top of fatty knocking him to the ground then ripping his throat out. The two skinny losers just stared at the scene. The one closer shook his