Blacken by Alandra Rankin (i love reading books txt) 📕

better.” Owen drank from his mug as well, eyes sparkling with a possible lead behind his concerned features.

Avie spun the ring with the side of her finger, “Perhaps, but it didn’t feel better once I was there. It may be further in the forest.”

Damn. She just lied again, why did she continue to lie to Owen of all people?

Deep down, she knew she was scared. Avie feared what could happen to her or Owen if they went there. Even talking about the creature made her worry of repercussions. She didn’t want to end up dying in the pursuit of knowledge. But then people would keep dying if she didn’t intervene…

She sighed heavily, questioning her cowardice.

His arm wrapped around the back of her body, having her embrace further into him, Owen nodded slightly, making a small noise in confirmation, “Let’s get you upstairs, you’re exhausted. You should sleep in the bed instead and we can talk more tomorrow.”

A dreamless sleep was gifted to her, sleeping heavily in a few hours grace. That was until warbling from a bird outside roused her from her slumber.

Avie awoke to gentle sunlight streaming in from the parted drapes, seeing a little brown bird perched on a branch outside the window. She stretched out, feeling the muscles in her legs giving protest due to how much strain they were in earlier.

Oh… Something very out of the ordinary happened last night, yet the woman questioned if any of it had been a dream. It couldn’t all have been real, right? The experience feeling all too surreal the more her memories came through.

Still, the feeling she had last night stayed in the forefront of her mind, Avie didn’t want to tell anyone about it. Not yet at least, the thought of Owen rushing headstrong to the manor giving her hesitation. However, if that man escaped from the manor as well, the blond would find out eventually. He would also want to know why she didn’t tell the truth…

Of course, they speculated about aliens, but could she really confirm that entity was as such? Avie had no idea about how to approach the subject with Owen. She owed him the proper explanation, at least, even through her worry… Dragging her hands over her face, she got up to just get her confession out of the way.

Walking down the staircase, she found him already awake, sipping on a mug of coffee and watching the news. He turned upon hearing her, “You’re awake! Did you end up sleeping alright?”

She nodded and smiled, “Yeah, it was decent. You?” Avie sat next to him on the love seat, taking in it was still early in the day from the television in front of them.

“The same. Here, I’ve made you coffee,” he stood to retrieve the drink from the kitchen, bringing it back to her. She sipped, careful not to burn her lips on the steaming liquid, humming at the comfort of having a warm drink made just the way she liked.

“I wanted to apologize for scaring you last night. I really am okay.”

“Hell of a night for you, you shouldn’t be worried about me. If you remember any more about the mystery men though, I’ll take that as an apology!”

Avie smiled, shaking her head, her words coming out before she even thought of them… “I’ve got nothing…” Damn it, she was supposed to have told Owen the truth! She was only digging herself further down, now frustrated by her own inaction…

“Well, feel free to stay as long as you’d like. I’ve got today off, and so do you.”

She looked at him puzzled, “What do you mean? I’m scheduled in a few hours.”

“I called in for you, you shouldn’t be under that stress and then have to deal with work stress. It’s just one day, I figured you might need the rest.”

His heart was in the right place, and she did appreciate the time to rest and figure some things out, but it shouldn’t have been his call.

“That does sound nice, but next time, I’ll be the one to call in.”

“Yeah, yeah of course. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

She waved a dismissive hand, “No, don’t worry about it, I know you just wanted to help. I think I’d like to stay and inconvenience you to make up for it.”

“It’s only fair,” he laughed, “want any breakfast?”

She nodded vehemently; her stomach not satisfied with only coffee.

After spending the day with Owen, Avie started on her walk back home, the sun beginning to set with the shorter autumn months as she walked; sky illuminating in a soft pink tone for her.

The thoughts of what she was going to do still plagued her. The redhead didn’t know how to continue forward with the information she accidentally stumbled upon. She certainly didn’t want anyone else to die, but she didn’t want to either. It was incredibly risky to even enter the woods now that she knew what lurked within them. That creature was more than likely on the defensive.

There was also the fact she still had questions that needed answers—Owen’s safety lurking in her mind with how to proceed. She had to steer him away from wanting to explore the space until she could figure something out. First things first, she had to find what became of the man called there too.

With her key in the lock, Avie opened the door to her place, the small space seeming darker after being surrounded by Owen’s larger and brighter house. She threw her keys on the counter beside the door and made her way into her bedroom, intent on finding a start in her own investigation.

Flicking on the light to her room, she quickly realized she was not alone.

The creature from the woods the night before came out of the shadows once she had entered and flooded the room with light. It dropped down behind her, talons unceremoniously clattering on the hardwood, effectively blocking her exit. Avie jumped, spinning around to the source of the noise and inhaled a scream