Saving Faith... by Stephanie M. Colon (classic novels for teens .txt) 📕

Faith knew she would have to tell him something because he was still looking at her with what she thought was pleading in his eyes. “Constantine told me not to go into the forest already. I told you that when you found me. And in case you didn’t notice I wasn’t in the forest. Besides I knew you would end up finding me no matter where I was. I was going to sit out there for a little while. I need to be outside every now and then.”

Sebastian just looked at her. He knew she was thinking about more than just being out near the forest and how much it scared him. “I just need you to understand my need to keep you safe. I’m sorry if I upset you.”

“Okay, I get it. I wont go there again. Ill try to stay closer to the house. How does that sound? In my defense I was just trying to stretch my legs and explore your garden. Its so beautiful so I honestly thought it wouldn’t be that big a deal to be out there.”

“I know and again I am sorry but I need you to heed my warning. If not the next time something happens it could be worse than what you just endured. Trust me when I say there is an evil out there worse than that pitiful little man. Trust me what he did will look like child’s play compared to the evil lurking outside of my property lines. And if you should see anyone, ever, while you are out on the grounds do not talk to them. Unless its the women who live here you are to stay away from everyone. I cant be with you every minute, no matter how much I would love to, but you need to trust me. Its not safe.” Sebastian needed her to understand his concern when it comes to her safety.

It wasn’t until he this moment that his own heart slowed down and his fear started to subside that he started smelling Faiths blood. Hearing her heartbeat was like hearing a sirens call. His mouth started to water and he felt his teeth lengthen. He had rushed out of the house in search of her once her had learned she was out on the grounds while the sun was setting. He didn’t even think to go feed for his fear had become so overwhelming he had thought of only Faith. Now he started to regret that decision. Sebastian knew he needed to get away from her quickly.

“Now that I know you are safe you should go into the kitchen and eat dinner with the women. I believe they are waiting for you.” His hunger was growing with every beat of her heart and he needed to get away from her before he couldn’t stop himself. “I have to go see to some business but I will be back as soon as I can. Please don’t go outside again until I am back.” with that he left out the door and disappeared into the darkness before Faith could even think to say anything in return.

Sebastian’s absence made her feel vulnerable. Faith knew even more now that when she healed enough she would have to leave. She didn’t know when that would be but she knew it had to be soon because being around Sebastian wasn’t going to be safe. The danger was either going to be physical with the way he feared her leaving the grounds, or towards her heart. She already started to feel for Sebastian and she knew it wasn’t a good thing.

Seriously Faith, she thought to herself, who starts falling for someone after everything that just happened to you? I think I need some professional help. I cant seem to pick the right people to love. What is wrong with me.

Faith followed the scents into the kitchen where the last of the dishes were being set. She just couldn’t stop thinking about Sebastian. Why would he have such fear of her exploring though? If she stayed on the grounds what could it hurt to walk along the property line and just have a little look? Sure his fear was scary but what if she did it in the morning when the sun was up? Would that still make him scared for her?

There was a variety of dishes that all looked so delicious. Faith heard her stomach start to grumble. Realizing she hadn’t eaten much during the entire day she was suddenly starving.

“Hey, Cara. What have you been up to today?” She asked as she walked up to the pantry door. Inside was Cara standing looking extremely distracted. Faith had only met Cara couple of weeks ago so she didn’t know her too well, but Faith felt sympathy towards her. She often wondered how Cara felt about being locked up in this place for practically her whole life. Sebastian had told Faith that Cara had come to this home after being orphaned as a child and that her raised her as his own daughter but that he didn’t let her leave often. She had even been home schooled by Constantine because he didn’t want the world to ruin her.

“Oh!” Cara exclaimed. She didn’t know anyone was at the door. She had been in her own mind thinking about her plan that she hadn’t heard Faith speak to her, or walk up to the door. “Would you like to help me set the table?” even though she hadn’t heard Faith she figured that asking for help would be enough of a distraction that Faith wouldn’t think anything of Cara just standing and staring at nothing at all. In the amount of time that Cara had spent with Faith she felt like she knew her a lot better than Emily, who had been in the home for almost 5 years now. The more they talked the more Cara felt like she could relate to Faith and she loved that because it had been an extremely long time since she felt like she could really talk to someone. Finally someone who didn’t treat her like a child or a delicate vase. She just hoped if she decided to tell Faith of her plan that she wouldn’t tell Sebastian.

“Sure Cara, anything you need just ask. I love to help.” Faith replied with a smile. She really waned to befriend Cara. Cara seemed like she needed a friend desperately.

The two women worked together ti get the table ready for dinner. Only the four women would be eating the great feast that had been prepared by Constantine and Cara. Faith asked Constantine if she could help the first day she was able to actually stand without getting dizzy. She used that opportunity to ask Constantine as well if Sebastian would be joining them for dinner. She had been told that Sebastian would usually go outside of the house for practically everything. He would never be around for dinner because he kept late hours working everyday so he would eat while he was out. She also learned that he worked only at night so he slept throughout the day. Faith often wondered what Sebastian did for a living that he would need to work at night.

Once they had finished getting everything set on the table Constantine and Emily had finally sat down to join them. Faith hadn’t spent so much time at the castle yet but she started to look at Constantine as the mother figure of the household. She tried not to get too close to her or Cara but it was difficult not to. They were both so kind and it was easy to imagine having lived her whole life in the castle with them. It was going to be tough when she had to leave and it hurt to think about. Faith tried to stay distant but it was challenging when the people you are trying to keep a distance with are so nice and loving.

Emily, on the other hand, was odd. Faith didn’t know what it was but she tried to avoid being around her too much. She seemed kind of robotic at times. There was something off about her but she didn’t want to bring it up. Everyone claimed that Emily was the kind of woman who treated her life in the castle as a job and never really let anyone into her personal life. All they knew was she was had a family far away, and the money she was making working with them was put into an account that her family had access to.

Faith decided to try to forget everything that was bothering her. She felt fairly safe in the house with the women right now but she wished Sebastian was at least in the house with them. She didn’t know what it was but she had a bad feeling about the night.

Sebastian left the castle and rushed to the nearest city he could find. He didn’t want to hunt in the small towns around the castle because he had the feeling he would need multiple people to fulfill his hunger on this night. Not only to tame his hunger for Faith but also for the fight he knew was coming. It was still so early that the sky was still darkening but Sebastian knew people would be going for their night out soon. There would be plenty of blood for him tonight, he hoped.

As he started walking down a side street towards the busier streets he started thinking about what happened to him all those years ago. He desperately wanted to be the man who could spend his days out by Faith’s side. He never thought of his past after he hit one hundred. It wasn’t until he started to see Faith grow stronger after he rescued her that he started to wonder what his life could be like if she decided to stay with him. He had been robbed of the chance to live his life as a human. He had been so stupid to not see the signs when he was young. He thought he was in love but now he knew better. He had been used while he was too young and naive to know any better.

Sebastian spent a while looking for and feeding on his prey. He knew he had been gone from the castle long enough that all the women should be asleep. He just needed to take some time and think about everything. He found a large enough park that had some benches far from any lights and he sat down one one of them. It was such a quiet and calm night that Sebastian let his mind wander to the past again. This time he allowed all the details that lead up to his transformation play out in his mind.

It was a night very much like this one. Everyone in the village of Rose Hallow had either gone home to spend the rest of their night at home with their families or they were at the pub eating their dinner and talking about their days. Sebastian had been sent to the pub by his mother to find his father. On the way there he walked by the trail that led into the forest and he heard a crash in the bushes to the side.

“Hello?” Sebastian called out. He hoped it wasn’t a bear. Lately the whole village had to be on the lookout for bears. Too many bears staring to come close to town