Stay Away (The Beocraftian Gambit - Book One)

In the quiet of the night, the bellow of an anguished shifter broke the stillness, filling the dark woods with terror. Its roar shook the very foundation of the little cabin where the couple had camped out. Even though it came from a distance, it still had a terrifying impact on them. Sinclair and Rebecca exchanged glances, fear lingering in their eyes. A tingle ran down the length of Rebecca’s spine after the roar died. She recognized it. “Oh, God. It’s T-Murek.” Her face paled. “He’s here.” She uttered a breathless gasp and whirled to face him with frightened eyes. “Phineus is still out there.” She quickly handed the baby in her arms to her husband, who stood paralyzed with fear and reached for the door. “No, Rebecca!” She tried to unlatch it, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “I have to save him!” she bawled, struggling to break free. “No!” he bellowed. “If you go out there, you’ll die!” She persisted, pushing his fingers off her wrist. “But Phineus—he’s out the

The lecture was already in session when Natasha arrived. She walked past the bald old man who was putting down some notes on the board. She tried not to get noticed as she sneaked past him. Natasha hurried to an empty seat at the back, but then stopped midway into the lecture hall when she heard her name called from the front. All eyes immediately fell on her. She slowly turned—chest throbbing within her chest. Her eyes cast a guilty gleam on the old instructor whom she found still scribbling away on the board, too busy to glance her way. Natasha remained still, agitated from the sea of eyes watching her from all directions. She rubbed her fingers together while she waited. He spun to face her, his fierce gaze piercing through her. “You’re late—” The tiny lens that sat on his pointy nose moved as he spoke. “I’m sorry sir, but—” “—again,” he completed his sentence, cutting her short. Dr Legolas was an old science professor known among the students as a disciplinarian who compelled

When Kevin opened his eyes, they were watery, and his throat felt scratchy. He wasn’t sure where he was. He felt himself sitting upright in an iron chair and tried to get up, but couldn’t. That’s when he noticed that something was restraining his arms. He looked down and saw the belt that wrapped around his wrist, anchoring his hands to the arm of the iron chair. Kevin moved his body, struggling hard to set himself free, but the belt was just too thick. He looked around the room nervously and noticed a long table in the corner of the room. Some bottles were placed on top. He glanced up at the window behind drawn curtains high up the cinder-board wall. The curtains sealed off a partial trace of light. The room seemed empty and devoid of life. A thin line of sweat rolled down his forehead and rested at the side of his lips. He took out his tongue to lick it off. It had a distinctive taste of sweat mixed with blood. That was when he realised he was bleeding. The last thing he remember

The other girl wasn’t with them—what was her name again? Of course. He finally remembered. Natasha As he sat in silence, listening to them talk, he began to understand why she hadn’t joined them, the numb expression on their faces. It had something to do with an assault of some sort, but then he berated himself not to concern himself with her—she was not his concern. Landry noticed how frequently he looked in their direction. “Are you okay?” He turned to look at him. “What?” “Noticed you staring at those girls over there, and thought—” “I only met them yesterday. In school.” He brought his voice low. Just as he listened in on their conversation, the girls could also do the same. “You know that’s a bad idea, right?” “The girls? Or school?” “Both” He didn’t answer him. Landry took his silence to mean that he agreed. “Imagine my surprise when Cedric told me you enrolled in a college? College? How could you be so unreasonable? You’re a danger to everyone who gets close to you, i

Kevin sat outside the store opposite Pittsburgh bar, waiting patiently, intending to confront the thugs that’d assaulted Natasha the previous night. It was already dark, and the street was lonely. He glanced up at the big clock that hung inside the shop. 11:48 pm. He wondered how much longer he’d have to wait before they showed up. The shopkeeper who’d noticed him sitting there for a while came to meet him. “Sir, is there something I could help you with?” After a momentary silence, he said to him, “I’ll have a bottle of tequila.” And at once the shopkeeper left to get what he’d requested. He soon arrived with a bottle of tequila placed side-by-side with a bottle opener on a tray and set it down on the table before Kevin. “Thank you.” Kevin opened the bottle and poured it into a dark glass. “Wait, please! Don’t go,” he said to the shopkeeper, stopping him mid-way into his store. “I’m waiting for someone, but I don’t know where they might be. Maybe you could help me.” The shopk