Phoenix Reborn (Woodland Creek)(24)
Probably best not to find out.
Hawke seemed to be of the same mindset as he took her hand again. “Come on,” he said. “Since I can’t have you here, I’ll walk you back into town. I want to make sure that psycho isn’t around. I hate that I have to work.”
Before long, they were nearing the street where his crew was set up, ready to film the next scene. Hawke’s face was apologetic as he turned to her. “I’m so sorry to have to say good-bye to you again. One of these days I want to hold onto you a little longer.”
“It’s all right. I understand.” Ashling wondered if she should stay and watch after all.
“Don’t get attacked by any more wild men, okay?” he said as he turned to walk away, when he’d ensured that there were enough people around to cast a protective eye over her. “At least not until I’m with you again.”
As she watched him go, her heart sank. Much as she hated to do it, she considered his words. One of these days I want to hold onto you a little longer.
At some point she’d have to tell him that it couldn’t happen. Whether he lived in another city or not, made pretend-love to actresses or not, she was not like him, and they could never be together.
She would never be able to hide her true self from him, and not only that, but she could ruin his life, his reputation, if she didn’t get her powers in check. But even if she could learn to control them, how could a man like that want to be with a woman like her? She was a disaster. What sort of superstar tells the world that his girlfriend might turn into a mythical creature one day, and short of that she might just set a bunch of strangers on fire?
But she was falling for him, if she hadn’t already fallen as hard as a woman could. And the harder and faster she tumbled downward into the spiralling abyss that engulfed her, the harder it would be to regain her balance, to pull away. To protect him from her, and everything that accompanied her.
The time had come to run away, to escape Woodland Creek.
* * *
“You’re what?” Ranach’s eyes widened so that their whites shone around the irises. Ashling almost wanted to laugh; she didn’t even know that he had sufficient muscles to perform such an act with his features.
“I’m thinking about leaving for a while. I should go away, I think. Away from here.” She’d debated telling him, but if she took off without a word, she knew that he would worry about her. After all, he was as close as she’d ever come to having a parent, and she owed this to him, at the very least.
“But why? You’re only now learning who and what you are, my girl. Don’t you think you should explore that?”
“I should certainly explore it,” she said. “Just not here. There are things that I want to avoid, and people I don’t want to see.”
“Don’t want to, or think you shouldn’t? The two are quite different beasts.”
“Look, Ranach. A man — a very odd one — pretended to be someone else so that he could get me alone, and then tried to kill me. I don’t know why. But he seemed to think that I’m somehow a threat. Meanwhile, a man who’s got everything in the world going for him seems, for some insane reason, to want to date me. But if he knew what I am…”
“If he knew what you were, he might just want you all the more.”
“I sincerely doubt that.”
“Ashling,” said Ranach, his hands on the table before him. “If someone is after you, you need to stay close to home. He will pursue you.”
“Who is ‘he?’” she asked. “Who will pursue me, and why? I don’t even know who I am, what I am. I don’t understand why anyone would want to go after me.”
“Well, perhaps you’ll find out soon.”
“So let me go so that I can figure it out. I’ll be back. I just need a break from everything. Maybe if I go spend some time with nature I’ll find out what this all means.”
“Fine,” he said, surrendering. “I take it you’re not going to inform young Mr. Turner of your whereabouts?”
“No. He’ll be better off if he doesn’t know.”
“And what about me? May I at least know where you’re going so that I don’t worry?”
“I’m going to camp,” she said. “Not far away. Please don’t ask me more than that. I just need a few days to clear my head and process everything.”
“Fair enough. But please, Ashling — be safe.”
“I’ll do my best.”
11
The pack that Ashling transported was heavy, but manageable. She’d assembled clothing, a small tent, and a pile of food which she hoped would last her a few days. In a pinch it would be enough to sustain her for a week, and she could only hope that would be enough time to settle her mind and to understand what it was that she might become.
Her goal was to conceal herself deep within Running Deer National Forest, hidden away from prying eyes. In truth she’d wanted to run much farther away — Bali might have been a good start. But there was only so far that a young woman with no car and little money could go. And the woods were as good a place as any, when it came to sorting her mind out. They’d always helped her clear out the negative thoughts and to appreciate all that was positive in the world.