She had managed to stay hidden for 8 months this time.  It was the longest period she had stayed anywhere in the last ten years, and Belle had started to let hope grow that maybe she was finally free of her past.  She had gotten a waitressing gig at the local pub, and though it didn't pay much, it had been enough to cover the bills and rent for a small one-bedroom apartment.  It had offered her a sense of peace, for awhile, but that had all gone out the window on a rainy August evening.  The summer had started to fade, the last days of unbearable heat filling the air.<br/><br/>At first, the two men had looked like typical customers.  It was only when she caught the scent of Wolfsbane that she knew they were more than just patrons.<br/><br/>Belle remained calm and turned to Alice, the other waitress on shift.<br/><br/>"I'm...Oh, I think I'm gonna be sick.  Can you cover my tables?  I'll--"  Belle faked a visible heave and raised her hand to her mouth, as if to stop the sickness.<br/><br/>"Go.  Get out of here, it's winding down anyway, I got you."  Alice urged with a gentle hand on her shoulder.  Belle nodded fervently and headed toward the back, where the employee restrooms were, but she bypassed them and immediately gathered her belongings out of the locker.  They had already seen her, so there was no point in trying to remain here.  She pulled off her apron, and pulled her black messenger bag over her shoulder, before exiting out the back.<br/><br/>They wouldn't stay long in the pub.  Belle tried to push all thoughts of how this place had become home, how she had developed friends and a sense of community in Aspen Falls.  It wouldn't do her any good now, none of those friends knew what she was beneath the surface.  The small town was surrounded by a dense forest, and Belle ran toward it on two legs, as fast as her bi-pedal limbs would take her.  The rain quickly soaked through her clothes, but Belle paid no attention to it.  It was the place where she had the most advantage, where her senses came alive and she could navigate it in a way no normal human could.<br/><br/>There was a cave near the actual waterfall the town was named out, one where she had stored enough supplies to keep her running.  She had nearly made it there, when she heard a whistle on the wind.  Belle turned just in time to see the source of the sound.  A crossbow bolt grazed her calf as she turned, and the all-consuming sting told her it was laced with the very Wolfsbane she had caught the scent of in the pub.<br/><br/>Belle tumbled to the ground, she had stopped too quickly and the sudden surge of pain left her vulnerable.  She could hear them, splattering footsteps in the rain quickly approaching her.  Belle cursed herself, she had gotten sloppy and lulled into a false sense of security, and now, they were going to catch her...<br/><br/><a class="username" data-user-id="48" data-username="@Elle" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/48/">@Elle</a>