Chapter5: The Trap in the Woods (HELL'S LULLABY) The night stretched endlessly over Ravens Hollow, swallowing the last traces of twilight. The trees whispered against one another, their towering silhouettes swaying with the wind.

 The forest smelled of damp earth and old wood, the scent curling in the air like something ancient, something that had been here long before either of them. Clara stood near the trailhead, her breath slow, controlled. The damp chill of the evening air clung to her skin, but she ignored it. Her fingers curled around the strap of her jacket as she forced herself to relax. This had to be perfect. The headlights of Daniel’s car broke through the fog, carving two long beams of light through the trees before vanishing as the engine cut off. Footsteps followed, slow and steady, crunching against the damp forest floor. Clara turned just in time to see him emerge from the mist. Daniel Carter.

 He looked exactly as he always did calm, confident, with that effortless ease that had made the entire town trust him. The dim glow of the moon caught in his eyes, turning them silver for just a moment before he stepped closer, his lips curving into an easy smile. "Clara," he said smoothly. "You picked an interesting place for a late-night talk." She let out a soft laugh light, breathy, as if just seeing him had lifted the weight from her chest. "I know. I sound crazy, right?" Daniel’s gaze flickered over her face, searching. "A little." She laughed again, shaking her head.

 "God, I must look insane. Dragging you out here like this…" She exhaled, pressing a hand to her forehead as if exhausted, as if she were crumbling. "I just I didn’t know who else to call." His posture relaxed slightly, just slightly. Good. Clara stepped closer, letting the wind tousle her hair, making her seem smaller, softer, exposed. "Something happened last night," she whispered. "And I—I don’t know what to do." Daniel’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean?" She bit her lip, hesitating not too much. Just enough. She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly. Letting him see her shake.

 "Someone was in my house," she whispered. "Someone… in Ivy’s room." Daniel stilled. It was barely noticeable. A flicker. A breath too sharp. But Clara caught it. She forced her voice to break, her breath coming uneven. "I woke up, and I ,I don’t know, I just felt something was off. And then I heard her cry, and when I ran in, the window was open, and “ She swallowed. "Ivy was just lying there, frozen. Like she couldn’t move." Daniel tilted his head, his expression thoughtful. Not surprised. Not shocked. Just… waiting. Clara exhaled a shaky breath, looking away as if she couldn’t bear to meet his gaze. "I don’t know how they got in. The doors were locked. The windows too. But they were there, Daniel. I swear." Silence stretched between them, thick and weighted. Then Daniel moved slow, careful. 

He reached out, brushing his hand lightly over her shoulder, the touch meant to comfort. And she let him. Because that was what he expected. "Clara," he said gently. "Are you sure you weren’t dreaming?" She let her face crumble. Let the exhaustion sink into her bones. "I don’t know," she admitted. "I don’t know anything anymore." Daniel watched her for a long moment. Then he smiled. "Come here." 

She didn’t hesitate. She let herself step into his warmth, let herself lean into him. She let him believe he was still winning. And as his arms wrapped around her, Clara let herself wonder ust for a moment who else he had comforted like this. Who else had trusted him. Before they were gone. Clara let herself sink into Daniel’s embrace, resting her cheek lightly against his chest. His body was warm, solid safe, if she let herself believe it. 

And for a moment, she did. She inhaled deeply, just enough for him to feel it, to think she was drawing comfort from him. Her fingers curled lightly against the fabric of his jacket, as if seeking something to hold onto. "Daniel…" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I’m scared." She felt the shift in him the way his chest rose just a little slower, the way his breath caught for a fraction of a second. Then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone.

 His hand moved in slow, steady circles against her back, his touch measured. "I know," he murmured. "I’m here." Clara squeezed her eyes shut. Let herself tremble. "I don’t know what to do. The police… they won’t listen. They think I’m just imagining things. But I know what I saw. I know Ivy wasn’t just having a nightmare. Someone was there, Daniel."

 She pulled back, just enough to look at him. Moonlight spilled through the trees, casting his face in pale silver. Shadows clung to the sharp angles of his cheekbones, the line of his jaw. His eyes studied her, searching, but his expression remained unreadable still too calm. She had to push him further.

 "I don’t feel safe in that house anymore," she admitted, her voice shaking. "Ivy barely sleeps. She flinches at shadows. And I ,I feel like I can’t breathe in there." She swallowed, her lashes fluttering. "I keep thinking… what if they come back?" Daniel’s fingers tightened slightly against her back. It was small. Barely noticeable. But Clara noticed. Because for the first time, he was reacting. "Clara…" he murmured, his tone softer now, his touch lingering. "You know I’d never let anything happen to you. Or Ivy." She let out a slow breath relief, carefully performed. "I know," she whispered, letting herself smile, small, grateful. "That’s why I called you.

 I didn’t know where else to go." She reached for his hand. A small touch. A plea for protection. "Can I stay with you tonight?" Daniel blinked. And for the first time he hesitated. It was only for a second. A brief flicker of something unreadable across his face. A moment where he wasn’t the Daniel the world knew. Just something else, peeking through. Then, he smiled. 

"Of course," he said smoothly. "You and Ivy can stay as long as you need." Clara exhaled, pressing her forehead lightly against his shoulder. Letting him believe she had surrendered. Letting him believe she had nowhere else to turn. And in that moment, she knew He had taken the bait. Clara let the tension melt from her shoulders as if relief had finally found her. The warmth of Daniel’s presence, the steady rhythm of his breathing she let it become her sanctuary.

 Because that’s what he needed to believe. She felt the slow rise and fall of his chest beneath her cheek, the faint scent of cedar and something metallic clinging to his jacket. His fingers grazed her back in slow, deliberate circles, his touch careful. Protective. 

"Thank you," she murmured, voice barely above a whisper. "I don’t know what I’d do without you." Daniel exhaled, slow and measured. "You never have to find out, Clara." He said it so easily. Like a promise. Like a chain snapping quietly around her throat. She let herself pull back just slightly, enough for her fingers to brush against his coat sleeve. Her gaze flicked up, catching the moonlight reflecting in his eyes.

 "Ivy’s everything to me," she said, her voice raw. "I can’t lose her." Daniel’s lips pressed together, his head tilting slightly. "You won’t," he said, too certain, too final. Clara’s stomach twisted, but she forced a small, grateful smile onto her lips. "Let’s get you both somewhere safe for the night," Daniel continued. His thumb brushed her wrist in what could have been reassurance or possession. "I’ll take care of you." She let out a slow, careful breath. He thinks he’s won.

 She let him. "That means everything to me," she whispered, tightening her fingers around his just slightly. "I trust you, Daniel." And as the words left her lips, she watched his expression shift satisfaction settling behind his eyes.

 He believed her. He truly believed her. And that meant… She had him exactly where she wanted. Daniel squeezed Clara’s hand lightly before letting go, the warmth of his touch lingering longer than she wanted. He exhaled through his nose, tilting his head toward the trail as if deciding something. Then he turned back to her, flashing a small smile easy, natural, practiced. "Let’s get out of here," he said.

 "You shouldn’t be out in the cold." Clara nodded, allowing her shoulders to sag as if exhaustion had finally caught up with her. "Yeah," she murmured. "I just” She hesitated, swallowing, her voice faltering just enough to make it real. Daniel leaned in slightly, his head tilting. "What?" She exhaled shakily. "It’s stupid." A small, breathless laugh escaped her lips. She rubbed her arms, shifting her weight. "I keep thinking… whoever it was, whoever was in the house what if they’re still watching?" The words left her mouth slowly, carefully, each syllable pressed between her teeth like glass she was too afraid to bite down on. Daniel’s expression didn’t change not at first. Then, there it was. The flicker. 

That brief, barely-there shift in his gaze, the way his jaw tensed just a fraction before smoothing back into something harmless. "You don’t have to worry about that," he said, his voice steady. Reassuring. "No one’s going to hurt you." Clara forced herself to hold his gaze, let her breath hitch just slightly, her fingers gripping her sleeves. "I keep telling myself that, but… I don’t know." She looked down, hesitated. "I was thinking maybe I should go to the city for a few days. Just to clear my head."

 Daniel’s fingers twitched. It was barely noticeable. But she saw it. He didn’t like that. Didn’t like the idea of her leaving. His lips parted as if to speak, but he hesitated like he was recalculating. Then, he smiled again. "I get it," he said easily, nodding. "Sometimes you need to step away from things to see them clearly." Clara swallowed, nodding slowly. "Yeah… I just…" She let herself falter, let her voice waver.

 Then she met his gaze again, softer this time. Needing. Trusting. "I feel safer with you." That did something to him. The smile deepened, just a little. A slow, pleased look settled behind his eyes. "Then stay with me tonight," Daniel offered. "You and Ivy. We’ll figure things out in the morning." Clara hesitated for effect, shifting her weight. Then, as if she were letting go of the fear, she nodded. "Okay." A small, thankful smile. "Thank you, Daniel." 

His hand found her shoulder again, squeezing gently. "Of course, Clara." He thinks he’s won. She let him. But beneath her skin, beneath the mask of trust and relief, Clara’s pulse hammered with something colder, sharper. He had taken the bait. Now, she just had to wait for him to hang himself with it. They walked back to their cars was slow, deliberate two old friends in conversation, nothing more. Clara kept her movements light, her posture relaxed.

 Every step, every glance, every breath was a careful performance. Daniel talked easily beside her, his voice smooth, unhurried. He spoke of the town, of how quiet things had been lately. How people didn’t really see what happened around them. He glanced at her, a knowing smile curving his lips. And Clara, ever the trusting friend, smiled back. She nodded in agreement when he spoke. Laughed softly when he teased. 

She let herself lean into him, just slightly, just enough. A woman seeking comfort. A mother looking for safety. By the time they reached the clearing, the fog had thickened, rolling lazily over the ground in heavy waves.

 The forest held its breath around them, the air thick with moisture, damp leaves clinging to Clara’s boots. Her car sat just ahead, its metal frame dull under the moonlight. Daniel’s car was parked beside hers, the sleek black exterior blending into the shadows. He reached for his keys, turning to face her, his expression open, expectant. "You sure you don’t want me to drive?" he asked. Clara tilted her head, letting the corners of her lips curve into something warm, grateful. "You always say that," she teased. Daniel chuckled, shaking his head.

 "Can’t help it. I worry about you, Clara." She let her breath catch. Let her gaze soften just enough to make him believe. "I know," she murmured. "That’s why I trust you." Daniel studied her for a beat, his eyes flickering over her face as if committing something to memory. Then, satisfied, he opened his car door. 

"Follow me," he said. "I’ll make up the guest room for you and Ivy." Clara nodded, sliding into her driver’s seat, gripping the wheel tight enough to turn her knuckles white. She didn’t exhale until Daniel’s taillights flickered on, casting an eerie red glow against the fog. Then, slowly, she put her car into drive.

 And followed the devil home. Daniel’s House The drive was quiet. Daniel’s home sat nestled on the outskirts of Ravens Hollow, tucked away behind a veil of trees. The house was large but unassuming, a place designed to blend in, to not attract attention. White paint, black shutters, a wraparound porch that gave the illusion of warmth. But now, under the weight of night, it looked wrong. 

The windows were dark. Too dark. As if nothing inside had ever been touched by light. Clara’s stomach twisted as she pulled into the driveway, her tires crunching over loose gravel. Daniel stepped out of his car smoothly, moving with that same effortless ease, his hands slipping into his pockets as he turned to her.

 "You alright?" he asked. Clara blinked, then forced herself to laugh. "Yeah," she said, exhaling shakily. "Just tired." Daniel smiled, stepping closer, brushing his fingers lightly over her arm. "You’re safe now," he murmured. She let herself believe it. Or at least, she made it look that way. Daniel unlocked the front door, pushing it open with a quiet creak. 

The air inside was thick with the scent of old wood and something faintly metallic, something that didn’t belong. Clara stepped inside, her heart thrumming against her ribs. Daniel flicked on the light. 

The living room was neat, almost too neat, everything in its place, nothing out of order. A fireplace sat against the far wall, dark and unused. Shelves lined with books, photographs placed carefully on end tables. It looked normal. But Clara knew better. She felt it in the air. Daniel’s presence was woven into the walls, into the floor, into the very foundation of this place. She turned, offering him a small, tired smile. "Thank you, Daniel. Really." 

Daniel reached out, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Always, Clara." Her stomach tightened. She swallowed the instinct to recoil, to run, to burn this house to the ground with him inside it. Not yet. She had to wait. "Where’s the guest room?" she asked, shifting Ivy slightly in her arms. The little girl was asleep, her tiny fingers curled into the fabric of Clara’s sweater. Daniel’s gaze flickered to Ivy a brief, unreadable shift. 

Then, he smiled again. "Upstairs. Follow me." Clara nodded, stepping deeper into the house. And as the door clicked shut behind her, a single thought pressed against the edges of her mind She was walking into the lion’s den. And the lion was smiling.

 The wooden stairs creaked beneath Clara’s feet as she followed Daniel up, every step sinking deeper into the thick, heavy silence of the house. The air felt warmer here, thicker as if it had been waiting. Ivy stirred in her arms, her breath warm against Clara’s collarbone. She had been asleep for most of the drive, but now her little body tensed.

 Even in sleep, she knew. Clara adjusted her grip on her daughter, pressing a kiss against Ivy’s hair, whispering a soft, "Shh, baby. Almost there." Daniel glanced back over his shoulder. "She sleeps like an angel," he murmured. Clara smiled, keeping her voice light. "When she wants to." He chuckled, pushing open a door at the end of the hallway. "Here. It’s nothing fancy, but you’ll be comfortable."

 The room was simple too simple. A neatly made bed with a pale blue comforter, a small nightstand with an old-fashioned lamp, heavy curtains pulled shut against the night. No signs of anyone ever actually living here. Clara stepped inside, her breath too slow, too measured.

 The air smelled faintly of fresh linen, but beneath it, something else lingered.something metallic, something deep in the walls. Daniel leaned against the doorframe, watching her. "You need anything?" he asked. Clara hesitated. Then she let herself smile, shifting Ivy in her arms. "Maybe just some water?" "Of course," he said easily. "I’ll grab it."

 He disappeared down the hall. The moment he was gone, Clara let out a slow, shaking breath. She lowered Ivy carefully onto the bed, tucking the blanket around her small frame. The little girl didn’t move, didn’t make a sound but Clara felt the tension in her tiny body. Clara ran a hand through her hair, forcing herself to think. She was inside now. Inside his world. And she had to see it. She turned back toward the hallway, listening. 

The faint sound of a faucet running downstairs. Daniel was in the kitchen. Now. Moving quickly, she stepped out into the hallway. The wooden floor was cold beneath her feet, the walls lined with carefully arranged paintings, all perfectly spaced, perfectly aligned.

 She passed one door, then another both locked. Then, at the far end of the hall, she saw it. A door, slightly ajar. The one he hadn’t shown her. His room. Clara exhaled slowly. Her fingers closed around the doorknob, her heartbeat a steady thud, thud, thud in her ears. She pushed it open. The room was dark, but the moonlight spilled through the open curtains, casting silver streaks over the hardwood floor. It was clean. Too clean.

 But then her eyes found the desk. And her breath caught. Candles. Dozens of them, burnt down to melted wax, arranged in an exact pattern. Not messy, not scattered deliberate. And beside them a small, black notebook. Clara moved forward, her fingers barely brushing the cover before, A floorboard creaked behind her. She froze. A slow, deliberate breath. Then.Daniel’s voice. 

"Looking for something?" Cold. Quiet. Like the house itself had finally come alive. Clara’s pulse lurched. The voice had come from the hallway, just behind her. She didn’t turn immediately.she forced herself to pause, to breathe, to let her fingers drift casually away from the notebook. Then, she let out a soft, embarrassed laugh, turning toward him with a sheepish smile. "God, Daniel," she exhaled, pressing a hand to her chest as if he had startled her.

 "I was just.”She gestured vaguely toward the desk, her fingers brushing against the melted wax. "I got curious, I guess." Daniel stood in the doorway, his body relaxed, but his eyes, his eyes weren’t. The dim light barely reached him, but Clara could feel his gaze on her, sharp and assessing.

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 "You always did have a habit of wandering," he murmured. She let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head. "I know, I know. It’s a terrible habit. I just" She sighed, letting herself look tired, vulnerable.

 "I can’t sleep, Daniel. Every time I close my eyes, I hear Ivy crying." She stepped toward him, careful, slow. Too much hesitation would look like fear. Not enough would look like defiance. "I didn’t mean to snoop," she continued, offering a small, apologetic smile. "I just needed a distraction." Daniel’s gaze lingered on her face. Then, slowly,he smiled, too. 

"It’s okay," he said, stepping aside, inviting her out of the room. "Come on. I made tea." Clara hesitated, just for effect. Then she let out a breath, nodding. 

"That sounds perfect." She walked past him, feeling the weight of his presence at her back. As she stepped into the hallway, her mind raced. He had seen her. He knew. But he hadn’t stopped her. Which meant, he wasn’t sure. And that was something Clara could use. --- Downstairs: The Quiet Before the Storm The kitchen was warm, the scent of chamomile and honey thick in the air. 

A small lamp cast a soft glow over the countertops, making the space feel intimate, familiar. Safe. It was a lie. Clara wrapped her hands around the mug Daniel had given her, letting the heat seep into her fingers. Across the table, he watched her. "You seem calmer," he remarked. She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "I think I just needed to get out of my head for a bit." She lifted the mug to her lips, taking a slow sip. "And honestly? Being here helps." Daniel smiled. She could feel the satisfaction rolling off of him, the way his posture eased, his shoulders loosening. Good. Let him think he had won. 

"That’s what I’m here for," he said smoothly. "You and Ivy, you don’t have to go through this alone." Clara set her mug down, exhaling slowly. "I don’t know how to thank you, Daniel. You’ve always been there for us." Daniel tilted his head slightly. "Of course." She let her voice drop to a whisper. "I was so scared last night." He leaned forward slightly, interested now. Listening. 

She had him. Clara bit her lip, her hands tightening around the mug. "I don’t know who they were," she whispered, shaking her head. "I don’t know what they wanted. But when I found Ivy" Her voice broke, just slightly. "She was just lying there, completely still. Like she wasn’t in her body anymore." She felt the shift in him. It wasn’t in his face. Not in his body language. It was in the air. 

The way the room seemed to contract, just slightly. Clara lowered her gaze, swallowing. "Sometimes I think maybe…" she hesitated, then let out a small, shaky laugh. "Maybe it’s in my head." Daniel tilted his head. 

"Do you think it is?" She met his gaze, wide-eyed, open. "I don’t know." A slow, careful smile spread across his lips. Not too wide. Not too fast. "Maybe you just need rest," he murmured. Clara smiled back. "Maybe." And as she lifted the mug to her lips once more, she knew, The game had just begun.