looking though the row of books lining the shelves near the fireplace to distract myself. "Great. You have super hearing, too." Irritated suddenly at my apparent lack of super powers, and feeling increasingly stressed at the fact my phone hadn't rung, I decided to change the subject. "What are the other animals doing now?"
Adam stretched his legs out in front of him and placed his hands behind his head. "They're out there in the woods, merged completely with the forest. Birds, squirrels, coyotes, fox. Take your pick. Your demons were following a specific trail north. The Shifters are patrolling between Asheville and Lost Cove, because our job is to keep our community safe,” he explained. "We only expanded our territory to include you."
Feeling ungrateful, I offered him an appreciative smile in return and quietly said, "Thanks. I guess I would’ve heard from them if something—"
I never finished my sentence because Adam sprang out of the seat, the couch itself slamming back against the wall forcefully.
“Holy shit!” I cried. In mere seconds Adam was no longer Adam, but had transformed-mid-air-into his cat. The animal, larger than I remembered him, leapt across the room with a screeching growl before crashing through the solid glass front door.
My hands moved to my ears as the sound of cascading glass showered over the hard floors. After the glass settled it was—for a moment—eerily quiet, the only sound in the room was my heavy breathing and the gentle breeze in the trees that flittered through the now open doorway.
“How?” I said. How did he move so fast? How did he break through the door? Why didn’t I realize how powerful he was?
I stood up slowly and edged around the sharp pieces of glass that littered the floor, walking towards the window. I occasionally heard the hard crunch under my shoes as the glass ground into the home’s pristine floors. When I reached the window, I tentatively lifted the curtain, pushing it to the side to gain a better view of the yard. There was nothing there but dark and silence. I dropped the gauzy white fabric and touched my pocket.
"Adam? David?” I called quietly while trying to calm my shaking hands. I quickly walked back to the living room to grab my phone and call Grant once again. My stomach was twisted with unease.
Just before I reached the couch a haunting, "Amelia…" echoed through the empty house.
My feet froze mid-step.
"Amelia…" I heard again, this time louder and closer. I looked around discretely and saw nothing, so I lunged toward the couch for my phone. In a blink, someone was there, swiping the slim metal object out from under my hand. I began backing away before I even looked up and when I did, I forced back the bile that was rising in my throat. I was staring down the devil himself.
Caleb stood before me, dirty and raw. His dirt-streaked hair was messily tied at his neck, his clothes the same tattered and worn ones from the video. I realized now that he only had one arm. The jacket he was wearing was knotted at the top where it should have been. He was akin to my Grant, I could see it in his pale, smooth skin, and the lean, taut and strong muscles, but the similarities ended there. His eyes were onyx black—like Sasha’s and Joe’s—and the smirk on this face was pure evil.
"Leave me alone," I sputtered lamely, his intent clear on his face. He was here for me.
He only sneered in response and in that moment, I remembered Grant's final instructions to me about the hiding spot in the basement. I glanced in that direction, the hallway seeming miles away and the door at the end even further, but I had to try.
I swallowed heavily, taking a step backwards, and began to speak. "What use am I to you? You have Olivia. She's the one you’ve been searching for."
He cocked his head slightly and smiled. "You underestimate yourself, dear Amelia. You're precious to me and a very integral part of my game. I admit I began all those years ago looking for
Adam stretched his legs out in front of him and placed his hands behind his head. "They're out there in the woods, merged completely with the forest. Birds, squirrels, coyotes, fox. Take your pick. Your demons were following a specific trail north. The Shifters are patrolling between Asheville and Lost Cove, because our job is to keep our community safe,” he explained. "We only expanded our territory to include you."
Feeling ungrateful, I offered him an appreciative smile in return and quietly said, "Thanks. I guess I would’ve heard from them if something—"
I never finished my sentence because Adam sprang out of the seat, the couch itself slamming back against the wall forcefully.
“Holy shit!” I cried. In mere seconds Adam was no longer Adam, but had transformed-mid-air-into his cat. The animal, larger than I remembered him, leapt across the room with a screeching growl before crashing through the solid glass front door.
My hands moved to my ears as the sound of cascading glass showered over the hard floors. After the glass settled it was—for a moment—eerily quiet, the only sound in the room was my heavy breathing and the gentle breeze in the trees that flittered through the now open doorway.
“How?” I said. How did he move so fast? How did he break through the door? Why didn’t I realize how powerful he was?
I stood up slowly and edged around the sharp pieces of glass that littered the floor, walking towards the window. I occasionally heard the hard crunch under my shoes as the glass ground into the home’s pristine floors. When I reached the window, I tentatively lifted the curtain, pushing it to the side to gain a better view of the yard. There was nothing there but dark and silence. I dropped the gauzy white fabric and touched my pocket.
"Adam? David?” I called quietly while trying to calm my shaking hands. I quickly walked back to the living room to grab my phone and call Grant once again. My stomach was twisted with unease.
Just before I reached the couch a haunting, "Amelia…" echoed through the empty house.
My feet froze mid-step.
"Amelia…" I heard again, this time louder and closer. I looked around discretely and saw nothing, so I lunged toward the couch for my phone. In a blink, someone was there, swiping the slim metal object out from under my hand. I began backing away before I even looked up and when I did, I forced back the bile that was rising in my throat. I was staring down the devil himself.
Caleb stood before me, dirty and raw. His dirt-streaked hair was messily tied at his neck, his clothes the same tattered and worn ones from the video. I realized now that he only had one arm. The jacket he was wearing was knotted at the top where it should have been. He was akin to my Grant, I could see it in his pale, smooth skin, and the lean, taut and strong muscles, but the similarities ended there. His eyes were onyx black—like Sasha’s and Joe’s—and the smirk on this face was pure evil.
"Leave me alone," I sputtered lamely, his intent clear on his face. He was here for me.
He only sneered in response and in that moment, I remembered Grant's final instructions to me about the hiding spot in the basement. I glanced in that direction, the hallway seeming miles away and the door at the end even further, but I had to try.
I swallowed heavily, taking a step backwards, and began to speak. "What use am I to you? You have Olivia. She's the one you’ve been searching for."
He cocked his head slightly and smiled. "You underestimate yourself, dear Amelia. You're precious to me and a very integral part of my game. I admit I began all those years ago looking for
Similar Books
