Page 128 of Hunters and Prey

Chapter 17

Thunder cracked and echoed throughout the halls of the mansion.

Cailyn woke and sat up in her new wooden canopy bed. Another loud boom resounded across the sky and lightning followed, crashing into the forest outside her window.

She grabbed her pink kimono robe and crossed her room to look out the bay window.

It was the third day that rain fell in torrents like this. It was as if her moving into Connor’s home angered the gods. Such a storm was sure to flood the town if it didn’t let up soon.

She glanced at her clock as it ticked on her wall next to her wardrobe. It was three a.m. and she knew she would not be able to fall back asleep.

Might as well study, she thought.

She grabbed her satchel for school and slid her feet into her slippers to head for the study. Outside her room, the halls were dark and silent. She held her breath as she looked from side to side noting how the paneled walls all resembled trap doors. She listened for any sounds of life.

Nothing.

The silence was unnerving, but at least, she was assured that she wouldn’t run into Connor in the halls at that hour.

There was a time when she was a young girl that she was afraid to venture into those halls alone, but she and Asher would make it a game to sneak away from their class and explore the many rooms.

Cailyn used her phone’s flashlight to navigate the darkness and descended the staircase to the main floor. Crossing the foyer she opened the door that led to the study and walked down another staircase.

Dim light made her pause. “Who is there?” Only he would be up this late doing research.

“Come on in, Cailyn,” she heard Connor reply.

She wished she’d stayed in the safety of her room.

But, was anywhere in that mansion safe?

She took a deep breath and walked to the landing. Once she turned the corner, she saw Connor sitting in one of the chairs with a book in hand. Fire crackled in the fireplace, making the room nice and toasty.

“Couldn’t sleep, my dear?” Connor closed his book on his hand and turned his gaze to her.

She wished he wouldn’t call her that.

Cailyn closed her kimono over her lavender bra and boy-short set. If she’d have known that Connor would be down here, she would have at least put on some clothes and brushed her hair. But it was his house. She should have known better.

After their kiss, Cailyn decided that perhaps it was time that she tried a new approach. Maybe Connor would drop his guard if she feigned an attraction to him.

Who was she kidding? There was no feigning anything. Her body didn’t lie. And it wanted him, even if her heart and mind screamed at her for even considering it.

Three days had passed since she moved in, and being petulant wasn’t helping her at all. Her ‘privileges’ were scarce, and all she wanted was to communicate with her family.

Cailyn stood before Connor with tangled waves and her white lock fully exposed.

He noticed. “Look at you,” he said, his eyes looking her up and down. “You still have that white lock of hair.”

She pulled it back and found a seat near the fireplace on a few cushions that one of the Aldrich ancestors had brought back from India.

“I can’t seem to get rid of it.”

“Why should you? It’s beautiful.”

She forced a smiled. “Thank you,” She noted a coffee mug next to him on a side table. “Coffee? At this hour?”

He picked up the mug and took a drink. “Yeah. It’s quite good. Would you like some?”

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