Page 15 of Whispers of the Elderoak

Ava nodded, swallowing a bite of pasta. “Then he promised we would ‘pick up where we left off’ next time.”

“That’s hot.” Eleanor laughed, but then paused. “Are you okay with this?”

“What do you mean?”

Eleanor’s brow knitted as she chose her words with caution. “You’ve known him for what… a week?” Ava looked at her friend. “Do you feel like it’s too fast?”

“I—uhhh.” She pursed her lips. “Yes and no. I don’t want a relationship… at least I don’t think I do.”

“You just want to have fun?”

“Yes.”

Or so she thought she did. Still not quite sure what she wanted, she fidgeted under Eleanor’s assessment, not wanting to worry her friend.

“Okay.” Eleanor smiled again, seriousness gone from her expression. “I just wanted to make sure he didn’t pressure you,” she added.

“No,” Ava said. “Not at all.”

“Good.”

She had wanted him to kiss her. Wanted the freedom to give in to her desires and stop worrying about everything. Henry had given her that opportunity and she relished it; wanted more of it. So she decided she would try to let go and just live a little. So what if she didn’t really know him? She could definitely be the kind of person to just have fun with no strings attached. Right?

“And… he said something else the other day I wanted to ask you about…” Eleanor gestured for her to go on. “He said there were rumors about this property.” Ava twisted a piece of hair around her finger. “About witchcraft and spell books.”

Eleanor shook her head. “It doesn’t surprise me. People in town gossip a lot and I know they thought Abe was kind of weird. Plus… maybe someone saw your mom doing magic back then.”

“Good point.”

Ava was about to suggest they go inside and look for clues when a growl erupted from Luna and she leapt from the outdoor couch, trotting around the side of the house to thefront. Ears perked up and tail twitching while her fur stood on end, the cat snarled and hissed at something in the distance.

Goosebumps chilled Ava’s arms as she turned to Eleanor, whose eyes had widened.

“What’s wrong with Luna?” her friend asked.

“Umm. I don’t know.”

The two women rose and followed the animal to the veranda on the side of the house, stopping behind her. Luna stared in the direction of the forest, growling and hissing feverishly. Looking toward the woods, Ava still didn’t see anything, so she tried to soothe the cat to no avail. Maybe whatever had injured Luna was out there. They continued to scan the tree line when Eleanor gasped.

Lifting her shaking arm, Eleanor pointed to the forest beyond the flower field. “There,” she whispered.

Ava searched where her friend was pointing, eyes scanning back and forth, but all she saw was the dark tree line.

Looking one last time, her eyes caught on a silhouette. Beyond the moonlight ensconced in shadows, was the figure from her dream. Claws emerged from its fingertips as it remained motionless and watched them.

Waiting to strike.

6

“Shit,” Ava whispered.

“What is that?” The panic in Eleanor’s voice rose.

It was unmoving. Staring. Watching.

“I’ve seen it before. The other night…”

Luna backed away and growled louder, breaking them from their trance. Ava grabbed Eleanor’s hand and pulled her toward the back door, glancing over her shoulder. It was gone. She faced the backyard again, backing away as she tried to locate the threat, Luna snarling next to them.

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