Page 89 of The Immortal's One
“I–I…” I choke out, then let the word trail off as I scan my surroundings, my heart racing. “I’m sorry, Kevin. I have to go. I’ll text you later.”
“Wait, I?—”
I end the call before he can say anything else, switching the phone to silent and slipping it into my back pocket.
My skin prickles, a strange feeling crawling up my spine. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I glance over my shoulder, but there’s nothing there. Still, the feeling of being watched presses on my skin.
“Des?” I call out softly.
Only the rustling of leaves in the breeze answers back.
Then—snap. Another twig breaks.
My head whips in that direction, but again, nothing. No one.
Maybe I should’ve kept Kevin on the phone. I’m starting to regret hanging up. But I can’t shake the feeling thatsomething’s about to happen. The air is charged with tension.
My hand slides toward my pocket to call Kevin back when a brown blur bursts from behind a tree.
I scream, flailing in surprise. I drop my phone, throw my arms up, and slam my eyes shut, shielding myself from whatever’s charging at me.
Warm breath huffs in my face, followed by a wet, sloppy tongue dragging across my cheeks. My eyes snap open. A massive dog sits in front of me, his brown eyes gleaming as his tail wags excitedly.
He barks, loud and sudden. I jerk in surprise.
He leans down and sniffs my arm, giving it a little lick. Some of my fear fades. This dog doesn’t seem dangerous. I glance over his head to see if anyone is with him. The forest is quiet. The eerie feeling of being watched is gone.
I look back at the dog. He stares at me, his tail swinging from side to side, waiting.
I tilt my head to the side. “Um… hi?”
He nudges my arms with his snout, whimpering.
I let out a shaky laugh and lower my arms. “You’re not going to eat me, are you?”
The dog stares, unblinking.
I chuckle, hesitant, then relax enough to smile. “Okay, I’m taking you at your word.”
The dog’s tail thumps against the ground like a drum, shaking the leaves around us. I shift into a kneeling position. The forest floor is cold and damp beneath my knees.
“You’re a big guy, huh?” I murmur, eyeing him. The dog is massive with a muscular frame like a Great Dane, but his coat’s more like a German Shepherd’s—brown with dark markings.
I slowly lift a hand to scratch behind his ears. He sits on his hind legs and leans into my palm, letting out a soft, content growl as his tail thumps.
“Guess you’re a gentle giant.” I grin, my fingers tangled in his fur as I stroke his neck.
“Argos! Here, boy!” a voice calls out, sharp and commanding.
My heart skips a beat.I know that voice.
Before I can stop myself, I whip my head toward the trees.
Sure enough, there he is.
Des.
He’s dressed casually in athletic shorts and a T-shirt. He looks… normal. Laid-back, even, with his hair a little tousled like he’s been outside for a while. But the moment his eyes land on me, the ease in his demeanor disappears. His body stiffens. His expression tightens.
