Page 131 of A Curse On Black Lake
“No, it’s okay.”
“Eliana, please.”
She rolls her eyes and gets up to fill her glass with water. She looks out the window, and even though it’s dark, we can see the destruction of the garden.
“We’ll get it all fixed up,” I tell her, sliding my arm around her shoulders. She leans into my side. “I think I want to stay here tonight.”
I frown because that’s not a good idea, but also we’d have to get up extra early to get back to the ranch.
Her body tenses under my arm, and I drop it. “Sorry, um, yeah, we can sleep here if you want.”
She shakes her head.
“What?”
She takes another drink of water.
“He’s here,” she says so quietly her lips barely move.
“What?” I ask.
“He’shere,” she says again.
Chapter forty-three
Killian
Ilookinthesame direction, and see a hooded figure, with the stature of a man, in all black, the porch light isn’t on, but the moon outlines his body as he stands all the way at the back of the garden.
I don’t think, I act, whipping the back door open, and sprinting after him.
He already took off, and I grit my teeth, running as fast as I can. He’s headed towards the back of the property, and I push harder, trying to catch up to him.
There’s a tree line bleeding into woods, and he’s angling for it across the large field.
My heart pounds through my chest, and my lungs cry for air as I gain on him. I’m so close I reach out for his hoodie, and he slips my grasp.
Making a last-second decision, I throw myself onto him, tackling him to the ground.
He grunts, and I’m not able to get a good look at him before he throws a fist. I take the hit and sucker punch him.
He tackles me, and we roll around on the ground fighting for dominance, and I feel nails scratch against me, deep enough to draw blood.
I grunt trying to see his face, but can’t see any defining features. The only thing I smell is peppermint. Flipping us, I’m able to gain control, and grab his hood. I pull back, trying to choke him with it, and find that he’s wearing a ski mask.
Shifting, I try to pin him down with my forearm, but he comes around trying to knee me in the balls. At the last second I’m able to dodge him, but take the hit to my thigh. I’ve lost track of what we’re doing as I snatch an arm and yank it back.
He yells in pain.
“Killian!” Eliana yells.
Instinct makes me look over my shoulder to her, and it gives the stalker enough time to elbow me in the ribs, and sock my jaw before taking off. I grunt, catching myself, and by the time I do he’s already gone.
“Dammit!” I yell.
“Killian?” Eliana says.
I scan the woods again, looking for the bastard, but it’s too dark, and I can’t let him get to Eliana, which is exactly who he wants.
