Page 26 of The Haunting
“Maggie knows how to cook!” I said, proud of my friend, who blushed. Silence filled the air as we ate until the door opened and the men returned. Lucian gazed around the room at our expectant faces before he shook his head.
“We’re locked in. There’s no sign of an escape route anywhere,” Chance declared, and my stomach dropped. We were prisoners.
Chapter Six.
Inglorious
Nanci sat with Kate and the other women, so I headed towards where the men were speaking in low tones. None of us wished to scare our wives. Drake and Chance had washed the blood off their arms in the kitchen, but both wanted a shower.
“What’s the plan?” I asked.
“Damn good question,” Lucian replied.
“There’s honestly no way out? No basement or anything?” I pressed. How Nanci would react worried me; she hated being cooped up.
“Are you okay? Do you need to talk?” Chance inquired softly, and I looked at him and snorted.
“Chance, I’m fine. Trust me, I don’t need a drink. Ain’t gonna lie though, I’m pretty damn scared about what’s happening. I don’t believe in the paranormal, but this shit is making me think twice,” I replied.
Those in the know about Inglorious’s alcoholism nodded while Lucian, Daniel, and Vladimir looked awkward.
“Sure this isn’t one of Phoe’s fright nights? If so, come clean because Kate’s frightened,” James said from his chair.
“No. This has nothing to do with Phoe. She’s scared, too,” Drake replied.
“What now? Where are Jacques and Eden? All this shit is happening, and yet we’ve barely seen them. Do you think they’re part of this?” I wondered out loud.
Vladimir shook his head. “No. Maybe they’re ghost hunters or similar, but I don’t believe they’re behind this.”
“Dude, I disagree,” Chance stated. “They are in the middle of this, and we’re the bystanders.”
I was with Chance.
“Clio, Nanci, and Rosie all saw something. I did too. Clio is petrified, and that’s not like her,” Chance continued.
“Gotta admit, I’m worried about us splitting up tonight. It minimises our defences,” I said.
Lucian nodded. “Yes, I agree. If we stick together, we’re more of a threat and a deterrent.”
“What are you suggesting?” Calamity asked.
I spoke up, my sight drifting around the room. “Bring mattresses and whatnot down here and take turns being guards. Something shitty is going to happen, I can sense it.” If we pushed the furniture back, there’d be plenty of space for the double mattresses. It’d likely be warmer, too.
My gaze landed on a portrait of a particularly nasty-looking woman. She dated back a couple of centuries and wore a sneer that was unsettling. Even more disturbing was the way her eyes captured mine. Almost as if she was watching me. With effort, I moved my gaze away, but moments later, I returned to her.
A shout left me as the bitch blinked. “Fuck!” I roared and jumped.
“What?” multiple people called. Jumpy, I pointed at the portrait, and cries abounded as the eyes glowed red, and a cacklerang out. It faded quickly, but the damage had been done. Nanci was in my arms before I could even blink. I was trembling, and so was she.
“Shit!” I growled out and passed Nanci onto Chance as I strode forward and, with shaking hands, removed the portrait. Honestly, I expected to find a hole or something, but it was a solid wall behind it.
“Inglorious, we saw it! Nobody imagined that,” Drake announced, closing in. Together, we banged on the wall looking for a hidden entrance, but discovered nothing.
“Do you believe we’ll be safe here?” Drake murmured.
“We won’t all fit into one bedroom,” I said, confidence shaken.
“Let’s remove these fuckin’ things.” Calamity growled, staring at the portraits. He was pale, and I guessed I was too. Shit, I was a damn biker, President of the Unwanted Bastards MC. This crap shouldn’t be rattling me, but it was. Mainly because I was terrified deep down that Nanci would get hurt. I’d burn the fuckin’ world for her and put myself between Nanci and death for sure.
