Page 19 of Haunting the Hunter
I’m not even sure there was any point in telling him how I feel. He’s going to do what he wants anyway, my feelings be damned. I walk away, toward the door, when I hear Cade speak once more.
“That looks like a perfect location.” He turns his head toward me. “Good call.”
I give him a tight-lipped smile as I shut the door behind me. I could use some air.
Heading to the front porch, I sit on the swing Cade built for me, my focus shifting to the tree line beyond. It’s beautiful here, I have to admit. This may be my prison, but a lovely prison it is.
The chill in the air bites at my nose and I wrap my cardigan around myself and pull the sleeves down over my hands. I lean my head back, sighing heavily. The wind begins to pick up, and goose bumps rise over my skin. The wind howls, bringing with it an eerie sound. As if it’s calling my name.
I look toward the trees. I scan the area and my eyes focus on a shadowy figure near a tree. A figure…
It must be almost seven feet tall, a black mass of curling smoke. I blink. It’s the shadows playing tricks on me again. It shifts—moving side to side and pulsing, as if to show me it’s there. Itwantsme to know it’s there.
I’m completely frozen as it approaches. Afraid that if I do turn around to run inside, it will be on my heels, that same scent from earlier flooding my nostrils: amber and earth. My heart is pounding out of my chest, but all I can do is stare, immobile. As if I’m in a trance, waiting for it to do something.
It doesn’t seem to have any features. At least none that I can make out. I can’t tell if it’s looking at me or facing away in its approach. The sky is starting to darken, the shadows stretching, and the figure becomes too difficult to focus on. For a moment I feel a jolt of panic rush through me, or is it anticipation, for what my shadow will do. I can’t look away as we come face-to-face,hishand reaching out and caressing my cheek—like a lover would.
“You are mine, and soon… I will own every part of you.”
It’s in that moment that I instinctively yell for Cade in an ear-piercing shriek.
Immediately, I hear heavy footfalls from inside the house. My shadow disappears as if he were never there. The door is pulled open quickly, and Cade flies out, scanning the yard.
Turning toward me, he asks, “What’s wrong?”
I lean forward, finally feeling safe enough to look away from the forest.
“I’m sorry, I—” I start, but he cuts me off.
“Stop apologizing. It’s my job to keep you safe. What happened?”
Knowing he won’t believe what I saw, I hesitate, but then speak anyway.
“I saw something,” I say, pointing to the last place I saw the figure. “In the woods.” The area is now drenched in darkness.
“Are you saying you saw—aperson?” Cade pulls out his phone, turning on the light.
“Umm. No, I don’t think so. I just saw a shadow.”
“It’s all shadows out here, Calli. But I’ll do a perimeter check, just in case. I’ll go tell Jack to check the cameras—”
“No!” I interrupt. “I’ll go tell him.” I rush inside before he can argue. I’m cold, and I don’t want to be out here any longer.
I rush to Jack’s office, plopping into the armchair in the corner.
“Cade wants to do a quick perimeter check—he says to check the cameras,” I say while rubbing my temples.
Jack frowns but pulls up the feed.
I want to tell them it’s pointless, that they aren’t going to find anything. I know it’s in here with me.
CHAPTER 8
CADE
Imake my way over to the garage. Pushing the door open takes more force than it should—I need to fix that hinge.
I sift through all of my drawers in an attempt to find my spotlight. Where the fuck did it go?
