Page 7 of Hunted By Fear

It’s everything I ever wanted, and someday I hope to have it full of the sounds of little feet, but for tonight, I hope to lose myself in this book and hear nothing at all.

It works. I changed into sleep shorts and a tank top and cuddled up on my bed not only to lose myself in the book, but apparently to finish it, too. My only regret is not having grabbed the second one. The ending was brutal, and if it weren’t so late, I would have messaged Janice, Ms. Danfire, to ask about getting it before opening. As it stands, I’ll have to wait until lunch, which doesn’t sound terrible but feels like forever.

I stayed up way later than I planned, and even with all the lights on, I can’t help but feel the house is just a little creepy this late at night.

Why hadn’t I closed the curtains?

Our bedroom is at the back of the house, and our backyard sits up against one of the many beautiful state parks around here. The only problem with that is that while they're pretty in the sunlight but in the dark of the early morning hours, they’re definitely more on the creepy side.

I’m in the middle of trying to psych myself up to close the curtains and brush my teeth when I hear it.

A creek. The house isn’t new by any means, with wood floors throughout, and old houses like this settle from time to time…

Right?

I’ve almost convinced myself that’s what the sound was when I hear it again.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and Iknowsomething is wrong.

I open my mouth to call out before thinking better of it and snapping it shut.

Phone!

Where is my phone?

I tear the bed apart, looking as quickly but also as quietly as I can while my panic grows, my breathing coming in harsh pants as the floor creaks again, this time much closer.

I freeze as I remember where I last had my phone, suddenly very aware that it’s not an option.

I’d slipped it into my bag when I unlocked the house, dropping it on the couch when I ran around turning lights on.

A lot of good that does me.

With nothing else to do, I don’t give myself a second to think about it; pushing to my feet, I make a mad dash for the closet.

“Aerilyn.”

Hearing my name makes me stop. The gruff baritone washes over me, feeling foreign yet somehow familiar, ‌although I know I’ve never heard this voice before. That fact is drilled home when I turn to find a huge man with long silver hair that falls down his back in a braid. He stands in the doorway watching me, his face pinched in confusion as his eyes search mine for what, I’m not sure.

We stand watching each other for a moment, neither ‌of us speaking, and I let my eyes roam over him since I’m trapped here, anyway.

He has to be at least six foot five, filling the doorway in a way that makes him seem otherworldly. He’s huge! His hair falls down his back long enough that I spot it between his legs. He’s wearing all black: black jeans, black shoes, and a black button-up shirt. Inanyother circumstance, I might find him attractive, but right now, with him in my house late at night, blocking my ability to leave, he’s terrifying.

The longer we stand there, the more my panic builds, and when I take a step back, he mirrors my movement, taking a step into the room.

“W-what do you want?” I manage to ask, my voice only shaking slightly despite the fact that I feel like I might throw up.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Aerilyn.” Again, he says my name as if he’s trying to soothe me, but all that does is freak me out more.

How does he know me? I’m pretty sure I’d remember seeing him before, even if it was just in passing.

I look harder, trying to find anything familiar, but come up empty. The harder I look, the harder it is to breathe, and suddenly my head is aching. My vision blurs, and I swear I see wings and horns before they blink away again, leaving me swaying as I fight against the urge to pass out.

What the hell is wrong with me?

“Darling.” It’s impossible to miss the concern in his voice, but I can’t make myself care. He moves toward me again, and I hold out my hand, shocked when he actually stops.

Passing out right now is literally the worst-case scenario. The room spins, and it becomes impossible for me to pull in another breath. I realize that’s exactly what's going to happen, right before everything goes black.