light of the moon shining through the windows yet still I sat there.
I brought my knees up and laid my head in the circle of my arms on them. My blood pounded in my ears pushed by a heart that had been racing ever since I had stepped back into the house. The roar of blood proved I was still alive, but I had no confidence in how long it would continue.
5:50 p.m. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my heart paused for what felt like an eternity before it began to pound all the faster, blood pumping harder than I would have given my heart credit for before now. The same terrifying fear I had experienced the evening before came over me and I felt like an ant under the microscope in the sunlight. Sweat was beginning to form under my arms and breasts and my hands were clammy. Feeling a slight breeze rustle past me, I knew he was there.
Fingertips, cool and smooth, lightly traced circles up and down my neck. I didn’t move, didn’t say a word, scarcely breathed, until cool lips replaced the fingers then I involuntarily jerked back. I didn’t get far for I was quickly caught in the grip of his left hand holding me steadfastly in place while he moved his mouth up my neck. Stopping at the base of my jaw, he parted his mouth to let his teeth graze lightly against my skin. Involuntarily, I tensed up expecting those fangs to slice through my skin.
“This will be nice, I promise,” he whispered into my ear. “I am pleasantly surprised you did not run. I thought it likely I would have to track you and Ellie down. Instead, I find you are a lady of some honor. Tell me, did you do exactly as I told you?” His voice, soft yet rich at the same time, held no hint of anger.
Panicking for a moment, it occurred to me I wasn’t to have left the house but I did when I buried Samuel and when I ran. He had to have noticed Samuel was gone. Would that break our agreement? He continued to stroke my neck with his face, lightly nipping as he moved.
“You are making it very hard for me to take this slowly with your heart racing like a jackrabbit. Again, did you do exactly as I said?”
I hesitated briefly again. “No… no. I buried my dog. He was beginning to stink. What you said didn’t cross my mind when I found his body this morning.” My voiced strained with the attempt to keep it from quivering.
“Is there anything else you need to tell me? Remember, my senses are much more accurate than yours and I will know if you are lying. Be careful with your words, Annalice. They determine your fate.”
Again, I hesitated. “I did think about leaving but turned around in the garage.” My breath rushed out with the words and I left out the part about driving to the road. I didn’t think he could read anything else from me since my heart was already hitting nearly one-eighty. My skin tingled with icy fear as I waited for his reaction.
I was essentially blind in the dark, but I could feel him all around me. The fine hairs on my arms stood up in response to his presence. It was also as if his coolness was in such stark contrast to the warmer air of the house that it provided a line of demarcation between him and his surroundings.
His breath cool against my neck, his hands began to retrace the circular patterns over my upper arms from my shoulders to my elbows. I started to relax in spite of myself and he laughed quietly in the dark.
Wondering what he found funny, it occurred to me he could feel my muscles becoming slack in his hands in response to him, or maybe he thought my terror over Samuel was funny. Either way, the laugh had a mocking edge to it and I could feel myself tightening up all over again.
“Since you have been honest, I will honor our agreement. But do not make another mistake. I would consider that willful disobedience.” Without meaning to, I exhaled in response to his words and, feeling relieved, I nodded my own agreement
In the next second, he was gone and back. I barely had recognized his movement before he
I brought my knees up and laid my head in the circle of my arms on them. My blood pounded in my ears pushed by a heart that had been racing ever since I had stepped back into the house. The roar of blood proved I was still alive, but I had no confidence in how long it would continue.
5:50 p.m. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and my heart paused for what felt like an eternity before it began to pound all the faster, blood pumping harder than I would have given my heart credit for before now. The same terrifying fear I had experienced the evening before came over me and I felt like an ant under the microscope in the sunlight. Sweat was beginning to form under my arms and breasts and my hands were clammy. Feeling a slight breeze rustle past me, I knew he was there.
Fingertips, cool and smooth, lightly traced circles up and down my neck. I didn’t move, didn’t say a word, scarcely breathed, until cool lips replaced the fingers then I involuntarily jerked back. I didn’t get far for I was quickly caught in the grip of his left hand holding me steadfastly in place while he moved his mouth up my neck. Stopping at the base of my jaw, he parted his mouth to let his teeth graze lightly against my skin. Involuntarily, I tensed up expecting those fangs to slice through my skin.
“This will be nice, I promise,” he whispered into my ear. “I am pleasantly surprised you did not run. I thought it likely I would have to track you and Ellie down. Instead, I find you are a lady of some honor. Tell me, did you do exactly as I told you?” His voice, soft yet rich at the same time, held no hint of anger.
Panicking for a moment, it occurred to me I wasn’t to have left the house but I did when I buried Samuel and when I ran. He had to have noticed Samuel was gone. Would that break our agreement? He continued to stroke my neck with his face, lightly nipping as he moved.
“You are making it very hard for me to take this slowly with your heart racing like a jackrabbit. Again, did you do exactly as I said?”
I hesitated briefly again. “No… no. I buried my dog. He was beginning to stink. What you said didn’t cross my mind when I found his body this morning.” My voiced strained with the attempt to keep it from quivering.
“Is there anything else you need to tell me? Remember, my senses are much more accurate than yours and I will know if you are lying. Be careful with your words, Annalice. They determine your fate.”
Again, I hesitated. “I did think about leaving but turned around in the garage.” My breath rushed out with the words and I left out the part about driving to the road. I didn’t think he could read anything else from me since my heart was already hitting nearly one-eighty. My skin tingled with icy fear as I waited for his reaction.
I was essentially blind in the dark, but I could feel him all around me. The fine hairs on my arms stood up in response to his presence. It was also as if his coolness was in such stark contrast to the warmer air of the house that it provided a line of demarcation between him and his surroundings.
His breath cool against my neck, his hands began to retrace the circular patterns over my upper arms from my shoulders to my elbows. I started to relax in spite of myself and he laughed quietly in the dark.
Wondering what he found funny, it occurred to me he could feel my muscles becoming slack in his hands in response to him, or maybe he thought my terror over Samuel was funny. Either way, the laugh had a mocking edge to it and I could feel myself tightening up all over again.
“Since you have been honest, I will honor our agreement. But do not make another mistake. I would consider that willful disobedience.” Without meaning to, I exhaled in response to his words and, feeling relieved, I nodded my own agreement
In the next second, he was gone and back. I barely had recognized his movement before he
Similar Books
