Read Online Everafter (Kissed by an Angel) by Elizabeth Chandler - Free Book Online

quickly into a cluster of shrubs. She waited until she could no longer hear the engine, before emerging from the bushes. Amid the chirp of crickets, she heard stones crunching underfoot as her pursuer stepped onto the edge of the asphalt.
    When Ivy had left the cottage, she had taken the route through the woods between Aunt Cindy’s place and the main road. So whoever was stalking her had already had his chance to grab her. And he had another perfect opportunitynow, she realized, on the dark stretch of road as she passed Ice House Pond. But he wasn’t taking it. He wasn’t going to hurt her, she reasoned, because he first wanted to see where she was going.
    She approached a familiar triangle. The road bending to the right led to Tristan; Ivy took the fork to the left.
    Checking the position of the egg-shaped moon, she tried to remember the layout of the roads. On a map Nauset Harbor looked more like a river than a harbor, bending back on itself as it meandered inland, becoming Town Cove, with homes along the shore and a series of public landings. She headed in that direction.
    She longed to face down her pursuer. The tension of continuing on calmly wore on her nerves and turned her fear into anger. She kept reminding herself that Tristan’s safety was what mattered. Rather than confront, she had to deceive the person looking for him.
    She was near the cove now, and she started searching for just the right house, one with window shades closed and no car or lights, a place where a fugitive might be hiding. She began to think it was impossible, then she saw it— perfect —with its grass too long and a piece of advertising stuck in the frame of the door. Ivy circled the house and deposited her pack of supplies on the back step. After three sharp raps on the door, she hurried on, hoping to gain enough separation to turn around and observe her stalker.
    She was about a hundred yards down the road when an alarm went off. Ivy turned back and saw the blinking floodlights. The house where she’d left the backpack had been wired! Her pursuer had probably forced a window. The lights in neighboring houses came on. Ivy laughed to herself and took off for home.
    She ran all the way, figuring that her stalker had rushed off to his own safe harbor. She knew Tristan would be worried. As soon as she reached the inn’s parking lot, she rested against her car and pulled out her phone.
    A branch snapped underfoot. She spun around.
    “Hello, Ivy,” Chase said, emerging from the trees. He was out of breath. She guessed that he had taken the route through the woods, while she had kept to the main roads.
    “Chase.” She studied him, looking for some sign that Gregory was possessing him. “What are you doing here?”
    “Following you.”
    “Really?” she replied with false cheerfulness. “Then you’re back to where you started.” Sliding her phone in her pocket, she felt for her keys. The car key had an alarm button.
    “Ivy, if you keep running supplies to Luke, sooner or later the police are going to catch up with you.”
    “Especially if you tell them,” she said.
    “I can help you, Ivy.”
    “No thanks.”
    She started to move past him, but he reached out and pulled her back by the belt loop. It was one of Gregory’s habits. Ivy’s skin crept.
    “It would be safer for you if we worked together,” he said.
    His eyes were normal, but his voice . . . That was it, she realized. The darkness was in his voice. Still, she continued to speak to him as if he was simply Chase. “Luke is an accused murderer. I wouldn’t recommend that you help him.”
    “I would enjoy it,” he replied. “I’m a great admirer of murderers, especially those who do it with passion. They’re powerful. With their own hands, they squeeze out life, even that of the people they once loved.” Chase slowly flexed his fingers, studying them, then smiled at Ivy. “Admit it, Ivy. You like bad boys.” He moved his face close to hers.
    Ivy turned away,