Read Online Werewolf Suspense (Book 1): Outage by T.W. Piperbrook - Free Book Online
Authors: T.W. Piperbrook
Tags: Werewolves & Shifters
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was still shaking, and she fought to contain her panic. Somehow she'd avoided its attention…somehow she'd gone unnoticed…
Somehow she'd get away…
The back door shook. She heard the rattle of the doorknob and the scratch of claws, then the squeak of wood in the doorframe.
This time Abby didn't wait. She bolted in the opposite direction, heading for the front end of the house. The hallway was only ten feet long, and in less than a second, she'd reached the foyer. Ahead of her was the front door. To her right was a set of stairs.
Which way? Whichway?
The door would lead her back outside. But upstairs, she might be able to hide. She'd already tried running, and she hadn't gotten far…
She grappled with the decision. The back door shook. At any second, it would topple inward and admit the creature.
She grabbed the front door and felt wildly for the locks. Then she undid the deadbolt, turned the handle, and flung open the door. Cold air and snow spat from the outside.
The back door exploded from behind her.
Abby turned tail and raced up the staircase.
She ran on the balls of her feet, praying the stairs wouldn't squeak underfoot. One excess noise would alert the thing to her plan, if it hadn't smelled her already. Her hope was to throw it off long enough to hide.
The image of Rob paraded through her head. He'd been powerless against the thing, and so had the body in the kitchen. She didn't even know who the body belonged to. Whether it was Leon or Adeline, she could only guess.
Even with the lights on, she doubted she'd recognize the body, if it was as mangled as Rob's had been.
She skimmed up the steps, listening to the crash of objects below her. The thing was in the kitchen. Ripping up fabric. Tearing at the walls.
Making its way through the house in a rage.
All stealth had been cast aside. Its mission now was to find and destroy her.
She tripped on something unidentifiable, sending her sprawling on all fours, and she used her hands and feet to scramble up the remaining steps. Once on the landing, her eyes darted left and right, trying to make sense of the darkness. The pale wash of the outdoors filtered through several uncovered windows, and she strained to absorb the light. She could see doorways on either side of her. On a whim, she veered right. A dark doorframe beckoned, and she headed straight for it.
At the last second, she caught a glimpse of the beast in the foyer.
The thing was standing next to the front door. It reared up on its haunches, head swiveling beneath a low-hung chandelier. It was seven feet tall. Maybe more.
She pitched herself into the dark room, her body surging with adrenaline. The room was black and impenetrable. She waved her hands in front of her, catching hold of nothing but empty air. She got the sense it was a bedroom or an office. Something large.
Wherever she was, the shades were drawn.
She maneuvered deeper inside, her hands outstretched, hoping to detect any obstacles before she bumped into them. Her fingers encountered a bed, and she grabbed frantically at the bedspread, looking for a way underneath.
The thing was still in the house. She could hear its breath and the clack of its jowls. At any moment it would ascend the stairs and come after her. She grappled with the sheets, lost in the folds.
Dammit! Come on!
Suddenly she'd created an opening, and she wriggled her way underneath. The bed was about a foot off the ground—barely high enough to wedge herself under. As she slid under it, she couldn't help but feel she'd be trapped, claustrophobic. If the thing found her, there'd be no getting out easily.
She was buried underneath the mattress.
The house had fallen silent again. There was no longer any noise from downstairs—the breathing and sniffing had stopped. She held still. Her heart hammered against the floorboards. Had the beast left? Had it taken the bait? She waited a full minute, certain she'd hear a scrape or a scuff, but
Somehow she'd get away…
The back door shook. She heard the rattle of the doorknob and the scratch of claws, then the squeak of wood in the doorframe.
This time Abby didn't wait. She bolted in the opposite direction, heading for the front end of the house. The hallway was only ten feet long, and in less than a second, she'd reached the foyer. Ahead of her was the front door. To her right was a set of stairs.
Which way? Whichway?
The door would lead her back outside. But upstairs, she might be able to hide. She'd already tried running, and she hadn't gotten far…
She grappled with the decision. The back door shook. At any second, it would topple inward and admit the creature.
She grabbed the front door and felt wildly for the locks. Then she undid the deadbolt, turned the handle, and flung open the door. Cold air and snow spat from the outside.
The back door exploded from behind her.
Abby turned tail and raced up the staircase.
She ran on the balls of her feet, praying the stairs wouldn't squeak underfoot. One excess noise would alert the thing to her plan, if it hadn't smelled her already. Her hope was to throw it off long enough to hide.
The image of Rob paraded through her head. He'd been powerless against the thing, and so had the body in the kitchen. She didn't even know who the body belonged to. Whether it was Leon or Adeline, she could only guess.
Even with the lights on, she doubted she'd recognize the body, if it was as mangled as Rob's had been.
She skimmed up the steps, listening to the crash of objects below her. The thing was in the kitchen. Ripping up fabric. Tearing at the walls.
Making its way through the house in a rage.
All stealth had been cast aside. Its mission now was to find and destroy her.
She tripped on something unidentifiable, sending her sprawling on all fours, and she used her hands and feet to scramble up the remaining steps. Once on the landing, her eyes darted left and right, trying to make sense of the darkness. The pale wash of the outdoors filtered through several uncovered windows, and she strained to absorb the light. She could see doorways on either side of her. On a whim, she veered right. A dark doorframe beckoned, and she headed straight for it.
At the last second, she caught a glimpse of the beast in the foyer.
The thing was standing next to the front door. It reared up on its haunches, head swiveling beneath a low-hung chandelier. It was seven feet tall. Maybe more.
She pitched herself into the dark room, her body surging with adrenaline. The room was black and impenetrable. She waved her hands in front of her, catching hold of nothing but empty air. She got the sense it was a bedroom or an office. Something large.
Wherever she was, the shades were drawn.
She maneuvered deeper inside, her hands outstretched, hoping to detect any obstacles before she bumped into them. Her fingers encountered a bed, and she grabbed frantically at the bedspread, looking for a way underneath.
The thing was still in the house. She could hear its breath and the clack of its jowls. At any moment it would ascend the stairs and come after her. She grappled with the sheets, lost in the folds.
Dammit! Come on!
Suddenly she'd created an opening, and she wriggled her way underneath. The bed was about a foot off the ground—barely high enough to wedge herself under. As she slid under it, she couldn't help but feel she'd be trapped, claustrophobic. If the thing found her, there'd be no getting out easily.
She was buried underneath the mattress.
The house had fallen silent again. There was no longer any noise from downstairs—the breathing and sniffing had stopped. She held still. Her heart hammered against the floorboards. Had the beast left? Had it taken the bait? She waited a full minute, certain she'd hear a scrape or a scuff, but
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