haunting that house.
The thought sobered some of the arousal pooling in his groin. Though she’d captured some telling evidence on her recorder, they still weren’t any closer to discovering the motivation behind the attacks. Why the ghost lured people to their death, other than for the pure enjoyment of it. But while that was a possibility, he had a nagging suspicion there was far more at work here than a sadistic spirit. And he suspected the answer rested in whatever she’d discovered in the attic.
Jordan mumbled something in her sleep, drawing his attention. Her lips pursed into a delightful pout before she sighed, kissing his chest in her sleep as she snuggled closer. Cal closed his eyes. His skin tingled where her lips had touched him, leaving him feeling as if the room was spinning. God help him but the little minx was surely going to be the death of him. And he knew he’d go willing if it meant another taste of her skin, or to feel her body give as he joined with it. He was going under, and he didn’t want to be saved.
The thought made him smile and he drifted off, the steady rise and fall of her chest against his grounding him. The occasional sound of big rigs passing on the highway played in the background, the constant heat from her body pulling him under. It wasn’t until he heard a distant click that he roused himself enough to open his eyes. Moonlight gleamed through the far window, the warm glow casting a wedge of light across the foot of the bed. A swirl of cool air breezed over his skin as he blinked, shaking off some of the fuzziness.
The room was quiet, the soft rustle of sheets as he shifted on the bed sounding strangely loud. He scrubbed a hand down his face, wondering what was scratching at the edge of his awareness when he realized Jordan wasn’t in the bed. He furrowed his brow. He considered himself a light sleeper and generally woke up at the slightest disturbance. Yet she’d managed to climb out of the bed without even rousing him.
He turned his head, staring at the adjoining bathroom. She’d probably just gotten up to relieve herself. No reason to think she’d snuck out on him. But no sooner had the thought registered than he heard the front door close. The sound of the bolt tumbling in the lock sent a stab of fear through his gut.
Cal yanked back the covers and jumped from the bed, ignoring the stinging cold on his feet as he darted into the other room and headed for the door, rattling it when the handle refused to turn in his grasp. He cursed, shouldering most of his weight on it when movement beyond the window caught his attention. He darted over, pulling the curtain back as Jordan walked past the glass, her gaze focused straight ahead. He pounded on the window, yelling her name, wondering what the hell she’d done to the door when she turned, her eyes flashing a dull red.
She stared at him, her gaze distant, before taking one step closer to the window. “You’re the reason he’s dead. It should’ve been you.” Then she spun around and headed solemnly toward the stairs.
Panic clawed at his senses, her words ringing in his head, but he was already moving, picking up his clothes and shoes off the floor and pulling them on. He snagged his bag, digging for supplies, cursing himself for not tying her to the bloody bed. He should have known something was off. Hell Brandon had said it to his face. But he’d been too preoccupied with the easy symmetry of her face and the way his pulse tripled at the sight of her to consider that she’d been compromised. That she was still compromised. Anger and fear warred in his head as he removed a bottle of holy water and drizzled it down the door.
The wood crackled and hissed, tendrils of smoke rising from the handle. He slipped his cuff over his hand, using the fabric to protect against any lingering heat as he tried the doorknob again, finally breaking the hold over it as he barreled through, knocking into the railing in his haste. She was
The thought sobered some of the arousal pooling in his groin. Though she’d captured some telling evidence on her recorder, they still weren’t any closer to discovering the motivation behind the attacks. Why the ghost lured people to their death, other than for the pure enjoyment of it. But while that was a possibility, he had a nagging suspicion there was far more at work here than a sadistic spirit. And he suspected the answer rested in whatever she’d discovered in the attic.
Jordan mumbled something in her sleep, drawing his attention. Her lips pursed into a delightful pout before she sighed, kissing his chest in her sleep as she snuggled closer. Cal closed his eyes. His skin tingled where her lips had touched him, leaving him feeling as if the room was spinning. God help him but the little minx was surely going to be the death of him. And he knew he’d go willing if it meant another taste of her skin, or to feel her body give as he joined with it. He was going under, and he didn’t want to be saved.
The thought made him smile and he drifted off, the steady rise and fall of her chest against his grounding him. The occasional sound of big rigs passing on the highway played in the background, the constant heat from her body pulling him under. It wasn’t until he heard a distant click that he roused himself enough to open his eyes. Moonlight gleamed through the far window, the warm glow casting a wedge of light across the foot of the bed. A swirl of cool air breezed over his skin as he blinked, shaking off some of the fuzziness.
The room was quiet, the soft rustle of sheets as he shifted on the bed sounding strangely loud. He scrubbed a hand down his face, wondering what was scratching at the edge of his awareness when he realized Jordan wasn’t in the bed. He furrowed his brow. He considered himself a light sleeper and generally woke up at the slightest disturbance. Yet she’d managed to climb out of the bed without even rousing him.
He turned his head, staring at the adjoining bathroom. She’d probably just gotten up to relieve herself. No reason to think she’d snuck out on him. But no sooner had the thought registered than he heard the front door close. The sound of the bolt tumbling in the lock sent a stab of fear through his gut.
Cal yanked back the covers and jumped from the bed, ignoring the stinging cold on his feet as he darted into the other room and headed for the door, rattling it when the handle refused to turn in his grasp. He cursed, shouldering most of his weight on it when movement beyond the window caught his attention. He darted over, pulling the curtain back as Jordan walked past the glass, her gaze focused straight ahead. He pounded on the window, yelling her name, wondering what the hell she’d done to the door when she turned, her eyes flashing a dull red.
She stared at him, her gaze distant, before taking one step closer to the window. “You’re the reason he’s dead. It should’ve been you.” Then she spun around and headed solemnly toward the stairs.
Panic clawed at his senses, her words ringing in his head, but he was already moving, picking up his clothes and shoes off the floor and pulling them on. He snagged his bag, digging for supplies, cursing himself for not tying her to the bloody bed. He should have known something was off. Hell Brandon had said it to his face. But he’d been too preoccupied with the easy symmetry of her face and the way his pulse tripled at the sight of her to consider that she’d been compromised. That she was still compromised. Anger and fear warred in his head as he removed a bottle of holy water and drizzled it down the door.
The wood crackled and hissed, tendrils of smoke rising from the handle. He slipped his cuff over his hand, using the fabric to protect against any lingering heat as he tried the doorknob again, finally breaking the hold over it as he barreled through, knocking into the railing in his haste. She was
Similar Books
