Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 208(@300wpm)
I asked, “What about the wards? Won’t they hold him back?”
“I doubt I’d have this sense of dread if they were going to hold,” Arden said. “I don’t know who he’s bringing with him or what kind of powers they have, but it feels like something really bad is about to happen.”
The three of us ran off in different directions. I climbed the stairs two at a time, grabbed the phone off the nightstand, and placed a frantic call to April. When I reached her voice mail, I growled in frustration and shouted, “This is Sam Miller. Andy and I are in danger. Edward Rosselin found us, and he’s not alone.” I recited the address before yelling, “Send help! Send the fucking National Guard! Please, April. We can’t let him hurt Andy.”
My heart was pounding in my ears as I ran back downstairs. Andy and I reached the foyer at the same time, and he asked, “What did April say?”
“I got her voice mail and told her to send help.”
A moment later, Arden raced into the foyer with an armload of hunting rifles. He piled them on the table in the center of the room and fumbled with a box of ammunition as he asked, “Have either of you ever fired a weapon?”
We both said no, and Andy added, “It’s probably not a great idea to start now.”
“It’s your call.” Arden quickly and expertly loaded two shells into the first gun, then reached for another. When he saw our looks of surprise, he explained, “I’ve been skeet and target shooting since I was a kid. My grandfather thought marksmanship was an essential skill for a young man.”
All of a sudden, he straightened up and went perfectly still. It reminded me of the way the deer on the lawn had reacted when they thought they heard something. Then he said, “They’re here.”
We hurried to the window beside the front door, which gave us a clear line of sight to the gate. A big, black SUV pulled up, and three men climbed out. They weren’t the same people who’d tried to abduct us in San Francisco. I was pretty sure those thugs had been regular humans—unlike this trio. We quickly learned these men had powers when one of them flung his hand to the side, ripping the metal gate off its hinges and sending it tumbling. Then the other two held their hands up and slid them around, as if they were assessing the invisible barrier.
When a slightly manic laugh slipped out, Andy turned to me, and I explained, “They look like they’re doing that trapped in a box thing, like a mime.”
Andy took my hand and turned back to the window. “I don’t see Rosselin.”
“He hasn’t bothered getting out of the car,” Arden muttered. “He’s actually a little bored, the fucker.”
I asked, “Is there a panic room in this house?”
Arden shook his head and held up a rifle. “My ancestors believed in fighting, not hiding. I, on the other hand, think you two should run out the back door and hide in the woods. I’m the one the monster wants, so he might leave you alone. Maybe. I’m not sure about that, but it still might be better than waiting here for Rosselin to bust in and capture you.”
“But you can’t go into the woods with us,” I reminded him, “and we’re not going to leave you here to face Rosselin and his people on your own.”
He turned to me with confusion in his eyes. “Why not?”
“Because you’re our friend, and we’re staying by your side. Isn’t that right, Andy?”
“Absolutely.” Andy glanced at me and added, “Besides, I like our odds better inside this house, rather than running into the woods. Getting eviscerated by a monster isn’t high on my to-do list, and maybe Arden’s wrong and the wards will hold.”
Our friend shook his head. “They won’t. It looks like Rosselin went out and hired himself the most powerful henchmen that money can buy. The energy radiating from them is off the charts.”
To prove his point, the hired guns conferred for a few moments, and then they lined up and pushed their hands forward in unison. The wards lit up for a second. In the next instant, we felt a wave of energy rolling past us. It reminded me of an earthquake.
“I’m so sorry for putting you in harm’s way, Arden,” I said. “I should have known Rosselin would find us here.”
“Don’t feel bad,” he said. “I’m the one who told you to stay, remember? You’d planned to get right back on the road the day you came here, but I really believed my cousin and his coven would be strong enough to keep you safe. If anyone should be apologizing, it’s me.”
In the next instant, another wave of energy rolled past us. It was twice as strong as the first, and we had to brace ourselves to stay upright. Andy asked, “Is there anyone we can call for help besides SPAM? The police? The army? Anybody?”