Page 90 of An Inheritance of Monsters

“I killed her,” I whispered, the beam of the flashlight jittering around in my hands. “I…”

“She had a heart attack.” Porter’s voice was firm, even though he was still trembling as he checked Eloise’s pulse. “You didn’t lay a finger on her, Juno.”

I hadn’t had to. Voraal’s presence had literally frightened her to death… and my rage had called him to me.

I’d as good as killed her.

But the fact that Porter wasdefendingme managed to break through my shock, even Carson shook his head. “We could try CPR…”

“She’s gone.” Porter sighed, dropping the aspirin bottle. “The old bitch has had heart issues for years, and even if we got her heart beating again… who’s going to help her? The Coast Guard won’t make it through this.”

We all stopped, listening in the space between thunder. The wind was screaming now, driving rain into the glass like it meant to break them.

A soft inhale, somehow audible despite the raging storm, drew everyone’s attention to the doorway.

Mrs. Marsh stepped in as lightning flashed outside and illuminated the damning scene: all of us arrayed around Eloise’s body.

Before the light faded, I could have sworn she was smiling.

But the lady of the house just pressed a hand to her chest, concern written on her face. “Oh, my. I’d better get the radio.”

Chapter26

Juno

The Coast Guard essentially told us there was fuck-all they could do about Eloise. We were on our own.

Innsmouth was getting slammed by record-breaking wave heights, and their emergency services were working overtime in town alone. Neither boat nor helicopter could make it to the island.

We elected to store Eloise’s body in the enormous walk-in freezer.

Porter, of all people, accompanied me upstairs to a storage linen closet to find a sheet to cover her with. Carson and Jack had been delegated to clearing out a space in the freezer.

“It was not your fault,” he said suddenly, a sheet cradled in his hands.

I just looked up at him, my rage since faded and replaced with a blank sort of surprise.

“When we got here, she told me she had to go through five doctors to be cleared for this trip.” Porter shook his head. “All it would’ve taken was someone jumping out from behind a bush and shouting ‘boo’ and she would’ve been a goner.”

It was my turn to shake my head. “I set her off. I didn’t need to scream at her…”

Or to air my dirty laundry for everyone to hear. I hadn’t forgotten that Jack had been recording my shrieked accusations, truthful though they might be.

“You couldn’t have known.” Porter’s gentle tone was like sandpaper against my soul.

“Why are you being nice to me about it?” I rounded on him with unexpected rancor. “Isn’t this just fodder for your next video?”

For the first time since I’d met him face to face, he looked uncomfortable.

“About that…”

I narrowed my eyes, ripping another sheet down from the neatly-stacked pile.

“You’re just kids. A bunch of kids making documentaries… and doing damn good work at it. I’ve been watching you all and I realized, maybe I’m just some jealous, washed up has-been, and I couldn’t take it.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I’m trying to say I’m sorry. I was going to take down the videos as soon as I had a connection… issue a retraction… because I was wrong.”

My eyes just about bugged out of my head.

Porter Hudson, renowned skeptic, asshole of the first degree…apologizing.

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