Page 224 of Under an Endless Moon

I handed him one of the cups which was, in fact, for him, and he lifted it in the air and pointed at me with his index finger of that hand. “Nowthisis a prudent start. If only it had a shot of whiskey in it.”

He winked and brought it to his lips. “Now go get on your knees and beg her to forgive you so I can drag my ass to bed.”

I let go of a short laugh before I was jogging across the street, feeling both heavy and light as I went straight to the door. It was still two hours before opening, so I knew it’d be locked.

I knocked at the glass, waiting a few seconds.

Nothing. No movement or sound.

Disquiet pulled through my chest, and I pressed my nose to the pane, peering inside as I knocked again.

Harder that time.

Nothing again.

Dread seeped slow, licking across my flesh and sinking into my stomach.

Throat growing thick, I dug into my pocket for the set of keys I kept. I found the right one and slid it into the lock, hand shaking as I turned it and opened the door.

Silence.

No alarm.

I could feel the concern emanating from Kane from across the street, and I rushed inside, gaze frantically jumping in every direction.

I searched up and down the two aisles, under the white wooden displays slotted with buckets of flowers, like there was some kind of chance that she was going to be hiding underneath.

I rounded the counter, eyes sweeping her workspace.

Empty.

My pulse started chugging hard in my veins, and I rounded back out just as Kane was bursting through the door.

“What’s going on?”

“Can’t find her.” I croaked it as I ran into the backroom, heart crashing in my chest. It was a small space, not a ton of places to hide, though I went for the cupboards anyway, ripping them open to find nothing inside. I ran to the small bathroom. The vacancy echoed back, and I shot back out, gasping, “She’s not here.”

It was a lament.

Horror.

Agony.

My brow pinched when I noticed the back door was slightly ajar, just resting on the frame. I bolted for it, whipping it open and stumbling out into the alley. Spinning around as I searched the emptiness.

“Raven!” I shouted, pain leaching into the single world. “Raven!”

Kane suddenly stumbled out behind me, his face ashen as heheld up a sheet of paper. Same kind that had been wrapped around that rock.

You think you’re coming for me? I’ve been coming for you both all along. Now the bitch will bleed for what she’s done. For what you’ve done. Don’t be sad, you’re all next. – G

Kane and I blew into River’s driveway with the tires spinning, barely coming to a stop before we both jumped out. The front door whipped open at the same time, and River stormed out onto the porch. Wrath surrounded him in a halo, same as I could feel surrounding me.

“It’s fuckin’ Gideon,” I choked as I strode toward him, fully prepared for another attack because God knew I deserved it, though I didn’t slow my approach. “He has her.”

“What?” Horror pulsed with River’s question.

“Gideon.” His name stuck on my tongue, terror gripping me in a fist.

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