Page 2 of Ghosts From Christmas Past

The monster threatened to return when he thought about her loving someone else. They were of the same blood. But not the one she loved. How could she love him?

He snorted out breaths of fury. A sound of a vehicle approaching had him cocking his head toward the road.

Someone was coming. Instinct took charge, and he became an animal intent on survival. He raced through the woods, checking behind him from time to time.

She’d betrayed him. Deserved what she got. No matter what he had to do, he wouldn’t pay the high price of her betrayal.

Chapter One

Eight years later. . .

Darkness slithered toward her like the snake from the Garden of Eden. Waiting to strike. Not again. She couldn’t go back there again. He’d hurt her before. Hurt others. He’d come back to finish the job, and she couldn’t let him. She had to fight.

Time passed. How long? Where was she? Blackness covered her up and nothing penetrated it.

Then light seeped in.Open your eyes. Hurry!

She struggled with all her strength, but her eyes were glued shut.

“No.” The foreboding blackness descended like a fog. He stood there in it.You belong to me. The smile on his face hid pure evil. She hadn’t known what lay behind the façade he presented to the world until she’d witnessed it firsthand.

Like before when she’d tried to escape him, time went away. Nothingness surrounded her. . . and she was afraid. So afraid.

But something was different about today. It was time to leave the darkness behind. Time to find out the truth. Time to live again.

With all her strength, she forced her eyes open. Blurred visions played all around her. A pinhead of light appeared in the distance. She kept her attention on it. It grew brighter. Larger. She floated toward the light.

The cloudy haze lifted, and she stared up at a stark white ceiling, almost blinding in itself. She blinked several times. The ceiling was still there. She’d escaped the darkness.

But her brain was blank.

Forcing down her panic, she glanced around. A room as bland in personality as the ceiling that surrounded her. Where was she?Whowas she?

“Oh, my dear word, she’s awake. Charlotte Swenson is awake! Quick, get Dr. Montgomery. Now.” A female voice she didn’t recognize stressed the word. Footsteps faded. A woman’s face entered her line of sight. Smiling eyes, green eyes alight with happiness. Salt and pepper hair framed her face.

Still nothing.

The woman clasped her hand and squeezed it. “How are you feeling, Charlotte?”

Charlotte. The name didn’t sound familiar. Panic swirled through her body, and she grabbed the woman’s hand. Watched her smile disappear.

“Now, don’t you worry.” The woman tried to comfort. “Dr. Montgomery will be right here to explain everything.” She expelled a noisy sigh, followed by a nervous laugh. “I can’t believe you’re awake. Eight years. I’ve heard about patients who wake up after so long, but I’ve never witnessed it for myself. It’s a true miracle. A Christmas miracle.” The smile returned.

Charlotte blinked. Then one more time, but the woman was still there. Still unknown. And she had nothing but a blank slate for her memory.

Tears shown in the woman’s eyes. She was talking, still too fast, but Charlotte had no idea what she was saying. The panic inside continued to spiral out of control. Why couldn’t she remember anything? She closed her eyes. The darkness was there at the edge of her mind, waiting to take her back.

No.

She could almost hear him laughing. Waiting.

Her eyes snapped open. No matter what, she would not go back there because if she did, she might never return.

“Here’s Dr. Montgomery now.” The woman appeared relieved and untangled Charlotte’s clinging hands before she turned to someone else.

A tall, middle-aged man with a head full of white hair and piercing blue eyes stepped close.

“Charlotte, my name is Dr. Montgomery. Can you hear me okay?”

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