Page 7 of Demon Shock

Pete started purring, which helped me feel a little calmer as I packed away the cords. Once I was done, I left the box on the desk, stoked the fire, and checked the time.

It was just after nine.

“One last bathroom run, guys,” I said. “Keep the bed warm for me.”

I bundled up and let myself out of the cabin. A heavy, wet snow had started falling about an hour ago. If not for the light from the side window, the way around the cabin would have been pitch black. It didn’t matter though. I’d been here so long that I could walk the path to the bathroom with my eyes closed.

The crunch of wet snow under my boots muffled the sound of my light breathing. I didn’t fully notice either noise. My thoughts were still whirling with what I’d need to do when I woke up and the problems I might encounter along the way. Did the truck have enough gas? What if I got stuck?

Preoccupied, I turned the corner of the cabin and almost ran into the man standing there.

A startled “eep” ripped from me, and I vaguely saw him raise his hands above his head in an “I surrender” pose as I backpedaled and pressed a hand to my thundering heart.

“I won’t hurt you,” he said quickly, hands still above his head.

It took a few seconds to understand the significance of the moment.

I wasn’t alone.

Relief and gratitude flooded me.With another cry, I threw myself into his torso and wrapped my arms around his waist. He was big. Solid. The tears from fear I hadn’t even realized I’d been keeping at bay poured out of me in wracking sobs.

“It’s okay,” he said. “You’re okay.”

One of his large hands lightly settled on the top of my head. It felt so good. So comforting.

“I’m sorry I scared you.”

He thought I was crying because of him? I shook my head against his chest.

“I went to Silver Bay,” I said through my tears. “There was a dead guy in the hardware store, and no one else was there.”

I sniffled and wiped my face on my coat sleeve without releasing him.

“I thought I was alone.”

“Isn’t there anyone else here?”

The question rang like a gong in my head, and in my mind, I saw the words on the wall.

Don’t trust anyone.

My tears instantly dried up as my pulse kicked up a notch. I’d been so relieved I wasn’t alone that common sense had vanished. What sane woman hugged a strange man in the dark? Alone? None. Although, after the day I’d had, could I still claim to be sane?

I released my hold on him and would have backed up, but he wrapped an arm around my shoulders to keep me pinned against his chest. My cheek brushed his tear-dampened shirt.

“Please let me go,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Will you run?”

I was thinking about it, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to tell him that.

“No.”

He slowly released me, and I stepped back to look up at him. The light from the cabin was too dim to see him clearly, but I saw his general shape. He towered over me by a good foot and a half. The large, solid stature I’d found comforting only moments ago now seemed more threatening. I wished I could see his face to read his expression.

I waited for him to say something, but he didn’t.

“Do you know what happened in Silver Bay?” I asked finally.

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