Page 34 of The Haunting
Drake
I wasn’t returning to the sitting room without Daniel. No way was I informing Daniel’s wife we’d lost him, and the creature had eaten him. I knew what Daniel had done. He’d created a diversion so we could escape. It’s what I would have done, but Daniel had beaten me.
Using a single phone because our batteries were fading, I led the way while the others saved theirs for when mine died.
Upstairs was a maze of corridors and rooms. The cobwebs here hung in heavier and thicker curtains, the air was damp and musty, and the entire level gave me the willies. The storm continued to rage, and I was worried. No storm lasted this long. Although there was thunder and lightning, this wasn’t a simple thunderstorm.
A flash lit the sky and briefly illuminated the hallway we were in. I nearly jumped out of my skin as I confronted a suit of armour.
“Shit!” I exclaimed as Inglorious weakly chuckled.
“Creepy fuckin’ thing,” he agreed.
“Yeah,” I replied and continued. We moved on and hit a dead end again.
A clanking noise surprised us, and everyone stiffened. Worried, we turned around, and my torch hit the suit of armour. Its arm was raised, pointing us in a different direction, and I cursed.
“I’m sure I’m freaking sober,” Inglorious muttered.
“Yeah, you are.” I nodded as the arm fell slowly back to its side.
“May I suggest we head in the direction it pointed at?” Vladimir said, and we nodded.
Skittishly moving past the armour — okay, we plastered our backs to the wall as we passed — and headed back the way we came. We’d find Daniel; there was no other option. We weren’t returning without him. I wasn’t telling his gentle wife we’d lost her husband. Not for anything.
Chapter Eight.
Calamity
Naturally, I hated this situation. Events were starting to feel scripted, and I certainly didn’t trust the strangers. Vladimir and Emmaline seemed to hold secrets of their own. Several of the things they’d said didn’t make sense. And as for Daniel, Lucian, and their wives, there was no doubt that those four hid plenty.
“What or who is Oakwood?” I asked as I followed Lucian.
“Oakwood Manor, it is the seat of the Blackwood’s.”
“Which means?” I pressed. I thought I understood.
“The family home, sorry.”
“Why would Sabine mention its name?”
“It’s a code word to mean danger,” Lucian replied smoothly, but I sensed a lie.
“If you say so,” I retorted and allowed doubt to leech into my voice.
“Everyone has secrets,” Lucian muttered as he stuck his head around the corner to where our bedrooms had been. “Blast.”
I stepped past him and frowned. A bedroom door had deep gouges, and the wood was splintered. Something had attacked,trying to get inside. I shoved past and entered. The room was neat and tidy, although dusty. There was nothing to indicate a fight had occurred.
“Where are they?” I muttered.
“Looking for Daniel. I’m guessing he led the… what the hell do we call it?”
“Monster?” I offered and felt an idiot for saying the word.
“Yeah, that will do. I bet Daniel led it away so the others could escape.”
“Why would he do that?” I asked suspiciously. Seemed odd to risk your life for strangers, then again, it was something I’d do. Maybe I shouldn’t judge.
