Page 21 of Spooking the Mountain Man
"Are you going to be this protective forever?"
Callum looks down at me, his expression serious. "Probably. Is that going to be a problem?"
The question is casual, but I can hear the underlying worry. He's asking if his protective instincts are too much, if I'll get tired of being watched over and guarded.
"No," I say softly, rising up on my toes to kiss his cheek. "It's not a problem. I like knowing you care enough to be protective."
Callum's arm tightens around my waist, and I can feel some of the tension leave his body.
"Attention everyone!" The mayor's voice booms over the crowd through a megaphone. "It's time for our annual haunted walk through Pioneer Cemetery! Tours start in ten minutes at the cemetery gates!"
"Want to go?" I ask Callum, though I can already see his answer in his expression.
"Absolutely not. Dark cemetery, people jumping out to scare you? That's a hard pass."
"Come on," I wheedle, tugging on his arm. "It'll be fun. Besides, what's the worst that could happen with you there to protect me?"
Callum looks like he wants to argue, but something in my expression must convince him. "Fine. But we're staying in themiddle of the group, and if anything feels off, we're leaving immediately."
"Deal."
The Pioneer Cemetery is even spookier at night than I remembered from childhood. Weathered headstones lean at drunken angles, and gnarled trees cast twisted shadows in the moonlight. Our tour guide, a teenager in a vampire costume, leads us along the winding paths while telling stories about the town's founding families and their tragic ends.
"And here," the guide says, stopping beside a particularly elaborate headstone, "is where they buried Jeremiah Darkmore, the town's founder, after he was found frozen to death in the woods. They say on cold nights, you can still hear him calling for help..."
Right on cue, a low moan echoes through the cemetery, making several people in the group jump. I press closer to Callum's side, and his arm tightens around me protectively.
We're halfway through the tour when it happens. A group of teenagers in wolf masks jumps out from behind a cluster of headstones, howling and snarling at the tour group. It's clearly part of the planned scares, but in the darkness of the cemetery, with the moon casting eerie shadows and the wind rustling through the trees, it's genuinely frightening.
Most of the group laughs or screams in delight, but I freeze completely. Something about the masks, the way the teenagers are moving, triggers every anxiety I've been carrying since the Derek situation. My breath starts coming in short, sharp pants, and my vision tunnels until all I can see are those snarling wolf faces.
"Kelly?" Callum's voice sounds like it's coming from far away. "Kelly, sweetheart, look at me."
But I can't look at him. I can't move. I'm paralyzed by a panic response that doesn't make logical sense but feels completely real in the moment.
"Excuse us," I hear Callum say to the tour guide, and then strong arms are lifting me, carrying me away from the group and the scary masks and the overwhelming noise.
Callum sets me down on a bench at the edge of the cemetery, then kneels in front of me, his hands gentle on my face.
"Hey," he says softly. "You're okay. You're safe. It was just kids playing around."
"I know," I gasp, trying to catch my breath. "I know it was just a prank, but I couldn't... I couldn't breathe."
"It's okay. Panic attacks aren't rational. But you're safe now, sweetheart. I've got you."
Callum's calm, steady presence slowly brings me back to myself. My breathing evens out, and the tight feeling in my chest starts to ease.
"I'm sorry," I say, embarrassed by my overreaction. "That was silly. They were just teenagers being goofy."
"It wasn't silly," Callum says firmly. "You've been through a lot lately. Your mind is just trying to protect you from perceived threats."
"Even if the threat is a bunch of high schoolers in Halloween masks?"
"Even then." Callum reaches up to smooth my hair back from my face. "Ready to go home?"
I nod, suddenly exhausted. The adrenaline crash is hitting me hard, making me feel shaky and weak.
Callum helps me to my feet, then wraps his arm around my waist for support. "Come on, Little Red. Let's get you home."
