Page 81 of Shadowed Obsession

It'sthe silence that wakes me up. When I came to Rosewood at the beginning of the summer, it took me nearly a week to get used to the new noises here. Sure, I drowned it out with my favorite white noise machine the best I could, but I wasn't used to the other noises. Magnolia Lane settling, the loud exhaust pipes from motorcycles flying down the street, the choir of cicadas.

And now I'm here. Staying with Silas and Nova and Hunter. And Lincoln, more often than not. It should be weirder than it is. It should've taken me longer to adapt to the sounds of this house.

My eyes open to darkness so thick it feels suffocating. I blink a few times, the first kernel of panic sprouting too easily from the fear that's always lived inside of me when it comes to the dark. Slowly—too slowly—my eyes adjust.

It's dark, but I can make out the familiar shapes of the room I'm staying in. I reach for my phone, tapping the screen awake to find it's nearing three o'clock in the morning. Zero bars are present in the top right corner. In fact, there's a symbol there I haven't seen before. SOS.

“Shit,” I murmur, hoping that's not some kind of omen.

The next thought shifts across my brain a split second before I hear it.

“Dad! Eve!” Hunter yells, panic threading through his sleepy voice.

I toss off my comforter and jog across my room. Pulling the door open, I yell, “Hang on, bud. I'm coming.”

The hallway is even darker than my bedroom. With all the doors closed, the only light that filters in is from the big picture window above the front door. But even then, it's muted, gray. Thankfully, Hunter's room is only three doors down from mine.

The wood floor is cool on my bare feet as I hustle down the hallway. My eyes are glued to Hunter's door, my heart racing with adrenaline and urgency to reach him.

I don't notice anyone until my shoulder collides with something hard.

“Jesus,” I hiss, the impact sending me backward at an angle and heading straight toward Hunter's doorframe. I brace for the inevitable pain, but it never comes.

Instead, big hands curl around my waist, steading me. I look up, my lips parting on an inhale, but before I can say anything, Hunter yells again.

“Eve! Dad!”

Silas lets go of me at the same time I turn toward his doorway. He twists the knob, throwing open the door and eating up the distance between him and Hunter. He flips his phone's flashlight app on and twists the beam to face the ceiling. “I'm here, bud. It's alright.”

I hang back a couple steps, giving myself a moment to take a few deep breaths. My adrenaline is surging, and that shakiness has started. It feels like popping candy lines my stomach.

“It's alright. It's just a storm. We get these sometimes, remember? Let's try to go back to sleep, yeah?” Silas says, kneeling down and running a palm over Hunter's back.

“Dad, where's Eve? Did we lose power?” His voice is shaky, soaked in fear. And it does something to my gut. Tightening and twisting it.

“I'm right here, buddy,” I tell him, crossing the room to his bed. I stop next to Silas, my hand reaching out to smooth Hunter's hair back. I curl my fingers into my palm and drop my hand to my side. “Your dad's right. It's just a storm.”

Hunter nods, but I can see the tremble in his lips. He's scared, and I find myself wanting to do something to ease his fear.

No, not wanting.Needing.

“Will you stay with me?” Hunter asks, his dark brown eyes so wide. He clutches his stuffed bunny, Flopsy, tight to his chest.

“Of course, my little muffin.” I kneel on the floor next to Silas, sitting my butt against my heels. “As long as your dad doesn't mind. He might want to snuggle you to sleep,” I tease.

Hunter's lips twitch into a smile and he darts a glance at his dad. “Sorry, Dad, but you're too big for my bed.”

Silas's brows raise and his mouth falls open in a faux outrage. He won't be taking home any acting awards, but his son giggles.

“Me? I don't know, bud. I think I can still fit in your bed. You might have to sleep on the floor though,” Silas says with a teasing grin.

A staticky alarm shrieks from Silas's phone, startling everyone. Silas flips his phone over, plunging the room into near-darkness. I look over his shoulder and see the emergency alert text on his screen.

National Weather Service: TORNADO WARNING in this area until 3:45 AM CST. Take shelter now in a basement or an interior room on the lowest room floor of a sturdy building. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

“Shit,”I murmur, fear tightening my gut.

Silas clears the message, stopping the alarm abruptly. He pushes to his feet and reaches for Hunter. “Alright, bud. Time to go to the basement.”

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