The Hypnotized Alpha

to my own devices and I wiled away the hours watching others have fun. Sometimes it was nice to watch the world enjoy itse

e and mothers called their children inside. I heeded the call of my inner mother and went inside for a bite to eat. Outside the darkness of night stretched across the lake and surroun

ing to bed, so I opted to shut off the lights inside the cabin and settled down in front of the fire to read one of the books I'd brought with

ears. There it was again. Footsteps along planks. The hairs on the back of my neck stood strai

A bright moon shone over the lake and illuminated much of the ground. My dock was empty and

t given me such a look-over earlier that day I would have thought they were a couple. One man rowed while the other sat at the bow and faced forward. They reached the center of the lake and the man at t

dock, but the one at the bow paused. I swore their head moved so their eyes settled on the porch. I stiffened and held my breat

e as thoughts of two murderers next door and dead bodies in cloth bags surfaced in my mind. I shook them out. No, it couldn't possibly be what I thought I saw. I'm sure they were just dumping thei

, and tucked myself tightly into my bed still wearing my clothes. If anything happened I didn't want to streak out of

red whether I could chuck the machine clear across the room. That wouldn't have changed the time, ho

k. There was

the door and opened it after the third knock. The color drained from my face when I saw Dimitri Tyler standing on the porc

ccent I could only place as kind of Russian. "Goo

g to-um-" I glanced down at myse

s, and I come on behalf of my employer, Mr. WillMason Brooks. He would be v

. I would play the part of the stupid teenage girl who goes inside the house when the audience is screaming at h

wouldn't be an acceptable answer. Then again, what was I worrying about? I'd just seen them do

y shoes," I told him. Tenni

morning. A faint fog drifted from the lake and onto the lawns. Tyler led me across our joined yards and to the front door of

logs polished to a shine and the walls were a thick lay of chink built by several generations of owners. The furniture, a couch, a few chairs, and the dining set, were made of thick pieces of wood, but cushions softened the hard su

d. He stood in front of me and his eyes swept over me with that intense gaze.

of eggs, toast, and coffee. "It sme

ravels," he revealed. I felt like a lady when he pulled out a chair for me near the head of the table, a

e seen a lot of pl

ed an eyebrow. "Has she? I hope she d

Africa and Eastern

ere. The former more tha

s or just to see the

d some nice, steaming coffee into the cups. "Thank you, Tyler," Will told him. Tyler b

g interesting

is lips and set the mug on the table. "Some interesting things, and others

ts? Like what

board rides with Tyler. I believe y

murderer had fo

r you an explanation. You see, Tyler and I have a habit of feeding the fish in th

he fish in the Ukraine

but with the intention of catching the fish later

commented. It was strange as heck, and Will

't hold my peculiarities against me," he pleaded. His t

holding a thankfully normal breakfast of

glanced up at him with a mischievous glint in my eye. "How could I h

d talking like old friends. It was