Blood Between Worlds: Her Curse, He's Throne

xa'

thing specia

standing too long, and a reminder that my life wasn't e

s Tue

, and a closing shift at PriceCart, the

shut with a sigh and

pearing in the doorway with his usual dramatic flair. He worked the af

ed me to restock the bleach shelf again. You know

hat shelf is

appar

ssed, eyes twinkling. "Come home fast.

d. "I lo

go be an exha

n, and the parking lot was already empty. The street beyond flickered under

die tighter and

alley behind the store, then through the old park path that led to

ht... it

ifying.

...

ed with

ng cold that didn't touch my skin, iìit settled

g for a second a

he distance. A car horn somewhere fa

ike the sidewalk was

ok it

d a lo

pay with expired coupons and called me a "grocery goblin" when I refus

itely just

wed, then down the side street lined with flickering lights. I

ees where the land hadn't been developed. There was an old bridge just p

I heard somet

More like... something br

top

ed a

o

row

walking,

ng didn't

ng, it go

ht itself was watching me. My hands fe

my phone.

nd me again.

uld feel

ing wa

n I heard

Not a dog.

hing

eart jumped i

e again, clos

ra

ink. I didn

ust

he chill crawling up my spine, from the feeling that somethin

hear it

. He

ng with

dare lo

creamed. My mind was blank

ge of the blocked-off road where the old

I headin

dn't

my feet ch

now. I tripped over a root, hit the

expecting tee

ing else came o

r of

wing it sideways with a snarl so

asp

turned slowly, ris

ere. A long coat swept the dirt behind him as he stepped forwa

ed down

lver. Unnatu

caught i

said, voice

ques

di

use of t

of the way h

t melodic, but sharp at the edges. Like each syllable carried weight i

ng anywhere I knew. No

...

of a shadow try

-" My voic

ow

fore I und

and pulled me towa

ure was rising, eyes locked on me,

" I whispered,

ust looked at me with

aid. "You should be as