The Hawkins Blood

a brief moment, I saw myself in that gaze-the same look I had once worn when

ime I ever looked

at's why Kate's here. I need the three of you

," Alexandra said fir

father's worry, "You have to understand-this demon is no joke. It's powerful, unpredictable. I can't risk you being cau

any of you h

worry," Alexandra

. I'm your father." He turned toward her, his hand still restin

exandra, "the last time we were all together.

softly, the tension i

for too long. When he looked at her again, his eyes were glazed with something

long," sh

them space. Watching them together felt like standing on the outside of a glass wall-close enough to

, unreadable. It wasn't cold exactly, but it wasn't welcoming either. His walls were up

barely had time to face

s if by an invisible wire an

ed and slammed into the dresser. Williams was ne

rce. That's when I saw them-flickering shadows dancing unnatu

then

my lungs as I was thrown into the drywall. A sharp cr

room swam as my vision cleared, but one thing cut t

My head throbbed, but adr

zor-sharp claws made of shadow carved into him. Nearby, Alexandra and Wi

uted, stumb

ot a wall. It was Williams. We hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of both of

hese things

t pushed to his feet again, on

n the floor. "Close your eyes!" she yelled. "They'

at the hell were

beside him. My hip collided with the floor as

searing. Even through closed

that, the sc

gling to breathe. Williams helped me si

y, but the words turned i

on the smoldering room, on the

he call

s response, but Williams

I grabbed it, then bumped into Alexandra. She caught me by the jac

mped toward the door-toward