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The last flower arrangement sat behind the glass door of the large refrigerator. Ellen began the usual end of the day closing of her flower shop, Petals and Posies.

Work table cleared and the day’s sales tabulated, Ellen felt herself wind down. She stopped beside the front door and took a moment to admire her shop. Beautiful vases with roses and baby’s breath, planters filled with colored foliage, figurines and other ensembles of various colors and sizes filled the store’s windows and every display in the room.

Ellen released a contented sigh. Each and every stem she handled with love and care. Her work brought her joy, and she hoped everyone who purchased or received her creations enjoyed them as well.

Ding, ding, ding… Ellen glanced at the clock. Eight pm. She took in a deep breath, knowing if she didn’t leave now, she’d be late for the last delivery of the evening.

A gust of cold air whipped her hair around her face as she stepped out into the night. Ellen raised the zipper a few inches to cover her neck. Normally, she didn’t accept orders specifying delivery after normal closing time, but today is Valentine’s Day, she reminded herself after the second burst of wind made her eyes tear.

The shortcut she’d decided to take came into view. After she reached the alley, she left the sidewalk and entered into the narrow pathway.

The sound of her shoes scuffling on the asphalt echoed off the walls flanking. Ellen tried to ignore jitters of walking this area of town alone threatening to make her turn back and refund the purchase. Instead, she trudged onward.

A large concrete structure loomed ahead, reminding her that to reach the drop location, she had to traverse through a deserted parking garage.

Entering the garage, a  sound caught her attention. She stopped and scanned her surroundings, but saw no one. Must be a cat, or perhaps a river rat, her mind attempted to reassure her frantically beating heart. The desire to get this delivery over with and going home to her warm, safe house prevalent in her mind, she quickened her pace.

Footsteps echoed off the concrete walls. The footfalls louder than her own. Ellen stopped once more and held her breath, wondering if she’d imagined it. She hadn’t. The sound grew alarmingly louder, closer.

Ellen’s heart rate increased. Dread and thick unease mingled with fear. Resuming her mission, she concentrated on walking faster, but so did whoever followed.

Deciding she wasn’t moving fast enough to keep distance between her and whoever followed, Ellen broke into a sprint while holding tightly to the arrangement. The pounding of feet continued to match her pace.

Ellen glanced over her shoulder, but saw nothing.

Returning her gaze forward, her head swam with the urgency of reaching the office building, her destination, and the safety of the presence of those who worked there.

A few feet ahead, something her mind insisted to be a hallucination caught her attention. Darkness moved, seemingly taking shape before her eyes.

Ellen skidded to a halt. The thick mass shifted into the form of a man. A blast of cold air struck her. The chill held an unmistakable sense of menace.

Self preservation instincts kicked in. Ellen took a step in retreat, searching her surroundings for a means of protection. Her mind screamed at her to run. She wheeled around. A sudden flash, then the appearance of another man froze her in place and a scream lodged in her throat.

“What do you want?” she managed through trembling lips. Her chest heaved. Breath coming fast, she felt faint.

Ellen sensed the man who’d emerged from the darkness remained behind her, but she didn’t turn her head to be certain. Fear of her situation wasn’t the only thing keeping her from moving. The man before her seemed to hold her attention captive.

Dark eyes held a twinkle in their depths. The faint glitter offered calm, and the rapid beating of her heart slowed to a normal, less painful rhythm.

His lips curved into a small smile. Though she didn’t know him, the warning bells which had threatened to deafen her at the sight of the first man had strangely silenced.

Calm settled over her. A voice inside her head assured she was now safe. How could she possibly feel calm right now?

Listen to that voice.

Ellen heard his words clearly, as if he’d spoken them aloud. Deep and smooth as velvet.

Ellen found herself dipping her chin in a slight nod. She stepped aside, following another unspoken order. Deep in her mind, she felt utterly sure he wasn’t here to harm her, and his focus lay solely on the one behind her. The one whose ill intentions she’d felt as soon as his full body had seemingly formed out of the darkness.

Without warning, the newcomer sprang forward in a blur of movement. The sound of two bodies colliding had her wheeling around to find the men engaged in a violent dance. Grunts, snarls and deep, feral growls reached her ears. The sight before her and sound of the battle broke whatever spell she’d been under.

A flash of teeth, long and pointed, from the first man, then the other sent a bolt of shock through her body. Ellen gasped. Her mind repeatedly denied what she’d seen.

The two disappeared behind a concrete column and out of view, but the echoes of their battle remained. Loud hisses and sounds she knew no ordinary man, no human, could make rang from the shadows.

As fast as it began, the scuffle ended, and the silence made her hug the flower arrangement close to her chest. The sudden lack of noise was as unnerving as the sounds she’d heard moments ago, she thought.

Movement from behind the column startled her It took several heartbeats to realize the newcomer, the one with the comforting smile and beautiful eyes had emerged victorious.

Ellen almost sagged in relief. She’d never been mugged, but surely would have if this man hadn’t saved her. What about the teeth and the…

She immediately cut off the thought in mid-question, telling herself she’d just been shaken. Fear had obviously caused her imagination to run wild.

As the man approached, Ellen noticed he no longer held the soothing air he’d emitted earlier when she’d practically mowed him down while beating a hasty retreat. His dark eyes blazed , and his chest heaved.

Oddly, she found herself unafraid. Attraction, an emotion she’d never dreamed of hitting her in such a situation, had her hoping he’d come closer. Very close.

What the heck was wrong with her? She’d just come alarming close to being attacked, witnessed her pursuer receive a well deserved beat down by a man who’d appeared out of nowhere and now stood alone in a dark garage with him. But despite all this, all she could think about was how tall, dark and handsome he was. The realization struck her as absurd, but she found herself unable to stop it.

“He’s gone. It isn’t safe to be out in the night alone.”

Ellen noticed his mouth had moved. He’d spoken aloud this time, and his voice flowed through her mind like water. Suddenly, his words sank in. She’d just been reprimanded. “I have to make this delivery. Someone ’s expecting to surprise the special woman in his life for Valentine’s day.”

Had she said that to defend her actions to him or herself? Perhaps it had been a lack of good judgment on her part. Ellen pushed the thought aside, refusing to second guess her reasons.  She prided herself in her work, and for some reason, she wanted him to appreciate that about her. She wanted him to be pleased with the arrangement in her hands.

Stupid. She couldn’t believe herself. Could she get any lamer? This man didn’t know her and more than likely had no interest in her whatsoever. Besides, he’d done his job and no doubt had somewhere he needed to be. Panic struck. She’d be alone once again. Though she wasn’t far from her destination, there was still the fact she had to make another trip through this dreaded garage to return to her car parked behind her flower shop.

“I’ll escort you to your destination, then to your car.”

As if he’d read her mind. Ellen couldn’t help but smile. He radiated alpha male, she thought.  Not only was she relieved not to have to walk alone, being in his company had her feeling strangely protected, precious.

He turned away, heading in the direction she’d intended before her trip had suddenly become a nightmare. She tried her best to keep pace with his long strides. All sorts of questions played bumper cars in her head. Who is he? Why is he here? Does he have a girl friend? She’d noticed he wore no band on his left hand.

Ellen kept her curiosity at bay. The vibes he emitted as they walked told her loud and clear he wouldn’t answer even one. She inwardly sighed. He’d saved her life. And even if the situation had been the other way around, which she knew ludicrous at best she’d be able to pull off such a stunt, it didn’t give her the right to know anything about him, except perhaps his name. Just as she opened her mouth to ask, he stopped.

“I’ll wait here.”

Without another word, and glad to be rid of the arrangement she wasn’t sure was a blessing or a curse tonight, she opened the door and stepped inside.

Thankful to have her mission done for the night, Ellen exited the building. Her heart sank as soon as the door closed behind her. He was gone.

Movement from the shadows made her tense until the man came into view. Relief flooded her mind. More than relief, she realized. Joy. Joy at the mere sight of him.

Without a word to her, he turned and began leading the way out of the garage.

“Wait. What’s your name?”

“Gabe,” he said over his shoulder.

“My name’s Ellen.” She took a step forward while holding out her hand.  As if she hadn’t made the gesture, he continued walking.

I know. Ellen Sherman, owner of Petals and Posies.”

The fact he knew her name almost made her giddy. Almost. Her rational side stepped up and put its foot down. Many people in the area knew who she was.  

“My car…”

“Red Mazda3, 5-door parked behind the shop.”

Ellen stopped. Knowing her name and ownership of the flower shop was one thing, but what she drove was different. This time, flattery butted heads with unease. He kept walking. Ellen ran to catch up. Her mind played several scenarios. Had he been following me? Is that how he knew I was in the garage?

Before she could voice her concern, she realized they’d arrived at her car. So caught up in thought, she hadn’t been focusing on where she’d been going, nor noticed they’d reached the shop.

Opening the driver’s side door with one hand, he held the other out in front of him. Between his fingers dangled her keys. Ellen frowned, unable to recall removing them from her purse, much less handing them over.

She blinked, then noticed his raised eyebrow, an obvious question as to whether or not she was going to move.

“Go home.”

Ellen took in the expression on his face. Another order.

Oddly, her mind drifted, numbing slightly. She knew she’d had questions in her head, but found herself unable to focus.

As if her body moved without her mind giving the order, she slid behind the wheel, inserted her key into the ignition and turned it. The sound of the car’s engine hummed in her ears. Ellen returned her attention to the man, but he was gone.

Confused and shocked at the sudden void where he’d stood moments ago, Ellen got out of the car and glanced in every direction. Nothing. As if he’d disappeared into thin air.

Something told her he hadn’t gone far. He still watched her, ensuring she drove away safely.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Gabe,” she muttered.

Though the temperature inside the car was cold, warmth enveloped her, making the horrific events of the night fade into the recesses of her mind. Ellen smiled. She’d met her very own knight in shining armor tonight.

Closing her eyes, she said a silent prayer they’d meet again.

The Watchers – a paranormal romance series. Find out more at www.dmcentire.com

Speaking of winter weather, so many people are literally under the weather. I can’t imagine having that much snow. Where is it supposed to go? Cold temps keep it from melting so it stacks up. When it does melt… What a mess.

I have pictures on my website www.dmcentire.com of last year’s snows and the ice storm. I wanted to post some pics I took yesterday, but alas, my home internet service would not cooperate. Tried to upload them from my flash drive to photobucket but where I’m at at this moment posting this blog note has the uploader for photobucket is blocked. *sigh*

So, how are you handling this weather in your neck of the woods? Are you outside enjoying the snow, making snowmen and having snowball fights? Or are you staying indoors, trying to keep warm and occupied? Are you getting caught up on your reading? Plenty of good books out there. (Shameless lead into my paranormal romance series, The Watchers).

I’ve been hearing more and more from readers The Watchers series has been capturing those who don’t tend to gravitate toward paranormal reads. The reason I’m given is because the Watchers themselves just so happen to be vampires. It isn’t entirely the focal point of the series. Sure, they have a vital job to do in culling the number of rogue vampires to protect humans and civilian vampires from becoming victims of the merciless killers. The Rogue’s bloodlust over runs their common sense in the fact mutilation of humans being discovered by the public would lead to the discovery of vampire existence, and things could get messy.

No, the series is much more than that. Each novel tells a story. Not just one of romance, sexual tension, erotic interludes and matters of the heart. There’s always something else going on, both behind the scenes and directly involving our hero and heroine. Action. Suspense.

I hope you get a chance to check out The Watchers series. I highly suggest starting at the beginning with Midnight Reborn to get a feel of The Watcher society as well as the setting – Louisville, Kentucky during the beginning of the Kentucky Derby festivities.

Drop me a note here or even share a link where you’ve posted pics. Everyone who responds this week will be entered in a drawing for a free download of one of The Watchers series novels. Your choice of one of the first four books available.  D. McEntire

One more part to the free, unedited read. Again, just a reminder this website is for those 18 and older.

“Would you watch my tables for a few minutes? I need to step aside for some air,” Briann asked another waitress who was just coming on duty and hadn’t yet been assigned an area. The girl nodded.

Untying her apron, Briann headed for the rear door of the restaurant, opting for some privacy. As she opened the door, she was relieved to find the spot vacant. No smokers were out getting in a few quick puffs.

What the hell was wrong with her tonight? Every time she approached the back table with the four “gods” chowing down on practically everything on the menu, she became clumsy. Hell, she’d almost poured a pitcher of beer in the lap of Mr. Gorgeous sitting closest to her. Every time he’d look at her with those smoky grey eyes she felt lost, unable to see or hear anything else around her.

His face had a splash of mustache, and though his dark hair was the average length worn my most men, it only added to everything else absolutely fine about him.

Briann rubbed her forehead. This was turning out to be a long night. The waitress who’d taken over for her while she’d went on break poked her head out the door.

 “Hey, Briann. I took care of the check for those guys in the back. Man, they sure are a scary bunch. Anyway, they left you one hefty tip. You must’ve done something right.”

After the door closed, deep voices resonated from the side of the building. Moments later the men the waitress had mentioned, the ones who’d thrown her off balance the entire night with their strange vibes, were walking toward a black SUV parked far from other vehicles in a corner of the lot.

As the three walked away, the fourth, the one who’d captivated her the entire night, trailed behind.

Briann’s heart jumped in her chest. They were leaving, but she found she didn’t want them to, or at least Mr. Gorgeous. Would she ever see him again? The thought catapulted her into action, and she found herself doing something she’d never done and never thought she’d do in a million years. She chased after him.

Sprinting, she caught up with him and placed her hand on his arm to get his attention. “Sir?”

A sound which resembled a hiss or a loud intake of breath had her jerking her hand from his skin as the man slowly turned.

Briann found herself taking a step back, suddenly getting the feeling her touch had offended him in some way. Actually, she’d heard the same collective sound from the three others who stood next to the SUV.

A fierce look greeted her as he turned, and she could have sworn his eyes glowed. In fact, she thought he’d snarled. But, when recognition set in, his demeanor immediately changed. It had gone from pissed off to surprise. At least she thought it was surprise. Whatever expression he wore, which was totally unreadable, he seemed relaxed.

“I forgot to give you this coupon. It’s good for a free appetizer the next time you all come in. We like repeat customers, you know. If I didn’t give this out, I wouldn’t be doing my job.”

The man didn’t blink. His grey eyes only stared at her, though she could’ve sworn the side of his mouth jerked as if he’d started to smile but caught himself.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the others advance, evidently deciding against getting into their vehicle. At first she thought they were curious as to the conversation she was having with their friend, although it seemed to be one-sided at the moment with her doing the nervous blabbering. But, the scowls on their faces told a different story. They were definitely not pleased with her presence.

Fear took hold, and her heart began to pound in her chest. Taking a step in retreat, she murmured an apology she, though she didn’t know what she was apologizing for except possibly interrupting their departure. Briann practically threw the coupon at Mr. Gorgeous and beat feet to the restaurant’s rear door, and slammed it behind her.

Connell couldn’t believe the woman had sought him out with the guise of offering a coupon. He had to admire her spunk, and boy did she seem to have plenty of it.

Just as he’d enjoying the sound of her voice, though it had possessed a slight tremble of fear, she’d grown wide-eyed and high-tailed it into the restaurant as if the devil himself was on her trail. One glance over his shoulder told him why. His brothers.

Connell turned and glared at them. “What? Couldn’t wait in the SUV a few minutes?”

Trian passed him, bent and picked up the coupon the girl had flung at him before bolting. He watched his Cell-mate lift it to his nose and inhale, then gave him a pointed look before he stood before him and spoke.

“She’s is the girl I smelled on you last night. The girl from the corn maze. I thought you said you scrubbed her memory?”

Connell grit his teeth. He was not in the mood to be questioned, nor was he happy with being doubted by his brothers. “I did scrub her memories, just as I’d reported. Nothing more, nothing less. Now, you gonna back off my grill or are we going to continue this conversation further?”

After a few heartbeats of a staring match, Trian nodded, then took several steps backward, vacating his personal space.

Without another word from any of this three brothers, they piled into the SUV. Connell settled into the passenger seat, and as Trian drove the vehicle out of the parking lot and onto the road, he found himself deep in thought. With the coupon clutched in his palm, he turned his face to the window as if catching the scenery passing by, and nonchalantly raised his hand close to his face. Her scent lingered on the paper. Inhaling quietly, slowly, he took it in, savoring it.

Recognition in her eyes every time she’d looked at him in the restaurant bothered him to the core. He had scrubbed her memory. Connell didn’t doubt that for a minute. But, how could those memories have resurfaced? He’d glanced at her blonde friend several times while eating his meals and found nothing but unease in her expression. She definitely didn’t remember him.

The need to get wasted made its appearance once more. The pitchers of beer they’d drank during their meal had done nothing to dampen the chaos in his head.

“Head to The Kettle and Coffin,” he barked. He wanted to get his hands on a warm, soft body and a hard, cold drink.

This is part III of the free read based on my Watchers series - unedited.

“Why do you keep bringing that up?” Christina whined, shoving a glass underneath the soda fountain. “We went to the bar, played a couple games of pool, had some drinks, then went home. Even Josh and Ben know that.”

Briann stood silently as she watched her friend shove another glass under the soda dispenser.

“Besides, the old man who runs that corn maze is missing. His family said they saw him up until nine o’clock, then he disappeared. Thank God we didn’t go there.”

The front doors of the restaurant opened, and Briann turned to see if the hostess would be seating another party in her section.

Four of the biggest guys she’d ever seen stepped through the door. The hostess seemed to shrink a little, then quickly recover and step aside. As if they’d owned the place, the four strode past to the rear of the restaurant where they commandeered the last table, which oddly enough had been vacated by the previous patients only moments before. She wondered if the table and seats had even dried from where the table had been bused in an unusually swift manner. She’d never seen Devon move so quickly.

Briann knew she was staring wide-eyed at the group, and her mouth was agape.

“They come in here every Saturday night. Why do they always have to sit in my section? They give me the creeps.”

Briann hadn’t seen the men before since she didn’t normally work the Saturday evening shift. One of the girls had called in sick so she’d volunteered to work tonight, giving her an excuse to get her mind off last night’s events, which for some reason, only she seemed to recall correctly.

“I’ll take them.”

Christina frowned. “You sure?”

“No problem.”

With a wave of her hand, Christina replied, “Knock yourself out. Just don’t screw up, and I get blamed for it.”

Briann rolled her eyes, cinched the strings on her apron and headed for the last booth. She slowed when she neared. Being closer now, she noticed actually how big the four were. They barely fit into the booth. She was tempted to ask if they’d prefer a table, but quickly caught herself. Something told her they wouldn’t appreciate the suggestion.

Stepping up to the table, she pulled out her pad and slid her pencil from her hair.  A feeling of familiarity struck her. She glanced at the man on the end closest to her. There was something about him…

Briann blinked herself back into focus. “Good evening, Gentlemen. My name is Briann, and I’ll be your server tonight.”

They were busy looking over the menu. One of the four, who seemed to be the largest, if that was even possible, spoke.

“Where’s Christina?”

“She’s a little swamped right now, so I offered to help,” Briann lied.

The one across from him barked a laugh. “Must’ve been your winning personality.” His joke was met by a cold stare, which he seemed to ignore. His grin never wavered from the silent threat.

“So, what can I get you guys? Drinks? Appetizers?”

The man on her right barked out his order. It was followed by the second, going around the table until the last man’s turn. She waited as he continued to peruse the menu. Finally, he lifted his head. When their gazes met, Briann found herself unable to look away. She did know him. He had saved her life last night. The red-eyed man, the fight, the way this man had felt against her back and the way he’d spoken in her ear, his words almost like a purr, all came tumbling through her mind. She hadn’t gone crazy. What she thought had happened last night had been real.

Connell wasn’t hungry. In fact, he didn’t want to come, but Trian had talked him into it. His mind was still reeling over last night’s fight with the Rogue and the human female who’d witnessed it. He had seen her approach out of the corner of his eye, and he’d wanted to shake her for not staying put as he’d instructed. Her scream had given him the opportunity he’d sought. It had distracted the Rogue long enough for him to break free from his hold and take the bastard out.

After she’d passed out, he’d carried her out of the maze, feeling oddly thankful he’d gotten there in time.

While out on patrol, he’d sensed the Rogue nearby. Corn mazes were popular this time of year for both humans and civilian vampires. Thankfully, civilian vamps had headed the warning, at least most of them had, that Rogues were also frequenting the favorite past-time this time of year. Unfortunately, humans weren’t that well informed, but there was a reason. Their race─the race of vampires─had to be kept secret at all costs. Even down to secretly disposing of human victims.

Connell almost growled aloud as he tried to clear his thoughts and focus on the menu and what he didn’t want to eat tonight. The bloodsuckers were enough to ruin anyone’s evening. He wished they could eradicate every last one of them and discover a cure, or better yet an immunization like the humans use against disease, to make the threat of bloodlust and anyone else turning rogue a thing of the past.

When Connell noticed the quiet at the table, he realized everyone was waiting on him to order. Begrudgingly making his decision, he addressed the waitress.

Once his gaze set upon the woman standing at the table, all thought left his mind. He found he couldn’t look away. It was her. The human female who’d felt like a feather in his arms last night as he’d carried her to her friend’s car in the parking lot─a warm, soft, curvy feather.

After sending the human males home with the memory of an evening playing pool with the girls, he’d awaken her by lightly tapping her beautiful face. Long, dark eyelashes had lifted and blue pools had stared at him. He’d felt as though he’d drown in their depths.

Finally, he’d come to his senses and gave both her and her blonde friend the same memory he’d given the males, and had sent them on their way.

Red headlights dimmed as the car had disappeared down the gravel road, and an unexplained emptiness had filled him.

A sudden pain spread up his leg where a hard boot had cracked his shin. He hissed and narrowed his eyes at the Watcher across the table. Three sets of raised eyebrows greeted him. With a glare at each one of his Cell-mates, he lifted the menu in the air and barked his own order without another glance at the woman. “Give me a steak burger as rare as they’ll serve it.”

“And to drink?”

Her voice. He hadn’t heard it last night. Only the scream. It was nice, he thought. Melodic.

Someone cleared their throat.

“Whatever they’re having,” he growled.

“Alrighty, then. I’ll have your drinks and your appetizers out in a moment.”

This time Connell did chance a glance as she walked away from the table. Outlined beneath the material of tight, khaki shorts swayed a set of buns he found himself itching to squeeze.

What the hell was wrong with him? He needed to get drunk. Snockered as hell wasted. Yep, he thought grimly. That’s exactly what he needed.

To be continued…

Here’s part II of One A-mazing Night. Remember, this free read is raw and unedited, and based on my Watchers series (paranormal romance). Enjoy!

Briann held her breath, afraid her breathing would be heard and give them away.

“Breathe.”

The man whispered in her ear once more. How did he know what she was thinking? She nodded faintly and did as she was told. She let her breath out slowly, then parted her lips to drag in more air.

A strong hand gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. The touch sent little sparks of electricity over her skin. Briann turned her head slightly. A gloved hand rested on her shoulder. The heat from his body pressed against hers kept her physically warm, but her body still shook from fear.

The breeze picked up once again, and Briann found herself enveloped in a scent she’d never encountered. It wasn’t cologne, but far more potent and arousing. It was dark, sensual, male, and it was definitely coming from him. Briann closed her eyes and inhaled, letting the scent flow through her.

“You’re doing fine. I want you to stay here until I come back for you.”

What? He was going to leave her alone with that mad man running around the corn maze? Where was Christina? Was she okay?

Just when she started to protest, his hold on her shoulder tightened.

“Do as I say. Your friends are fine, for now, but they won’t be for long if I don’t get this bloodsucker before he finds them.”

Okay, now that scared Briann even more. How the hell did she manage to get into this mess? Of all the corn mazes in the area, she happened to be at the one with a serial killer on the loose and whoever this guy was tracking him. Is this guy a cop?

Before she could pull together her thoughts, the man was gone. Poof. Disappeared. One moment he was pressed at her back, and the next she was alone.

Briann waited, straining her ears to hear anything other than the sound of corn stalks being shoved to and fro by the night breeze.

The next thought which sifted through her head almost made her laugh, and she wanted to smack herself for being so gullible. This was no doubt one of those haunted mazes. She had gotten herself caught up in the act. Every bit of it had seemed so real. The guy with the red eyes, and the one who’d pulled her into the corn, they were all a part of this. They were here to scare people, and doing a damn good job, her mind added.

Briann shook her head, stood, then left her hiding place, pushing stalks out of her way as she stepped onto the path. Once again she was alone in the dark, silently cursing Christina for running off with her flashlight. With a glance at the night sky, Briann wished the moon was out, allowing for at least a small amount of light by which to see her way out of this maze.

After brushing the leaves and spider webs from her shirt and pants, she began walking. If she’d known this was a haunted maze she certainly wouldn’t have come, she mentally growled. She didn’t like haunted houses, haunted mazes or haunted anything.

At the end of the path, Brainn stopped and peered around the corner, wanting to make sure Mr. Red Eyes was nowhere in sight.

One path lead to another. Briann felt as though she was walking in circles. “Christina, you are so dead when I get out of here,” she muttered around gritted teeth.

Corn stalks rattled and snapped. Grunts and what sounded like growls or snarls caught Briann’s attention. She stopped. The noises continued. Briann looked around, trying to discern the direction from which they emanated.

“Give up Rogue.”

Briann’s heart jumped. The man. The voice.

Continuing forward at a faster pace than previously, Briann headed to the end of the path, turned a corner, and froze.

A fight or some manner of scuffle played out before her. She inched closer while the two men involved slammed their fists into one another.

In a fast move, one man stood behind the other, locking his arms to his sides. She gasped when she caught the flash of red eyes moments before the fangs made their appearance once again. Mr. Red Eyes opened his mouth wide and bent his head to sink his teeth into the man he held.

Briann couldn’t stop the scream from escaping her throat.

Red eyes flashed in her direction.

The second man acted upon the distraction. With a fierce growl, he slammed the back of his head into Red Eye’s face.

A howl of pain and anger pierced the night. Briann covered her ears with trembling hands as she watched him stumble backward. In an instant the second man pulled a knife from a holster strapped to his leg.

As if in slow motion, her wide-eyes followed the blade of the knife as it sliced through the air, then sank into Red Eye’s chest. The sound of flesh parting and blood squirting seemed overly loud in her ears.

It was all Briann could do to keep herself upright. The second scream had gotten caught in her throat, choking her, or perhaps it was the bile rising up to greet it.

The world spun, and her legs gave way. Before she hit the ground, she saw the body of Red Eyes disintegrate into ash, which the breeze scattered into the corn stalks.

Her knees hit the dirt first and as she toppled forward, gloved hands caught her. Briann knew she was going down for the count, and she welcomed it because at that moment oblivion seemed far safer than where she was right now.

To be continued…

A breeze rattled the dry leaves of the cornstalks. The noise almost sounded like rain, Briann thought as she tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. She turned her back to the car, noticing the place was quiet. No other people were here, and only one other vehicle sat in the parking lot. She wondered if it belonged to the maze owner or had been left behind from last night’s crowd. “Are you sure they’re open?” she asked, turning to Christina.

Christina shoved the car keys in the front pocket of her tight blue jeans, then hand combed her short, black hair. Briann watched her survey the parking lot and the small building at the end. “The lights are on in the office. The paper said they’d be open this weekend until midnight.”

Briann checked her watch. It was only ten-thirty.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Josh and Ben are coming.”

The sly grin which slid across her friend’s face spoke volumes. Briann almost groaned. She’d had a feeling Christina wasn’t interested in coming out here to have fun meandering through the corn maze. A moonless night, tall stalks of corn, the middle of nowhere on a hundred plus acre farm…it all added up to one thing─sex. If she’d known Christina had invited Ben, she definitely wouldn’t have come. Her friend was constantly playing matchmaker and trying to hook her up. Briann didn’t want her friend’s help. Nor did she need it. She knew there was someone out there waiting for her, and he sure as hell didn’t live in this hick town.

When Christina walked around the hood of the car, Briann clutched the flashlight she’d brought and started for the building. “Is that their car?” she asked as they passed the other vehicle.

Christina shrugged. “I don’t know. Could be. Josh is always borrowing someone’s car.”

Since he wrecked his and got busted for DUI.

Christina didn’t have to say that part. Briann knew Josh’s history all too well. The boy was always in trouble for one thing or another, and his most recent dance with the law had not been his first. Nor would it be his last, she thought grimly. Briann fervently prayed Christina never got caught up in his exploits. She didn’t want to think about the possibility of visiting her friend in the hospital, or the morgue.

A bell above the door clanged when Briann opened it. Halloween decorations, pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, candy and other various fall items filled bins, buckets and shelves. No one greeted them. Briann caught Christina’s frown which mimicked her own.

“Perhaps they’re outside.”

Briann nodded, though an uneasy feeling took up root in her stomach. She followed Christina out the door and around the side of the building.

The breeze kicked up again, making everything around them sway and dance. The wind felt warm and filled with energy. The same energy she sensed when a storm was brewing. One glance at the sky revealed no dark clouds. Briann held back a shudder. The growing storm she felt wasn’t from Mother Nature. This one was different─dark, foreboding.

“Why don’t we go back to the car and wait for the guys?” Briann’s inner warning bells were so loud she thought she’d go deaf, or perhaps it was the fervent beating of her heart ringing in her ears.

“Don’t be such a chicken. They’re probably here already.”

Christina took the flashlight from Briann’s hand and pointed the beam at the entrance of the corn maze.

“I bet they’re in there waiting to scare us. They probably know the guy who runs this place and got him in on it. Come on.”

A hard tug on her arm had Briann falling forward. She quickly moved her feet so she didn’t land on her face. Traipsing through the corn maze with only a flashlight illuminating your path, getting lost and laughing about it, all seemed like fun when she’d decided to come along. She’d pictured other people in the maze enjoying the same torture. Being here now with no one else around, she wasn’t feeling entertained. She didn’t want to go in, but she was definitely not going to stand out here alone. Besides, since Christina had forgotten to bring her own flashlight, there was only hers, and right now it wasn’t in her hand.

“Josh? Ben?”

The slight tremor in Christina’s voice told Briann she wasn’t the only one a little scared. A lot scared, she mentally corrected.

No answer.

Fallen stalks crunched under their feet as they walked, slowly following a path which led them around a corner. They stopped. In front of them lay paths branching out in several directions. Briann’s chest felt so tight it hurt. She rubbed a hand over her sternum to ease the ache.

“Why don’t we go back before we get lost? No one’s here.”

Christina leaned in close and whispered. “They’re here. I saw one of them hiding. They think they’re gonna scare us. Let’s get the drop on them. We’ll go around and come up behind them.”

This was so not a good idea, Briann thought. All she wanted to do was turn around and return to the car, or even the building for that matter.

The snap of a corn stalk made her jump, and in the next heartbeat Christina laughed, then took off in a run.

“Christina!” Briann’s heart slammed in her chest. Christina was not only leaving her, she had their only source of light. Kicking her legs into gear, Briann sprinted after her.

The flashlight’s beam did a rendition of a strobe light as Christina ran, then disappeared as the girl turned a corner. Rounding the same spot, Briann skidded to a halt. Nothing. Christina and the beam of light were gone.

“Christina? Christina where are you?” A tremble began, working its way up Briann’s legs, her torso, then down her arms to her hands, making her fingers twitch.

“This is so not funny Christina,” she yelled. “I’m going back to the car.”

Briann turned. Paths branched out once again in several directions, and in her current state of mind, she couldn’t remember which one she’d taken to get this far. Returning to the car wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d hoped.

Holding down panic and forcing herself to think rationally, Briann walked slowly, trying to find something, anything, to give her a sense of direction. If she could only make it to the outer edges of the design carved out of the corn and creating the maze, she’d be able to find a way out, her mind reasoned. After sucking in a deep breath, then letting it out slowly, Briann continued.

The night was eerily quiet. The silence only aided in increasing the intensity of the ringing in her ears. “Christina?” Briann continued to call her friend’s name, hoping any moment now she and the two guys would show themselves. She didn’t care if they popped out of the corn and grabbed her. She was already scared half out of her wits. At least the fright would be over, and she could get out of this maze.

Snap.

Briann froze.

Snap.

Turning around, she caught a shadow move within the stalks. “Christina? Come on Christina. This isn’t funny.”

The shadow moved again. Briann warred with herself. Should she approach the shadow and end this stupid game her friend was playing? She didn’t have a flashlight. That fact held her in her place.

“Christina. I give, okay?”

Briann’s fingers twisted together as she wrung her hands nervously. A moment of silence passed. Suddenly, corn stalks shook and rattled as the shadow moved from behind their towering presence, slipping out into a view slightly better than its previous hidden position.

Briann sucked in a breath.

Though it was dark and her vision was limited, she could make out the fact the figure was not Christina. Nor was it Josh or Ben. It was a man, but not an ordinary man. A man with red eyes staring at her.

Run.

Only one leg managed to move, slowly sliding itself backward.

Run.

Her eyes warred with her mind at what she was seeing. The What you see can’t be real. It doesn’t exist lost the battle when long, sharp fangs emerged from a wide spread smile.

Run.

This time she listened to her inner voice. Briann turned and bolted, splaying her hands out in front in an attempt to protect her face as she ran blindly in the dark through stalks of corn.

Spider webs stuck to her, but she tried her best to ignore them even though spiders were the one thing that by the mere sight could send her into convulsions.

Briann fought with webs stuck to her face as she rounded a corner, but was brought up short after clearing the last stalk.

A hand clamped over her mouthm, and a strong arm came around her chest. As her feet left the ground, the air left her lungs, but not in a scream. The force of her sudden redirection had knocked it from her, and all thought momentarily had gone along for the ride.

A hard wall hit her back. Briann found herself in a tight hold, her back pressed against the thick chest of a stranger.

“Don’t make a sound. I’m not here to hurt you, but he is.”

As the man’s warm breath caressed the side of her face, it was all Briann could do not to lose consciousness. She’d never fainted before, but there was a first time for everything.

While scenarios bounced around her head as to the myriad of ways she was going to die tonight, a part of her, one crouched in the corner as if trying to keep from getting trampled, sought calm. That part brought her a modicum of relief. She believed him. She believed this stranger pulling her backward, sinking them both deeper within the wall of corn.

To be continued….

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