Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“Do you need anything else?” Ethan asks, putting another blanket over my legs.
“I’m good, thanks.” I smile up at him, wanting to just take a nap. But then the doorbell rings, and Hunter lets me know that it’s Donna. “You can either run upstairs and hide or meet my nosey neighbor,” I tell Harrison and Saanvi.
“I say hide,” Nik grumbles and waves them upstairs, knowing that Donna will stay longer if she sees new people. Hunter joins me on the couch and Ethan answers the door, letting Donna in. She’s carrying a casserole dish of something that smells amazing.
“Oh my goodness gracious!” She bustles past Ethan and comes into the living room, setting the dish on the coffee table. She sits on a chair opposite me. “When I heard what happened.” She shakes her head. “Of course, I knew you of all people would be a fighter. That’s what I told the paper. My next-door neighbor fought off a murderer!”
Just wait until the news comes out that Ariana is a serial killer, I think to Hunter. Only my friends know the truth, since it’s going to take time for the police to gather physical evidence that will prove Ariana killed all those other people.
“I just did what I had to in order to survive,” I say and run my hand over Hunter’s head. “And I’m lucky I brought my dog with me. He’s very protective.”
“And humble to boot!” She pats my leg.
“I, um, was actually just wondering if you’ve seen that wolf around your property recently.”
“What wolf, honey?” Donna laughs and looks at Ethan. “Must be the drugs.”
“You…you had footage on your doorbell camera of a wolf wandering around your property.”
She gives Ethan a wink, thinking I’m off my rocker. “Oh, right. Don’t worry. He tried to huff and puff but couldn’t blow our brick house down.”
What the fuck?
“You did mention seeing something,” Ethan tries. “You were concerned it would attack your animals.”
“You both are thinking of someone else, I’m afraid.”
Silence falls over the room and Ethan gets to his feet. “It’s important Anora gets her rest. Thank you for bringing us something to eat.”
“Of course. The last thing you want to do is deal with cooking. Please, let me know if there is anything you need. I can send the kids over to help muck out stalls and if you need me to come help straighten up, I am a great housekeeper.”
“Thank you,” I say, knowing she’s only offering to help so she can come poke around the house.
“That’s vegetarian,” she adds, standing up. “I was told you don’t eat meat.”
“No, I don’t. Thanks. That was very thoughtful.”
“Of course, dear. You take care, okay?”
Ethan shows her out and comes back into the room, eyes meeting mine. I know we’re both thinking the same thing.
The wolf was there last night. Hunter remembers it. He doesn’t, however, know where it came from. His main concern was me and by the time I was safe, the wolf was gone.
“Someone wiped her memory of it,” Ethan says and we exchange another look. “Just like someone wiped the memories of that couple in the apartment.”
“I can’t stand the woman but if anyone was going to mess with her memory I wanted it to be me,” I say as a chill makes its way down my back. “Why would someone—” I stop when Harrison comes back into the room.
“She’s gone?”
“Yeah. Thank you, Ethan, for getting rid of her so fast.”
“My pleasure.” He takes a seat next to me again. “You should get some rest before your parents get here.”
“I’m kinda nervous,” Saanvi admits and looks down at herself. “I need to change. My suitcase is in the car.”
“I can get it,” Harrison offers.
“It’s fine. Some fresh air will help calm my nerves.” Saanvi smiles and goes outside. I rest my head on Ethan’s shoulder and bury my fingers in Hunter’s thick fur. I could easily doze off right now, but only a minute later, Saanvi comes back in, holding a large box.
“This is for you. Some guy stopped halfway down your driveway and said he couldn’t go any farther.” She shrugs, because it sounds weird…unless you knew the line of my warding goes right through the middle of my driveway. “Looks like flowers. Want me to open it?”
“Yeah, please.”