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His car negotiated the bend and disappeared. Strange, but the rumble of the motor seemed to disappear, too. Sounds behaved differently here. Must have something to do with the mountains, the water, the atmosphere. Who knew?

Kris found her gaze drawn to the loch. It was too bad they hadn’t seen Nessie. If Kris was going to figure out this hoax, she needed to get a glimpse of the monster—or whatever was being used to depict the monster. How could she ever uncover the truth unless she saw with her own eyes the lie?

The night was still except for the lap of the loch and some small animal–type rustles from the distant trees. Up on the hill, a pebble rolled slowly downward. Nothing to be alarmed about.

So why was she suddenly alarmed?

Because that feeling was back—the one where she just knew she was being watched.

But the trees, the road, the loch, the cottage continued to loom empty and dark. All was silent; there was only a hint of a breeze.

Kris began to turn, and pain exploded, right before the entire world faded to black.

*

Kris swam toward consciousness. The closer she got, the more her head hurt. The swoosh of the waves made her nauseous. And there was something about those waves she needed to remember. Something disturbing.

It came to her in a burst of clarity so bright she winced as if lightning had flashed directly in front of her wide-open eyes. She’d been conked on the head, and now she was being carried.

To the water.

Kris struggled. Whoever was carrying her stopped walking; the arms that held her tightened, and everything twirled sickeningly. Her eyes popped open, and she stared directly into the face of Liam Grant.

“How’s yer head?” he asked.

Kris turned to the right and saw her cottage. She glanced over his shoulder and saw the loch. Had he been carrying her to the house all along? She was too dizzy to be sure.

“What happened?” she asked.

“I was out for a walk, and I saw someone draggin’ ye to the water.”

“Someone?”

He gave her a strange look. “Aye. Did ye think it might be something?”

She shook her head, then had to concentrate on not puking when the pain shrieked for her to do just that. “Hush,” she murmured.

“I didnae say anything,” Liam whispered, and began to move again.

She laid her cheek against his shoulder and closed her eyes. He smelled like freshwater and moonlight. Or maybe that was just the freshwater and moonlight.

“Your hair is wet,” she said.

“Yers, too.”

Kris reached up. So it was.

“Ye were very near the water.” He kept his voice low and the rumble in his chest combined with the chill of the night and the dampness on her skin made Kris shiver. He pulled her closer, but still she couldn’t get warm. “Ye fought when I picked ye up. I cannae say that I blame ye.”

They reached the cottage, and Liam set Kris on her feet, though he kept his arm around her waist. Kris was grateful for the support. Her hands were twitching like a meth addict’s. He had to lay his on top of hers so that she could unlock the door.

She was cold, but he was colder. Once inside, Kris tried to walk to the bedroom and retrieve blankets, but she only made it as far as the couch before she had to sit down.

Liam moved fast, yanking the quilt off the bed and covering her with it.

“Th-th-there are more in the closet.” Her chattering teeth barely missed clipping off her tongue.

“I’m all right,” he said.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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