Page 25 of Hollow Forest

The idea of being spiteful made my mouth twist.

But I was not giving into this madness. I might be a murderer in the eyes of the law, but I wasn’t crazy. I simply couldn’t stand the pest lurking in the underbelly of society. If anything, I was an exterminator service.

What my stalker was doing was the next level of unhinged.

Downstairs, I opened the fridge.

A light flashed outside.

My heart skipped a beat. My legs moved of their own accord, and I took a tentative step. Then another. Air rapidly filled my lungs. I knew what that light meant.

He wanted me to come out…and play.

How does he know?

Had he suggested anything else for a date—not that this was one—I would have turned him down. There wouldn’t have been a second thought. But somehow, after only a short time watching me, he knew exactly what I needed to hear to tempt me from my usual routine.

My heart whispered a terrible yet thrilling suggestion. Maybe we’re more alike than I thought.

I turned off the kitchen light.

There, standing in the middle of the yard, was a giant of a man dressed all in black, wearing a skeleton mask, with a flashlight pointed at his face. Heat sizzled over my skin, settling low and deep in my core. It was annoying. I was not turned on by this.

He’s waiting! sang my inner voice.

I gritted my teeth, the self-preservation mechanism rising to the surface. I was not alive to have fun! This was a distraction. A wonderful, heart-stopping terror, but still a distraction!

But, before I could stop myself, I lunged for the knife block, ripped out a blade, and was at the back door before I could think through my actions.

He didn’t move as I slammed through the screen door. My arm wound back, knife ready to chuck at his thick, muscular body. The light blinked out a second later.

I faltered.

Breathing hard, I peered into the darkness. It took a few more tense seconds before I saw his retreating form.

The fucker was bold to put his back to me. If he’d been watching me as closely as he said he had, he would know I had my gun since I never went anywhere without the revolver.

The smart thing to do was to go back inside, lock the doors, and go to bed. A gust of bone-chilling wind swept past me. In the distance, the skeletal branches of the trees rattled and shivered. The forest called to me. I didn’t want to answer, but some primal drive inside of me took over.

I was done being smart. I gave into the instinctual pull, and I followed him into the trees.

Although I was clearly chasing him into the hollow cavern of darkness, I didn’t run once the forest swallowed me. I hunted him softly, pausing every few steps to listen. He kept pace with me, which was confusing since he was role-playing as the prey.

I picked up my pace as an unwelcome smile tipped up the corners of my mouth. I was already too invested in the game. I might as well see it through. Low branches reached out their slim, ghoulish arms, trying to deter me. I ducked and wove. Leaves shuffled under my sneakers. A ghostly cadence whispered through the trees. Just when I was in throwing distance, ready to hurl the blade at his feet, something snared my foot.

I let out a short scream as balance left my body. The dark whirled around me, and I crashed onto the forest floor.

Thankfully, my arms were outstretched, or I would have impaled myself on the blade. I laid there, gasping and blinking hard.

Low, rich, masculine laughter rumbled from the trees.

A rough bark of annoyance clawed from my throat. “You asshole! I could have hurt myself.”

I shoved off the ground, internally yelling at myself for giving into this whole stupid situation. I had no business wandering through the woods at night! I came to this crazy town for one glorious, all-consuming purpose. I was dead inside. Yet, this maniac tempted me into a twisted, insane situation that my deranged brain just couldn’t say no to.

Velvety darkness whispered beside me. “But you didn’t.”

Red tinged my vision. I struck out without thinking. The blade sank into soft flesh. There was no resistance.