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The car slides as we take another corner, and I notice that the crowded town has already passed by, and the road is now lined with trees. I recognise this road and know we aren’t far from my house, which means we aren’t far from Vixen’s Lodge.
My heart is about ready to fly from my chest from worry when my eyes land on something out of place. Over the top of the pine trees up ahead, a red glow illuminates black smoke billowing up into the darkened sky over the place where Vixen’s Lodge sits. Tyler must see what I am seeing, too, because he accelerates faster, pushing the car to its limit.
We all fall silent as we get closer, dread sitting in my gut, as I’m sure it is with the guys as well. I feel fucking sick as we fly past my house, none of us even sparing it a second glance as the grape vines come and go, replaced by a thick pine plantation.
Tyler releases the accelerator, letting the car slow naturally as we approach the driveway for Vixen’s Lodge, and he slams on the brakes at the last moment, snaking us up the dusty drive.
My heart stops as the colonial homestead comes into view. Or at least what used to be the homestead. Flames as tall as trees roar up from the debris that used to be the lodge.
Kitten.
My eyes fill with hot tears at the thought that she’s in those flames. Trapped or worse, burning alive. Ty slams the car to a stop, throwing his door open and takes a few steps towards the inferno before the old tin roof caves in, pulling Ty up short as we climb out of the car.
No. Kitten.
“Rhys!” Tyler bellows, the sounds filled with agony, and a fucking sob lurches from my throat. “Rhys!” He bellows again, fisting his hand into his short, cropped hair.
Gunshots pierce through the air, and we all drop to the ground. All except for Ty. He starts running towards the side of the house, which leads to the backyard and barn area.
I get up off the gravel, bolting after him and hearing the other guys on my heels. By the time we make a wide berth around the burning house, we see Ty throw the barn door open.
Another gunshot cracks through the air, and Ty flies backwards from an invisible force, his body slamming hard to the gravel. We freeze for a moment, the guys stopping by my side as we come to the same realisation.
Someone just shot Ty.
I only hesitate for a moment longer before lurching forward, but as a silhouette steps out from the barn, Garrett’s large hands jerk me back behind a tree.
“Stop, man. You’ll get yourself killed.” Garrett’s deep rasp is right at my ear as we peer around the trunk and see the silhouette transform into a female that can only be Julie. The flames from the house send a flickering glow over her skin, and she comes to stand over Tyler, pointing a gun down at him.
“Ahhh. The school teacher. Maybe I should leave you alive and leak all the recordings we have of you fucking your student. That might be more rewarding.”
Tyler tries to speak, coughing, and what looks like blood sprays from his mouth.
Fuck. No. Ty.
I can’t fucking take this.
“What do you think, Patty?” Julie tips her head back, yelling. “Should I keep your teacher alive?”
A scream, kind of what I assume a banshee would sound like, comes from inside the barn, and before Julie even has a chance to turn, a dark, long-haired figure leaps from inside the barn like a monkey, clinging onto Julie’s back. The flash of metal is the only warning we get before the raised hand slams it into Julie’s chest from behind. Over and over, the blade comes out and then slams back in as this wild creature attacks Julie.
I don’t hold back any longer, the sirens getting closer as I run towards the barn, skidding to a stop a few meters away.
Julie drops the gun as she gurgles for air, falling to her knees before face planting the gravel. The figure on her back doesn’t stop, just changes tactics, slamming the blade into Julie's back instead, repeatedly.
“It’s Cherry,” Simon whispers beside me as the glow of flames dance over the wild creature.
Her eyes dart up through a mess of blood-matted hair, her teeth bared at us as she releases another gut-wrenching scream.
“Put the weapon down!” An officer yells from behind us, and I turn to see a gun directed toward my girl.
Simultaneously, me and the guys turn, spreading our arms and legs wide, blocking the officer’s path to her.
“No! Wait!” Marcus yells. “She’s the victim. Don’t harm her.”
Movement behind us gains my attention, and I see Rhys has now dropped the knife and has crawled through the blood-soaked dirt to Tyler’s side.
“No! Help! Help him!” She screams.
