Her Lover's Touch Read Free

house.
    Katelyn slid off the bed and made a dash for a pair of jeans hanging over the chair in the corner. Gravity abruptly dragged her to the side. She stumbled like a drunk and caught herself against the dresser, nearly crashing he adfirst into it. It took her a moment full of wondering to realize that having only one functioning eardrum meant she would need to struggle through every step to keep her balance.
    She walked along the dresser, using its heavy oak construction to steady herself. When she reached the end, she took a small step away, leaving one hand on the edge to keep her balance. The jeans were not much further; maybe four steps at the most. She hesitated for a moment. Viscous fluid shifted in her eardrum. Soft winds blew past steamy windowpanes . She took another step, pulled her hand away from the dresser, and toppled over.
    Naked flesh squeaked across hardwood floors. Tender surfaces burned from fresh wounds. Katelyn staggered onto her hands and knees. I'll crawl out of here if I fucking have to .
    She reached out her hand. The seams of her dark denim jeans were just within reach of her French manicure. A frigid weight wrapped around her ankle.
    A terrible shriek rang out from her lips. Her frantic eyes spun in their sockets. Her heart stopped when she noticed frozen finger marks indenting her soft skin. Nothing stood over her, yet her flesh tingled from its presence. She yanked her leg away from the sensation and turned back to grab her jeans. Swirling white mist enveloped her ankle and dragged her across the floor.
    "No, let go of me!" She kicked and screamed.
    The mist parted and quickly reformed despite her frantic efforts. It whipped her chest against the doorframe, silencing her cries with a bone-cracking thud. She struggled for breath against the spasms knotting through her lungs.
    Portraits in the darkened hallway flashed past her. Bloody friction burns littered her back by the time her ass thumped down the first few stairs. She used all of her strength and coordination to prevent her head from crashing against the marble staircase while the invisible force dragged her toward the lower floor. Katelyn's head cracked against the metal edge of the last step. Her perfect white teeth cleaved her tongue . Panic-fueled blood coated her mouth with salty, copper warmth.
    The grand crystal chandelier whipped past her vision as she was hauled through the main foyer. Lightning flashed through the windows, filling the room with yellow light and blue shadows. She swore there were entrails hanging from the lamps. Another flash of lightning revealed only the finest sparkling crystal money could buy.
    The misty fingers released their grip and bowled her through the kitchen doors. Her bare body crashed against stainless steel. Dazed, bleeding, and havocked by pain, Katelyn stared up at the refrigerator towering over her.
    Her long hair whipped around her face while she scampered backward. Her dazed eyes searched the kitchen for any sign of life. Light n ing flashed and shadows from dusty appliances were all to be found. Roaring thunder rumbled the tiles beneath her toes. When the sensation faded, a faint sound filled her remaining perfect ear. A sense of foreboding trembled her limbs and erected her nipples.
    Sounds like a rat scratching at something . Her good eardrum traced the sound around the kitchen, before slowly tracing its origin back to the freezer door.
    Frigid sleet rushed through Katelyn's veins, propelled at light speed by her galloping heart. The scratching grew louder. She struggled to get to her feet and turned to run. She whimpered when something shoved her back towards the noise. Currents of rage flowed from the unseen barrier.
    Words howled in the wind. "Open it." The storm started building up again for its loathsome encore.
    Fright shuddered through her. She glared back at the empty kitchen. Fear kept any words from forming across her bleeding tongue. Slowly, she turned toward the refrigerator,