The Haunting Read Free

hair, smoothing it away from my face. The movement was gentle and unlike everything I’d expected. I’d forgotten my resolve to appear unafraid and flinched.
    “No more questions,” he said firmly, his lips so close to mine I thought I could feel a warmth. I didn’t move to stop him, but I held very still, inviting while dreading it at the same time.
    Don’t think , I commanded. It’s just a dream. None of this is real. Maybe I’d wake up in my room … or a padded one .
    He stopped in that last inch. Perhaps it was my sudden stillness, or when I started to hold my breath, or maybe it was never his intention to kiss me and I was delusional. He dropped his hand slowly from my hair, fingertips trailing gooseflesh against the side of my face. “Ah, one last thing…”
    “What?” I asked, letting out my breath, in a slight daze.
    Nothing in this world could have prepared me for the slap.
    It was so swift that I hardly saw his hand move in the dim light. The cracking sound rang in my ears. I stumbled to the side, and my knees almost tangled against Damien’s legs. Clawing the wall for support, I reached up to touch the throbbing spot on my cheek. I was speechless but not helpless.
    Spinning, I swatted at him.
    He probably could have stopped me, but he let me hit him. I’d never slapped anyone before, and now I knew why. My palm stung with a hundred needles. I leaned back against the wall, curling my hand into a fist while the other touched the heated skin on my own face. I stared at him, appalled.
    “What the fuck was that for?!”
    “I needed to send you back with proof,” he said in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. I was pleased to see him suck in the cheek I’d hit, like maybe it’d hurt him a little.
    “Proof of what?” I snapped.
    He actually appeared annoyed. “That this isn’t really a dream, Nora. I can hear your little head in this state.” After a brief pause, he added in an apathetic tone, all the warmth drying up, “If you’d rather, I can send you back bleeding.”

CHAPTER TWO
    I snapped my hands up to defend myself, but he was gone and so was the circular brick room.
    Propped upright on the landing, I found myself looking up the stone stairs to a wrought iron gate. Beyond that was a starry sky, twinkling, calm, and inviting.
    Below the stairs where I sat were two concrete coffins. Torches whispered within the tomb, flinging erratic light in a wind I couldn’t feel.
    Silence stretched, below and above, leaving no indication of being watched —yet.
    I touched my cheek; the heat had faded, though it was still tender from the blow. That bastard , I thought angrily. He could hear my thoughts and … crap! He could hear my thoughts!
    I was fully awake now and bundled in the itchy wool blanket. If I heard my thoughts, I might be mad too. This wasn’t good. Thus far, I’d been protected, but what about now? He hadn’t said anything about becoming a Neophyte in the dream.
    Rubbing my face with one hand, I pulled down the blanket to make sure I wasn’t still in the clown costume. The chilly air invaded and goosebumps trailed like ants up and down my arms.
    I looked down at my dirt-stained pajamas. The thin T-shirt and penguin-decorated shorts wouldn’t provide much protection.
    Wrapping the blanket back around me, I let the warmth invade again. Comfortable, I eased to my swollen feet. The sleep, though desperately needed, was uncomfortable. Every muscle ached as if it had been the day after a long work out.
    My stomach gurgled as I leaned against the wall, still covered but at least standing.
    I wondered if there was food nearby. And if there was, would I eat it? The image of Joel’s severed thumb falling to the dusty ground in a roll forced me to physically shake the memory away.
    “Time to focus, Nora.” I looked up at the stars above.
    Gripping the blanket around my shoulders, I made my way up the stone steps, my socked feet making no sound.
    Stopping in the doorway, I faced a cemetery.
    A