#Supernatural Suspense

[leannareneehieber]

I write Gothic, Gaslamp Fantasy full of ghosts, mystery, romance, danger and eerie, spooky atmosphere...

I hope you'll dive into my worlds and stay a while...

Pictured Left: STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL (Gothic Victorian Ghostbusters with Jane Eyre and Dark Academia vibes, Greek Mythology bleeding into London at the time of Jack the Ripper, Intense Brooding Gothic Romance, Found Family, Tons of Ghosts) Book 1 of the Strangely Beautiful trilogy contains The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker and sequel, The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker - (Here's Strangely Beautiful's TV Tropes page...)

Pictured Right: THE SPECTRAL CITY (The Alienist meets Ghost Detectives: Psychic Girl-Gang and their favorite friendly ghosts solve weird crime in 1899 NYC. Slow-burn inter-faith romance, found family, inclusive cast, even more ghosts) - Book 1 of a trilogy of novels...

All my full-length novels- I've a bunch more too- are available wherever books are sold in digital & trade paperback - if your local bookstore doesn't have any on the shelf, they can order them in! (For my novella series, including The Spirit Suitor extension of The Spectral City saga, check out Scrib'd!)

I'm always looking for new readers so if this appeals to you, I hope you'll immerse yourself in these haunted histories and sweeping sagas. All of my Gaslamp Fantasy novels feature crossover characters, so my Eterna Files (Victorian X-Files) and Magic Most Foul (Gothic YA Romance) series also feature crossover characters. You don't have to have read the series in any particular order, just be sure to start with Book 1 of the particular series title!

If you do know my work, could you tell a friend? Cheers and happy haunting!

[charitysplace]

Book Release Announcement: Raven

Hello, gumshoes! I’m spiffed to announce the second book in my supernatural suspense trilogy, Raven, is now available. You’re gonna love this series set in 1920s San Francisco. This time around, Raven and Byron run amuck of an ancient threat hell-bent on manipulating them, while their sparks of attraction fly. And there’s an adorable new kitten in their life, too! You won’t want to miss a minute…

[ngdrb]

The Curse of Seraphina's Dollhouse

My latest book

A child receives a beautiful dollhouse that mimics her shown home, but the miniature versions of her family start to behave increasingly ominously.

[thegirlwiththelantern]

[animeglitch]

[sweethoneyrose83]

Final Girl Dialogue Prompts

Facing the villain head-on:

"You’ve taken everything from me. Now it’s my turn."

"You think I’m afraid of you? I survived worse than your nightmares."

"I’m not running anymore. This ends here."

Resolving to fight back:

"If I’m going down, I’m taking you with me."

"You can’t break someone who’s already broken."

"I’ve played your game long enough. Now we play mine."

After a close escape:

"I’m still breathing. You’re going to wish I wasn’t."

"It’s not over until I say it’s over."

"You think I got this far by accident?"

Discovering inner strength:

"All this time, you thought I was the weak one. But I’m still here."

"I’ve been underestimated my whole life. That’s your first mistake."

"Fear used to control me. Now, it fuels me."

Climactic moments:

"One of us isn’t walking away from this… and it won’t be me."

"You want me? Come and get me."

"I’ve been running from this my whole life. Time to stop."

Quiet resilience after the fight:

"I didn’t survive just to die here."

"It’s over. I won."

"Tomorrow’s going to be a better day… if I live to see it."

Psychological resistance:

"You might control my nightmares, but you’ll never control me."

"I know what you are. But you don’t know who I’ve become."

"Every scar is a reminder that I’m stronger than you."

Confrontation with the villain:

"You’ve terrorized me long enough. Tonight, it ends—one way or another."

"I’m not running anymore. If you want me, come and get me."

"You thought I was scared? I’m just getting started."

"It’s funny, I was always afraid of the dark… but now, I see through it."

Moments of fear but gathering courage:

"I can feel you watching… but that means I can see you coming."

"I'm shaking, I won’t lie… but you should be scared too."

"I’m alone, sure. But that makes me dangerous."

"You think fear makes me weak? It’s the only thing keeping me alive."

After surviving a horrific event:

"You’re not the first monster I’ve survived, and you won’t be the last."

"I didn’t survive all this to die here, now."

"I might walk out of here covered in blood, but at least I’ll walk out."

"I’ve faced every nightmare you threw at me. What else do you got?"

In a desperate fight for survival:

"I'm done playing your game! Now it's my turn!"

"I’m not locked in here with you… you’re locked in here with me."

"You may be stronger, but I’m faster, and a hell of a lot smarter."

"You want a final girl? I’ll give you one you’ll never forget."

Mocking or taunting the villain:

"All that stalking, for what? Just to lose to a girl?"

"I guess you didn’t plan on me fighting back, huh?"

"You had me running scared, but look who’s cornered now."

"Oh, did you think it was going to be easy? That’s cute."

Facing near-certain death but refusing to give up:

"Maybe I’ll die here tonight, but not without taking you with me."

"You might kill me, but I swear you’ll regret it."

"I’m not dying without a fight, not tonight."

"Every scar you gave me just made me harder to kill."

After defeating the villain:

"I told you. This ends with me."

"You should’ve killed me when you had the chance."

"Looks like the monster finally met its match."

"Who’s the hunter now?"

[twilightsagasworld]

Garrett x Reader part 2

Unsettling revelations

(Y/n) sat across from Chief Swan, her hands trembling slightly as she recounted the events at the museum once more. The grizzled police chief listened intently, brow furrowed in concentration.

"And you're certain this man had red eyes?" Swan asked, jotting down notes.

(Y/n) nodded shakily. "Yes, they were unmistakable. And his skin - it was so pale, almost unnaturally so. And the way he moved, it was..." She struggled to find the right words. "Inhumanly fast and graceful."

Swan's expression grew increasingly grave. "This matches the description of a suspect we've been trying to track down for some time now. A dangerous drifter with a history of violence."

(Y/n)'s heart sank. "So you know who he is? What does he want?"

The chief sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, we don't know much about his motives or origins. All we can say is that he's extremely volatile and unpredictable. A real threat to the community."

Bile rose in (Y/n)'s throat as a horrifying realization dawned on her. "The children... Am I putting them in danger by being around them?"

Swan reached across the desk, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. "We're going to do everything in our power to keep you and the kids safe. In the meantime, I'd advise you to be extra vigilant. Don't go anywhere alone, and keep your doors and windows locked at all times."

(Y/n) nodded mutely, her mind racing. She had to find a way to protect her students, even if it meant putting herself at risk.

As she left the police station, a dark shadow seemed to loom over her. The unsettling encounter had shaken her to the core, but she knew she couldn't let fear consume her. She had to be strong, for the sake of the children.

Little did she know, the danger was closer than she could have imagined...

(Y/n) gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles turning white as she drove back to the school. Chief Swan's words echoed in her mind, the ominous warning about the dangerous drifter sending a chill down her spine.

Her thoughts raced, trying to process everything she had learned. This man, with his unnatural speed and chilling red eyes, was a known threat to the community. And he had singled her and the young boy out at the museum. The realization that her students could be in danger because of her filled her with a sense of dread.

As she pulled into the school parking lot, (Y/n) took a deep, shuddering breath. She had to pull herself together and figure out how to keep the children safe. She couldn't let this stranger's dark presence cast a shadow over their lives.

Stepping into the familiar hallways of the school, (Y/n) felt a small measure of comfort. This was her domain, a place where she could protect and nurture the young minds in her care. She made her way to the principal's office, determined to discuss the situation and implement any necessary safety measures.

However, as she approached the office, she noticed that the door was slightly ajar, a faint light flickering from within. Furrowing her brow, (Y/n) pushed the door open cautiously, her heart pounding in her chest.

The sight that greeted her made her blood run cold.

There, seated in the principal's chair, was the red-eyed man from the museum. A twisted smile spread across his pale features as he locked eyes with her, his gaze burning with a predatory intensity.

"Hello, my dear," he purred, his voice dripping with a chilling menace. "I've been waiting for you."

(Y/n) felt her breath catch in her throat, all the color draining from her face. How had he found her? And what did he want? Panic gripped her as she realized that she was now completely alone, with no one to come to her aid.

Swallowing hard, (Y/n) knew she had to find a way to escape, to get help and protect her students. But the man's unsettling presence and the malice in his eyes made her doubt whether she would even make it out of the room alive.

The tension in the air was palpable, and (Y/n) could feel her heart racing as she braced herself for what was to come. She knew she had to be strong, for the sake of the children. But in the face of this supernatural threat, she couldn't help but wonder if she was truly prepared for the horrors that lay ahead.

( for @twilightlover2007 )

[number1jaymerrickhater]

Something about Marble Hornets that has pissed me off for years is the entire series didn’t even need to happen. Jay found some old tapes from his FILM STUDENT friend, saw some weird shit on them, and instead of thinking “oh hey these are some pretty cool effects! I guess Alex was working on some other projects while Marble Hornets was going on…that explains why he didn’t wanna give me the tapes at first!!” he instantly goes “nope theres something funky going on here…theres no other possible reason my FILM STUDENT friend, who would know how to edit stuff to get these effects, would have a bunch of old tapes with creepy footage lying around.”

[loverhorror]

[daniel-profeta]

The Head

There was a place between sleep and wakefulness where anything could be possible. A haze of forgotten dreams and lost promises. Her hands hung out of the window and the gleeful grin on her face was infectious. She floated between states of being completely alive and nearly dead, but right then she was whole. He smiled back and sped up as the car careened across the mountainside. The world was awash in pink as the sun set. The trees opened on one side to give way to the entire countryside with the dead city just beyond it. It was all so real; they could almost reach out and touch it.

In a past world they were barely friends, but shared experience can bring people together in a way nothing else can. He was well acquainted with this concept already as his parents had bonded over their mutual hatred of their absent father figures. He had always hoped he could break the cycle, but some patterns are more universal than anyone could have imagined.

For example, the cycle of life had finally taken a turn and allowed something new to become apex. Finally, something had surpassed the limits of human ability and taken the worms out. All that remained were ruins and some survivors. Small communities of huddled forms abounded in the wilderness, and they both knew some humans had been kept alive in the cities. All that was left was to hide and wait for death. Or so thought most survivors.

Not them, not these humans, they had taken advantage of the situation and had risen. With gallons of stockpiled gasoline, stolen weapons, food reserves, and ingenuity, they were rulers of the wasteland. They found each other and found a hope that lasted beyond anything they had yet experienced. They were one of the few who managed to carve out a life beyond simple survival, they had become explorers of a new world filled with wonders and powerful entities just beyond the layers of hopeless chaos. They were heading to the dead city to try and loot it and see what they could learn. It seemed every place they found had a story to tell regarding the end of times. He put his foot down further and they sped up.

They had become each other's shadows. In everything they did they fed off each other’s energy and had almost become one person. At first working together was difficult, but with practice they had gotten so good it seemed impossible to stop them. He would rather go a week without food or water than go a week without her company, and thanks to current circumstances that exact scenario had occurred on multiple occasions. He couldn’t believe she had stuck with him for so long, and in everything they shared everything. Except for one twisted secret.

He was dying.

Something had taken hold of him inside and he had no idea what it was. He believed he had contracted it in the bunker they had stormed a few months prior, but where he got sick was immaterial. Last week the coughs had gotten worse, and he had started coughing up blood. Earlier today he found himself coughing up what looked like black sludge. His body, once strong and lean, was weakening. He could feel his brain burning and shriveling as his eyes stung every time he tried to close them. He couldn’t sleep.

She knew something was wrong and had asked him about it, but he had lied repeatedly to try and protect her from the knowledge she would soon be alone. He somehow knew in his heart this disease would finish him; it was something inevitable. He just had to try to hold on as long as possible.

They made their way down the mountainside, and through the tall grasses that paved the way to the city as well as any road. They had gotten incredibly lucky with the car they had found; it was built to last decades. Most recent car models were victims of planned obsolescence and were vastly overpriced, but the rich had vehicles most could never dream of. No longer. Now it belonged to the strongest and the smartest.

Darkness snuck up on the world slowly and like a wave descended and crashed onto the city, illuminating through polarity the small fires still sending smoke signals up into the dry night air. As they entered the core of the city, they felt alive. Her hand crept over to his and squeezed. Driving through the empty city at night was almost romantic in a strange way. Despite everything, they still existed. Despite all the world had been through, they had found and sustained each other through love and devotion.

Parking the car and looking up at the towering skyscrapers, they were struck by how small they were in comparison to these edifices of human achievement that were slowly eroding and falling into the ground. The earth would swallow them up and time would roll on by, totally unbothered by their presence. It was freeing and exhilarating, because with this knowledge comes the idea that one can live life for the joy of living beyond the idea of constraint and boundaries. There is nothing but the never ending potential of endless wonders, and the only sadness could be regret that you don’t have time to see even the smallest fraction of them. All that was inconsequential all along is revealed. Everything comes to an end, and it was foolish to ever try to convince themselves otherwise.

There was a faint sound carried by the wind from a far distant part of the city. It sounded like a distorted voice being carried aloft by a long-broken loudspeaker, probably a forgotten loop of the old advertisements that would constantly play to remind people to consume till they could actively consume no more. Then they would be shunted aside.

Their lips met and lingered, the doors opened, and they exited in tandem, armed and ready for anything that might come their way. There were not many humans who could say they had killed one of the creatures. They had killed many of them in that bunker where he had gotten sick…

They started to search the rubble and inside smaller buildings for anything useful. Small radios kept them in contact as they split up and moved slowly through the ruins like cats on the prowl. Focus was razor sharp. They could see their breath in the cold of the night. Days had been slowly growing colder and colder since the sun had begun to shrink.

He suddenly was wracked with self-doubt and faltered as the sickness almost overcame him. He knew he did not deserve this situation. Why was it he who managed to survive and not someone who needed to? Before the end came, he hadn’t had any direction in life, and he actively felt life had no purpose or reason to it. He couldn’t stand to look at himself in a mirror, he felt as though this body was not his own. He was not really that great of a person, but he had been forced by either hidden courage or simple instinct to adapt and stay alive.

Now he had a girl who would die to protect him, and he would do the same for her. But he couldn’t help but feel as though there was no reason it was he who made it this far. As he stopped to catch his breath, he realized that - in a way - he was happy he had gotten sick. He felt it was justified if he died.

Her voice, distorted yet obviously excited, came blowing out of the radio to inform him she had found something. He smiled at the thought of her. It had not been easy for her, yet she had retained her enthusiasm for life and living despite the circumstances. Mostly.

Occasionally, there would be mood swings where she would feel like she was completely worthless and attempt to take her own life. Thankfully, they balanced each other out and kept each other's doubt and self-hatred in check. It was a system that might work better if he was as honest with her as she was with him. But that is something he felt he couldn’t do.

As he moved quickly to her position, he tried to imagine life without her. Life without her smile. Without her daily kindness and thoughtfulness. Without her unconditional love. Without her soul staying beside his.

He coughed again.

She rushed to him and they embraced beneath an awning of sheer metal hanging out over what looked to have formerly been a restaurant of some kind. Her hug was warm and bracing and his worries left him, at least at that time.

She was holding a Journal that was wrapped in some strange animal skin. He ran his hands over it and asked her what it was. She told him it was either crocodile or alligator, but it might have been fake. Not that it mattered, the book itself was real. She had discovered it in a single-story home that had remained mostly intact. She opened it and showed him what she had been reading.

The name signed inside the front cover was nearly illegible, but after staring at it for a few seconds he thought it read “Rick.” He took the book and started flipping through it. It felt strange to hold, as if it were cursed. Evil. It was only a teenager’s diary, and it felt like an invasion of privacy to even be reading it. But there was no helping it, any discovery of what had caused the end of the world was worth it. What had happened leading up to it? Why had the sun gotten smaller? How did civilization collapse so quickly?

As she realized the book felt odd, she started looking around them and felt increasingly that something was invading them. They were not cats, they were mice. Insidious and slimy, it crept within and caught hold. Despair was setting in, and something weird was happening in the sky above them. The stars had gone black.

Looking up, they felt a sickly turning in their stomachs as long tendrils or ropes began to descend from the sky. These eerie tentacles were like nothing else these naïve humans had viewed before and following them up with their eyes found no place where the dead hanging ropes could originate from. It just seemed like they went up into the sky forever. Slowly lowering down to choke any fool caught in the grasp of self-doubt.

A split second of hesitation almost destroyed them both at once, but the universe had other plans for them. They stared in awe and fear at the slender limbs as more and more slowly appeared in the inky black sky. Then he grabbed her hand and bolted for the rubble of the home she had found the book in. In the air behind them small floating lights started opening and illuminating the large gaping pores on the falling limbs with a cold and calculating pale light. Daring to look back revealed the lights were darting alien eyeballs suspended at random points in the air, slowly floating and all staring at these idiot humans who got far too overconfident.

She slammed the rusty door shut as the sound of the loudspeakers in the distance faded, replaced by a single repeating sound that continually rang out at seemingly timed intervals. The sound was that of the chiming of a bell; small, sharp, and eager to annoy with its piercing yell. They had heard this sound before, and both knew they were going to die. It was not a matter of if, but a matter of when and how gruesomely. His sickness was starting to overtake him.

They locked their eyes together and realized they were going to be stuck in the dilapidated house for a while. Long enough to at least learn from the diary of Mr. Rick. Maybe it would reveal something secret information they could use to escape this god-forsaken place? At the very least it would pass the time before their fates were sealed. They moved furniture into position to block the door, but soon heard a strange hissing sound coming from outside. It was the sound of acid devouring or water being eviscerated by fire. The things outside were trying to get in. But what the humans did not know was they already had gotten in..

listen to the song I wrote to accompany this story.

[obamasleftkidney]

HEAR YE HEAR YE

I have some wonderful news!!!

The publishing process has begun (my awesome cool 10,000 aura publishers are literally the best) and I'm so happy to announce this book might actually hit the shelves after all this time and effort invested.

Keep your eyes PEALED on your dash to find my posts for one of them soon might say it's finally up on the shelves.

ROLL IN YOUR GUESSES

THE CLOCK IS TICKINGGGGG!!!

If this is your first time seeing my post; I'm writing a novel which will be released soon. I refuse to tell you the plot, the characters, the tropes, nor the premise. I only ask for your follow + I write my followers names down in a little pretty notebook. I will drop little clues and quotes and paragraphs. Ominous little hints. And the first follower to guess the plot receives a free signed copy of the novel once it's published. (Merch included according to the guessed plot's accuracy)

Do follow me and find out, for if this ended up on your page, this novel has everything you like. I might disappoint, but how do you know for sure I will?

If you're interested, follow me, and go read my posts. Clues have already been dropped. Best of Luck!

[thegirlwiththelantern]

Curse Corvus

Title: Curse CorvusAuthor: Alex EbensteinGenre: Horror, Supernatural SuspensePublisher: Synopsis: The fevered pursuit of happiness comes at a cost, and toxic positivity has never been more lethal. A flock of birds fallen from the sky. A wedding dress, billowing with the specter of its deserter. On a hike that brings much more than stunning views and peace of mind, Lindsay and Val stumble on…

[aventurineswife]

Trick or treat :3

Trick-or-Treating Mishaps!

Summary: On a chilling Halloween night, you and Sebastian go trick-or-treating and discover a mysterious house offering enchanted candy. After indulging your curiosity, you unleash mischievous ghosts and a lurking specter. Together, you confront the supernatural chaos, forging a strong bond as you uncover the secrets of the night.

Tags: Halloween Special Fanfic, Human! Sebestian, Supernatural, Horror(kinda? I tried my best 😔), Adventure, Trick-or-Treating, Enchanted Candy, Ghosts(👻), Suspense, Platonic Relationship, Friendship, Human! Sebestian.

Warnings: Mild horror elements, Spooky themes, Paranormal activity, Intense situations, Human! Sebestian.

A/N: As someone who has never celebrated Halloween her whole life, I hope you enjoy this piece of fic 😇

The chill of Halloween night hung heavy in the air, the moon casting an eerie glow over the neighbour hood. Your heart raced with excitement as you adjusted your costume—a makeshift witch ensemble complete with a crooked hat. You turned to Sebastian, who was beside you, dressed in a simple black cloak. He had always had a serious demeanor, but tonight, something about the atmosphere made him appear more intense, as if he sensed the looming darkness around you.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked, his voice steady yet laced with an undercurrent of anticipation.

“Absolutely! Let’s get some candy!” you replied, your voice bright against the backdrop of creaking branches and rustling leaves.

The night was cloaked in darkness as you and Sebastian set out for a night of trick-or-treating. The crisp autumn air was alive with the sounds of laughter, distant music, and the rustle of leaves as other kids darted from house to house. Dressed in your costumes, you felt the thrill of Halloween, but the atmosphere had an underlying chill that sent shivers down your spine.

As you strolled through the neighbourhood, you admired the elaborate decorations—glowing jack-o’-lanterns, cobwebs clinging to trees, and ghosts hanging from porches. But as you turned onto a quieter street, the mood shifted. The lights flickered ominously, and an unsettling silence settled around you.

“Does it feel… off to you?” you asked Sebastian, glancing sideways at him. He nodded, his expression serious.

“Yeah. It’s too quiet here.” Just as you were about to suggest turning back, you spotted a house at the end of the street, adorned with an eerie glow and a sign that read,

“Magic Candy: Trick or Treat at Your Own Risk.” Intrigued, you exchanged glances with Sebastian, and he shrugged, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

“Let’s check it out. It might be fun.” you said, excitement mingling with unease.

Approaching the house, you knocked on the door. It creaked open, revealing a shadowy figure in a tattered cloak. With a raspy voice, he offered you a bowl filled with strange, glittering candies.

“Take one, if you dare…” he rasped, his gaze penetrating. You hesitated, glancing at Sebastian, who stepped forward, a protective instinct flickering in his eyes.

“Do you really think we should?” he asked, his voice laced with caution. But your curiosity got the better of you, and you reached into the bowl, pulling out a shimmering piece of candy that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.

As you popped the candy into your mouth, an electrifying sensation coursed through you. The world around you twisted, colors blending and morphing, and suddenly, you were surrounded by ethereal, shimmering figures—ghosts that danced in the air, laughing and swirling around you.

“Whoa!” you gasped, your eyes wide with wonder and fear. “What’s happening?”

Sebastian’s face was pale as he took a step back, his instincts kicking in. “Stay close to me! We need to get out of here!”

But before you could respond, the ghosts turned their attention to you, their laughter echoing eerily. They moved closer, their translucent hands reaching out, and you felt a cold grip on your arm.

“Help!” you cried, panic rising in your throat. Sebastian immediately stepped in front of you, eyes narrowing as he faced the spectral figures.

“Get away from them!” he shouted, a surprising fierceness in his voice. The ghosts paused, their laughter fading into a low murmur, as if they were assessing him. A moment of tense silence hung in the air, and you could see confusion flicker across Sebastian’s face.

Just then, a larger specter emerged from the shadows, its eyes hollow and mouth twisted into a menacing grin. It reached toward you, and instinct kicked in.

You grabbed Sebastian’s arm, pulling him backward as you dashed for the nearest tree, pressing your backs against the rough bark, heart racing.

“What… what just happened back there?” you whispered, trying to keep your voice steady.

“I don’t know,” he replied, his brow furrowing as he peered around the tree. “That candy was definitely enchanted. I’ve never seen anything like those ghosts—or whatever was that thing.”

You shivered at the memory of the creature’s hollow eyes. “Why were they after the candy? And who was that man? He sounded… off.” Sebastian nodded, his expression serious.

“There’s a lot we don’t understand. That candy could have been a trap—something meant to lure unsuspecting trick-or-treaters into danger. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s more going on in this neighbourhood than meets the eye.”

“But why now?” you asked, struggling to piece it all together. “Why do this on Halloween? Isn’t it supposed to be a fun night?”

“It might have something to do with the thinning of the veil between our world and the spirit world,” Sebastian speculated, his voice low as the specter’s form hovered dangerously close. “On Halloween, the supernatural often becomes more active, and it’s possible that the candy was some kind of conduit for those spirits to reach out.”

You frowned, the implications heavy on your mind. “So, this could happen… again?”

“Maybe,” he said, his gaze still fixed on the specter. “We need to be careful, especially if we encounter anything strange. And we should warn others.”

A chill ran down your spine at the thought of what might lie ahead, but there was a strange comfort in knowing you weren’t alone in this. “I’m glad I have you here,” you said softly, casting a sideways glance at him. “I don’t think I could face this kind of thing on my own.”

Sebastian gave you a quick, serious glance, and for a moment, his usual stoicism cracked, revealing a flicker of warmth. “I won’t let anything happen to you. We’ll figure this out together.”

As the specter finally moved away, the tension in the air began to lift. You felt your heart rate start to normalize, but the shadows still danced at the edges of your vision. The laughter of other trick-or-treaters rang hollow against the backdrop of your encounter, a reminder that not everything was as innocent as it seemed.

“Do you think this was just a random occurrence or perhaps a dream or something?” you asked quietly, still peering out from behind the tree.

“I can’t shake the feeling that it’s part of something bigger and something real,” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. “We need to keep our eyes open. Whatever is happening here might not be over yet.”

Together, you stepped out from behind the tree, the night still young and fraught with mysteries yet to unravel. With newfound resolve and the strength of your bond, you ventured back onto the path, ready to face whatever the Halloween night had in store.

Does anybody play DTI 😭? I NEED HELP IN CH2!! 😭

[acinematicworld]

Final Destination (2000) ✈️

[miverras]

"How could she leave the Central Hearth without taking her things with her? She said she would get them before leaving."

"She probably never took her things with her because she may have never left the Central Hearth."

Continuous mystery. The ultimate page-turner.

Found on Amazon, Ebay, Barnes and Noble websites, and more: https://linktr.ee/miverras

[behindthesemasks]

20

Chapter 19

Gabe is on a mission...and he has one destination...

It seemed to take Gabe an hour to drive from the original hotel to the one that Mel and the others had now holed up in. After circling a few different blocks, he found a parking garage without surveillance to leave the SUV in and texted Mel that he was on the way up. That was when he turned his phone off and headed down to the street below, to walk the remaining way to the hotel. No doubt Ambrose would be making sure that the GPS trackers on the SUVs were being watched and trying to triangulate their locations by their phones.  While he would be able to find the SUV Gabe had driven, where he’d gone when he’d left the garage would be something that would take him longer to figure out.  The fact that all the others with Melania had also turned off their phones indicated that they too had thought of this.  

It was after 2 AM and there were no other people or vehicles in the area.  The area appeared deserted, although he could see lights behind curtains on the floors above street level.  Even if there were surveillance cameras in some of the shops and buildings he was passing, Gabe had turned up his collar to make it hard to see his face. One more step in making it harder for Ambrose to track them down.  There were only four blocks he had to navigate, but he was hoping to keep to the shadows and make the trek as quickly as possible.  He had been trusted not to give away their location.

Fifteen minutes after he’d stepped onto the street, he walked into the hotel lobby. It was bright and filled with old-world elegance. Marble floors, ornate furniture, and live flowers on every table; this was not your budget hotel. Bypassing the front desk, much to the interest of the desk clerk, Gabe headed straight for the elevators. He knew the room number and wanted to waste no time hanging out in areas where he could attract attention. Now he knew he had been on camera, but there was no way that the others could have made it up to the room without being recorded as well. Hopefully, there wasn’t a way to back door into the hotel’s security system.  He knew the type of men Ambrose hired, and if there was, they’d do it.

When he’d finally made it up to the room, he could hear laughing inside. Obviously, even if Mel had been tired, she hadn’t fallen asleep just yet. He knocked on the door and found himself yanked inside when the door cracked open. Facing him were Mel, Alexander, and Cade all sitting on the couch with bottles of wine, gin, whiskey, and scotch on the table in front of them. Judging from their demeanor, they had all enjoyed some while waiting for him.

“Feeling more relaxed?” Gabe asked with a bemused smirk as Dez headed back over to the chair he’d been sitting in.

Mel was on her feet and on the way over to him before he could finish asking the question. “I am now, you finally made it!” Her arms wrapped around him and her face was buried in his chest.

Instinctively his arms went around her and he held her in close. Only now did he notice the slight tremor in her body. His eyes looked questioningly at Alexander and Cade. What the hell was going on?

“She tried to sleep; needless to say some things cause horrible nightmares,” Alexander answered the silent question that hung in the air. “So, we decided to drown her in booze.” His hand gestured to all of the bottles on the table.

“Did you know she has five fake identities in her purse? They’re complete with driver’s licenses, passports, and credit cards. FIVE. Do you think the boss will let us keep her?” Dez had obviously had too much whiskey, but he did get a half-chuckle out of Gabe.

“She’s not a fucking pet asshole. And no, I doubt Ambrose would allow us to take her on missions. Although you would have been proud Gabe, the girl intimidated the ever-loving hell outta the front desk clerk that was here when we got in. I think he may have wet himself.” Alexander chuckled as he poured himself some more scotch. 

Cade moved over to one of the chairs, stretching his long legs out to rest atop the coffee table, as Mel and Gabe moved to sit on the couch. Mel was still all but trembling and Alexander put his arm around her shoulders when she sat down. He looked over at Gabe with an expression that said he was worried about her, but that it wasn’t the time or place to say anything. Gabe nodded, this wasn’t a great situation.

“If you guys want to go back to the other hotel, I’ll understand.” Mel’s voice was soft and quiet, hardly the woman any of them had seen earlier in the day at the hotel. 

“I don’t know about the other boys, but I was hired to keep your ass safe while you were here. I don’t see how I’d be doing that if I left you here. If Ambrose decides to take the money back…I’m not worried.” Cade was the first to answer. There was no hesitation or doubt in his voice as he looked over at her with a slight cocky smirk on his face, and then gave her a wink.

“I think my boy said it well enough. If I was doubting, I wouldn’t have shown up beautiful.” Gabe used two fingers under her chin to turn her face towards him, then kissed her forehead.

“I was never here just because of a job from Ambrose,” Alexander added, causing Mel to look over at him with affection. He really was like a big brother, and just as protective. 

“Fuck, if I wanted to go back, I wouldn’t have driven that damned SUV all the way out to the airport and had to take a cab back.” Dez laughed, winking over at her. 

“If your money is taken back, I’ll still pay you,” Mel said softly, even as she knew that didn’t seem to be a concern for any of them. When Cade started to object, since he was the one who had mentioned money, she added, “I’m worth more than Nic now that my parents are dead. And it means nothing to me.” Cade reached over and squeezed her fingers. Damn, the girl was stronger than she looked, both inside and outside.

“That reminds me, how the hell did you guys get here from the coffee shop? It’s quite a hike.” Gabe asked as his hand took Mel’s to keep hers from shaking. “And did you leave all the weapons out at the airport? Really?” He looked over at Dez.

“She has a Porsche SUV bro. A FUCKING PORSCHE.” Cade laughed. “And all the weapons are in the back safely in their cases. Well, except for the two cases that have the tracking devices in them. They’re at the airport along with the SUV, just no weapons in them.” He laughed. They had swept everything that they transferred between vehicles. There had been no tracing devices in any of it. All of them, knowing Nic and Ambrose, didn’t want to take any chances. 

Gabe nodded as he saw Mel’s head starting to nod. “I think it’s bedtime for you before you fall asleep on Alexander and me, then we’re pinned to the couch all night.” She laughed as he helped her up and to the bedroom on the right side of the small living room that had two beds in it. There was a bedroom on the other side that had two beds in it as well. He helped Mel off with her hiking boots and up onto the bed. Exhaustion, emotions, and the liquor were starting to have a strong effect on her. 

Alexander came in behind them, kicking off his shoes and flopping on the other bed in the room. “I’m taking this one, Dez snores when he’s drunk. You can have one of the beds in the room across the living room. Cade is going to take the first watch for the next few hours.” His words were slightly slurred as he was obviously drifting off to sleep.

Gabe looked down at Mel who was starting to drift off. He leaned over to place a kiss on her forehead. How could Klaus have been such an idiot as to not listen and just hang up on her? Furthermore, how was Erik an even bigger idiot for what he’d done? She was a woman who proved she wasn’t afraid and could be just as fierce as they could. Shaking his head, he began to back up.

Gorgeous blue eyes cracked open and looked up at him. “Don’t go yet, just sit here till I fall asleep? Please?” The look in her tired eyes tore at him. Damn it if he wasn’t a sucker for a damsel in distress. He saw Alexander chuckle as he rolled over, giving him a thumbs up as he did. Sitting down on the bed next to where she was lying, he took her hand in his and leaned back against the headboard. He prayed the next day wouldn’t be nearly as long or as sideways as the previous 24 hours had been. 

Soon Gabe felt his head starting to drop. He started to move off of the bed but looked down at his fingers intertwined with hers and changed his mind. Instead, he slipped down to lay flat on his back next to her. A soft smile formed on his lips as he felt her move closer to him and he drifted off to sleep. Fuck what any of the rest of them thought, Klaus may have promised to keep her safe but he was actually going to do it.

Just over three hours later, the soft click of the lock on the door to the suite signaled that someone was coming in. A lone figure slipped through the barely cracked door, carefully closing it behind him. The feel of a gun barrel at his temple told him instantly that his entry had not gone undetected. As he waited to find out who it was that had gotten guard duty, a slow smirk crossed his lips.

“You’d better have one damn good excuse for being in here asshole, because if you don’t you’re going to wish you had never opened that door.” The end of the barrel pressed more firmly into his skull as he heard Cade’s voice low and growling.

“Seeing as my grandfather is paying your fucking ass, I think I have a good enough excuse to come in if I want. Although how the fuck you all got here is something I’ve got to hear.” Nic’s quiet voice held amusement. It had taken him what seemed like forever to even find a clue where any of them had gone.

“Shit bro, you’re lucky I asked questions first. How the fuck did you find us?” Cade holstered his weapon and moved closer to Nic so that they’re voices wouldn’t wake the other four up.

“Gabe parked his SUV four blocks away. When he stopped answering his phone, I went hunting.” Nic shook his head. “Y’all were fucking hard as hell to find. One female with three bodyguards does make an impression on a desk clerk though.” He chuckled. “Two rooms? Who’s where?”

“Dez is over there. The door is closed because his snoring was about to drive me insane. Alexander, Mel, and Gabe are all over there.” Cade gestured as he talked. He had sobered up an hour or so before and was now annoyingly clear-headed and awake, albeit with a massive headache.

“You know how she got out? And how did you end up here with your SUV at the airport?” Nic looked over at Cade as he leaned his back against the wall.

“Window in your grandfather’s office in the suite, along the ledge to the fire escape that was one room over, then down to the alleyway. Then she just walked until she got to a coffee shop. From there she rented the car and got ahold of Gabe. Gabe texted us. We met up with her at the coffee shop. When she got tired, Dez took the SUV to the airport and got a cab back here with the cash she gave him. We had already transferred all the weapons into the back of her SUV, so it was safe for him to leave it. Then she drove us here. She was the lead the whole time bro, organized the whole damn thing. Did you know she has five false identities?” Cade almost laughed as he talked.

“More than five, and yes I did. Although apparently, grandfather’s men have made some new ones because I couldn’t find a trace of the old ones. I only got the key up here because I scared the desk clerk more than the rest of you did.” Nic answered, pausing for a moment. “I wasn’t here. Understand? Tell none of them. She’s safe, you’re all alive. That’s all I cared about. I’ll keep grandfather off your asses, but you’re going to have to show up eventually. Let me know when you are and I’ll buffer the reception.”

Cade looked over at Nic with a newfound respect. He had expected to get dressed down for going off grid and helping Mel, not that he cared, but he hadn’t expected Nic to cover for their asses. Not that he was going to turn it down. “Never saw ya bro. I gotta ask though….how insane have Ambrose and Klaus gone?” 

“Grandfather is convinced one or more of you are with Mel. This Oglesby though, he’s a major player and violent and vicious. He’d kill Mel if it gave him a tactical advantage with grandfather and Alexander, so I wouldn’t say he’s exactly calm.” Nic looked over in the dim light of the room, the expression on his face clear to Cade. Nic was worried. Ambrose was worried. The main thing was not to let this asshole know that Alexander and Mel were in the same place.

“Klaus is a mess. I don’t know if Gabe told you but he damn near shattered Erik’s jaw. Grandfather had to fly in a medic to at least set it enough for the moment so that he wasn’t in so much pain he couldn’t think. He also broke his cheekbone and gave him a concussion. The doc thinks Erik may have a couple of broken ribs too. That was from less than a half-dozen punches. I think that Erik’s lucky that the blow to the throat didn’t crush his windpipe. Erik is having to use the laptop to type out his answers to questions at the moment. Although threats of letting Klaus back in the room are more effective than anything in getting his cooperation.” He saw Cade’s eyes go wide in the gloom and nodded. “So I think that tells you how he’s doing. He’s no less upset now than he was when he about knocked me and grandfather over to get to Erik. We’ve had to keep Klaus separated from grandfather, they do nothing but butt heads because Klaus is being kept in the hotel and not out looking for Mel. They’re going to end up shooting one another if they’re left alone too long.” Nic sighed. “ That she hasn’t called or contacted him is driving him out of his mind. He’s like a caged lion. So yeah.” Nic shook his head lightly. He felt for the other man, truly he did. There was just nothing that could be done at the moment to make the situation better without pissing off his cousin. Klaus had made his own bed when he hung up on her, he’d just have to lie in it a bit longer.

“Sounds like you’ve got your hands full bro. But hey, you think in the future we could get the short chick to come with us on missions?” Cade tried to lighten the mood. “She’s good; I mean she’s damn good. She put the fear of God in Andreas, she slipped out of a locked room and had you chasing your tail, and she can pull off a cover identity as well as any of us. We could use her.” 

“I take it you want to have Ambrose committed to the lunatic asylum. He would go all kinds of batshit crazy.” Nic laughed. He had to admit, she might have picked up too much over the years from being around him and their grandfather. “Now, before any of them wake up, or I’m out of contact for too long and they start checking up on me…I’m getting my ass out of here. You need anything…ANYTHING…you call ME, no one else.”

“Got it, bro. Be careful, if there could be a target on Mel’s back from this Oglesby, there could be one on yours too. We’ll keep her safe, don’t worry.” Cade nodded once toward Nic. They were friends, more like brothers, and as much as he would guard Mel’s ass, he’d guard Nic’s back as well.

With that Nic slipped out of the room as almost silently as he slipped in. Now he knew that his cousin was safe, it was time to hunt Oglesby.

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