Dark Witch by Tarah Benner

Author:Tarah Benner [Benner, Tarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-07-11T16:00:00+00:00

16

The Accidental Hostage

Fiona waited until the TV crew had dispersed for the night before closing up the shop. She told herself she was trying to catch the influx of tourists who’d come to see the show being filmed, but really it was just so that she wouldn’t have to see Tex or any of his crew members pretending to grieve for Cole Farley.

The sun had sunk below the mountains by the time Fiona locked up and started walking home. Main Street was still lively for that time of night. The supernatural thrill seekers had turned the town into a bit of a circus. A couple from Texas had set up a trailer selling crucifixes, religious icons, and vials of holy water for five dollars. A woman from Arizona had a booth that sold crystals and Turkish amulets to ward off the evil eye. The temperature had dropped at least twenty degrees, and Fiona didn’t have a jacket. She hugged her arms around herself and quickened her pace down the hill.

As she turned onto Wind Chime Lane, she realized it was the night of her neighbors’ going-away party. She could hear faint music playing down the street, and there were several unfamiliar cars parked along the curb. The house across the street that had been for sale had a bright red “SOLD” sign out front.

Fiona was trying to remember if she’d RSVPed when her demon-heightened senses started to prickle. Something felt off, but she didn’t know what. Maybe it was just the presence of so many strangers.

Fiona stopped at the end of her narrow driveway, looking down their well-kept street. There were at least three later-model Subarus in various colors parked out in front of the Davidsons. But when she looked around the corner to the adjacent street, she saw the back of a tan-and-brown Bronco that set off alarm bells in her mind.

Her muscles tensed as she paused behind the Beetle, which blocked her view of the garden path. She had this strange feeling she was being watched, though she couldn’t for the life of her explain why.

Feeling a little silly, Fiona kept walking past her driveway and turned up Wesley’s front walk. Wesley had already left for work, and Gabriel hadn’t returned from his meeting. All the lights were off inside, but she was greeted by the Colonel’s booming bark.

Fiona bent down to grab the paper off their stoop. The Mountain Shadow Gazette had never stopped delivering to the old brown house, though Fiona knew for a fact that neither brother read it.

Trying to appear casual, Fiona walked across Wesley’s yard, heading for the gate that led into her garden. In all the time that Fiona had lived there, she’d never understood why the properties connected, though it proved useful for going back and forth.

But just as Fiona reached the gate, she saw a flicker of movement between the slats in the fence. Her stomach clenched, and her heart sped up. Someone was standing on the other side — waiting for her on the garden path.

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