She was a creature of flame and ash.
Warmth pulsed gently through her body, her shudders subsided, and her tightly coiled muscles began to relax. Gone was the sickly white pallor of her skin. Her lips also lost their alarming bluish cast and were once again a soft rose color. Withdrawing her hands from the fire, she turned to the two men watching her.
“I’m sorry if I worried you.”
Theo dropped to his knees in front of the fire and took her hands in his, turning them over to examine them. Her hands were still filthy, and her palms were scratched and cut, but there were no burns.
“How did you do that?” His brow furrowed. “There’s not a single burn.”
“I’m not exactly sure.” She stared at her hands.
Jake released the breath he had been holding. “You’ve taken about twenty years off my life tonight, Olive.”
“I really am sorry. I was stupid.” She sighed. “You can say I told you so.”
“What happened?” Jake asked angrily, arms crossed. “Why the hell would you leave the house?”
“I made a mistake.” She looked down at her dirty, bloodstained hands. “I protected the house against intruders, against anyone who would wish me harm. I didn’t think to protect myself.”
“Explain.”
“Before I went to bed, I checked all the doors and windows. The protective circle was intact, so I knew nothing could get in. I never expected it to lure me outside. Whatever is out there in the woods, it’s not natural.”
“Yeah, I kind of gathered that by the undead guard dog the size of a fucking horse,” Jake snapped.
“Don’t get pissy with me, Jake.” Olivia sighed.
“What happened after you went to bed?” Theo asked.
“I woke up, and I was in the woods, but it was like only part of me was awake. I was aware of my surroundings, but my emotions were asleep. I saw a figure. It was dark and wearing some sort of cloak. I couldn’t see their face, but I felt compelled to follow them. After a while, I managed to throw off whatever compulsion had been laid on me, and when I woke up fully…” She took a deep breath. “Jake, I was in Boothe’s Hollow.”
“Jesus,” he breathed heavily.
“What’s Boothe’s Hollow?” Theo asked.
“It’s the one place in the woods that was always forbidden to us as children,” Olivia answered. “It’s a circular clearing deep in the heart of the woods. We were never allowed to go anywhere near it. We did once sneak to the edge of the clearing. The whole place was so creepy, and after that, we avoided it like the plague. There’s a hollowed-out tree at its center, but the whole place is just dead. Nothing grows there, not even moss. Even the animals and insects won’t venture into the circle.”
“Is it likely to happen again?” Theo said.
Olivia shook her head. “No. I never make the same mistake twice. Besides, I’ve amped up the wards around the house.”
“Do you know what the creature was that attacked you?” Jake asked.
“No.” Olivia shook her head. “I’ve never seen one before.”
“Fine,” Jake acknowledged grudgingly. “You should get some sleep.”
“Are you staying then?” She looked from Jake to Theo. “You can use the guest rooms.”
Jake shook his head. “I’m just going to crash down here on the sofa.”
She figured there was no point arguing with him. He was still pissed and worried about her, so she decided to give him a break. Nodding in acceptance, she climbed to her feet. Theo rose also, but as she tried to put weight on her ankle, it gave way beneath her, forcing him to catch her. Looking down at her ankle, she realized with a grimace that it was the size of a grapefruit.
“Damn it,” she muttered.
Theo tucked his arm under her legs and lifted her easily.
“We should really take a look at those cuts on your hands and feet. They’ll need cleaning and dressing before the wounds become infected,” he told her.
