Page 138 of Knot So Social

I can feel it; the vengeful presence spread out above the roof. Hunting for me. Squeezing the atmosphere in its search for someone to strike. Not just anyone. No, those sharp golden bolts are just its frustration flinging about when it can’t find me, Willow Sheldon.

Mr Shares barks shrilly in the distance. Shivering, I grip my knees, feeling the mark of the lightning god burned into my skin beneath my pants.

Most people would laugh at the idea of an elemental spirit hunting in a storm. That’s the stuff of mythology. Hell, I would’ve laughed too, before I got struck twice.

The hairs on my arms prickle with warning and I hunch down deeper, covering my head. Thunder booms, a senseless voice calling for me. I squeeze my eyes shut and scream. Reason dictates I stay silent, but logic vanishes in the face of a killer storm. My entire body spasms, expelling air and another scream in one violent shake. The phantom memory of searing energy hovers right behind my eyes.

Even with the walls between us, the lightning squeezes me. Strips my sanity.

My throat shreds. The world spins and the room closes in, the storm crushing the house. Maybe I should give up; run out into the storm and let the spirit finally have me.

Third time’s a charm, as they say.

I dig my fingers deep into my ruined thigh and scream again. My heart pounds so fiercely it rattles my chest. I’ll die in here anyway, from the tension headache, or an apoplexy thanks to my blood pressure. Pure fear can kill a person.

I gasp, my throat closing up. But the breath brings me a whisper of Alessandro’s scent lingering on my skin. Or maybe not on my skin? Blind, I reach my hands out, and they tangle with fabric. His towel, still damp but coated in his happy ocean scent.

With another scream, I bury my face in the cloth, clinging to the folds with all my strength. I’m an independent woman, yeah, but in moments like these, I know deep in my soul that I never want to be alone.

But who could ever fight a storm to save me?

Thunder growls and I shout back at it, half muffled in the precious towel.

“Willow!?”

I laugh, a crazed sound part horror part dark humor. Now the storm is calling my name. It found me, plans to tear through the roof.

“Fuck, Willow! Open the door!”

Trying to bewitch me to step outside once more, to surrender to my fate.

The scent in my nose keeps me clinging to hope that maybe I’m not alone.

A different booming bangs on the house. I twitch and raise my head. Mr Shares barks non-stop, and another dog yaps in reply.

“Where are you, Willow? Answer me, dammit!”

It’s not the storm.

“Here!” I croak, my bruised throat catching and garbling. “Here! I’m in here! In the bathroom.” Every word hurts.

“Stay right there. I’m coming to get you!” Joel’s deep voice spikes through the wall.

I moan and curl up tighter, my thoughts completely scrambled. Maybe I’m hallucinating. Wouldn’t be the first time during a storm.

Glass crashes and I squeal, body tensing and twisting. The lightning spirit is working itself inside the house to find me. Footsteps pound on the floor, coming along the hall. The impact softens as the force reaches my bedroom.

The door flies open. I squint up over my clutched towel. Instead of a light-being filled with spikes and death energy, a man drops to his knees, face pale and clothes soaked with rain.

He tugs on my arms, trying to slide me out.

“No!” I scream, clinging to the cabinet. “It’ll find me! It wants to kill me!”

“Shh!” Joel soothes. “I know, but I won’t let it. I’m here now.” With alpha strength, he peels me away and squishes me to his chest.

With no choice, I switch my desperate grip to him, clawing at his neck and winding my trembling body around his solid one. Thunder cracks so loud the house must be splintering from the impact. I spasm hard.

“You’re safe,” my alpha croons over and over, holding me tight. “I’m here.”