Chapter 36: Aiden

A horrible crashing of bells drags me by my ears from a dead sleep. An explosion of movement right by my side sets me on the verge of shifting, my instincts screaming “Danger!” There’s a muffled curse and a soft thud beyond it, then a louder thump as the presence at my side disappears.

Shaking my head quickly to dispel the confusion of sleep, I crawl over the bed. Sarah’s bed. I’m at Sarah’s place. The screaming of the bells cuts out, and I can hear Sarah’s voice. I peer over at her where she’s huddled on the floor, clutching her phone to her ear, and I feel her distress at whatever it is she’s hearing. If I concentrate, my ears are sharp enough to pick up both ends of the conversation.

“If you’re safe, you don’t need to come.” It’s a woman’s voice, a little tinny through the phone line. “You might be safer where you are.”

“What happened?” Sarah asks. She’ll be getting cold. I gather up the duvet, climber down beside her and bundle it about her as she listens