Chapter Twenty-Seven (Part One)

Caden

Clenching my fists, I paced back and forth across the living room floor.

How dare Pops take Hadley from me! Did he think giving me Kendall as a back up would really make up for taking away my sweet Hadley? I thought to myself.

Anger settled in my stomach.

Now she's carrying HIS baby? This has to be some kind of bad dream.

The stairs creaked as Pops came back down.

"Everything okay?" he asked with a grin.

I took a step toward him. "How could you?"

Pops' grin faded. "How could I what?"

My leg throbbed where the bullet had once pierced it. I let out an exasperated sigh. "You took her from me! You stole my future wife! Then you give me some back up and think everything is going to be okay? You know, I left here years ago and I wish I had never come back!"

Pops caught me by the throat and slammed my body to the floor in one swift motion. "You could never give her a child!" he spat. "It is up to me to keep the future of this family secure."

I desperately clawed against his hands. "Pops! I can't! You know I can't!"

He released my throat and stood. "You are incredibly disappointing, Caden."

Gasping for air, I scooted away from him until my back met with the worn oversized chair. "You'll never be proud of me! I'll never be good enough!"

Pops tilted his head to the side, letting out a loud popping sound.

"You were always proud of him," I said, not daring to bring up my deceased brother's name.

My father's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?"

I stood up and braced my body for an attack. "I said, 'You were always proud of him.' Me on the other hand, I could never do anything right!"

Pops steepled his fingers and closed his eyes. "You know the rules, Caden," he said calmly.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins. "I've always followed the rules! But you still don't care! I'll never be good enough for you because I'm NOT CALLUM!"

My father's face turned a deep shade of crimson. "I told you NEVER to say his name again!"

"He was my brother! I can say his name if I want to!" I screamed.

Pops charged at me. Ducking I managed to avoid his outstretched fingers.

"Keep still!" Pops barked.

I moved around the room, staying out of his grasp by a few inches. "No! I'm done with you telling me what to do!"

"BE SILENT!" Pops roared.

"No! I'm done being silent! I'm doing listening to you!" I screeched.

"Your mother always spoiled you! You never should have been treated like a g-"

The sound of feet racing down the stairs interrupted Pops' sentence.

"What in the world is going on here?" asked Kendall with a look of disbelief plastered on her face.

Taking advantage of the distracting, I raced to the kitchen and pulled open the third drawer on the left. No! No! No! Where are they?

"Looking for these?" snarled Pops as he rounded the corner with a selection of knives in his hand. "I moved them, you know. To keep everyone safe."

"Teach Caden a lesson, Pops!" said Kendall with excitement in her voice. "I'll help!"

Pops leapt toward me with several sharp tips pointed in my direction.

Rage boiled over and red clouded my vision. "I'm not going to let you hurt me ever again!" I dove for his feet. Unprepared for the attack, Pops dropped one of the knives. Immediately grasping it, I slashed at Pops' legs and feet.

A scream of agony emanated from Pops as a blood squirted from his leg.

Dropping to the floor, Pops clutched his leg and placed his hands over the blood soaked wound. "Get me a towel!"

Kendall quickly pushed past me and grabbed a white towel. She passed it to Pops and stood guard by his side.

Keeping a knife in my hand, I pushed back and rose to my feet. My feet slipped on Pops' blood, sending my body crashing to the floor.

Kendall grabbed one of the knives from Pops' hands and jumped toward me. "No one disrespects Pops!"

Forcing myself back up and ignoring the throbbing pain in my leg, I sprinted out of the kitchen. I ran to the stairs. "Hadley come! We've got to get out of here!"

Hadley came to the top of the stairs with a confused expression on her face.

Just as we made eye contact, Kendall rounded the corner with the knife raised above her head.

"You're not going anywhere," Kendall declared in an amused voice.

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Undies,

Another sickeningly sweet chapter for my lovelies! :) I know it was a bit short. I'm hoping to have the second part done before I leave for HOLLIPOPS! Eek! My love and I are going on a cruise to the Bahamas and then we're going to Key West! YAY! Can't wait for some FUN in the SUN!

Hearts,

Kelly Anne Blount xoxo

P.S. As always, clicking on that little star and leaving comments are MAJORLY appreciated!

P.S.S. I've had loads of requests to write more paranormal books. So guess what? I started one with one of my good friends, Jonathan-Yanez! Check out the first chapter of ORDER OF THE MIST below! There are already FOUR live chapters posted and you can find ORDER OF THE MIST right in my library! :) YAY! I'm super excited to hear your thoughts on Cole and Aylssa! #ORDEROFTHEMIST

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Chapter One

Cole

Cole walked the smooth tile floor following the arc of his flashlight. His hand trembled as the sound echoed through the museum again. This time there was no writing off the noise to his imagination. The deep rasping breathing of something Cole couldn't fathom... was real.

Shadows pranced around the high walls. Large archways taunted him as they swayed back and forth. Demonic faces, glaring eyes only found in nightmares poked around every corner.

Cole forced his hand to steady as his heart pounded out of his chest. Easy, he told himself as he put every ounce of courage into taking the next step, there's an explanation for this. There has to be.

The noise came again, this time clearer. It sounded like some kind of large animal. Its breathing was forthcoming hard and fast. Cole pinpointed the noise; it was coming from around a corner to his right, twenty yards away. The area of the museum harboring the sound was home to the building's ancient Norse display. Cole was all too familiar with the primeval heritage of the archaic Nordic people. They loved worshiping their gods and their monsters.

Maybe someone got stuck in the museum after the doors closed, Cole told himself. All thoughts of ending the night in any normal way vanished as liquid began to snake around the corner. Cole trained his flashlight on the substance stopping in his tracks. Dark red oozed down the clean white tile. Cole's stomach twisted inside. Stomach acid burned the inside of his mouth. His brain told him what his eyes didn't want to admit. What his eyes refused to admit.

Shuffling now accompanied the heavy breathing and pooling blood. Not quite a traditional footstep but a sound as if someone was walking with a heavy padded boot. Instinct took over. Cole moved behind a large Roman pillar that served as decoration in the hall.

Crouching Cole waited. Sweat was forming on his forehead threatening to make its way down to his eyes. Adrenaline urged him to run but fear above all else gripped his heart. It forced him to stay rooted to the spot.

The unnatural footsteps grew closer until Cole thought whatever it was had to be on the other side of the pillar. The rasping breath stopped. "Come to me sweet Cole. Why do you hide?"

Cole couldn't believe his ears. It was a woman's voice. A woman's voice that sounded so familiar. It just out of his mental reach to put a face or name to the tone. It came again splitting through the darkness like a dagger, "I called him back Cole. You're safe. I wouldn't hurt you my love. But run. Run now and all will be revealed soon enough."

Cole tried to form a response but his mouth was dry. Summoning his courage he forced himself not to tremble as he rose from his seated position. He decided he would run but not before he got a look at whatever it was that followed.

Feet hitting the floor in a sprint Cole pointed the flashlight behind him. He regretted his decision as soon as the light hit the figure standing in the hall. Someone or something in a black robe stood staring at him from behind a blood red mask. The woman's voice sent chills up and down his spine as her voice trailed in his wake, "Run, run Cole. I'll be coming for you soon."

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ORDER OF THE MIST: https://www.wattpad.com/story/52181907-order-of-the-mist-by-kelly-anne-blount-and/parts