Free Ties to the Blood Moon 2nd Edition by Robin P Waldrop

lessened and I finally started enjoying it.
    He had his arm looped tightly around my waist, and our bodies pressed close together. We went over one of those knot things on the zip line and it jarred the harness, startling me. Out of reflex my hand flew to his chest, and it was only minutes later that I realized his heart beat seemed faint and slow.
    “You’re heart’s beating so slow,” I said, smiling before moving my hand away. “Mine on the other hand is pounding so hard, people in the lower forty-eight can probably hear it,” I laughed, but then suddenly felt like I had done or said something wrong. I shifted uneasily and looked at William. His green eyes flitted over me, then quickly away again.
    He cleared his throat . “I’ve ridden these things like a thousand times,” he said, flatly.
    Just before we reached the end of the zip line, I looked down over the side and saw a shadow of someone in the trees below. At first I dismissed it thinking that I’d somehow seen our shadows.
    After our ride ended, we thanked our guide before we headed back down the same path we came in on earlier. I spun around when I heard a twig snap behind us. I turned so quickly it was like I’d heard it before it snapped, and I caught a glimpse before it disappeared that time.
    William didn’t turn around, but I knew he’d heard it too. “Come on.” He tightened his grip on my hand. “Don’t stop.”
    “Did you see it?” I asked, trailing behind him. I took two steps for every one of his, but was still having trouble keeping up.
    When we got to his car, he’d already pressed the unlock button on the remote. “Get in,” he said in a low deep voice that didn’t even sound like him. As soon as I was inside the car he slammed my door and I heard the locks engage. I turned around to see where he went and watched him disappear back into the woods where we’d just came out.
    Even though the sounds were muffled through the glass I still heard growling and snarling, along with sounds like breaking trees. “William,” I screamed, but he didn’t answer. Tears stood in my eyes.
    The snarling stopped, and an eerie silence filled the air. I held my breath, staring at the spot where I had last seen William before he’d gone into the woods.
     
    Chapter 12
     
    I let out a deep breath and sighed with relief when William stepped from behind the trees. Walking toward the car, he brushed dirt and dead leaves from his ripped up, bloody shirt. He looked at me and smiled crookedly when he leaned in to grab a fresh shirt from the back. He closed the door and opened the trunk. A few minutes later he climbed into the driver’s seat.
    “What happened out there?” I asked.
    He didn’t look at me, but he’s features stiffened. “It was a couple of guys from school. They were just trying to scare you.” He glanced in his mirrors as we drove away.
    I thought about what he said and wondered why he was lying to me. “Do you expect me to believe that? I was there, William. I saw the shadows and heard the snarls—”
    “Leave it alone, Gen,” he snapped, but I could tell he didn’t mean to. It didn’t make the hurt I felt any less, though.
    I wrapped my arms around myself and sank deeper into my seat. He reached over and tried to put his hand on mine, but I shrugged it off, repositioning myself so I was looking out my window. He cranked up Breaking Benjamin on the stereo, and drove entirely too fast all the way back to Haven.
    When we pulled into my driveway, he turned down the music then looked at me with apologetic eyes. “I’m sorry, Gen. Please don’t be mad.” I wasn’t facing him but could see him in my peripheral vision. He lowered his eyes and sighed heavily. “I … care about you,” he spoke softly, gently taking my hand in his. When I didn’t say anything he leaned over to my side of the car. “You’re being all quiet and sad now,” he whispered, causing a burning flush to fly over me.
    “Nah, I’m not mad, just