Grim Echoes

Chapter 80 - Maeve

Maeve and Will walked the perimeter of the yard before they headed toward the collapsing outbuildings at the back of the property. Will's handheld equipment lit up occasionally, but didn't satisfy whatever he searched for. He'd stop randomly and just listen. Not sure what he heard. She couldn't hear anything. He paused, held out his arm, and stopped her.

A deer appeared out of darkness across the yard. It stared at them, unmoving. How had he heard a deer over sixty feet away? It stood just outside the tree line that bordered both sides and rear of the property, giving the bed-and-breakfast a vast private back yard. The deer was lovely, she'd never seen one so close. Something about Will's posture seemed off.

She pulled her eyes from the deer and tilted her head. Like she'd been. He appeared captivated by the deer, but his expression wasn't one of awe. It was predatory. His eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted in a feral snarl. What was wrong with his posture? He wasn't standing upright anymore, not exactly crouched, but he was in mid-hunch. Was he stalking the deer? With bared teeth, a strange, low, guttural sound emerged from him that reminded her of a growl.

"Will?" she whispered, hesitant to touch him.

The noise stopped. He cocked his head enough to see her in his peripheral. The sneer on his face startled her. Needed to run away. She backed up and nearly lost her footing. His head snapped back to the deer, but the doe was gone. Maeve's hand went to her necklace and twisted it. She wanted to leave, but forced herself to stay.

Will told her Ander had problems maintaining his grip on reality, but the few times she'd thought Ander spaced out weren't like this. Ander never made her afraid. Will scared her. When she'd said his name, he'd recognized it but didn't recognize her. He wouldn't hurt her. Maybe it related to his PTSD that he didn't know he had. Needed to connect with him, remind him who she was.

"Will." she stepped toward him.

He spun and grabbed her before she could utter another word and slammed her against him before he buried his face in her hair. Maeve wanted to say something, but he'd knocked the wind out of her. He still made a low, guttural sound, but it was less menacing. Had he just smelled her hair?

"Will I,"

He yanked her head back by her hair and exposed her neck. Moonlight behind him casted an eerie light on his deep-set eyes and wide teeth filled grin. His grey eyes twinkled with something she couldn't place. It wasn't mirth, but she felt like he played with her. Still holding her head back, he leaned over, sniffed up her neck to her ear before he bit her earlobe. She jumped. He chuckled, but it didn't sound like him, or rather, it sounded like a distorted version of his laugh.

"Will stop it. I don't know why you're acting like this but,"

He laughed louder and yanked her head to the side. His other hand ran down her back until he cupped her ass. "You do not want me to stop. I can smell your desire." he bit her ear again. His voice was all wrong. Deeper, rough, and the cadence was too slow.

Conflicted, frustrated, exposed, and scared for him, Maeve had the distinct impression she wasn't talking to Will anymore. He licked her neck from the base, all the way to her ear. She changed tactics and forced herself to relax her stiff posture, leaned into him. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to feel the want she'd pushed back as long as she'd known him. She pressed her hips against his. He grunted with pleasure.

"Will," she breathed.

Quite sudden he released her. No time to react before her back hit the ground with a thud. Her eyes flicked open as she smacked the grass and saw Will above her with a surprised expression. His hands shot out to grab her, but for once he'd reacted too slow.