She jerked upright, her eyes wide, every nerve in her body screaming to run, but her limbs wouldn't obey.
"Who…" she tried, but her voice came out as a weak rasp. She swallowed and tried again. "Who is there?"
No answer.
The weight in the air pressed down harder. Her legs gave way, buckling. She collapsed to her knees. The ground felt distant, her senses beginning to detach. Her heart raced, thundering in her ears.
She tried to turn her head, just enough to see, just enough to face whoever or whatever had found her. But it was too late. Darkness crept in from the corners of her vision, swallowing her surroundings.
Then the world went black.
*****
The moment Kade stepped into the house with Adelita nestled in his arms, the energy in the room exploded. Nelly, already halfway across the living room with a bottle of wine in one hand and a glass in the other, dropped both clumsily on the table.
