No Exit by Taylor Adams 2

She glanced from Ashley, to Ed, to Ed’s wife, scanning
the room front to back, her heart seizing with slippery terror.
Where else could—
Then she felt a warm breath touch the back of her neck.
Someone was standing behind her.
“Jack of clubs.”
“Go fish.”
Darby stood still, hairs prickling on her skin. A chill
racing down her spine. She wanted to turn around, but she
couldn’t. Her body wouldn’t move.
He’s right behind me.
He was breathing down the back of her neck. A mouthy
waft, lifting her hair, tickling her bare skin. Gently whistling
past her ear. Somehow she already knew this fourth traveler
was a man — women just didn’t breathe like that. He was
standing less than eighteen inches behind her. Close enough to
touch her back, or reach around her throat and put his fingers
around her windpipe.
She wished she could turn around and face this fourth
person, whoever he was, but the moment felt strange, floaty.
Like trying to throw a punch in a nightmare.
Turn around, she urged herself. Turn around now.
In front of her, the card game continued: “Queen of
hearts?”
“Ah! Here you go.”
“Nine of diamonds?”
“Nope.”
Behind her, the breathing halted for a few seconds — long
enough that she briefly hoped she’d been imagining it, all of it
— and then it sucked in a heavier gulp. Mouth-breathing.
Standing there in rigid silence, Darby realized she’d done it
again. She’d entered the room without checking the corner on
her left.