Haunting-Adeline
He stares at the pain ng with pride as if he painted it himself.“Yes,” I murmur, before turning away. I’m not going to stand there andinterpret art as if I'm not standing in a museum of depraved pain ngs. Oneglance around shows the other pain ngs are carved in subtle morbidity.I shake hands with a few people I recognize from Savior's and Pearl.Minutes later, Daniel has us all join him in the dining room, the twentyfoot-longtable set for at least twenty people.It’s not a normal set up. There are crystal glasses, white plates and a forkand knife set on a thick plas c covering. The en re middle of the table iscompletely empty. Normally, flowers and decora ons will take up space inthe middle to add a taste of class to dinners.I keep my face blank, despite my heart thudding heavily beneath myribcage.“Take a seat next to me, Zack, please,” Daniel insists, poin ng towardsthe chair to the right of him. Of course, he sits at the head of the table,smiling at his guests like a king.He leans over and mu ers to me, “I’m very excited for you to seetonight’s entrée.”I smile, and even I can feel how ice cold it is. “What would that be?” Iask.“Well, we wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise, now would we?” Dandeflects before turning his a en on to the guest on his le side.I stay silent, instead observing the guests seated around me. Everyonelooks to be at complete ease, talking amongst each other, laughing, andsmiling.As if it’s just another day, si ng at a dinner table and wai ng for a youngchild to be served.There are three exit points in the dining room. One leads into thekitchen, where there’s a back sliding door. The second leads down ahallway towards the game room and deeper into the house. The third leadsback towards the front door.I imagine the girl is in the kitchen. I don’t know if she’s already dead or ifthis will be like their rituals in the dungeon.My ques on is answered five minutes later when the kitchen dooropens, and an older man walks in, hand in hand with a li le girl no olderthan six.
Her brown eyes are wide with terror, looking upon the table like everyboogieman in her nightmares has come to life.The monsters inside her dreams were only there to show her what theylook like on the inside.“Ladies and gentlemen. Dinner is served.”
- Page 378 and 379: from every spot that our skin clash
- Page 380 and 381: so flesh digging into my teeth prod
- Page 382 and 383: My lip wobbles, and all of the figh
- Page 384 and 385: beneath his lashing tongue.My back
- Page 386 and 387: delivers a sharp slap straight on m
- Page 388 and 389: I’m readying to ask… I don’t
- Page 390 and 391: it’s only grown with the weight o
- Page 392 and 393: connected lips. Without thought, I
- Page 394 and 395: My eyes roll as his tongue laps up
- Page 396 and 397: With this new angle, he hits that p
- Page 399 and 400: Chapter 35The Shadowhe’s nervous.
- Page 401 and 402: This me I do smile, and the dila on
- Page 403 and 404: her world, and she’s grasping for
- Page 405 and 406: my jaw and trying to regain the com
- Page 407 and 408: here.But I know we’re both incred
- Page 409 and 410: I laugh, catching Daya by her arm b
- Page 411 and 412: Chapter 36The Manipulatorlook down
- Page 413 and 414: “But knowing that Z is your stalk
- Page 415 and 416: along with a weathered note.Daya an
- Page 417 and 418: The man has his hand res ng high up
- Page 419 and 420: I bounce the beam of light around i
- Page 422 and 423: Chapter 37The Shadowhere’s nothin
- Page 424 and 425: My head spins as I try to figure ou
- Page 426 and 427: My tone suggests that Jay keep his
- Page 430 and 431: Chapter 38The Manipulatorll the inf
- Page 432 and 433: Daya whips around, grabbing the bo
- Page 434 and 435: I nod, a frown marring my features.
- Page 436 and 437: impossible. Especially when he arch
- Page 438 and 439: Chapter 39The Shadowou eat meat raw
- Page 440 and 441: from my angle, but I don’t need t
- Page 442 and 443: The cool air is a balm to my heated
- Page 444 and 445: I laugh quietly, even as he jerks b
- Page 446 and 447: Her eyes flu er, and I watch as she
- Page 448 and 449: “Addie,” I snarl through clench
- Page 450 and 451: And then I’m driving into her ght
- Page 452 and 453: I li my hand, gently swiping a lock
- Page 454 and 455: I walk directly into the main area,
- Page 456 and 457: The whiskey in my stomach sours.Swa
- Page 458 and 459: approach the altar.I stare at the l
- Page 460 and 461: That was the trigger. The en re roo
- Page 462 and 463: “Zade, dude, are you okay?” Pan
- Page 464 and 465: Surprisingly, Mom doesn't have a sn
- Page 466 and 467: My phone buzzes again, aler ng me t
- Page 468: scream, pain lancing down my neck a
- Page 471 and 472: For My ReadersWhatever this book ma
- Page 473 and 474: AcknowledgmentsI feel like I have s
- Page 475: About The AuthorH. D. Carlton grew
Her brown eyes are wide with terror, looking upon the table like every
boogieman in her nightmares has come to life.
The monsters inside her dreams were only there to show her what they
look like on the inside.
“Ladies and gentlemen. Dinner is served.”
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