Page 7 of Infernal Secrets

Eyes as black as coal, devoid of any humanity, stared right through me—no sign of their earlier blue. His head stayed still, but his face blurred. It twisted and distorted, flickering between his normal features and a grotesque mask, skin melting and reforming unnaturally.

The other man kept talking, oblivious.

It took everything in me not to scream as those vacant eyes ensnared me.

A car alarm pierced the quiet morning, stealing my attention for a split second—long enough to break the spell. When I turned back to the pair, the distorted man wasn’t looking at me. His face appeared normal again, and he laughed at something the other man said before he noticed me staring.

My pulse thudded in my ears.

He smiled. The eerie horror from moments before was gone.

I swallowed hard.

It’s not real.

I turned away, walking at a brisk pace, Max at my side. I tried to convince myself I’d imagined it, but the tightness in my chest and the chill on my skin said otherwise.

After a lap around the neighborhood, I took Max home and hurried next door to shower.

I tried not to think about the man’s face as I dressed and slid on a pair of tall brown boots I didn’t mind getting wet when it started raining later, but the image lingered at the edge of my consciousness—along with all the others I couldn’t run from.

I met Maya outside at the sound of her horn.

She smiled. “Thirsty?”

“You’re the best.” I took the offered iced coffee and sipped. “I didn’t have time to make anything.”

Maya blew out a harsh breath and pulled away from the curb. “Shane called me last night.”

I groaned. “What now?”

“Remember that emo dude who asked for your number a couple days ago?”

My brows furrowed. “Sort of? What about him?”

“Shane asked about your relationship with the guy.”

I choked on my drink. “Excuse me?”

“He grilled me about whether y’all are dating—wanted names, details, everything.”

“God, he’s so creepy.”

She laughed, turning into the mall’s parking lot. “You should report him to Diane.”

When our old manager moved across the country without notice, Behind the Moon’s owner, Diane, surprised us by announcing her neighbor Shane would take over the position.

“You know she’ll take his side. They’ve been neighbors for years. I’ve only been here six months.”

Maya turned in her seat once she parked. “But this isn’t the first time he’s done this. He’s not gonna take the hint.”

“I can handle him. He’s harmless.”

Cheerful pop music played overhead as we passed shoppers in the mall. But as we approached the storefront, shouting rose above the music and quickened my steps.

Inside the dimly lit boutique, we slipped through the maze of clothing racks toward the register at the center of the store where Trudy stood with wide eyes.

I groaned at the sight of an older woman in a designer pantsuit, smacking the glass case around the register.