Frantic, crashing sounds tore through the pre-dawn quiet of the cabin.
Kade was on his feet before the first scream fully faded, his Glock in his hand. His body was coiled, every sense on high alert, his cop-brain instantly mapping the cabin's defensible positions. "Get away from the windows," he commanded, his voice a low, authoritative rumble that brooked no argument.
Marissa felt cold fear seize her. She scrambled off the couch, pressing her back against the stone fireplace. Marissa clutched Dane's arm, her face pale.
The crashing grew louder, accompanied by ragged, sobbing breaths. Two figures, silhouetted against the slowly lightening grey of the forest, stumbled into the clearing. A boy and a girl, teenagers, their faces masks of sheer terror.
"Help us! Please, oh God, please help us!" the boy screamed, slamming his palms against the heavy wooden door. The girl behind him was hyperventilating, her eyes wide and unseeing, her clothes smeared with something dark and wet.
