Read Marked (The Pack) for Free Online

all the way around the lake. You’ll go through a few people’s yard but as long as you’re respectful and don’t tear up their grass they won’t mind.”
    I nodded, following her finger as she pointed toward the path. This would definitely be my mode of transportation this summer.
    “I think you’ve got it now.” Louise patted me on the shoulder. “Take me to the house and you can keep riding.”
    When we stopped next to the house Aunt Louise slid off the four-wheeler. “Take it easy, no wild riding. I’d make you wear a helmet, but I know you’d only take it off the minute you get out of sight. If I find you’ve been driving this thing carelessly you’ll wear a helmet or quit riding it. And believe me, around here, when you do something wrong sooner or later I’ll be told.”
    I snapped my right hand to my forehead in a sharp military salute and grinned, choosing to ignore the ominous tone of Louise’s voice. “Yes, ma’am.”
    Louise shook her head, smiling wryly. “I want you in this yard before dark.”
    I frowned. “What is it with you and the dark thing? Do you think I’m afraid or that some creep’s going to get me?”
    Louise grabbed my upper arm and squeezed a bit tighter than was comfortable. “I don’t think you’re afraid, but you could hit a tree in the dark. And does anyone ever really know about creeps? Or have you forgotten someone was killed here recently?”
    She let go and I automatically rubbed my arm. Just when I thought Aunt Louise might be fun, she went all weird. Gunning the engine, I headed toward the trail that led to the lake, spewing gravel when I left the drive.
    The sun had nearly disappeared behind the trees before I noticed. The ATV whipped around the curves and even threw mud against a tree when I spun in circles in a puddle. I’d been having so much fun flying along the trail, I hadn’t noticed the time. The moon, almost a complete circle except for a tiny chunk missing, glowed in the sky. Trouble, spelled L-O-U-I-S-E, would be waiting for me when I got home.
    Whipping the ATV in the direction of Aunt Louise’s house, I pushed the gas and the engine died. Heat rose from the metal around my bare legs. I punched the start button and the engine rumbled, sputtered, then died. Adjusting my bottom on the seat, I wiped my sweaty palms on the hem of my T-shirt and punched the start button again.
    Behind me, a tree limb cracked and bushes rattled. Good, someone was coming. Hopefully, they’d be an ATV mechanic. When I turned, the trail was empty. To the left side lay the lake, nothing but thick trees and bushes were on the right. No one was on the path, though the long shadows made it hard to see anything clearly. Maybe that was a person, way at the end. It was hard to tell. It could be the shadow of a tree. No, the shadow appeared to move a bit, surely that was a person. I licked my dry lips, but my tongue didn’t have much moisture on it.
    The sheriff’s words about the woman being attacked echoed in my head. I took a deep breath.
    “Hey, can you help me. This thing won’t start.”
    Nothing moved and even the noisy crickets quieted. But what I thought was a person was now gone. The figure didn’t leave, but simply evaporated.
    “Must have been a shadow.” I said out loud to the dead air.
    My words echoed among the trees. I tried to take a deep breath, but that tight band was around my chest again and this time it wasn’t because of Aunt Louise watching me. My skin crawled and beads of cold sweat rolled from every pore. I felt as though I was waking up from one of my nightmares, only I wasn’t asleep. I jabbed the start button and, at last, the engine roared while the hair on my neck stood on end. I forced the machine forward, my ponytail streaking behind me in the wind. Suddenly, my head jerked backward and my rear rose inches off the seat from the force of whatever had hold of me. The only thing that kept me on the ATV was the death grip I had on the handle