The sound didn’t come from the wind or the shifting snow. It was a low, vibrating rumble that seemed to rise from the very earth of Betty’s boots.
She stiffened, her breath hitching as her body went into a state of total paralysis. Grayson’s hand, which had been firm on her arm, suddenly shifted. He pulled her flush against his chest, his arm wrapping around her shoulders like a steel band.
"Stay behind me," he commanded, his voice barely a whisper. "Don't move, and don't make a sound."
"Grayson," she breathed, her fingers clutching the heavy wool of his sweater. Her eyes darted toward the edge of the clearing, where the sunlight failed to penetrate the dense pines. "What is that? What’s making that noise?"
He didn't answer. He didn't have to.
From the darkness of the trees, they emer
