Finding Midnight Read Online Free PDF Page A

self-conscious at first but I’ve
gotten used to it. I wave hello and goodbye every night. It’s
weird, but it’s kind of nice knowing she’s always there watching.
Like a crabby guardian angel.”
    Dr. Stuart laughed heartily as they headed
to the cottage to say their goodbyes.
    “I’d like to learn more about Ms. Midnight
and her family. It sounds as if they were an influential family at
one time.”
    “They were and in some areas, they, I mean,
she, still is. I’ll tell you about it sometime. Maybe Tori could
come and learn a little more about Ms. Midnight too,” Dr. Stuart
suggested.
    “Sounds like fun.”
    “Well, this old man is calling it a day. I’m
pooped.”
    “Thanks, Dr. Stuart, for all you’ve done. It
really was fun. I still can’t believe you got so many people to
help. It really went fast with all the extra hands,” Summer
said.
    “It did and you’re very welcome. I guess
I’ll be seeing you in the morning.”
    “Definitely and thanks again.”
    “You’re welcome, Summer—it was my pleasure.
Have a nice night,” he said as he got into his car.
    *****
    Summer sat in bed jotting down the details
Dr. Stuart revealed about witchy sounding names for plants and some
of the interesting facts he relayed during their talk in the
garden. When she grew tired, she set the binder on the night table
and turned off the light.
    It had been a busy day and sleep came
quickly, but a few hours into her blissful slumber, she awoke. She
assumed it was one of those dreams that happen occasionally when
you are quite sure you heard someone call your name or you jerk
awake when you are falling in a dream. She shrugged it off and
tried to fall back to sleep when she felt a presence nearby.
Immediately she thought of the first night she’d stayed in the
cottage and a shadow walked past the window. This, however, was
much more intense. The air around her felt thick as stifling panic
set in.
    She quietly got out of bed, making only a
hint of a squeak from the release of tension in the box spring. She
grabbed the baseball bat behind the nightstand. She’d found the bat
in amongst the tall weeds of the garden earlier that week. She
thought it would provide her with some protection—if needed.
    On tiptoes, she made her way to the sheer
curtains that covered the French doors of her bedroom to get a peek
outside. A floor board directly behind her creaked. She sucked in a
sharp breath as a large, cold, strong hand covered her mouth and
pulled her into the dark corner away from the window. She
struggled, tried to scream, but the steel-like body behind her was
not letting her move an inch. The arm around her waist was rock
hard, holding her still.
    A deep whispering male voice shushed her as
he raised the hand from her waist and, pointed to a shadow moving
across the French doors and the floor within her bedroom then
replaced the steel vice of a grip back at her waist. She blinked
her eyes in disbelief. It appeared to be folding a large pair of
wings into its large body as its horned head bobbed, presumably
looking and listening. When the head was out of view, a trailing
tail slunk by, looking as if it had eyes of its own, moving around
and observing the surroundings.
    When the shadow was gone from the window,
the man holding her lessened his death grip on her mouth allowing
her to take a much needed deep breath. He kept her there for a long
moment holding her firmly against his body. She guessed he was
waiting for the danger to be well away before he would let her
go.
    *****
    It seemed as though he held her for hours
when he finally released his iron grip on her.
    “What was that? And who are you?” Summer
lifted the bat she almost forgot she held.
    He raised his index finger to his lips,
suggesting she whisper, then sat on the bed and offered her a seat
next to him.
    She whispered, “Was that a dragon? Who are
you? How did you get in here? What’s going on?”
    Cool and collected, he tackled her questions
in short,