Esme slowly pushed herself to her feet, her breath uneven as her heart pounded against her ribs.
The demon withdrew its hand from the bed's surface, leaving behind deep, jagged punctures where its clawed hand struck. The sight of it made Esme's stomach twist, as the thought of what would have happened if she had been a second slower made her shiver at the horrible image.
Should she scream? Call for help?
Apparently, this was only the beginning since she had an actual demon in her chamber.
But how did it get in? She remembered she had locked every window and barred every door before she even opened the book. Hadn't she?
In the midst of her thoughts, a low, guttural voice snapped her out of it.
