Tell her. Open your mouth, say the words. Simple, easy. She opened her mouth...but no sound emerged. Dang it! In the end, she shrugged and said, “How awesome would it be to go through a fast-cure drive-through to order a healing and a side of Hulk-smash strength?”

“Dude! Yes!”

As they lapsed into silence, a sinister presence seemed to awaken inside her mind and whisper, Forget healing and strength. Order the ability to kill with a glance.

Kill with a glance? What? Where had that come from?

Chills crept down Nola’s spine. For a moment, she felt like her body wasn’t her own and some previously unknown dark side had overtaken her. Who was she kidding? She’d never felt like her body belonged to her.

Reeling, she sank deeper into her seat and peered out the window. Mountains with rocky plateaus, a plethora of lush trees and a babbling brook. She could almost smell crisp pine and dew-kissed wildflowers. Unfortunately, the breathtaking view failed to calm her.

—Find me, princess. I need you.—

Mmm, his voice. So sexy! But dang it! He was a figment of her imagination and the source of her predicament. Why did he calm her?

Soon, she and Vale would reach their destination and go on the hike. Nola would look for GG. Once she’d proven he wasn’t real, she could finally lay him to rest and move on with her life.

And sob.

THE HIKE DIDN’T go as planned.

Nola and Vale stood in a picturesque valley, taking pictures. Their guide remained nearby. So far, there’d been no sign of GG. Of course.

Suddenly, a sense of weightlessness hit her, the world going dark. She blinked, and light came back. Only, their little threesome wasn’t in the valley anymore. They were in a wasteland, surrounded by a sea of snow, fierce winds howling.

“What just happened?” Nola had to shout to be heard.

“I don’t know,” Vale shouted back, her voice tinged with fear.

Their guide raced around, frantic, shrieking in Russian.

Though Nola wore a fleece jacket, hat and gloves, hiking pants and trekking boots, the frigid temperature chilled her to the bone. “Look!” She pointed to a spot up ahead. “Footprints.” Help could be nearby.

They followed those footprints to a small cabin, with an already lit hearth. Thank goodness! Heat!

Once they got inside, the guide stole a coat and boots and went out to check the perimeter for signs of life.

As warmth washed over her, Nola sank to her knees, overcome by relief. But where was the owner?

I could really use your help, GG.

“My phone is dead.” Vale plopped down beside her. “How about yours?”

“Dead.”

“Crap! We forgot to bring a charger. No worries, though. The guide will come back with the cabin’s owner, and all will be well.”

But fourteen worry-filled days passed, and neither the guide nor the owner ever came back.