Entry #6: Not a Moment to Spare

Ormond's fingers bit into the soft flesh of Eustacia's arms as he yanked her hard against him. His lips were a mere inch away, his breath as ragged as hers. Their gazes locked in battle, hers challenging, his damning. Oh, God, if only he would just kiss her-

Wham! went the front door, as unexpected as a fire detector would have been in Hades.

"Slit my nose nostrils if I'm wrong, but I could have sworn you agreed to join the living tonight," a voice said imperiously as the paperback book Shannon had been reading fell to the floor with a thunk, the pages flapping.

"Ow," whispered the affronted door. Spitefully, it expanded itself, knowing it would make their exit a struggle.

Spread-eagled with fright in the over-stuffed chair she'd named Raven, Shannon stared at her intruders in slack-jawed astonishment. Wearing a form-fitting black pants suit and a scowl outlined in scarlet, Olivia stood looking like she was going to untie the chiffon scarf at her neck and yank it around Shannon's. Brett was wearing a pink shirt and more eyeliner than usual, which made her glare seem all the more fierce.

"How rude," it huffed.

"Hush," Shannon said to the chair. Then she gasped. "Oh! It's tonight, isn't it?"

"It's in thirty minutes," she was corrected with emphasis.

"Don't leave us. You can't leave us now."

She groaned. "I don't think I have a choice."

A perfectly manicured hand pointed at Raven's leg. "Is that an open container of sour cream cheese icing?"

Shannon lunged for the container. Ormond had just learned of Eustacia's perfidy during the last spoonful. "Hey," she said to the vegan fitness guru. "I'm going to die some day anyway."

"Yes, years before your time. So get up. There's not a moment you can spare."