“Else you'll be sleeping in the same bed that sick bastard did."

"Its new." Emma suppressed a smile.

"And I read the article it was your room they all died in." she winked at him.

"Sweet dreams tonight."

“You're funny." Eric grumbled while she got out of the car.

Emma stretched her arms over her head, and moved side to side, cracking her back. Eric had driven most of yesterday, but she'd been behind the wheel the last seven hours. She reached back into the car to grab her purse and when she closed the door saw Eric already heading for the house.

“Hey, wait up!"

Eric turned and shook his head.

“Let me go in first, the door being open bothers me."

"Seriously?" She raised her eyebrows.

“Taking this cursed thing a little too far."

"No, mom. We're in the sticks and sick pricks can be anywhere. You don't know that woman's the one if the house. I'll go first."

He was completely serious and turned back to the house. He was several feet ahead of her and Emma ran to catch up with him, wincing as the flip flops she had driven in her ended up getting rocks in them.

She caught him at the top step of the porch.

"She's never seen you, let me go first or she'll think you're the creeper."

"No." He looked over his shoulder at her.

"Dad said look out for you and I take that seriously. Just give me a sec to walk in and see if anyone's here."

Emma was touched and put her hand on his arm.

“You my man of the house?"

"Have been since dad got sick," he told her.

“As much as your stubborn ass lets me anyway. And until you decide to find someone."

"Let's not discuss that again."

"I'm in no hurry for that," Eric shook his head.

"But someday you will and it's my job to make sure he's not a dick." He turned back to the house.

“Like the guys that lived here. Fucking weird, three assholes lived here the last few years."