Page 29 of Virgil's Demons

"She's a pretty thing," another voice called, low and gruff. "You lost, sweetheart?"

I didn't respond, keeping my head down, and focusing on finding the one man who mattered in this place. I forced my feet to move forward, heart pounding in my chest. My mind whirled, each step slower than the last. The Black Pagan loomed ahead of me, the faint glow of skulls and pumpkins dangling from strings of lights outside. It looked like a Halloween fever dream, the decorations casting eerie shadows on the brick walls of the bar, orange and red lights flickering above.

My mouth was dry as I reached the door, my pulse echoing in my ears. The warmth inside hit me like a wall, the smell of spilled beer and something fried settled in the air.

I paused for a moment, my eyes adjusting to the dim lighting as I scanned the space. The place was packed, voices were boastful here, a chaotic mix of laughter, curses, and rock music blaring from old speakers nailed to the ceiling. The bar counter was lined with bottles, with skull-shaped candles flickering beside them. Fake cobwebs clung to every corner, and pumpkins lined the edges of the room.

I suddenly spotted a familiar face, Sol, leaning against the far wall, a smirk pulling at her lips. She was dressed in a Mad Hatter costume, her makeup done perfectly. I recognized the man beside her as Brim, her husband.

Sol pushed off the wall as I approached, shoving Brim aside. "Oh my God, Barythaya! You came here alone?"

"Not exactly," I shrugged. "I was invited."

"You look like you're about to crawl out of your skin. Are you okay? Nobody did anything to you, did they? Cause I'll go out there..."

"No, it's okay," I lied, my voice unconvincing. "I'm just...not used to this."

Her eyes softened as she tilted her head, assessing me. "Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"I was actually looking for Virgil," I shouted over the music. That caught Brim's attention.

"I saw him out back," he told Sol."

She nodded and gave him a quick kiss before grabbing onto my arm. "Come on, I'll take you to him."

I nodded, relief washing over me despite the nagging pit in my stomach. Together, we made our way out the back door and onto a narrow path leading into the forest. The trail was dimly lit with jack-o'-lanterns, their faces twisted in all sorts of eerie expressions. Spiderwebs clung to the tree branches, and fake skeletons were scattered across the path. On one side, there was a large maze built out of wooden boards, black lights illuminating the entrance. I could hear screams from inside, the kind that might've been from either genuine terror or sheer fun—I couldn't tell.

"It's a good turnout," I said, seeing that there were more people here than I expected. Including families, bikers, and locals I'd seen before.

"Oh, isn't it great? I think the entire town came out for this. I never expected it to be so big."

She looked ecstatic but none of it felt real. Everything was coated in a layer of unease, like the decorations were hiding something darker underneath.

My throat tightened as we neared the back of the property. I was more on edge than I wanted to admit, scanning the faces in the crowd, searching for him. The weight of the forest pressed down on me, the shadows stretching between the trees, dancing in time with the flickering lanterns.

"There he is," Sol said, gesturing ahead with her chin. My heart stuttered in my chest.

Virgil was leaning against a tree, assessing the crowd with a beer in hand. His eyes locked on me the second I saw him. They grew dark, smoldering, and completely unreadable. Hispresence was magnetic, pulling me in even though I tried to resist.

I watched his large frame approach and my body reacted instantly, heat pooling between my thighs.

"Hey." His voice was low, a deep rumble that sent shivers through me.

"Hi," I whispered, dropping my eyes to the ground shyly.

Sol stirred beside me and she patted my arm. "Well then, if you need me I'll be around. Treat her right, Chaplain. And see if you can manage a smile every once in a while."

He grunted and I smiled at her as she walked away.

"You manage to get here okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," I managed, trying to steady my breath. "It was easy."

He handed me one of the beers, his fingers brushing mine—just a small touch, but it ignited something. His eyes lingered on mine, heavy with something unspoken.

"You look…" he trailed off, taking a slow sip of his drink, eyes dragging over my body. "Dangerous."

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way my skin prickled under his gaze. The voices inside my head stirred, whispering dark things in my ear, urging me to drag Virgil into the shadows and lose myself in him.

---