Page 10 of Devil's Night

Now, we were trapped in this crumbling, insignificant backwater, our fates bound to the whims of forces beyond our comprehension. The injustice of it burned like acid in my gut.

Nicole sighed, straightening from her crouch with empty hands. “I don’t think it’s here. Maybe we should-”

Her words cut off as the room around us wavered, the edges bleeding into indistinct smears of color. A tremor ran through the floorboards, nearly toppling her. I caught her elbow to steady her, the heat of her skin searing my palm.

“What’s happening?” she whimpered, alarm flickering across her features.

“Maybe Doar’s experiment isn’t as stable as he thinks,” I growled.

Another violent quake rocked the space, picture frames and knickknacks clattering from shelves. Plaster rained down in chalky clouds as cracks snaked across the ceiling. Nicole cried out, clutching my arm in a grip as unyielding as a durasteel vise.

Then, as abruptly as it began, the tremors ceased. The dust settled in eerie stillness.

My hearts pounded in my ears as I drank in her scent - warm and vital, tinged with the acrid bite of fear. She stared up at me, lips parted in silent shock.

Suddenly, the urge to reassure her, to soothe the rabbit-quick flutter of her pulse overwhelmed me. I wanted to pull her into my embrace, let her feel the solidity of my form, the strength that could shield her from any threat.

Instead, I gently extricated myself from her grasp, my fingertips lingering against her skin for a beat too long.

“We should go,” I rasped, forcing my tone to remain level. “There’s no need to stay here.”

Nicole nodded mutely, expression unreadable. With a final glance around the ravaged kitchen, we turned and continued our search through the ever-shifting labyrinth.

I struggled to contain my irritation as Nicole’s scent wafted around me, light and floral yet carrying an underlying richness that stirred unfamiliar yearnings. Attachments were a liability I could ill afford, especially in our precarious situation.

I was Khor Sargon of the Vinduthi, a relentless hunter beholden to no one. Yet this slight human provoked reactions in me that bordered on distraction. Unacceptable.

Forcing my gaze away from the sweet soft spot where her neck met her shoulder, I asked gruffly, “What were you doingin this place to begin with? Seems an odd locale for one of your kind.”

Nicole blinked, her hazel eyes refocusing as she processed my question. A rueful smile twisted her lips. “I’m a journalist, I guess you could say. Though these days, that’s just a fancy term for blogger.”

She let out a self-deprecating chuckle that sparked an unexpected warmth in my chest. “I’m interested in paranormal research, all the weird and unexplained stuff. I’d been looking into some of the most haunted places around Detroit, and this old mansion always made the lists. Supposedly it only became active on Devil’s Night, though.”

I furrowed my brow ridge. “Devil’s Night?” The human turn of phrase eluded me.

“Oh, right, you wouldn’t know about that.” Nicole pushed back her hair. “It’s the night before Halloween - a human holiday. There’s this dumb tradition among the youth in Detroit of pulling pranks and starting fires. Sort of a warm-up for the real night of spooky stuff.”

She shrugged. “I’d heard rumors this place would light up with ghost sightings and EVP recordings on that one night every year. Thought it would make for an interesting blog piece.”

“Ghosts “ I muttered at the human superstition with a derisive snort. “I suspect it wouldn’t be the first time your species attributed unexplained phenomena to the supernatural rather than advanced technology beyond their comprehension.”

Nicole’s cheeks flushed, but she lifted her chin defiantly. “Well, excuse me for not having intimate knowledge of alien science from across the galaxy. Next time I’ll just--”

The words died on her lips as my rumbling laughter filled the space. She gaped at me, caught off guard by the unexpected reaction. In truth, I surprised myself - it had been decades sinceI last allowed my amusement to show so openly. Her indignant sputtering proved endearing.

“Forgive me,” I managed once my chuckles subsided. “I meant no insult. Your vibrance and insatiable curiosity can be refreshing at times.”

Nicole’s blush deepened, but the ghost of a smile played about her lips. “If you say so, Sargon.”

“This paranormal research,” I said, arching a brow ridge. “It seems a dangerous pastime for one as soft and ill-equipped as yourself. Does your family not worry for your safety?”

Her expression clouded, that spark of humor extinguished as quickly as it had flared. She averted her gaze, suddenly finding great interest in studying the tattered remnants of wallpaper.

“It’s usually not dangerous at all. Nothing like this, at any rate.” Her tone turned pensive. “As for family…I don’t have any. Not anymore.”

A muscle twitched in her jaw as she swallowed hard. “My parents died when I was just a kid. A car accident “ She trailed off, leaving the rest unspoken.

My throat constricted at the naked sorrow swimming in those hazel depths. A strange ache blossomed within me, one I couldn’t readily identify. All at once, I felt an overwhelming urge to reach out, to offer some small comfort against the loneliness that so clearly haunted her.

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