Page 2 of Twisted Solstice

“Uh, thanks.” I coughed when the puff of smoke billowed toward me. “I need to go now. My friends are waiting.” I point in the direction of the cafe.

“Yeah, I know. I’m here to go with you. As protection,” he said. “My name is, well... You can call me, Kael.”

I cock a brow while heading for the door to the establishment. “Kael?” I laugh. “I know who you are.”

He pops a brow and gives me that sinful smile again. “You do, huh?”

“Duh, yeah.”

He winks at me, and I swear my ovaries sighed. “Well, do you know how I got my name?”

I shook my head.

“My parents were all about the strange and unusual. When they saw Kael, it was like kismet.”

“Oh.” I stared at his clothes. Between the suspenders, shirt and black pants, he could be from any time period too. Except for the fact he’s wearing black Doc Martins. I caught kind of a ‘90’s grunge thing crossed with like an Elvis Costello Ska vibe. It totally worked for him.

“Yep. I’m twenty-two or was.” He shrugs.

I nod, raising my hand to greet my friends. “Can you be seen?”

“Yes. If I want people to see me. You don’t look weird if you’re worried about it.” He laughed, flicking his smoke onto the sidewalk before stepping into the cafe behind me.

Thank fuck for small favors. I rolled my eyes. “You’re a peach.”

Kael shrugged.

I waved at my teammates, and Paul and Felix gave me a weird look, then cast their gazes to my companion as we approached. “Guys this is Kael. I thought for this investigation we should have another set of hands on-site, just in case.”

Kael waved at them then sat. "I’d turn back if I were you.”

Paul gave a nervous chuckle before clearing his throat. “You’re not the first person who’s said such.”

“I think I got it three times today,” Felix added. “People are really freaked out about Turnbull Canyon.”

“It’s alive,” I said. “According to everyone and everything I’ve read.”

“Everything they say is true. Even the things no one can prove.” Kael turned to me. “You know it’s the solstice, right? What it symbolizes for some.”

The shortest day of the year. Yep, I knew. "Yes, it's why I chose today to do this."

“I don’t think you do. Simone, it’s a night for human sacrifices.” Kael stared at me and I swear I could see the stars—universes, gliding through the blue of his irises.

Paul leaned forward. “Human sacrifices?”

Kael folds his hands on the table. “Satanic worship. Tell me you all know the urban legends for the canyon.”

I mean... Of course, we did. Duh. It’s why we were going up there. “If you only mean to freak us out, it won’t work.”

“Not at all,” he replied. “However, you should know the canyon will be supernaturally charged tonight. Like during Halloween, the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest on this day.”

“Even better,” Felix muttered, swallowing hard. “If we’re going to prove Simone’s theory, shouldn’t we be there at the peak of activity? Who are you again?”

Kael sits back. “A friend of Simone’s.” He glances at me before pulling the box of cigarettes from his pocket. Then, as if he remembered, he put it back. “I don’t give a rats ass if you go up there, but it’s risky.”

“Thanks for the concern,” Paul said. “We’ll be fine.”

“They all say that.” Kael shrugged.

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