Page 6 of Devil's Embrace
"I'm a unicorn," she replied, more confidently than she'd spoken to any stranger all night.Progress.
"Cool.I'm a vampire.See my teeth?"He bared his plastic fangs.
I smiled at their interaction, momentarily distracted from my unease.This was what Halloween should be—innocent conversations about costumes and the excitement of collecting candy.
When our turn came, the woman at the door exclaimed over Mina's costume and dropped several full-sized chocolate bars into her bucket.Mina's "Thank you" was clear and cheerful.
"You're very welcome.Happy Halloween!"The woman smiled at her.
As we walked back to the sidewalk, I scanned the crowds more carefully.Princesses and pirates, witches and wizards—all harmless, all part of the Halloween fun.But I couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—dangerous had been nearby.
"Can we go to one more house, Mama?Please?"Mina pointed to a nearby home with a friendly-looking ghost display.
"Last one."I checked my watch again."Then we need to head home."
She nodded solemnly, then yawned again.Despite her protests, I could see fatigue setting in.Her unicorn hood had slipped slightly, revealing her blonde hair.I adjusted it gently, making sure the horn stood straight.
As we approached the ghost house, I cast one final glance over my shoulder.The main street swarmed with families, and the side street disappeared from view.Whatever—whoever—had triggered my internal alarm was gone, at least for now.
"Trick or treat!"Mina called as the door opened, her voice stronger than it had been at the beginning of the evening.
I watched her interact with the homeowner, pride swelling in my chest.My brave girl, growing more confident with each house.I'd given her this night of magic despite our limited means, despite being on our own.
The weight of constant vigilance never fully lifted from my shoulders—tonight's unexplained unease was proof of that—but moments like this made it bearable.Mina's joy was worth every sacrifice, every extra shift at work, every night I spent worrying about our future.
As she skipped back to me, candy added to her already full bucket, I pushed away thoughts of shadowy figures and unseen dangers.Tonight was about unicorns and candy, not about the constant fears that haunted my reality as a single mother.
"Ready to go home, sweet pea?"I took her hand once more.
"I guess so."She smiled up at me, her blue eyes shining in the glow of the Halloween lights."This was the best Halloween ever, Mama."
"It sure was, baby."I led her away from the ghost house, away from the strange chill I'd felt earlier."The best ever."
I didn't know then how close we'd come to crossing paths with real danger—not the pretend kind that populated Halloween decorations, but the kind that moved in shadows and carried real weapons.All I knew was that my instincts had told me to protect my child, and I had listened.
Some monsters walked without costumes, no plastic or fake blood to hide what they were.Some wore expensive coats and moved through the world unseen until it was too late.Tonight, we'd been lucky.My unicorn and I had stuck to the light, and whatever lurked in the darkness had remained there.
Chapter Three
Emory
I clutched Mina's small hand in mine as we turned into the alley, my decision to take a shortcut suddenly feeling like a terrible mistake.The sounds of Halloween revelry faded behind us, replaced by the eerie echo of our footsteps on the wet pavement.My flashlight cast long, shifting shadows, and I felt Mina press closer to my side, her purple unicorn costume almost glowing in the darkness.
"Mama, I'm tired."
"I know, sweet pea.We're taking a shortcut home.Just a few more minutes."My nerves were fraying.The alley had seemed like a practical choice—cutting through instead of walking three extra blocks with an exhausted five-year-old.Now, with only my cheap flashlight illuminating our path, the decision felt reckless.
My grip tightened on Mina's hand as we navigated around a puddle that reflected the sliver of moon above.In the distance, I could still hear the occasional scream of delight from trick-or-treaters, the bass ofMonster Mashthumping from someone's Halloween party.But here, the silence pressed against us, broken only by the drip of water from a leaky gutter and our own cautious footsteps.
"Is this the way to our house?"Her unicorn horn tilted as she looked up at me.
"It is.Just a different way."I forced a smile I didn't feel.
I swept my flashlight beam ahead, trying to map our path through the occasional dumpster and stack of pallets.The light caught something—a movement where there should be none.I froze, my heart instantly hammering against my ribs.
A tall figure stood about thirty feet ahead, his back to us.He was bent slightly over something on the ground.Something that moved, just barely.
"Stop, Mina."My free hand automatically reached back to pull her behind me.The flashlight beam wavered as my hand trembled, but I couldn't look away from the scene before us.
