⊹ Book 2 of the Aldergrove Duology ⊹
{ONC 2023 Shortlister}
Desperate to see his dead mate again, Sebastien makes a deal with the Devil. But the price he has to pay is much more complicated than simply handing over his soul.
...
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⤠ ≻ ◈ ≺ ⤟
Sebastien watched Caleb like a hawk. The blonde human scurried around his messy apartment like a rabbit looking for somewhere to hide. He snatched a notebook, a small leather satchel, and a white medical kit. Then, he took one last look around and made his way over to the door.
"Okay, this is everything," he said, looking at Sebastien.
Relieved that this hadn't taken very long at all, Sebastien nodded and pulled the door open. "Let's go."
They left his apartment and headed back down onto the street.
"So, I've never seen you around before," Caleb said as Sebastien led the way to his car. "Since we're gonna be working together, I think you should probably tell me your name."
He ignored him. Once they got to his car, he unlocked it and opened the door. Caleb hurried around to the other side while he got in, and once the little human was in, too, Sebastien leaned behind and put the books on the back seats. Then, he started the engine.
"Hello?" Caleb drawled as he rested his things in his lap.
Sebastien side-eyed him. "Literally, I'm about to gag you and throw you in the trunk."
Caleb pouted. "Sorry. Just trying to get to know you."
"Well, don't," he grumbled, pulling away from the kerb.
"Fine. Where are we going?"
"Alder Estate. My boss had a guy looking into something there. We think it might be where this sickness started."
"Oh, because of the raccoon?"
"No, because some guy called Viktor Wood who worked at the house as the groundskeeper went into the basement and came out sick. After that, everyone else started getting sick."
Caleb nodded slowly. "Then...is it really a good idea for us to be hanging around the place where patient zero contracted whatever this is?"
That was a good point. Sebastien was a demon—he was naturally resistant to human illnesses—but Caleb was a human. If he came into contact with an undead raccoon or whatever else might be lurking around the estate, he could get sick.
He could get sick.
Sebastien needed to confirm whether or not these rotten creatures were responsible. He needed to be absolutely certain. He considered getting a human to touch the raccoon he found, and he didn't know this Caleb guy or care a single bit about him, so maybe he should get him to touch the raccoon. If he got sick, that would confirm the rotten creature was responsible. Hell, that raccoon could even be the same creature the groundskeeper came into contact with.
