DEMON SENSE (Completed)

Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

When I started to come around, I was surprised to find I felt comfortable. The last thing I remembered was interrogating Trish…then blacking out. I’d expected to wake up on the carpet floor of Nathan’s basement—not the soft cushions of a couch. I must have been out long enough for Larson to move me.

“Why is it every time I leave her with you I get her back in worse condition than when I left her?” It was Nathan’s voice.

My eyes fluttered open to see Nathan and Larson standing over me, deep in conversation.

“Hey, it’s not my fault that she blacked out,” Larson rebutted.

“No, of course not. Just an unfortunate coincidence.”

Larson’s voice grew irritated, “I’m not going to argue this point with you right now. There’s been…a development.”

“What kind of development?” Nathan asked uneasily.

More of the conversation from the basement returned to me and I let out an audible gasp. Two sets of eyes were on me in an instant, both aware that I was now awake. Nathan crouched down next to me taking my hand, which shook in his. A jolt of electricity shot through me.

Nathan glanced at my quivering fingers. The calming affect his touch seemed to have soothed me, allowing the trembling in my hand to dissipate. Nathan turned his eyes back to me. His features were gentle, as was his voice when he spoke, “What’s the matter, Viktoriya? Is everything alright?”

I shook my head unable to speak.

“What happened?” Nathan directed his question at Larson, but he never tore his gaze from me.

Larson relayed all that Trish had revealed to us, not leaving out anything. I registered Nathan’s tightening grip on my hand. It wasn’t too tight, but the pressure change had been noticeable. He was just as unnerved as the rest of us.

“We have to stop him,” Nathan said through clenched teeth.

“Obviously. I’m going to make a few phone calls and see what I can uncover. We’ll reconvene when I have something to go off of.” Larson was already pulling his cell from his pocket and was punching in a number as he exited the room.

When Larson was out of earshot, Nathan surprised me saying, “We need to talk about last night.”

I shut my eyes, trying to fight off a migraine. “Please, Nathan, not now. I have too much on my mind already. Later?” I didn’t want there to be a later. There was never a good time to have your nose rubbed in your own stupidity.

“Of course. I will give you all the time you need. But I will not let you drag it out any longer than necessary, so do not think you can avoid me.”

I nodded in understanding, too stressed out to care about anything else. He dropped the subject, and I was grateful I wouldn’t have to tackle this topic on top of everything else going on at the moment.

Without warning, Nathan scooped me up. I made a noise of surprise, but instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck. “You should rest. Take a nap—it might help get your mind off things.” He started off towards the stairs. “I will wake you for dinner.”

“Okay, yeah. That sounds good.”

We’d barely made it a few feet when Larson came shooting out of the hallway and into the living room. He was suddenly in front of us blocking our way. I’d never seen anyone look so excited as Larson did now. “Vee will have to catch up on her beauty sleep later. You’re both coming with me.”