Eclipse

12.

Strategy

The malevolence twists Kieran's face before morphing into my the fading light in my dying father's eyes, and the blood behind to pool around Leo's dying body, and then I'm faced with the fear in Leo's killer when he sees me...

I jackknifed to a sitting position, breathing heavily with my skin damp with sweat. I gulped and suppressed the shiver than threatened to overcome my body as I shakily stood up. Don't think about it. Distract yourself. Don't you dare think about it. I steeled my nerves and walked as steadily as I could to the kitchen, where Kieran sat with a cup of coffee, looking at me concernedly.

"What?" I asked defensively.

"Nightmares?" The one word was enough to tell that he'd heard my cries

"They pass. Nothing much." Kieran raised an eyebrow dubiously as he passed me my coffee but didn't say anything. "So when do we leave?"

"Soon," Kieran mumbled after a long sip. "Need to psych myself up."

My eyebrows rose but I remained silent. Obviously he was intimidated in some way by Emory. By the time he'd finished his coffee, I'd already changed was waiting impatiently by the door.

"Done?" I finally asked as he picked up the keys.

"Why're you so impatient?" he muttered as we waited for the elevator to reach our floor.

I shrugged with no response to provide. I just wanted this to be over.

Kieran took in my lack of response without comment, even once we were on the road.

The trip was one of utter quiet, and not once did either of us bother to start a conversation until he finally swerved into an inconspicuous driveway that led to a seemingly small and rundown house.

"So... is this the residence of the almighty Emory?"

"Don't know about 'almighty', but we don't want anything flashy, do we?"

"Of course not, that would be stupid."

Kieran rapped the flimsy flywire mesh of the security door impatiently, but with no response.

"What is it?" I asked confusedly.

I was treated with the typical silence, and he rolled his eyes in exasperation. He raised his fist again, except this time he knocked an irregular rhythm. I raised an eyebrow, and he grinned at the ridiculous level of clandestinity.

I discerned faint footsteps through the door and then a gruff voice mumbled through the door, "Password?"

"Oh, come on!" Kieran almost whined. "How many people have the ability to perfectly mimic my voice? Who can infiltrate your fortress with my voice?"

"Password," The man behind the door repeated, although it sounded vaguely amused.

Kieran seethed silently for several moments before saying," Password's a stupid password. You happy? God, that's the stupidest password anyone could ever have, you know? Yes, I think we all know that 'password's a stupid password', but that doesn't have to be a password, right?" Kieran continued talking even after a series of locks were unlatched and the door was opened. I followed him inside, and to my surprise, the house was neat and organised. Almost clinical, with white ceilings, white walls and white furniture. To be honest, it ran a chill down my spine.

The man behind the door was a large and well-built man with pale blonde hair buzzed close to his scalp. His dark eyes were warm as his greeted Kieran in a mumble, but instantly iced over at the sight of me. His stance instantly adjusted into one ready to fight.