I bolted upright in bed and rubbed my chest, looking from side to side. I was in my bed at home. There was no one there. I was safe.
I let out a breath and climbed out of bed, walking to the window. A shadowy figure stood on the sidewalk in front of my house. I jerked backward, tripped over my feet, and fell on my butt. Slowly, I crawled to the wall beside the window. I stood up, peeking out from behind the curtain. The figure stood in the same place.
My heart began to race, blood rushed behind my ears, and beads of sweat ran down my back.
Who is that?
I dropped to all fours and crawled to my bedroom door. Opening it, I made my way into the hallway. Standing, I bolted for my parent’s room.
“Dad!”
“We see,” he called from downstairs. I ran down the stairs and peeked around the corner. He sat on the couch, looking outside.
“Hey, beautiful.” Chay smiled and motioned for me to come to him.
“What are you doing here?” It was the first time I’d seen him since the Waterway. We’d talked on the phone and texted each other, but I hadn’t been ready to see anyone, not even him. He shrugged a shoulder. “Oh. You sensed trouble. Why didn’t anyone tell me about the little party with shadow man out there?” I sat on the couch between Chay and my dad.
“No need to wake you,” my dad said. “You haven’t been getting enough sleep as it is. Why are you up now? A nightmare?”
I nodded. Chay wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to him for a quick kiss. I snuggled against him, resting my head on his shoulder.
“Who’s our mystery guest?” I said around a yawn, waving my hand at the window.
“Not sure. Probably a demi-demon,” Chay answered.
“What’s he doing out there?” I snuggled closer to Chay, feeling safe in his arms, against his warmth. My stalker friend didn’t exactly fill me with warm fuzzies—more like a glass of ice water. The hair stood up on the back of my neck, and I scooted even closer to Chay. He squeezed me against him.
Chay shrugged. My head bobbed up and down with the movement of his shoulders, and I smiled. “My guess is he’s trying to scare you.”
“I don’t know if I’m scared or just creeped out.” I reached for the phone. “Did you call the police?”
“Your dad did. You should really go upstairs and try to sleep,” he whispered close to my ear, sending jolts of adrenaline-filled electricity through my bloodstream.
“Like I can sleep with Peeping Tom out there.” I shuddered and snuggled closer to Chay, soaking in his warmth.
The three of us sat quietly in the darkened living room, waiting for the police. Chay put his hand under my hair and massaged the back of my neck.
Just minutes later, a spotlight pierced through the darkness and illuminated our stalker. There was a blip from the siren, and the red and blue lights started flashing. They gave everything an eerie glow. Mr. Peeping Tom looked menacing as the lights scrolled across his skin. The car pulled up to him and stopped. He and the officer exchanged words before the officer guided him into the back of the police cruiser, and it drove away.
“Well, that was interesting,” I murmured. “Did you recognize him?” I looked up at Chay.
“Yeah. His name is Edward. A real pain in the ass.” Chay coughed and looked at my dad. “Sorry, sir.”
My dad smiled. “Aren’t all demi-demons a pain in the ass?”
***
Chay picked me up for school later that morning.
“Morning.” He stood on the porch with his hands in his pockets. His arms were straight, making his shoulders rise.
“Hi.” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him.
“Get any sleep after I left?” His arm snaked around my waist for another kiss.
“Not really.”
“What’s wrong?” He pushed me away from him and studied my face. “Have you been crying?”
“Not much.” I cried for the woman who died and for my friends and family, who I was afraid would die, as well. Grief mixed with fear was a constant weight on my shoulders. Every day it got a little heavier, harder to carry. I felt like I’d snap under the pressure.
After the shock of watching the woman get killed, I decided to fight Azazel. To use my power against him. And I was determined to do it, too. But I was still scared, especially of what he could do to the people I loved.
Chay hugged me and ran his hand up and down my back. “I’m sorry.”
I buried my face in his shoulder and inhaled his scent. His touch and his smell calmed me. I lifted my head, blew the hair out of my face, and smiled at him. “Let’s get this over with, huh?”
The school day dragged on and on. I thought the last bell would never ring so I could go home. I hated being in the same place with Shayla and Lily. And now that they’d shown themselves, I had to see the other Evils as well. Chay walked me to and from every class, and every time, we’d see an Evil or a demi-demon.
“Just ignore them,” Chay told me when he walked me to history class.
I picked at the cover of my notebook. “Yeah. That’ll be easy.”
“They can’t do anything to you at school. They’re just trying to scare you.”