Otherwise, why would all of my demon senses be going off?
Even now, I feel his presence here in the town. He’s near—or in—the Green Glen Cabins, just like last night after he left the forest.
If he goes to the conservation area again, maybe I’ll take a quick peek before movie night at Raya’s. It’s not like he has any idea I’m sort of watching him.
Hell, he doesn’t even know I exist, so what’s the harm?
Somehow, I’ll figure out who he is, and why his mere existence is setting off everything I had locked away inside me.
I try to busy myself with reorganizing some of the crystals on the shelves, but I can’t ignore the swirling feeling inside of me. The thrill of the hunt, the curiosity of the unknown, it’s nearly enough to consume me.
I don’t want to be consumed, not by any feelings—especially not feelings so strong they threaten my peaceful existence in Harmony Glen.
My hunting days are over. My watching days though…far from it.
I feel his presence move from the cabin area, heading toward the conservation area. His location isn’t exact, but close. Maybe I’ve lost some of my skills since my retirement. I mean, ithasbeen many years since this was something I did on the daily.
Then again, I always chose who I was tracking. This isn’t the same at all. It’s as if I was meant to track him, to findhim.
Butwhy?
Fuck it, I’m closing up Tranquil early today. I just need to get to the bottom of…this. Of him.
Hurriedly, I lock the register and the shop, using the shadows to quickly travel to the conservation area. The air is cooler out here, especially where I remain cloaked in the darkness.
I silently travel through the shadows as I try to pinpoint the man’s precise position, startling a few squirrels here and there.
When I find him, I freeze, unable to look away. I’m closer than I expected to be. The shadow I jumped to is essentially right behind him.
As I take a silent breath, all the smells of the forest disappear, leaving only his. A faint musk, accompanied by notes of vanilla and dried paint, all tied together by underlying notes of what I can only describe as sunshine on a summer day.
His scent is a perfect match for his appearance.
My exhale isn’t as silent, a mistake made by rookie shadow demons. As he whirls around, I jump shadows, now hidden off to the front of him, while he stares into the void I just left.
I mentally kick myself for nearly getting caught, focusing on cloaking myself within the shady darkness of the trees.
He glances around, his eyebrows furrowed enough that they’re almost hidden behind his glasses’ frame. “Anyone there?” he calls out, his smooth and deep voice sending a jolt straight to my chest.
This time, I stay completely silent, watching the man ashe examines his surroundings. After a minute, he rolls his shoulders back, shaking his head slightly and making his hair sway around his face.
His focus returns to the sketchbook in his hand, but his pencil strokes aren’t the same. The lead hovers above the paper more frequently, each movement seeming weighed down by hesitancy.
He doesn’t seem dangerous—hehasn’tseemed dangerous—but why else would my senses be going into overdrive?
Maybe I should call my brother. He might have an idea. But I’d have to be ready to admit that notallof my demon instincts subsided when I integrated into the human world.
Damn it, am I ready to admit that tohim? Over a human man?
Movie night wasn’t enough to distract me from my thoughts. I hardly touched the Chinese food, which didn’t go unnoticed by Raya. I brushed it off as not feeling well, which in a sense was true.
I’m just not feeling like myself—or maybe,toomuch like my old self.
Tossing and turning, I flip to look at my clock on my nightstand. It’s 3:30 in the morning and I’ve gotten no sleep.
There’s not even any peace in sensing that the man is inhis cabin, rather than up to no good. I feel overwhelmed, even in moments I shouldn’t.
I feelobsessed.
