Page 26 of Taken to the Deadlands

Night had fallen when I heard it.

The rustling of feet down the hallway.

It had been almost a week since I had come to the Demon Realm, and there was no sign of the “ghost” Aris wanted me to reach out to, even though she assured meshewas probably here.

Multiple times I had wanted to come clean. To tell her that it was all a farce. But I couldn’t bring myself to. Not when she was sharing so much with me.

I originally thought the sounds were the various demons that might have been staying in the house, but when the pounding started, I found myself frozen in my bed. Fear overtook me. It clogged my throat and tied me to the bed.

“Aris?” I called into the darkness.

The only answer I got was a pause in the pounding. Then it started again, though this time it was harder, more frenzied. Like they were trying to break down the wall.

“Aris!”

It was mere seconds later that I heard her footsteps down the short hallway between our rooms. Then, my door was flung open.

Light flooded the room—just enough for me to catch sight of Aris’s disheveled hair and robe. She wore the same one she always did, but this time it was open, giving me a view of perfect breasts.

I averted my gaze to her eyes. They were glowing a dull red.

“Are you hurt?”

I shook my head. Embarrassment flooded me. Suddenly, I felt like I shouldn’t have called her. Especially when she rushed in likethat.

“Someone was pounding on the walls,” I said, pushing myself up to a sitting position.

She looked around the room with a frown. She was still breathing heavily, but the redness in her eyes was fading.

“I didn’t hear anything,” she murmured. “Are you sure it’s not a ghost? Maybe you finally called her?”

I gritted my teeth.I can’t fucking see them, I almost said.

Instead, I shook my head.

“Ghosts can’t touch things like that.”

It was a lie, but she didn’t see through it. She just nodded and turned to look out onto the hallway.

“Well, whatever it is, I can’t see, hear, or smell it,” she said.

Fear shot through me.

Was this something that could get past even her?

And if something got past her, what would that mean for me?

“I’m sure I heard it,” I said, sitting up on my knees and ready to go to her. She motioned for me to stay put.

“I believe you.”

Her words warmed my chest and shattered my heart at the same time.

You shouldn’t. Out of all people, it would be easier if you didn’t trust me.

She stepped out into the hallway, and my stomach lurched.

“Can you stay?” I asked, my voice shaky. “Please?”

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