Page 3 of The Night Vision
Now what?
It was an unsettling question for Agent Silas Shelby to ponder as he took stock of the files on his desk and of his life. Just a month prior, Silas had been proud of his service, having protected Shenandoah National Park’s 1.5 million annual visitors and its inhabitants from all nature of crimes without ever having to fire his weapon. He’d lived a productive and peaceful life and thought he was in love until Dr. Chance Curn arrived and matters on the mountain took a fateful turn.
Now, Silas’s fourteen-year career as an ISB agent seemed trite after learning that there were actual gods and monsters. The absurdly sexy biologist turned out to be a demon and had stolen Ranger Niall Gilpatrick’s heart and soul right out from under Silas. He’d been helpless to stop it from happening and wondered what use he’d be, the next time a demon or a troll or whatever god forsaken abomination turned up at the park.
What chance did a simple man like Silas have against magick and evil?
Silas had failed to save Niall and was still baffled by all he had learned during his hike to the summit with Professor LennoxMacIlwraith and his “team.” The young Georgetown professor had arrived with an FBI agent, a small, elderly bald man, Roanoke’s medical examiner, twin brothers—one a doctor and one a paramedic, and a beautiful waif named Everly Wells. They were not as they seemed either and Silas still couldn’t believe that MacIlwraith was a demigod who’d had a pair of hellhounds, a witch, and a changeling amongst his companions.
How was Silas supposed to return to his old routine and investigate the run-of-the-mill cases that fell into his lap? The park’s visitors tended to bring their problems with them but aside from the rare domestic incident and wandering fugitive, things were generally peaceful until a hiker needed rescuing.
“A motherfuckin’ demon?” Silas glared in the direction of the summit, sick to his stomach as he imagined Niall with Curn, or Cenn, or Smoak, or whatever the fuck the demon’s name was.
A knock on the door yanked Silas’s focus from the summit. He quickly slid all the files and photos into a hasty stack and tossed them into the top drawer of his desk before rushing across the room to the door.
Silas opened it and flinched, not quite ready to be face to face with MacIlwraith again. He drew back and considered closing the door but Agent Nelson elbowed MacIlwraith aside.
“Sorry to bother you again, Agent Shelby. But Nox would like to have a word with you and I think you want to hear what he has to say.” The young FBI agent was the only member of their party who seemed “normal” and Silas had been impressed by Nelson’s quiet, perceptive demeanor.
“Fine. Come in.” Silas stepped aside and waved them in, still wary of MacIlwraith.
He lookednothinglike a professor and more like the frontman of a goth band with his dark, wavy black hair, tattoos, tight, tattered black jeans, and combat boots. His nails werepainted black and his fingers danced as he spun in the middle of the room.
“Oooh! You’ve been cursed!” he said in a dramatic whisper. “I’ll see what I can do about that but you might want to burn that sofa,” he advised as he pointed at it. “That demonchristened itwhen he was here.”
Silas’s face twisted as he looked at it. “My couch? Why would he…?”
“Probably to mess with your head and keep you off his track,” Nelson guessed and scribbled on a little notepad.
“I sleep there!” Silas complained, earning a sad hum from MacIlwraith.
“Poor work/life boundaries. Where have I seen that before?” he asked with a pointed look at Nelson.
“I’m sure you’ll sort him out too,” Nelson murmured, making Silas snort.
“I don’t need sorting.”
That got a chuckle out of MacIlwraith. “You’re feeling very out of sorts at the moment, agent.”
“How do you know?”
A wide grin spread across the professor’s face. “Have you met a lot of demons and demigods?”
“No!” Silas admitted with another snort but this time, it was weak and he was weary as he shook his head. “Can’t say that I have or that I want to meet any more,” he admitted and MacIlwraith clicked his teeth.
“I don’t believe you. I think you’re pissed and wondering if there’s a point to any of this anymore. You’re wondering what you’re good for.” MacIlwraith raised an expectant brow.
“Maybe…” He’d heard that MacIlwraith could read minds but Silas wondered if he was transparent. “Wouldn’t anyone?”
“Of course,” MacIlwraith agreed, holding up a finger. “But you’ve got a good amount of fian in your blood, if I’m right. AndI often am,” he said out of the side of his mouth, making Nelson roll his eyes. “You’re ready to run and hunt and you’re just the man to help me solve a mystery and hopefully save someone’s life.”
Thatcertainly interested Silas. He didn’t know what to make of all this demons and demigods bullshit, but solving mysteries and saving lives was a far better use of Silas’s time. “Whose life?”
There was a sheepish hiss from Nox. “I don’t know. I suspect it’s a man, but I can barely tell, from the state of the remains.”
“Remains?”Silas widened his eyes at Nelson. “Have they been reported? Is this an FBI investigation you’re pulling me into?”
MacIlwraith shook his head quickly. “No. Not yet, at least. We don’t actually know where the remains are. That’s why we need you.”
