The Huntress' Name (sequel to The Huntress)

Chapter 7- Torch

We had spent the next two days looking at the papers and reading up on the attacks that had been happening. I was fairly certain they were also ghouls, which meant that there were more than the one I'd killed. 

I had also been looking at the details to see if there were any signs of people on the case- other than the police. If The Organization here was on it, then there would be some signs. They would just be hard to spot. 

Once we were fairly certain The Organization was trying to find the ghoul or ghouls, James got me a lighter and helped me find a makeshift weapon to kill the ghoul. 

In case The Organization doesn't show up, I'll still be prepared. 

"You know you're going to have to stay a ways out of the way right?"

"I know."

"And you're going to need to use your hearing. Make sure you stay far away from anyone that comes near. You can't be seen."

"I know," James said again. 

"And you're going to want to make sure that you will be close enough to hear what's going on-"

"In case you need my help. Ellie, I know. Take a deep breath. I think you're more worried about this than I am now."

I was. How was I supposed to tell him that I was completely freaking out. I hadn't been until right now, the night that I was going to try to get myself into The Organization. 

In theory it all seemed fine; I have already been in a group like them, I'd done it for four years. Now I felt like I was about to have a panic attack and it wasn't because of the ghoul I was going to have to face, or ghouls.

I didn't have to tell him anything though because he could feel it all. He could feel it in the way the tension radiated off me, he could hear it in the way my heart was pounding inside my chest, and he could see it in the look in my eyes. He knew everything I was thinking, everything I was feeling, and for some reason he wasn't trying to stop it. 

"You're going to be fine. You know what you're going up against, both supernatural and human. We have a plan in case things go wrong. Everything is going to be fine. I promise."

I nodded and he gave me a hug, kissing the top of my head. 

"This would be so much easier and less frightening if we could just communicate with each other without words. You know, like if I could talk directly to your mind or something."

James went rigid. 

"What?" I asked pulling away slightly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong at all. We can talk about it later."

I eyed him suspiciously but the sun was setting and we needed to get a move on if we were going to try and follow our plan. 

We'd been keeping a close eye on where the bodies had been found and they all seemed to come from within the same area. Assuming the ghoul or ghouls killed and left the bodies in the same location, that would mean they would be around at some point. 

James went off to find a location that provided all the necessary things; the ability to tell what was going on while being out of the way in case The Organization swooped in. 

When the sun was completely hidden, I found out why the ghoul would pick a place like this. None of the lights worked, giving it the perfect place to be. 

I wanted to turn on my flashlight, but I knew that it would do more to scare it off than help me. 

I found myself wondering what possibly could have made James react like that when I talked about being able to communicate with him from a distance without talking. Had there been something wrong with what I'd said? If so, what was it?