What Lay in the Dark

3. Witchcraft

I woke with Egan's arms around me. I realised I must have fallen asleep at his house, though I couldn't remember being in this position and certainly not on his bed. In fact, I couldn't remember any contact between us at all, just talking. Even so, I found myself oddly comfortable. Today was Saturday, meaning that I didn't need to go to work, so I wasn't too worried about moving.  

A few minutes later Egan's eyes flickered open and he gave me a slight smile. "Hungry?" he asked. 

I nodded. 

Egan quickly disentangled himself from me and rolled off the bed, pulling me up as he headed out the door. Smiling, I followed him.  

"So, where'd the overly normal nice guy come from?" I asked Egan as he rummaged through the kitchen. 

"I'm always nice." 

"Last night you didn't want me anywhere near you." 

"I still don't want you anywhere near me," Egan replied with a stern look. "I want you safe, which means I want you as far away from me as possible." 

I couldn't understand why Egan's words hurt me. It seemed I deluded myself into thinking that maybe Egan wanted me around. 

"Are you okay with cereal?" Egan asked. "I'm not much of a cook." 

"Cereal's fine." 

Egan turned to look at me. "Mikayla wanted to talk to you today." He placed a box of cereal on the bench. "Wants to make sure you're okay with the demon stuff." 

"Okay," I replied. 

"She'll come around here soon," he said, glancing at the clock. "I should probably warn you, a few others will be here as well." 

I nodded, musing over the fact that Egan seemed to have friends. He didn't want me near him because it was too dangerous, but others were fine? Something was not right. 

"Here," Egan placed a bowl on the bench in front of me. 

I smiled and began to eat. Egan pointed me to the bathroom once I was done and I took a quick shower. When I'd finished I walked back to the lounge room to find myself face to face with my boss. His eyes widened. "Ailia!" 

"Kieran," I answered with a smile.  

"What are you doing here?" 

Egan entered the room at that point. "Kieran. The others are outside." Kieran looked at me suspiciously, but walked out of the room. 

"Probably best not to mention the whole supernatural thing to him," Egan kept his voice quiet. 

"Okay."  

"Come on," Egan led me through the dining room to an outside area. His lawn was surrounded by what would have been very nice plants - if they weren't dying.  

Taking my eyes off the drooping, yellow-tinged foliage, I looked up to where Mikayla and Samuel were seated on a wooden bench. Mikayla gave me a little wave, while Samuel seemed to stare past me. A slight commotion drew our attention to the high fence surrounding Egan's backyard.  

"Incoming," a voice called before a man threw himself over the fence, landing flat on his stomach. 

"Ow," the man moaned.  

"Impressive," Egan said sarcastically before helping the man off the ground. "Ailia, meet Andy." 

The man looked up at me then, shaggy blonde hair nearly covering the slightly worried look in his eyes. "Egan," he whispered. "There's a girl in your house."