Demon in Ruins (Dark Choices #1)✔

Chapter-1

"Everything you want is on the other side of fear." -Jack Canfield

Chapter 1

"It was your idea. I don't know why on earth I agreed to it in the first place," I sighed, scratching my elbow where some kind of insect had bitten me. It better not be a freaking spider.

"Because you love me, Karen," Jon answered, and I could tell he was grinning even when all I could see was his broad back with the help of the flashlight I had a loose grip on. "It's a date."

I felt my cheeks grow warm. "Are you kidding me?" I nearly screamed. "No one, in their sane mind, comes here on a date."

"Some beings do actually," He replied calmly.

"And who are they?" I asked walking behind him.

"Ghosts," He intentionally said that in a low voice.

I couldn't help but shudder a little. Okay, I admit the shudder wasn't something I'd describe with the word 'little'. It was pretty intense enough to make the flashlight fall out of my hand. The flashlight bounced on the ground, hit a rock and went off with a cracking noise. I cursed under my breath and bent down to pick it up. Jon beat me to it. As soon as his warm hand touched mine, I felt an assurance of safety with him.

"Scared, are we?" He asked flashing his own flashlight in my face.

"Cut that, Jon!" I exclaimed, raising my hands to avoid the glare of the flashlight. "I'm gonna kill you when we reach home."

"You broke the poor thing," He said. He inspected the broken flashlight. "It was my brother's favourite one. He will not forgive you for this."

"I'll never forgive you for bringing me here."

"Cheer up, it's your birthday. You need to lighten up."

"Don't."

I hated it when he made stupid puns and jokes. What annoyed me more was the situation we were in. It was past eleven, we were in the woods, one of our flashlights was not working anymore, and on top of it, I couldn't stop scratching my uncovered arms. I should have worn a sweatshirt. Or better; I should've had stayed safely tucked in my bed at home.

"What's wrong with your arms? You know, you're scratching them like you've got some serious allergies." Jon stepped closer to examine my arm. Shining the light on the skin which had turned deep red, he asked, "You don't happen to bring any insect repellent with you, do you?"

"I didn't know this would turn out to be a camping nightmare," I said annoyed.

"Right." He said. "Let's keep moving forward and whenever we're done with this, we'll get you an ointment."

I couldn't agree more with the getting done with this line he had said.

This time, Jon walked beside me for we were lacking in the flashlight department. The abrupt striking sound of an owl made my heart pound. Jon offered his hand for me to hold many times but I denied. I didn't want him to get the idea that I was scared. Although deep inside I knew he must've had figured that out already.

Without any further delay, we moved rest of our way towards the Escoffier mansion silently. We stepped deep into The Wolf Woods. Yeah, the people in our town had creatively named the woods 'The Wolf Woods'. It was the result of an old rumour that consisted of dangerous wolves coming here to drink water from a small pound. Not that anyone had seen them. Ever. The old rumor was about to die when one day some dogs howled and folks took them for wolves, (some even said they suspected werewolves) and restricted anyone from going into woods after eleven.