The clinic's sterile interior enveloped Emmett in stillness as he entered the building. The constant beeps and whirs of machinery were the only sounds piercing the heavy quiet hallways.
A vague sense of fear, of wrongness, gnawed at Emmett's gut as he pushed open the door to his sister's room in the clinic. She was nowhere to be seen, but her presence loomed over him like a ghost and sent a wave of cold down his spine. The fluorescent lights buzzed in unison while the constant beeps and whirs of machinery filled the air with dissonance. Shrouding the bed stood a white tented ceiling that blocked out all daylight.
Inside Sabine lay still and small, curled into a ball beneath a mound of blankets that hid her wasted form. Her wan face peeked out from under an oxygen mask wrapped around her mouth and nose. His heart lurched at seeing her diminished state--the mere shadow of a vibrant soul she had once been.
Emmett slowly approached his sister, and although he wanted to reach out and clasp her hand, his body resisted. Her eyelids quivered and opened weakly as Emmett's gaze met hers. He was both relieved and frustrated to find the spark of recognition that had always been there in her eyes, but also a glimpse of the fiery spirit she used to have. While Emmett wanted to be strong for his sister, his heart ached at the haggard figure she had become.
"Sabine, I'm here," Emmett murmured. "How are you feeling today?"
She managed a faint smile.
"Well enough...considering the supernatural parasite I gave birth to," she rasped, typical humor lacing her tone even now.
Her bloodred lips pulled back in an attempt at a grin; her face was white as sunlight on snow.
An angry gash marred her pale cheek from a battle with the demon.
Emmett shook his head, both endeared and pained by her resilience.
Emmett kissed his sister's forehead and slowly stood up from the couch, promising he wouldn't be gone for long. With a heavy heart, he stepped out of her bedroom and walked to the library. He had a newfound sense of urgency in him; he was determined to make sure she would get better despite all the odds.
Meanwhile, back at the cabin, Jason and Zander enjoyed the rare solitude Emmett's absence provided. The air between them hummed with intimate tension as Zander pulled Jason close, pressing their lips together hungrily.
"You know, even though you're the first guy I've ever been with, the connection we have and the flutter I get in my heart when I see you show me I like you a fuck ton. I guess I'm bisexual now? And I'm okay with it." Jason said.
"I guess I'm bi now too." Zander laughed,
"I just know I really like you too and I'm fine with how far our connection grows."
"Speaking of that, why don't we just make it real. Want to be my boyfriend?" Jason asked.
"Definitely," Zander replied.
Zander approached Jason, bringing his soul to his and kissing him passionately as if nothing else mattered.
"I've been waiting all day for this," Jason murmured, running his hands along Zander's back.
Their blossoming relationship was still so deliciously new, every stolen moment cherished.
"I want you so bad right now," Zander said against Jason's mouth before nipping at his lower lip playfully.
"Let's not waste any more time."
Taking Jason's hand, he led him to the bedroom and pushed him down onto the rustic quilt.
They took their time undressing one another, fingers tracing each newly exposed patch of skin. Zander reveled in the feeling of Jason's toned body against his own, passion cresting between them. Soon clothes lay scattered across the floor.
Jason's skin prickled in anticipation as Zander's lips trailed feather-light kisses down his neck, chest, and abdomen. His hands moved with a hungry urgency that had Jason gasping out urging words and arching his body into the touch. The motion of their bodies was an effortless, shared rhythm, giving and taking pleasure with every touch.
"I love it," Jason whispered.
"Do you?" Zander inquired.
"Yeah," Jason sighed in pleasure.
Once they'd both come down from the high of the moment, they lay spent and blissful on the sheets, entwined and basking in the afterglow. Jason nuzzled Zander's cheek affectionately, murmuring a soft compliment about how exquisite he was. Unspoken understanding passed between them when Zander drew him closer still, wrapping him up in his warmth and safety.
Emmett stepped inside the library, feeling like he was walking into a forgotten world. He observed the musty bookshelves and ancient volumes of knowledge surrounding him.
Taking a seat at a wooden table, Emmett opened up his leather journal and set to work compiling all the information they had gathered about their mysterious enemy. He could feel the Devourer's power growing with each passing day as it approached its peak under the light of the blood moon in three days' time. Eliza had made a dark pact with it for her own gains, and its demonic minions still lingered in the streets of Delirium, heralding an impending disaster.
Emmett peered closely at the cryptic texts of the book in front of him and watched as hidden scripts started to emerge under the dim lighting.
Awe and wonder-filled him as he read through the arcane words in front of him, transcribing them into his journal. As time passed, however, doubt began to seep into Emmett's mind and exhaustion took over.
The letters seemed to waver before his eyes, and faint whispers reached his ears - cold, inhuman murmurs that chilled him to the bone. His head pounded painfully, and he staggered upright, knowing he had pushed himself too far.
Had the tome lured him into a trap?
Emmett was poring over an ancient tome when a glimmer of motion in his peripheral vision caught his attention. He spun on his heels, just in time to see Eliza's slender form darting through the library stacks. Adrenaline surged through him as he dashed after her, weaving around towering bookcases and skidding along the polished floors. She'd disappear around one corner only to reappear at another, always staying just out of reach.
The chase seemed more like a fantastical dance than a pursuit.
"Stop running and face me, coward!" Emmett yelled after the vanishing form.
His only answer was the echoing laughter of an unseen madwoman that seemed to emanate from the walls themselves.
Emmett skidded desperately to a stop, his mind swirling in confusion. She had tricked him with ruthless precision, her moves like a calculated dance. The images he saw filled him with icy dread and terror. Eliza continued to observe, to stalk, her plan unfolding before him--this was only the start of it all.
When Emmett arrived back at the house, he was met by Zander and Jason laughing by the sink, splashing water on one another. His mood soured in comparison to theirs, despite his attempt to be cheerful. Nonetheless, they all enjoyed dinner together before Emmett told them what he had learned during his time away.
Jason said gravely, holding onto Zander's hand, "Eliza knows our weak points and she'll use them against us. We can't let our protections slip again."
Emmett's expression was determined. "That's why we should take the fight to her..."
"I found a secret incantation that will give off the false impression of strength. She won't be able to resist it," he stated confidently.
Zander leaned forward in anticipation. "We could use the spell as bait to lure her into a trap--if we time everything just right, it might work."
They hashed out preparations deep into the night. By the time exhaustion overtook them, inklings of hope had taken root. Perhaps they did have a fighting chance against the forces arrayed against them. United by bond and purpose, they would wring victory from fate's fickle hands.
The tension was palpable as the moon crept ever closer. Its presence could not be missed—a massive orange sphere that dominated the sky, tainting it with its wicked glow.
Only three days until the blood moon.
Soon their machinations would be put to the test. Emmett prayed that Sabine could hold on just a little longer until their task was complete. She was depending on them; they could not fail.
A pit formed in his stomach and he thought of the past, of when their journey had been a mere summer vacation, filled with laughter and adventure. He thought of Odelia who sacrificed herself for the friend group and of Sabine whose innocence had been cruelly snatched away by the Devourer's terror.
Their memory was a beacon of strength that kept him going. It prolonged the aching pain.