Chapter 108 Chapter 108
Valerie sighed quietly. “I would love to get some fresh air, but I don’t know if I should even leave the house,” she mumbled. “Sitting around isn’t an option, though… If I stay here any longer, I’ll go crazy.”
She lifted Mochi from her lap to the floor, ignoring the demon’s noises of complaint. It looked a little pissed now, and the sight made her snort in amusement.
“We can cuddle more later,” she said apologetically before she vanished into her bedroom to get ready.
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Valerie took her car and drove to a popular hiking area that wasn’t too far away from where she lived. After she had parked the car in a parking lot next to some other vehicles, she put on her jacket, took her backpack, and followed the trail into the forest.
Since it was fall, the air had grown colder, and it rained more often than before, but she wouldn’t let that deter her from getting some fresh air. Already, she felt herself relaxing, the quiet around her soothing her troubled mind. She took a deep breath, focusing only on herself and shutting all other thoughts out. Right now, she just wanted to be left alone.
The hiking trail led up a slope, winding through the trees like a snake. She passed some people along the way who were returning to their cars. Since this was a popular area, she wasn’t surprised to meet others, and it didn’t bother her either.
Letting her gaze roam around, she spotted wildflowers blooming next to the trail, withstanding the cooler temperatures of fall. Some of them were withering already, while others somehow endured the cold weather. Gnarled tree roots protruded from the ground, half-hidden by bushes and plants. Many orange and yellow leaves littered the ground, their vibrant colors beautiful to look at.
The sight reminded her that it would be Halloween soon, and she wondered if her friends had already made plans for this year. They visited a Halloween party together each year, and it had become a tradition for them to make the costumes themselves. Sometimes they ended up looking silly, and sometimes Valerie actually liked them. Last year, for example, they had all dressed up as witches, wearing pointy hats and dramatic makeup. When she thought about that now, she found it ridiculous that Hope had dressed up as a witch when her grandmother really was a witch. It must have been a stupid joke to her that nobody else had noticed.
Valerie frowned, thinking that she had been so naïve last year, firmly believing that all the crap about ghosts and demons wasn’t real. She knew better now, and she also would never touch an Ouija board again—that had gotten her into a lot of trouble in the end.
She kicked a pebble lying on the trail and sighed softly, reminding herself that she wasn’t here to be in a gloomy mood, so she pushed those thoughts away. A few raindrops fell on her head and made her look up at the grey sky. It wasn’t the best day to go for a hike, but she didn’t care. A little bit of water wouldn’t kill her.
Even though she tried hard not to think of him, her thoughts kept gravitating to Maxwell. She wondered where he was right now and what he could be doing, if he still was after Zane or not. Was he thinking of her just like she was thinking of him? Her heart ached, the corners of her lips turning down.
“Stop thinking about him already,” she scolded herself. He would either come back or he wouldn’t, but she couldn’t force him to do anything. She could only wait and hope for the best.
“Hello, human… what a surprise to see you,” a familiar voice suddenly said, catching her off guard. Valerie’s head snapped around abruptly, her heart nearly jumping out of her chest. She stared into the darkness and saw the outline of a person in its midst, hiding within the blackness. Gritting her teeth, she moved back and willed her magic into existence, light radiating from her hand. She sent a beam into the darkness, dispersing it for long enough to see the demon that had almost killed her a few days ago.
He looked the same as last time, his hair was still dark grey, eyes were still bloodred. It was Zane, just like she had feared. This was bad.
She knew she had to run since fighting him wasn’t an option. It would end in her death. Her eyes moved around frantically, looking for a way out, an opportunity to escape.
“Did you miss me, human?” he drawled as he stepped out of the darkness, the shadows retreating into his body. It was a bizarre sight that made her skin crawl, and she recalled the disgusting cold feeling that came with being touched by his magic. It was revolting.
“Can’t you answer me?” he added after a while, his patience running thin fast. His magic flared, and darkness shot in her direction, razor-sharp like knives. Widening her eyes, she crouched and formed a shield made of light that kept the attack from hitting her. Nonetheless, she sensed its power and was forced to move back a bit.
She needed to get away from him now—risking a fight would be suicidal. With this in mind, she conjured an extremely bright light in the middle of the clearing, blinding Zane with its intensity. He cursed, and she didn’t wait any longer, turning on her heel and running off.
She didn’t stay on the trail where she was easily visible, but swerved right into the woods, jumping over a bush and dodging a large rock as she fled. Thorns got stuck in her clothes, ripping at them when she sprinted, but she ignored them and never stopped, not even for a second. Trees rushed by, and she lost orientation quickly, not knowing which direction she was running in. North? East? Could have been west or south; she had no idea anymore. How should she reach her car like this? How should she find help? Her breaths became uneven in panic, her legs hurting from all the running.
Behind her, she heard the rustling of grass and leaves, the telltale sounds of someone following her. It was Zane, and he was damn fast, his demonic strength being superior to hers. He didn’t have any trouble at all catching up with her. To defend herself, she created another shield behind her as she moved on, but he snuffed the light out with a wave of shadows, the coldness making her shiver. When she looked over her shoulder at him, she almost stumbled over a rock, catching herself at the last moment.