A Siren's Hunt | Alastor Fanfiction

CH 24: Secret

~ Alastor's POV ~

How the hell did she find out? For such a naive young woman, she sure did put that together quickly. The good thing about this situation, if there even is any good, is that she doesn't seem to be interested in revealing the truth. But, she is getting close to Esme - too close.

Esme's smart, she'll see straight through her and know something is up. I knew I had to do something.

"Well, here you go!" Esme smiles brightly, placing the plate of food on the table where she once sat, "I'm going to head to the docks this morning and spend some much-needed time in the water. If either of you needs me, you know where to find me." And off she was. She left the room as fast as she entered with me that morning. Something was eating at her, I could tell. She was jittery, moving quickly from one place to the next.

Silence falls over the room, as I take another sip from my mug.

"So, you know..." I say nonchalantly.

"I - what?" Charlie looks bewildered.

"Don't try to deny it now. I know the way you're looking at her, how you keep looking at me with those disappointed eyes of yours. You know, don't you?"

"I know Esme got hurt...a long time ago." Charlie looks down at her food, moving it around with her fork, "She doesn't remember by who..."

"But you know by who..." Her eyes dart up to mine as I finish her sentence. There's another moment of silence before she looks back down.

Ahh, see, she didn't confirm nor deny.

"Just so that we're clear." I place my mug back down on the table with an audible click, "It was an accident. By the time the damage was already done, she was dead. It was not by my hand." I look at her, my smiling never quivering, "And there's one more thing..."

Charlie raises an eyebrow.

"We mustn't tell her about who I really am.."

"But, why! You see how she speaks about her husband, how she's so obviously in lo-"

"Yes, yes, I see how she's been hopelessly hooked for decades. But, I've also seen her become undone. She is unstable, she won't be able to cope. Trust me, I've seen it all." She grows silent once more, "She would never look at me the same, and something tells me she likes where she is right now, so do her a favor and don't tell her."

Charlie glares at me and rolls her eyes, "She deserves better." She grumbles.

"This is the better option." I respond quickly, "Esme has lost a tremendous amount of people in her life. Her sister, her daughter, her best friend, and now you want to tell her that the husband she's been waiting on her entire afterlife is none other than the same Radio Demon that has been broadcasting the screams of all her friends for decades?"

She grows silent, but I can see her expression softening, now is my chance, "Can you imagine what that would do for her? She would never trust anyone again..." She nods.

Checkmate.

"So, it's a deal then? You won't tell her and I will continue to dote on this hotel hand over fist?"

Her eyes go wide, "I'm not shaking on anything..."

"I didn't ask you to, my dear. I'm asking for your word. Can I trust you?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Of course..." She pauses, "I promise."

~ Time Skippy, Narrator's POV ~