Hellbound Hearts

10. Curiosity

Everyone turns to stare at poor, confused Cody, which only seems to frighten him more. He curls up tighter, as if hoping to escape our piercing gazes.

"Who are you?" he asks, sounding far less angry than before.

"It's alright. You can come out. No one's going to hurt you," I say as gently as I can.

He hesitates but eventually crawls out from under the table, still keeping his distance and avoiding getting too close.

"Who are you?" he repeats.

"I don't think you'd believe me, even if I told you," I reply with a small smile, but Cody looks unimpressed.

"I see people with snakeskin," he says, sounding desperate. "Nothing can surprise me anymore."

"Wait, you see them too?" I gape.

Cody looks puzzled but nods without much hesitation. I glance at Arthur, who looks just as shocked. Cody shouldn't be able to see them. This confirms he's definitely the one I've been looking for.

"I hate to interrupt this lovely chat, but we need to go," Eleonora says, clearing her throat.

"If you want answers, you'll have to come with us," I tell Cody firmly. "You just have to trust me. Just this once."

I realize this isn't the most inviting offer, considering he doesn't know us and the situation is less than ideal for making new friends. But after a moment's hesitation, Cody nods and falls in line, keeping a safe distance as he follows us out.

As the van's engine rumbles to life, my tension eases a bit. We drive away from the university building, and I can't wait to get home and wash the dirt and blood off my skin.

"Are you going to explain what's going on?" Cody asks halfway through the drive.

"Impatient kid," Eleonora chuckles, glancing at us from the front seat. "We'll explain everything when we get home."

The rest of the drive is quiet. Everyone in the van is too exhausted to talk, so I use the silence to gather my thoughts and prepare how I'll explain things to Cody.

As usual, the bookstore is closed during hunts. With the windows shuttered, we slip inside, locking the door behind us. We collapse wherever there's space, and Eleonora grabs the first aid kit, starting with Arthur's wounds. She uses her powers to heal the deeper cuts, then bandages the rest.

Cody sits off to the side, observing everything intently. I take a seat next to him, giving him space to process what he's seeing. After a while, he turns to look at me.

"You can ask anything that's bothering you," I offer a smile as our eyes finally meet.

"Who are you guys?" he asks once again.

I pause, choosing my words carefully. "I'll try to explain simply. Those people with snakeskin are demons—evil spirits that possess human bodies. We hunt them down and make sure they don't hurt anyone." 

My explanation comes out in a rush, and I have to catch my breath as I feel a little bit dizzy. Cody takes a moment to process this. He doesn't look like he doubts me, but it's obvious that he's struggling to understand everything.

"So... you're not like them?" he asks for clarification.

I nod, but the movement sends a fresh wave of nausea through me, and the dull ache in my side intensifies. I lift my dusty leather jacket to reveal a blood-stained shirt. Carefully, I raise the fabric, uncovering a bleeding wound with a piece of metal embedded in it.

"Shit," I mutter, glancing back at Cody. "Give me a minute."

Cold sweat forms on my forehead as I nearly collapse against the table. It's not a serious wound, but my body demands rest.

"Elle, I need your help," I croak.

Eleonora rushes over, noticing the wound.

"Why didn't you say anything? You know I can't bring people back from the dead," she scolds, a hint of worry in her voice.

"Sorry. Didn't notice it myself," I chuckle weakly. "Doesn't look that bad."

My laughter quickly turns into a grimace as she pulls the metal out. It's never pleasant to have foreign objects removed from your body, but it's part of the job—a pain you get used to, even if it means clenching your teeth through it.

Cody's curiosity must be intense, because he hasn't left. Or maybe he's fascinated by the freak show. This isn't something you see every day.

Once everyone's patched up, Eleonora lies down to rest, as her healing powers drain a lot of energy. I head to the bathroom to clean up. This first meeting with Cody isn't exactly charming, so I don't want my blood-soaked clothes to add to the impression.

I splash cold water on my face several times and catch myself staring at my reflection in the mirror. In the dim light, my silver earrings glint in my left ear. My black hair, in need of a trim, falls to either side of my face, framing eyes as dark as wet earth. There's a depth in that gaze—a strength that's not threatening but comforting. It shows care, loyalty, and resilience. There's no darkness here that hides secrets. It's an open book, but only to those who are willing to read it.

It's no wonder Cody found me intimidating. Sighing, I adjust my hair and head back to my room. When I open the door, my heart nearly leaps from my chest when I find Cody sitting on the bed.

"Jesus, you scared me," I mutter, tossing my wet towel onto a chair. "What are you doing here?"

"Sitting?" he replies, his tone sarcastic.

I chuckle, feeling oddly pleased that he's starting to relax, even showing hints of his usual self.

"Where are Arthur and Kaja?" I ask. "Why aren't you with them?"

"They're downstairs. I asked them to show me to your room."

"Not afraid anymore?" I raise an eyebrow, smirking. "How do you know I'm telling the truth?"

Cody's expression changes slightly, and I instantly regret teasing him. I didn't mean to worry him—I'm just curious.

"I think I can defend myself," he says. "But I need answers."

His determination is endearing.

"I'm just messing with you. Why didn't you ask the others?" I genuinely wonder.

I expected him to grab the information he needed and leave without looking back. Yet here he is, sitting a few steps away, and I can't help but feel grateful that he chose to stay a bit longer. Our eyes meet, and his soft hazel gaze holds mine.

"I want you to explain everything to me."