Always Hate Me

14. Inside the Monolith

Ryder woke to someone pounding his bedroom door. Growling in irritation, he stumbled out of his bed and over to it – rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Who is it?" He hollered as he approached.

"Crevan, it's me." A female voice replied.

Ryder quickly opened the door and was greeted by an embarrassed looking Devi.

"Devi!" He scooped her eagerly into a hug. His powers immediately sizzled through him, the warmth comfortably cocooning him. He sighed contentedly - his aches and pains soothed away by the sweet caress of magic. Devi's heart hammered in her chest. Her arms were trapped at her sides and her face was pressed up against Ryder's bare chest.

"Crevan, you're... topless." Heat flooded to her cheeks. 

Ryder pulled back but he kept a hand on her shoulder – not ready to relinquish physical contact.

"I was asleep." It was the middle of the day but Ryder had struggled to sleep. He'd been plagued by dreams. "How come you're here?"

"I need your help." The seriousness in her tone troubled him. He pulled her out of the corridor and into his room.

"What's happened?"

But Devi was momentarily stunned by the sight around her.

"What happened!? It's like a bomb went off."

The walls were unpainted cinderblock. The place seemed more like a cell then a bedroom – its was windowless with a lightbulb dangling precariously from its wires and offering only a flickering faint light. In the gloom, Devi peered around at the trash Ryder had left strewn about him. Catching sight of the sink in the corner of the room, she actually recoiled in revulsion.

"How do you live like this?" She questioned, disgusted.

"I didn't invite you here." He pointed out.

"You shouldn't have let me in here! There should be warning signs outside – this place is a health hazard." Looking at the weird substances in the sink she felt a little unwell and added in a mutter, "it's a biohazard."

"You needed my help." Ryder prompted. He let her go briefly so that he could don on some fresh clothes.

"Right," Devi focused. "Can you help me to get inside the pantheon that your building?"

Ryder frowned.

"You want a job there?"

She shook her head.

"I want to take a look around – in secret."

The bed groaned beneath Ryder as he sat down to tie up his shoes. He considered the matter. As long as he was touching her, he would have full access to his powers. And he didn't want to risk her getting into trouble behind his back. She was his weakness, he needed to protect her.  He nodded.

"I can do that. But you have to explain why."

Devi nodded. "And I'm coming with you."

"Deal."

**

...Last Night....

"They are hardly likely to notice one extra body. Not if it's hidden amongst the rest." Lucjan purred, his voice eerily detached of feeling. Devi, hiding in the shadows, concentrated on breathing – trying to stop her heart from racing. What would happen if he found her here – listening in?