Demons Don't Feel Love

Chapter seventeen: Monica

Daren's POV

Being discreet was the top priority, keeping a good poker face was the second, and somewhere in the mix I was supposed to remain a semi-consistent level of self care. That's the one that would prove most difficult in time, though I'm sure that doesn't come as a surprise. I laid low most of the day, not doing much of anything. I had to save my strength for the mission I was about to embark on.

Late that night after Anna had fallen asleep, that's when I started to put my plan into action. I dressed in a shirt, jeans, and a hoodie, then I tiptoed out of the bedroom. The house was dark and eerily silent.I didn't usually find myself awake at hours like this, I was far too comfortable laying in bed with Anna, as well as the fact that going out at night was only tempting fate with me. At night, my nocturnal instincts take over, and I would simply roam the streets looking for trouble. As I stepped into the street lamps, I watched as two demons fought in the grass across the street. They looked up and saw me, their eyes glowing orange like burning embers in October. They had a close resemblance to each other, perhaps they were brothers. I hesitated for a moment, but decided to approach them. I had already sized them up, and they were nothing I couldn't handle should they become hostile.

"Who are you?" One of them asked me.

"It doesn't matter. I'm looking for a group of demons who go by the name of MORTIS, do you know anything about them?" I questioned.

"No." The younger one scoffed. "But if you're looking for a good time, we got a friend in the flesh business if you know what i mean.. hehe. He's got himself some fresh ones tonight, if you wanna get a taste. I can show you, this dude means business." He said with a low chuckle.

"Yeah, some real screamers this time." The older brother laughed.

"I'm only interested if you think your friend might know who I'm looking for."

"You'll have to ask him yourself." He answered.

I shrugged. "Alright, where's this half necrophile friend of yours at?"

"See that big house down the way? Go there, behind it there's a dirt road. Follow that all the way down and take the first path to your left. You'll see an old cemetery, but its a bit overgrown so be careful or you'll break your legs on the headstones. Just past that, maybe fifty yards or so, there's an old cabin; used to be a bordello or something. Just walk on in and state your business." He said. I wasn't sure this would get me any closer to MORTIS, but at least it got me connects to other demons who might have heard of them at least in passing.

I bid my farewell to the two brothers and started towards the house down the street. The night was quiet except for the crickets chirping from nearby shrubs. Occasionally I would hear a toad croaking in the grass, and it would remind me of the little pond beside our house, and all the baby frogs that were born in the early mornings of spring. I crept behind the house and swiftly began down the dirt road that led into the woods. Following the older brother's directions, I found the path that lead to the cemetery. It was indeed overgrown, and I did nearly take myself out on a couple of partially buried tombstones.

As I tiptoed around the graves, I heard footsteps off to my right. They sounded small, so I knew it was no threat to me, but I was still cautious. I looked in the direction of the sound, and it immediately stopped.

"Who's there?" I whispered.

"Monica."

The voice sounded like that of a young girl, but the sound carried through the grass and seemed to dissipate by the time it reached me. I found it hard to gauge just how close or far away she was, but I stepped slowly in the direction of her voice.