Hideaway (Devil's Night 2)

I rubbed my arms, shivering. I wouldn’t know. But I could guess what everyone was getting up to back home tonight. I didn’t have the wistful look in my eyes like Rika did, though.

I could imagine she’d grown up quite differently than me. In safety, security, and a bit sheltered. I grew up with Damon, on the other hand, and I’d seen enough destructive behavior that Devil’s Night seemed tame. I didn’t find it liberating or fun. While she’d wanted to break away and find some trouble, I craved the calm and quiet.

Something hit the floor above our heads, and we both instantly looked up to the ceiling. Boards creaked as if someone was walking across the second floor, and we followed the sound with our eyes.

“Alex,” Rika said.

I nodded, although Kai’s—and my—bedroom was right above us. She had no reason to be in there.

I picked up my flashlight on the couch and started to walk out of the room. “Come on.”

We jogged up the stairs, the hair on my arms standing on end. We hadn’t left that window open. I looked around, shining my flashlight left and right, on high-alert.

“Alex?” I called out, heading down the hallway to our bedroom. “Alex, are you okay?”

I swung open the bedroom door, caution keeping me from going in as I shone the flashlight all around. There were no candles lit in here, and I searched the corners, the bed, and behind the door.

Everything was exactly how I’d left it.

I was about to head into the en suite, but then I heard a creak coming from behind me. Rika and I both turned our heads.

“Alex?” I called out.

Walking over, I opened the door and shone the flashlight inside the spare room.

“What the fuck?” Lev exclaimed. He pushed off the bed, standing up and refastening his jeans. Alex rose from where she knelt on the floor and shrugged at me with a sheepish smile.

I shook my head, barking at Lev, “Get with David, and go to the basement. Check the fuse box.”

He cleared his throat, trying to hide his grin as he brushed past me out of the room.

I turned to Alex. “They’re all yours once they’re done for the night. Hold your horses.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but something pounded the ceiling above us, and we all shot our eyes up.

I gasped, my breath stuck in my throat. That wasn’t any of us.

“What i

s that?” Rika asked.

I grabbed her arm, pulling her into the hallway and then jerking my chin at Alex. “Let’s go!”

They followed me, all of us running back down the hallway and the stairs. “Lev!” I called. “David!”

Swinging around the bannister, I ran toward the kitchen and yanked open the door to the basement.

“Lev!” I squeezed the flashlight in my hand, shining it down the dark stairwell. “David!”

Jesus, where were they?

The ceiling creaked again, and then again, in small intervals as if someone was walking above us.

“Banks,” Rika gritted out like a warning.

I know. I know. Something was wrong.

I started to back away from the basement door, looking left to right. “Your phone…where is it?”