We Come Out at Night

Brian's POV

The manifestation of Lynn had left me. Instead, a much younger Lynn Saintcrow sat in a warm living room curled up in a chair.

Samll toys and stuffed animals littered the floor showing evidence of a small child.

Lynn was reading a book and would look up at a clock on the wall. She was waiting for someone. It was almost nine at night.

Lynn looked up again reflexively up on an altar. I glanced up at the stand, too. A black candle lined with glittering gloden jewels spiraled up the wax.

There was no flame, but Lynn still shivered. I silently wondered about the tall candle until the back door opened.

The door form the kitchen swung slightly form the night breeze.

"We're home," a man's voice called. Lynn smiled and looked over her shoulder to watch him and a small girl walk in.

It was a huge shock to see Jimmy's dad. He was really tall and I could see where Jimmy had gotten his smile.

What would Jimmy do to see him just once., I thought.

He held a small Trillian in his arms. She looked hardly anything like him. Maybe the only thing she inherited from him was the lighter skin tone and the same hair texture.

"What had taken your walk so long?" Lynn asked.

Mr. Sullivan knelt down to let Trillian run off down the hallway.

"Trillain had seen a deer." He smiled. "We had to follow it."

Lynn's eyes widened. "You didn't."

Mr. Sullivan shrugged. "I did. It wasn't that hard to follow in the air."

"You flew?" Lynn asked almost shreiking in disbelief.

"No one saw us." Mr. Sullivan reassured her.

"What about Trillian? You know how hard I'm trying to keep that enchantment on her. All it would take is a thought."

"She won't remember." Mr. Sullivan argued. "She's only four."

"We can't let Him find us." Lynn got up out of her chair. "If He even gets a hint of Trillian's magic..." Lynn stumbled slightly and she put her hands on her stomach.

Mr. Sullivan lept forward to help her. I then noticed Lynn's swollen belly. She was pregnant with Trillina's little sister.

"Relax, Lynn." Mr. Sullivan told her softly while he held her. I couldn't help but wonder if he had shown the same compassion towards Jimmy and his mother. "He won't find us."

"I'm still supposed to be hunting you. Now i'm breaking the same laws you have." Lynn laughed.

"My sins arre pilled up to the sky. How long does the enchantment work?" Mr. Sullivan asked.

"Until some one breaks it. When it does break, it'll be a huge red flag to Him." Lynn whispered fearfully.

Mr. Sullivan released Lynn as Trillian walked into the room. She was carrying a piece of paper.

Mr. Sullivan smiled and scooped Trillian up in his arms.

"What have you got there?" he asked her and nuzzled her cheek.

She held out the paper that had a drawing on it. It was a picture of a tall golden man with black bat wings and emerald green swirls all over the body.

"It's of the man I saw in my dream. He's got wings like Daddy's." Trillian happily informed them.

Lynn walked over to Trillian and took the picture. She looked down at it and raw fear etched on her features.

She looked up at Mr. Sullivan and he exchanged her the same look.

"Its time for you to go to bed, Trilly." Lynn said faking her happiness.

"Okay," Trillian said reluctantly. "Good night, Momma."

"Good night, Love." Lynn got on her tiptoes to reach Trillian in Mr. Sullivan's arms.

"I'll put her to bed." Mr. Sullivan said and began down the hallway.

Lynn looked down breathlessly at the drawing. She shuddered at the thought of Him getting anywhere near her daughter.

Then she froze. She felt the icy tremors electrify her body. Lynn turned to look over at the black candle.

A tall blood red flame flickered to life on the wick. Red wax oozed over the golden swirls.

"Oh, fuck." Lynn whispered as she closed her eyes.

Then the feeling that she had been yanked up int the air by the ankles over took her. She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth. She knew this ride all too well.

Then she finally landed on her feet. The smell of constant burning and a dark winter surrounded her. Her body burned and ached. Her system wasn't built to withstand this.

Lynn finally opened her eyes agian and sucked in a breath. she immedaitly regreted it when her lungs scorched. Her eyes streamed while she coughed.

"Welcome back, Ms. Saintcrow." a taunting voice greeted. Then appeared the man in Trillian's drawing.

His emerald swirls on his skin gleamed demonically setting the atmosphere intense. "Its nice to see you back in my service in Hell."

The devil, I thought. Lynn was killing bounties for the devil.