Dark Descent: The Arondight Codex - Book One by R Nicole (best books to read all time TXT) 📗

For the first time in two weeks, I forgot about the demon scourge shadowing my every step and the way the Naturals had turfed me out of their secret headquarters. My anger and resentment had dissolved, and here I was with my best friend—the best of the best, with the purest heart—just happy for his success. My life was as basic as they came, and I thought of all the people who’d be jealous of Jackson’s win and curled my nose.

“What’s that look for?” he asked, nudging me with his shoulder.

“I’m just thinking about all the people who’ll come out of the woodwork now that you’re loaded.”

“Yeah, I thought about that, too.” He stared across the tube carriage at our reflections in the opposite window. “I’m not just going to blow it. It’s tempting, but I don’t want to be the guy who was on top, then winds up having to get a desk job to pay the rent in twelve months’ time.”

“You’re so responsible,” I said with a smile.

“It’s one of my more endearing qualities. Besides, a million quid doesn’t go far these days. Inflation is a killer.”

We had to switch lines, then get off at Kings Cross because of weekend track works on the Northern Line, so we worked our way through the maze of tunnels and escalators. It was such a warren, it’d take us at least five minutes to get out of the place. Then we had to brave the bus to Kentish Town.

I attempted to stare past the wave of people walking the opposite direction, not daring to make eye contact with anyone. We strode along with the flow of foot traffic, turning into the concourse, and following the ‘way out’ signs. Bodies were going in all directions, darting through openings, and squeezing into tunnels and escalators.

I was jostled and a shoulder brushed against mine. My reflexes kicked in and I turned towards the man who’d ran into me and my expression fell. His eyes shone entirely white and a lazy smile spread across his lips. Demon. As abruptly as I’d seen him, the man disappeared into the heaving mass of commuters.

I stumbled and bashed against Jackson. He caught me with a startled look on his face.

“You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He craned his neck, trying to see what’d shaken me up. “Old boyfriend?”

My heart was slapping hard against the inside of my chest cavity. “Huh?”

“That guy who was smiling at you,” he replied. “Because if that’s your reaction to a guy flirting with you, you’re in real trouble.”

“Oh, very funny, wise guy.” I threaded my arm through his and began to walk, stretching out my stride. I wasn’t running, but it wouldn’t take much to spook me and force me into full panic mode.

“Slow down,” Jackson complained.

“I just want to get out of here.” I glanced over my shoulder, but the tunnel was eerily empty behind us. “I’m creeped out for some reason,” I added lamely.

“Ghosts aren’t real, Scarlett. I know you love watching those TV shows about hauntings and stuff, but there’s no scientific evidence to support the heebie jeebies.”

“Just because science can’t explain it yet, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist,” I argued, feeling a dramatic pout form on my lips as we got on the escalator to the surface. “People used to think the Earth was flat until someone sailed around it.”

“Some people still think it’s flat.”

“Do you want me to make you a tinfoil hat?”

“Millionaires don’t wear tinfoil,” he shot back with a cheeky smirk.

I rolled my eyes and glanced back at him on the escalator. My eye caught on a man standing a dozen steps behind us, and instantly, I felt my blood chill. This guy was different. He was about our age, clean-cut, a young professional type, but there was something off about him. His eyes were normal, but I wasn’t sure I could trust that nothing was lurking inside him.

He sensed me staring and glanced up, smiling when he caught my eye. I tensed, and quickly glanced away, my heartbeat speeding up once more. I’d had my fair share of adrenalin hits already today, so I dragged Jackson off the end of the escalator, powering towards the barriers, with my Oyster card in hand.

“What’s the rush?” Jackson asked. “Claustrophobic?”

“Something like that.” The sooner we were back in the flat, the safer I’d feel.

I slapped my Oyster card against the reader and the gate squealed open as Jackson did the same at the next barrier. Darting through, I kept my head down as we took the last set of stairs, emerging onto the courtyard outside the station. Thousands of people bustled back and forth, heading towards the intercity trains, or back into the tube, or to the long line of bus stops on Euston Road.

I began to fret, cursing Transport for London for scheduling track works on the Northern line. I would’ve much preferred to take the tube home than a bus.

We nestled amongst the commuters waiting by the side of the road, watching for the red double-decker with the bright yellow number 214. I fidgeted, glancing around. Maybe we’d lost it back in the tube station.

“You can’t escape us, Scarlett,” a voice hissed in my ear.

I spun around, panic flaring as I stared into a pair of eyes, the irises completely obliterated. The man smirked, his face unfamiliar to me. The demon from the tunnel had jumped bodies!

Turning, I gasped as I saw a lady three steps away from us turn and smile, her eyes completely white. I tugged Jackson back the other way and yelped as a middle-aged man stared back at us with milky eyes. Was there more than one?

This wasn’t harassment… not anymore. This was something much more sinister. We had to get out of the crowd.

“Scarlett, what’s going on?” Jackson asked, forcing me to stop.

“Listen to me,” I hissed, keeping my voice low. “We have to get out of here. Now.”

“Uh, you’re kind