“Maybe that’s what he wanted you to think.” Olivia shrugged. “Look, I’m no expert. I couldn’t even tell you what a demon in its natural form looks like, but if they are as powerful as Sam seems to think, I’m guessing it could make itself look like whatever it wants.”
“It’s possible, I suppose.” He cast his eyes to the ceiling as he thought back to his dream. “It would explain a lot.”
“Like what?” Olivia tilted her head as she studied him, and when he turned his gaze back on her, his dark eyes were serious.
“I’ve been having the same dream for a while now,” he told her. “Deep in the woods, in a clearing much like you described but covered in snow, there is a man staked to the ground in the circle with his chest torn open, and his heart has been removed. The tree in the center of the clearing is surrounded by a burning star.”
“A burning star?”
“A shape,” he clarified. “Burning along the ground.”
“Do you mean a pentagram?”
She flicked through the book she was still holding and held up an illustration of one.
“Yes, that’s it.” He nodded. “The tree splits open, and a man claws his way out of the ground, and when he speaks, it’s Nathaniel’s voice. It never made any sense until now.”
“God.” Olivia blew out a breath. “This is so far above my pay grade.”
“What do you mean?”
“Never mind,” she muttered. “I’ve just never had to deal with the concept of real live demons before, and now I find one is intimately tied to my family, and not just my family, but yours too. This can’t be a coincidence.”
“You know what we need to do, don’t you?” Theo’s gaze tracked to the window.
“Yes,” Olivia replied reluctantly. “We need to go into the woods and get a look at the Hollow.”
“Although,” Theo watched her contemplatively. “Maybe you shouldn’t venture out into the woods again. Whatever is out there has already tried luring you in. I could call Jake, and we could?—”
“Don’t even finish that sentence,” she warned, her eyes flashing. “I may not want to go out into the woods, but I damn well will. Apparently, this is my family’s mess to clean up.”
“Not just yours,” Theo returned, just as resolutely.
“Fine then,” Olivia snapped. “Both of us.”
“Get your boots on, I’ll be right back.”
When Theo finally reappeared, Olivia was already wearing her winter boots and coat and was pulling a warm hat over her ponytail.
“Where did you get that?” Her eyes widened when she saw he was carrying a gun.
“Jake,” Theo answered, pulling his own coat on.
“Do you even know how to use it?”
“He showed me this morning.” He tucked the weapon into his coat pocket.
“Oh.” She studied him for several long seconds before finally shrugging. “Okay.”
“Okay?” he repeated slowly. “What does okay mean?”
“It means okay.” She rolled her eyes. “Just try not to shoot anything important. You know, fingers, toes...me.”
“I would never harm you.” He followed her out of the door, shutting it behind them.
“Relax, Theo, I was joking.” Olivia smiled, pulling her coat tighter. “God, it’s getting cold. We’ll have snow before long.”
They looked at each other in silence, her innocent remark reminding them both of Theo’s dream. Folding her hand in his, they hurried down the porch steps and across the sparse grass.
