Unlikely Alliance: A Humble Hill Novel- Chapter 10

Photo by Stefan Vladimirov on Unsplash

The LaLune manor was shaped more like a box. A large porch encircled the outer ring of the house. It looked like the traditional colonial style home. The pale green house with white shutters and manicured lawns made it look like Something that fit in perfectly with the small town feel Humble Hill had been pushing. Alec didn’t know what he expected when the bell echoed throughout the house, but the standard ding-dong felt slightly anticlimactic. He didn’t have to wait long as Selene threw open the door so fast that Alec was worried it would slam into the opposite wall.

“Alec! You’re here. I was worried that you would be late. You’re the last one to arrive.” Alec cast a slight glance at his watch. The analog watch ticked quietly as he saw he was still ten minutes early. Instead of commenting on it, he smiled with a small lie.

“I had a little trouble finding the place.” Alec paused before handing one of the bouquets to Selene. He had known exactly where this house had been. While vastly different from the house that stood here over a hundred years ago, the Mayor’s house hadn’t moved from the western part of the town. “These are for you as a measure of my gratitude for the invite. I have one for your mother as well. I was always taught never to arrive empty-handed.”

Selene looked at him momentarily before carefully lifting the bouquet and sniffing the flowers — a faint blush on her cheeks. “Thank you,” she muttered. “Ma is usually the only one who gets them.”

“The invite did come from you,” Alec replied as the two fell silent. As Selene didn’t seem to want to change it, Alec continued. “May I come in?”

“Oh, yes. Come on!” It seemed as if whatever spell had fallen over Selene dissipated as she yanked his arm and pulled him across the threshold of the building. He handed her the other bouquet. One hand was holding the flowers, the other looped between his arms, and she used her foot to kick the door shut. Alec couldn’t hide the wince at the sound as he wondered how often she did that. “We’re just all so excited to have you over tonight.” Selene continued as if she hadn’t caused the door to echo throughout the room. “Ma has been just dying to meet you. Pa has seen you, but he’s wanted to talk with you for ages. I keep telling them that they need to stop by, but Ma and Pa are always going on about how it wasn’t polite, and it would put you out since you’re homeless and all.”

“I’m not — “ Alec interjected, but his words died on his lips as they entered the living room. He saw who had been invited to this Dinner. He ignored the larger man, who bore a striking resemblance to Selene, and whom could only be Mayor Stephen and Josh. The demon was sitting casually on the sofa, sipping some dark liquor, acting as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Selene, who was-” The words died on Eli’s lips as they entered a staring contest. The shock only lasted a moment for the two of them as Eli’s lips smirked, and Alec forced a smile on his lips. He didn’t know why the demon had been invited to the Dinner, but he had decided that as long as the demon did not try anything, then Alec would let it slide. The most significant issue would be whether Eli would start something this evening. He wouldn’t put it past the demon. Demons were all so dramatic.

“I invited Alec along tonight,” Selene said. “Have you had a chance to meet yet?” Alec turned towards her. She knew that they had. She had been his excuse to escape the first time. Why was she trying to be sly? He cast a questioning glance over at Josh but knew it was useless when all he did was stare at Selene with those love-struck eyes.

“We have.” Both Alec and Eli gritted out. Alec might as well play along. He almost cursed himself for falling for such an obvious trap. The LaLunes must be working for the demons. That would explain why he had been lured here. Keeping his guard up would be his best bet. He reached up to pull his hair back; it had gotten long enough that it would get in the way of his fighting when he paused as Stephen LaLune added to the conversation. What Alec expected to be a monologue about capturing him differed from what he expected.

“That’ll save us on the introduction.” Stephen’s deep voice reverberated throughout the room. The tension that had been starting to grow slowly disappeared as he stood and strode over to him, his hand held out for a shake. Alec took the handshake. “I’m Stephen LaLune. Mayor of Humble Hill. It is long overdue but welcome.”

“Thank you,” Alec replied as he wondered if he was letting his paranoia get better. Still, he didn’t lower his guard as Stephen walked away and headed towards the small, makeshift bar at the corner. “What’s your poison?”

That question looks like Alec has longer to figure out than it should have. He tried to think of a good alcohol before muttering. “Gin and Tonic, if you have it.” Stephen nodded, grabbed a glass, and started to prepare the cocktail. “Gemma is finishing the meal, but she’ll join us once she finishes. Selene. Why don’t you go help her?”

“Sure thing, Pa,” Selene said as she pushed Alec onto the sofa beside Eli and bounced out of the room. Alec’s spine straightened at being so close to the demon. Eli didn’t seem to be in a much better position as he actively shifted away from Alec. Once she was gone, Stephen looked at them with humor.

“I’m sorry about Selene. But once she gets an idea, nothing can change it.”

“Don’t I know it,” Josh muttered gloomily.

“Keep it up,” Stephen told Josh, “One day she’ll realize. Unfortunately, she gets that from me. You should have seen Gemma’s lengths to make me realize she was interested in me. I can only be grateful she was so patient with me.” Alec found all that information interesting but also wanted to return to something Stephen had mentioned earlier.

“What idea would that be exactly?” Alec asked. He could feel his blood pressure slowly rise as he tried to think of whatever plan Selene could have devised. It only got worse as Eli dropped his head into his hands. It was the shaking that got him. It was something so incredibly human that Alec momentarily forgot that Eli was a demon. He looked like any person might be when they discovered a foolish idea.

“Let’s talk business later.” Stephan handed him his Gin and Tonic. “Eli, I assume you’re usual?”

“Make it a double.” Eli groaned. “I’m going to need it.” Stephen didn’t hesitate as he poured a glass nearly full of whiskey and handed it to Eli. Eli downed it in one gulp. Alec’s nerves were at their ends. He wanted to know what this plan was and what it had to do with him. The fact that the demon knew, and not him, irritated him.

“It’s not that bad of an idea,” Stephen muttered as he picked up Eli’s glass and filled it again. Eli did not down it this time but let it sit on the table.

Stephen made a drink for Josh and him, handed one to the young man, and then settled back into his chair. “Tell me, Alec, how are you settling in Humble Hill? Is it everything you thought it would be?”

“It’s about what I expected. The house has just been the biggest issue. I wasn’t expecting to live in my trailer for as long as I am. If I had, I would have configured it a little differently.” Stephen gave a hum of acknowledgment.

“It must be hard coming here on your own. Did you leave family in…where you lived before?”

“Boston,” Alec said. He could see Eli tense next to him. One of the Agency’s headquarters and main research facilities was well known in Boston. This was more information than he was willing to give to the demon, but it would be needed to help settle his persona.

“You don’t sound Bostonian.”

“I’m not. I grew up in England. Traveled a little in my youth before settling down over here.” Alec said. That was not a lie, he just held back the details on how long he had traveled. “Then I got in contact about this house, and well, it was too good of an offer; I just couldn’t refuse. The housing market is so expensive, but I knew the house would have issues, so I took a few years to work hard and save everything to move here.”

“While we’re not big cities, there is no denying we’re seeing some new faces looking to escape the humdrum life of the big cities. I wouldn’t trade Humble Hill for anywhere.” Stephan agreed. “And No, Mrs. Forrest?”

“No,” Alec said. His mind is thinking of his only wife. He had thought about taking another throughout his existence, but there had never been much of a reason. The arrangement had been perfect for them, and anyone else would have expected him to perform his husbandly duties. That was something he would not have been able to do with her. It was easier to avoid all discussions of marriage. “She passed away a few years ago.”

“I’m sorry to hear,” Stephen said. Alec cast a glance over to Eli, who was observing. He wondered if he believed his stories. He wondered why the demon had told lies when he had been interrogated like this. He hadn’t told complete lies; he just made it seem like the timing differed from reality.

“Please don’t be. She was ill for a long time. It was almost a relief when she died. I knew she’d no longer be in any pain.” He hadn’t wanted to mention that she had been heartbroken when she had died. Mary had lost the love of her life, not even a year before, to old age. He had stayed with her while pretending to be a nephew or something. He could barely remember, but he had held her hand as she passed, a smile and a name not his own on her lips. Somedays, Alec wondered what had killed Mary. The broken heart or bronchitis. He wished he could love as passionately as Mary had Abagail.

“Still,” Stephen said with a pause. “I never meant to bring up sad memories.”

“Thinking of Mary never makes me sad,” Alec replied honestly. She had been his best friend for so many years — his closest confidant. “Let’s talk about more joyous things. How long have you been Mayor?” Alec leaned forward to indicate more interest than he felt. He needed to get the conversation off of him, and gathering more information seemed vital. If he were lucky, he could shift his attention to Eli and gather information about the demon. All his attempts so far had only given him surface information. No one knew who the demon was before he arrived in Humble Hill five years prior.

“Almost twenty-two years,” Stephen said. “I was a shoo-in candidate after my own Pa retired. Lived my whole life in Humble Hill. I’m hoping Selene or Lucian will take over once I retire.”

“We’ll both be old when that happens, Dad,” Selene said as she walked into the room. “Mama said Dinner’s ready. We should head in.” Selene said. “I’ve marked the seats, so you know where to sit.”

“You’ve never done-” Josh started, looking over at her and then glancing at Alec. Alec felt a sense of dread start to fill him. Maybe he would need to play the grieving widow card a little more.

“So, there will be no musical chairs once we get in there!” Selene interrupted as she dragged Josh from the room.

“I’m not sure what she all has planned.” Stephen started slowly as he rose to his feet. “But I will apologize in advance. Please forgive whatever plan she had in mind. She truly has her heart in the right spot.” Alec nodded in understanding as he rose. He barely made it two steps before his arm was grabbed. Turning, Alec glared at the demon, a spell on his lips should he need it. The demon’s following words had the spell disappear, and his eyes widened slightly.