The water was now a step above tepid, but we both cared very little at that moment. The day's heat was falling on the land, and we kept each other warm. I never understood couples earlier, where they would laugh and kiss and whisper all at once, but I found I was doing it with Emmaline, and I realized, for the first time in awhile, I was as comfortable around her as I was by myself. I never thought I would feel that way again. 

The two of us kissed and snuggled, before Emmaline announced she was hungry and she climbed out of the pool, shimmying into a towel and drying her hair with a smaller one. I dunked myself in the water one last time before surfacing and whipping my head back and forth. I opened my eyes to see a rolled up towel flying at me, which I caught at the last moment before it plunged into the bath. I dried my hair as I stepped out, and then toweled the rest of myself. 

"Can't wait to get more clothes," Emmaline murmured, putting her traveling garb back on. 

"I know a good place to go," I told her, and she looked at me with wide eyes. I winked just before my shirt fell back over my torso, hugging my broad chest. "Grab something to eat and then go shopping?" 

She nodded vigorously, looking at me in a way that had my heart speed up. We had just made love and already I was shy again. If I wasn't so enamored, I would be confused. But now that the adrenaline was off from the road, it felt like everything was falling into place. The two of us meandered into the rest of our clothes and then lazily walked out, though in the front room a few eyes turned our way, staring without inhibition. I gave a guilty smile and ushered Emmaline on, who seemed more giggly than anything. The sun flooded into our vision, and the warmth felt great on our newly washed bodies and moist hair. 

We entered the tavern again, the lunch rush just starting. I saw Olly for a split second, surrounded by a crowd haranguing him at length for their orders. With sympathy, I led Emmaline past a rushing waitress and headed upstairs. As we found our room, there was a slip of paper at the foot of the door. Emmaline bent down to grab it, pulling it up to her face and reading through it, pleased. I poked my head around her to see, though with my height it wasn't hard to look over her shoulder. Emmaline gave a sly smile, and tossed her hair coquettishly to ruin my view. I blinked, rearing back and acting put off, before we were interrupted by a curious sound. 

The two of us looked from one another to the door of our room. Emmaline opened her mouth to whisper, but I clamped my hand on her and gave her a look of understanding. I backed her up for a moment, and slowly I stepped forward, reaching for the doorknob to the room, gingerly turning it. 

Swiftly I shoved the door open, the wood hitting the wall audibly. Our room was comfortable but not entirely large. Mostly a moderately sized bedroom with a half kitchen and a small balcony. The sunlight streamed in, the curtains billowing from the breeze. Amidst our meager belongings was a figure, hooded and cloaked. As soon as the door swung open, its head shot in our direction. It moved erratically, it's body and hand movements were both languid yet sharp. I heard a low sound, not unlike a buzzing hiss, but lower, as if I felt the very vibrations in my chest and neck. 

I couldn't see who or what it was under the cowl, but it wasn't human. Or not fully human. 

I leaped forward, my legs pivoting into a kick. But the thing was too fast, sliding to the left with an eerie speed and scuttling away, grasping cupboards and bed posts with gloved hands and sprinting out onto the balcony. I followed, easily leaping over the bed, stepping down lightly before I launched myself again onto the balcony after it, and with one foot on the balustrade, I noticed the cloaked figure had somehow found its way down and was speeding away through the crowd. 

"I'll be back!" I called to Emmaline, and I heard her cry out in alarm as I leaped the fifteen feet to the ground, narrowly missing a couple who gasped as I landed in a roll in front of them. I was on my feet in a flash, sprinting after the figure.