[h2]Esme[/h2]
Esme was grateful to Cason for staying as she unloaded everything she was holding inside onto him. She hadn’t intended to, but once she started, she couldn't stop the flow of words leaving her mouth. She felt a bit lighter, and Cason also seemed to know exactly how she felt, which helped to an extent as well. It was strange to her that at that moment, out of all the people on this property, Cason was the one who caused her to unload her problems. Never in a million years did she think she would be confiding to someone other than Duke or her godmother, let alone a demon, but it was strangely comforting in a way. It wasn’t until Cason sighed and spoke did Esme turn her eyes to Cason. “Bored, huh?” she replied with a light laugh in her tone. “I can believe that, since you don’t sleep…. I had a few drinks, but not as many as Duke. Whisky and my emotions being on overdrive don’t mix too well. My godmother could tell you a good story about that.” She gave another light laugh as he scanned her face and flashed his polite smile. Her eyes briefly went to the knife in his hand as he played with it.

Esme nodded her head lightly at Cason’s assumption and continued to listen as he spoke, smiling a little at his offer to watch over if she wanted to take a nap. Her smile faded when he shrugged and brought up the others and how the morning would affect them. “Yeah, normally I don’t, unless it’s hatred or rage, but I do feel something from you, which is a bit strange. But yes, things are pretty quiet, except for what I feel coming from a couple of foxes, rabbits, and deer in the distance.” she told him. She softly sighed as her eyes went back to Cason’s knife. “The peace is doing me some good, and I know I should take advantage of it now before everyone gets up. It’s going to be hell for them and me, but even with me being as tired as I am, I’m not sure I could nap if I wanted.” Esme turned her eyes up to the moon and took a deep breath in, then slowly let it out. “Talking would be nice, if you’re really for it, and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about the free therapy session. I know how things can get once people know you’ve offered it.”

She lightly laughed. “But other than you, Sarah offers some pretty good therapy. Strangely enough, if she’s close, I don’t feel as much from anyone, but when she’s curled around me, I feel nothing unless I concentrate. It’s like she’s an emotion dampener.” Esme shrugged and fell quiet. When Cason spoke again, she looked over at him, her eyebrows knitting together as she took in what he was saying. ‘Acid burn in the brain? I’ve experienced a similar feeling.’ she thought to herself. She crossed her arms, then brought a hand to her chin in thought. “Demons having accidental emotions?” she whispered thoughtfully. She was pulled from her thoughts by Sarah nudging Cason and herself. Removing her hand from her chin, she placed it on Sarah and patted her. Sarah then moved to sit behind her before lying down. “I have actually heard about it happening, I’m just trying to remember where.” Esme told Cason, drifting back into thought. She tilted her head down, closed her eyes, and crossed her arms across her chest again. “Where did I hear it?” she whispered thoughtfully to herself. With Esme being lost in thought, Sarah took the opportunity to scoot closer to Esme and curl herself around her, then used her head to gently force Esme to lie back into her.

Esme instinctively stretched out her legs, then crossed one over the other. “Oh, right!” she nearly yelled as her eyes popped open. “It’s a rare occurrence, so rare that most consider it a myth or a flat-out lie.” she said, looking over at him. Realizing that she was now lying down, Esme tried to sit up, but Sarah wasn’t having it. She used her head to keep Esme pinned down against her body. Esme sighed heavily and gave up the fight, then continued to talk. “Now that I think about it, I came across a demon years ago that seemed different from most. It was a feeling I got from them. Kind of like what I get off of you.” Running a hand through her hair, she looked up at the moon and returned her hand to her chest. “I haven’t thought about that day in years, or even the journal entries I came across talking about demons feeling emotions like empathy. I honestly thought the entry was some sort of joke at the time. But now…. You’ve made me think differently.” Suppressing a yawn, she looked at Cason before Sarah pulled her attention away by wiggling her nose under one of Esme’s hands. 

With a soft smile, Esme slid her hand over Sarah’s muzzle and up to rest on the top of her head.“If you give me a little time, I’m sure I can track down those journals for you.” she offered warmly. Esme rubbed the top of Sarah’s head and opened her mouth slightly to say something else, but closed it again, having second thoughts. ‘Do I really want to ask? Do I truly want to know if he can find the answers?’ she asked herself. It was then she realized how calm it had become, how clear her thoughts were, and how relaxed and heavy her body and eyelids had become. Sarah had pulled a fast one on her while her mind was distracted by Cason’s question. Briefly closing her eyes, she sighed heavily, fighting the sleep that threatened to take her over. “Could you help me with something?” she asked in a tired tone as she looked at him. “I know this could put you in a difficult spot, and if you don’t want to help, it’s fine…. Could you possibly see if there is any truth to the demon deal story, and if there is a demon running around by the name of Ryker?” 

“One of the demons I fought ran his mouth….. Said that this Ryker was behind what happened to me in the….. Asylum. If this demon truly exists, it means he is still looking for me and…. Wants to continue what he started, just as Valdin said.” A shiver ran down Esme’s spine at the thought of being in that situation again, and having to fight her way out, or have the others come rescue her if they could find her. Closing her eyes, she turned her head away from Cason, feeling terrible for asking, but he was the only one she knew who could get her the answers. “I just want to know if he’s out there, so that I can prepare myself for if he shows up.” she almost whispered. She wouldn’t admit it to Cason or anyone else, but she was terrified of the thought of Ryker showing up out of the blue and kidnapping her to finish his plans with her. She was no longer human because of him, she didn’t want to fall into his hands and become a monster. Forcing Ryker from her thoughts, Esme focused on Sarah’s large protective body wrapped around her and her steady breathing. Not long after, she lost her battle with sleep, which was made clear by her sighing and nuzzling her face into Sarah’s side.