Whyborne and Griffin, Books 1-3 by Jordan L. Hawk

Author:Jordan L. Hawk
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: horror, gilded age, historical, victorian, victorian era, lovecraft, whybourne, widdershins, whyborne
Publisher: Jordan L. Hawk

Chapter 10

As the day waned, a line of thunderheads built over the peaks to the east, sweeping in to cover the hollow in an early darkness. The humidity intensified, but a breeze sprang up, bringing with it the scent of rain and the distant rumble of thunder.

The weather matched the mood of the town. The remains of the dead men left the mine as they had entered, within one of the mule-drawn carts, while the church bells tolled somberly. I wondered if the next shift would be tasked with shoveling up coal soaked in their blood.

The accident served as a grim reminder of the dangers of the mine, even to those who didn’t share our fear something otherworldly had caused the rockfall. Only a handful of locals showed up for dinner at the hotel, although the bar seemed to do an even more rousing business than the night before, as men tried to drink away their fear and grief.

I retired to my room early. Griffin declared his intention to return to the bar, to gather more information, but I heard his door open and close before long. The scrape of a chair announced he had chosen to brace it further against possible entrance. With any luck, the precaution meant he intended to join me in bed.

A moment later, he knocked on the connecting door, and I bid him enter. “Did you learn anything further?”

“No.” His face wore a dark scowl. “Nor am I likely to. We aren’t the only ones who noticed Johnson and his companion died only moments after talking to you. Half of the miners are convinced there is some awful spirit in the mine, which will destroy anyone who speaks of it aloud. The other half laugh…but don’t speak either, because they secretly fear it’s true.”

“Drat.” The curtains over the half-opened windows stirred in the freshening breeze, and thunder growled nearby. I stood up, using the chair to brace my door as well, before unbuttoning my coat. The suit I’d worn earlier in the mine had been taken away for cleaning; I hung my coat up carefully, not wishing it to be creased. “Perhaps we’ll find clues at the cave.”

“The cave?”

The rockfall had driven it out of my mind. “Yes—forgive me, I quite forgot to tell you. Elliot offered to show us the cave where they found the black stone.”

“Elliot, is it?” Griffin asked, an odd note in his voice.

“Well, er, yes.” Had I misunderstood his wishes? “I thought you wanted me to recruit him as an ally, if possible.”

“Elliot’s a good detective. He taught me almost everything I know,” Griffin admitted. “I was only surprised to hear you speak of him familiarly.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You have no reason to apologize. But let’s not speak of Elliot. Not when we could be doing far more pleasant things.”

Hooking his fingers around my suspenders, he yanked me to him. His lips sealed over mine with almost bruising force, muffling my startled squeak. His tongue invaded my mouth boldly, and my thoughts began to unravel.

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