Chapter Eleven
It’s been thirteen hours and my body is still the same. Haines has been next to me, waiting for something to happen. He promised that he’d do all he could to make the transition less painful.
Ryan and Trent brought over a few casseroles and keep calling to check on me, but I don’t think either of them wants to be here. Ryan doesn’t want another run in with Samael, and Trent doesn’t want the pleasure of meeting him. I don’t blame them.
“Perrian,” Haines says. “You’ve been staring at the wall for ten minutes. What are you thinking about?” The newspaper he holds ruffles as he folds it, placing it on the bedside table. He turns to look at me.
“Who did Samael take from you?” I didn’t tell him about Samael’s surprise visit. Bringing death to those around me isn’t a conversation I want to have. “You want me to kill him so badly. There has to be something fueling that hatred.”
He rubs his chin and grabs his glass of red wine sitting on the bedside table I just replaced. Haines brought me into his room a few hours ago. He said the bed in my room wasn’t big enough.
The brown and blue pillows on his bed are soft and smell of soap, fabric softener, and ylang ylang oil. Just like Haines. The striped beige and blue bedspread feels velvety, and my body sinks into the mattress.
He sips the dark red liquid and gently places it back on the table. “My father.”
“I’m sorry.”
He smiles. “He was wonderful. With all the women he could have seduced, his eyes were solely for my mother. He loved us. We were his heart and soul.”
“What made him choose to let Samael take him?” I begin to wonder how a father would choose to leave his family but then it dawns on me.
Taking a sudden interest his abdomen, Haines sighs and shrugs. “My mother. My brother. Me.” This is the most vulnerable I’ve ever seen him. He lifts the bottom of his tee-shirt up and pokes and pulls his navel, then he settles on rubbing his abs.
I’d love to rub them for him. Lick them. Kiss them. Biting them is out of the question. He has like zero percent body fat.
“It was a deal to keep you safe, wasn’t it?” I ask, turning my attention away from his muscles. I would never hear a word he said if I didn’t. “If your dad gave himself up Samael promised he would leave you guys alone.”
Haines picks up his glass and eyes the table, brushing it off and then looks at me. “Yes, Perrian. That’s why he leaves me alone. He’s an angel of his word.”
“How honorable,” I say sarcastically. “Where is your family?”
He turns toward me and crosses his ankles. “Wondering why they didn’t come to the wedding?”
I shrug and begin to chew on my lower lip. “That, too. But really I’m just being nosey.”
He runs his hand through his hair and then rubs his right ear. He fidgets when he’s nervous. “My mother is holed up in Alaska, waiting for something. Maybe to die. Maybe waiting for Samael to die. I don’t know. I visit her a few times a year. She and my dad were together for centuries. She still doesn’t know how to live without him. My brother, Daniel, and his wife are expecting a baby any day. She can’t fly and he didn’t want to leave her. They live in Arizona.”
Wow. A family makes Haines seem more normal. All these years and he has just been an entity to me. Nothing real. Just a guy I needed to help me out. A guy who thought he could boss me around if he tried hard enough. But now, he seems like an actual person.
“Haines?”
“Yes, Perrian?”
“Why were you such a douche when we met?” I pull the covers off my feet and pull my legs under me. “What made you treat me that way?”
He sighs and looks at the wall. “I really don’t know, Perrian.”
“Well, think about it because I’d like to know.”
He rubs his hand across my forehead, and I lean into his touch. “I will do that. I believe I owe you that much.”
His small show of affection makes me blush. “Thank you. I believe you and I are capable of getting along.” I clear my throat, pull the covers back over my legs, and grab for my glass of water. “Haines?”
“Mmm-hmm,” he says, reaching for the television remote.
“Just so there’ll be no hold up when it comes down to it, I’d like you to have sex with me.” I turn my body toward him and nervously fondle the glass in my hand. “Please, oh please, have sex with me you manly-man. This, oh sir, I beg.”
A laugh reverberates through his chest and his smile is genuine. “I will accept that as you begging me for sex.”
We both laugh, and the mood lightens. I hadn’t even known there was tension hanging over us. Must be all this talk of death and angels. Is there anyone else on the face of the planet who has these conversations? Probably not. We’re the weird ones walking around going through this crap.
“Perrian?”
“Yep?”
“What made you do that?”
“I didn’t want to do it while I was writhing in pain and praying for death.”
“Ahh,” he says, changing channels on the television. “I see. That makes perfect sense.”
I flip through books on my e-reader while Haines flips through channels, neither of us saying that we are waiting for my body to begin its last change.
I’m terrified this time will be worse, and I think Haines is just as afraid. Afraid he won’t be able to help me through it.
“Perrian, I have an idea.”
“Is it you running to the market to buy me more ice cream?” I say hopefully, but I’m almost sure of what he’s going to say. I’ve been thinking the same thing myself.
“With your permission, I would like to try to induce your change.”
Yep, that’s exactly what I was thinking.
“That way,” he continues. “We can try to keep you from feeling the pain. I imagine it’s dreadful.”
“Haines, you have no fucking idea how dreadful it is.”
He cracks his knuckles and bites his bottom lip. “If your aunt thinks it’ll help you, I’m willing to give it a try.”
I take a deep breath and lay my e-reader on the table. “I’d like that. What do you propose?”
He turns the television off and faces me. My mouth is suddenly dry and I am beyond nervous. We’re going to do it!
In one sudden and graceful move Haines pulls his tee-shirt over his head and climbs up on his knees, pulling the blanket and sheets off my legs. It tickles its way down my legs, exposing me to the cool air. I want to pull them back and bring the blanket up to my neck to cover myself. Even though I’m wearing pajama pants and a shirt, I feel completely naked. I finally get a chance to really look at his beautiful body but I can’t move my eyes from his.
Haines’ pupils are dilated, and a knowing smile plays across his eyes. I look down and see his full lips, soft and wet. He licks his teeth and smiles, and my body is instantly set aflame to be taken by him. Memories remind me to rage against our joining, but every other part of me overlooks those thoughts. Haines knew what he was getting into when he agreed to marry me, kind of, but he did it anyway. There is something there that flickers in his eyes that shows me he cares. It’s not the obvious lust that we both feel right now. It’s something more.
He could have left me to be alone with Samael. He could have called my parents when that first spasm of pain overtook me, left me to be cared for by anyone else but him. But he didn’t. Haines cared enough to try to comfort me, to bathe me while I was rendered unconscious, healing from the physical torture my body has to go through. Even right now, he could leave me to bleed my way through another episode. But he’s here, with me. Ready to help me become the best version of myself that I can be. Ready to help me defeat a rogue angel that has his hopes set on killing every single sex demon on the face of this planet. This beautiful man is here with me.
“You’re the most magnificent man I’ve ever seen,” I say.
His chest is sleek and the color of honey. Each fluid movement causes a ripple of muscle beneath his skin and I can only imagine what he will feel like against my body. He reaches for the drawstring of his pants and slowly unties it. He crawls closer and moves between my legs. “I’m going to taste you.” His expression is volatile.
“Okay,” I tell him, sounding like an idiot. Don’t I have a sexy voice?
“May I?” he says, gently pulling at my shirt.
“Ohh.” Clumsily, I yank my shirt over my head. “Look, before we go any further let me just say that I am nervous and you’re going to have to tell me what to do ’cause I’ve never done this before, and I’ve never even had a guy get to second base before all sleepy hell broke loose and the poor bastard passed out and I just sat there like a freaking moron hoping I didn’t kill the poor guy…”
“You have lovely breasts.”
I guess that was a whole lot nicer than him saying, Perry, shut the hell up!
“Thanks.”
His eyes are raw, hungry. Just for me. He leans forward and kisses my forehead, my nose, my lips, and then my chin. I feel cherished.
“Kiss me,” he says faintly, rubbing his lips against mine.
I lean and fall into the kiss, breath hitching in my throat as his arms surround me. His mouth claims me, pulls from me. His hand lightly touches the small of my back, pulling me toward him as he draws me forward and guides me back down on to the bed. For a moment, his touch becomes possessive, and he grabs my ass and pulls me against his hard erection. I moan into his mouth as his kiss deepens and his teeth knock against mine. I revel in his loss of control and smile into our kiss.
His thigh pushes my legs farther apart as he makes room for himself, pulling me down farther on the bed so I won’t hit my head on the headboard. I tighten my arms around his neck, loving the sensation of his hands shamelessly touching every part of me as if he owns the only map in existence to my body.
“Should I cut the light off?” I ask, looking at the lamp.
“No,” he says, a sexy smile playing across his lips. “I want you to watch me.”
“Oh,” I say, feeling anxious. We’re gonna do it! I’m gonna do it with someone!
“Perrian, calm down.”
“Oh, okay.” Easier said than done.
He pulls away from me and hooks his thumbs on either side of my pajama pants, slowly drawing them down my hips. His hands are warm and they make my body sing to be touched by him.
Goosebumps erupt as his fingers lightly graze my legs. He folds my pants and lays them next to him, pausing only to slide off his own. From a smattering of dark hair, his cock bounces free—long, thick, slightly curving upward.
“I want you inside me,” I admit, almost ashamed to let the truth leave my lips. I’ve wanted him for so long, and now he’s here.
He is beautiful. Our kind were made to be beautiful, to be desired. And I am not immune to his prowess.
Haines leans over and kisses my left knee and then my right, pulling them apart as his kisses make their way up my thighs. Forcefully, he grabs me by each knee and yanks my bottom to the edge of the bed and kneels before me.
Dear Lilith, thank you. You’re the best. This was so worth the wait.
“You are exquisite, Perrian.” His lips and tongue tease their way higher. “Are you watching?” he says, without looking up at me.
My voice is barely audible as my eyes are trained on his lips. “Yes.”
He smiles and kisses the lips between my legs once, and then again, hands kneading into my thighs.
The air is heavy with lust. I tilt my head back and close my eyes.
“Perrian. Eyes on me.”
I snap my head up.
“This may be the only time I get to tell you what to do,” he says, hands massaging their way to my center while he pulls my left knee over his shoulder.
“This may be the only time I’ll listen.”
He takes his left hand and rests it on my belly, using his thumb and forefinger to pull back the hood, giving him clear access to my clit. His tongue strokes it over and over as I hold on to the bed for all I’m worth, trying to keep my hands from shaking as the heavy ache between my legs continues to build.
He hums and my vision blurs. I feel the vibration through my entire body. “Hmmyeah,” and other babble manages to escape my mouth. I clamp my teeth together and fight to keep my eyes on him. I sit up on my elbows and watch his mouth slide over me, his hand caressing its way up my ribs.
His lips are voracious as he tastes me, demanding my pleasure as a feast for his demon. I give it to him. All of what I’m feeling I imagine flowing into him, making him stronger, making us closer. I grab the back of his head and pull him toward me as my hips thrust toward his hungry mouth. His fingers dig into my flesh, painful almost, but oh God, how I love it.
I begin to feel a pulling sensation. He’s feeding off of my lust. Haines should have more than enough energy to feed on. My skin tingles and power floods the room.
And then it starts.
My body begins to overheat and a sense of boiling fills my stomach.
“Haines,” I say, whimpering.
“Start feeding,” he says, without taking his lips off me, tongue still stroking, fingers reaching up to knead my breasts and pinch my hardened nipples.
I’m afraid. I’m terrified. Everything rubs my skin the wrong way—the sheets, the air, even the sweat that beads across my brow.
But his mouth feels magnificent.
“Haines,” I say again, holding tighter to the sheets, afraid that if I touch him I’ll hurt him.
“Feed,” he says forcefully, this time enclosing my clit with his lips. He begins to suck and bite and flick his tongue. His fingers make their way through my slick folds and he thrusts two fingers into my empty channel, stretching me, filling me.
Throwing my head back against the soft pillows I cry out and begin to spiral as he tastes me.
His mouth on me is the only thing in the world worth feeling. And here it is. That magnetism of me drawing energy from him. Feeding off of him. Of him filling me up. Of him taking energy from me.
He winces as bones begin breaking in my body. I silently thank Lilith that it only feels like a knuckle cracking, but the sound is clear and Haines’ discomfort is unmistakable. But a quick glance from him shows me his relief that I’m not screaming in pain.
Instead, I’m laughing. So happy there is no ache, no hurt. Only warmth from his mouth, a nibble from his teeth.
“Please keep doin’ that—” I say, the words almost a song I sing in praise of Haines.
He hums again and the burn in my belly disappears, turning into the most pleasurable, aching warmth that radiates to every part of my body.
“Haines—Oh, Haines—” My legs begin to shake, and I grind my hips toward his face.
I stop breathing as the orgasm hits me, and I throw my head back, calling his name. “Oh, God. ThankyouHaines.” One big word that plays over and over in my head. The fear of burning and ripping are nonexistent and I am grateful that Haines is the reason. “ThankyouthankyouHainesthankyou. It doesn’t hurt,” I whisper to the top of his head, breathing hard, hips still rocking forward.
His head snaps up, and a wily look is in his demon-red colored eyes. The carnal glare is almost frightening as he bites his bottom lip and roughly pulls my legs apart, pushing me farther up on to the bed.
“Haines?” I say, whispering. “Are you—”
He quickly crawls up my body, bringing my knees high near my armpits. “I’m sorry,” he says, kissing me hard.
His lips are on mine. My scent and taste on his tongue, warm and salty. His proud cock is near the apex of my thighs and he apologizes again. He slides his hands under my ass and pulls my pussy toward his waiting cock. He rams his full length into me.
I try to scream but his kiss drowns out the sound. He is large. He stretches me, forcing my aching pussy to accept every inch of him, and I welcome him. “Haines,” I say over and over, my voice sounding like an erotic soundtrack that plays along with the slapping of flesh, the whisper of sheets.
Pumping into me, he apologizes again and again. “I’m so sorry. I don’t think I can stop. I’ll be gentle next time,” he says, biting my shoulder. “So sorry.”
“It’s all right,” I say moaning, getting used to the feeling of him filling me to the point of pain. Breathing hard and holding on to him I shake my head, letting him know that it’s okay.
He feels wonderful. The friction rubs all the right places and I feel like I’m flying as he slides in and out, as his hips piston against mine.
I shiver and run my hands up his back, exploring the silky skin over his body. I relish the feel of his hot skin. “Please,” I whisper, not knowing what I’m asking for. Please don’t stop? Please take me higher? It doesn’t matter. Just as long as he keeps moving.
He traces his tongue along my sensitive earlobe. “This is how I’ve dreamed of us. My cock deep inside you. You begging me for more.” He kisses me again and bites my bottom lip. “You’re so wet. So mine. Fuck, Perry.”
The discomfort recedes and a warm ache replaces it. Heat rushes through my body as his possessive hunger claims me. His mouth glides along the skin of my shoulders. He feels so good touching me, biting me, kissing me, fucking me. The feel of his sweat slicked body writhing against mine makes me fly. With each thrust of his hips and kiss from his lips I am taken higher.
“I’ve got you,” he says, holding on to either side of the bed but still thrusting into me.
I open my eyes and realize my body is starting to lift off the bed as I begin to float to the ceiling. But Haines has me.
He snakes his head down and pulls my nipple into his mouth. He laves and sucks, and good God, he bites. “Come for me,” he says, moving one of his hands between us and rubbing tiny circles around my clit.
A rumble sounds in his chest as he pushes my legs further apart. “Perrian,” he whispers.
And with the sound of my name on his lips the orgasm rips through me, a wave crashing over me again and again. I dissolve into him as he pushes deeper and comes for me. Comes into me.
My body is still; no sounds of bones moving. I rest on the bed and smile in spite of the soreness that is already setting in.
Haines is panting, his large frame draped over me. “I’m sorry,” he says. “I don’t know what happened. Did I hurt you?”
He pulls away and I look in his eyes. “A little. But trust me, I’m completely fine with it.”
He laughs. “I guess your super-snatch took over and compelled me.”
I giggle, pinch the hair in the middle of his head, and pull back. “Shut-it.”
We lay there for a few moments looking at each other.
“Haines?”
“Yes, dearest.”
“Thank you. Besides my first time being absolutely amazing, thank you for helping me.”
He kisses my neck. “You are very welcome. For a moment I thought the both of us were going to go hurtling toward the ceiling.” He smiles and rubs my hair out of my eyes.
“But you saved me. Thank you.”
“Well,” he says, rubbing his nose against mine. “That’s what I’m here for.”
I don’t know if it’s the post coitus euphoria talking, but I feel happy with Haines. We could be happy. I’ve been a bitch to him, and he’s probably wanted to throttle me at times, but it led us here. Over the past few days I’ve learned to enjoy our relationship. I don’t want a guy I can push around, because I know I can be bossy, and Haines gives me what I give him. And I don’t think he would have respected me if I had let him be in charge. That’s not how we work. And that seems to work just fine.
He begins to pull himself up, and I wince.
“Am I hurting you?” A line forms between his eyes on his forehead.
“You can’t stay in there forever, so…”
Slowly, he pulls himself away and then lies on his back. “Can I get you anything?” he asks, covering our legs with the blanket.
“Unless you can help me fall asleep, which I’m pretty sure you just did your best at doing, I’m fine.” I stretch and feel his weight between my thighs. It’s almost as if my body misses the feel of him already.
He reaches across me and turns out the lamp. “Perrian?”
I feel like liquid. Warm, soft, comfortable. My eyelids slide closed, and I already feel exhaustion taking me under. “Yes, Haines?”
“Rest well. You’ve been through a lot.”
I smile and roll over onto my side. He slides up behind me, wraps his arm around my waist, and intertwines his legs with mine.
“Oh, and Perrian?” he says, kissing the back of my neck. “I am fully aware that this is not my bedside table.”
My eyes pop open and I begin to stutter. “Look— I umm…”
“But thank you for caring enough to try to replace it. Or were you just being sneaky?”
“Haines, we were just starting to get along, and I didn’t want to ruin it by admitting I put my fist through your table. My mother drives me insane.”
He clears his throat and moves closer to me. “I’ll accept that.”
“Goodnight, Haines.”
“Goodnight, Perrian.”
****
I glance at the clock. It’s two thirty-eight a.m.
Haines and I both needed rest after the shenanigans—love that word—of the past few days. I wiggle out of his grasp and tip-toe to the connecting bathroom.
Washing my hands, I look in the mirror to see if I notice any differences.
No cherub-like features.
No wings.
Just me. The progeny of an angel and a demon.
Standing here in a beige and blue bathroom. Those must be Haines’ favorite colors.
I cut off the light, open the door and walk toward the bed, only to notice Samael sitting in the chair in the corner.
“Get the fuck out!” I whisper-yell.
He stands up, unfolding his long body from the chair, and walks toward me. “Put on some clothes and come with me.”
Damn-it! I’m naked. I bend down, grab my pajamas, and shove myself into them as fast as I can. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
He walks toward me and shoves his finger in my face. “Do as I say or I will rip his heart from his chest.”
My eyes cut to Haines. His breaths are gentle. He’s still sleeping. A delicate, white rose with black squiggly lines on it lies on my pillow. Did Haines get that for me? “You promised his father you would leave Haines and his family alone.”
He shrugs and his eyes are deadpan. “Haines no longer belongs to his father’s family. You’re married.”
A verse from the Bible pops into my head about a man leaving his family. Once he’s married he pretty much has a new family. His wife.
Samael’s smile is terrible, and his eyes are vicious. “And I don’t owe you anything, Perry-girl.”
He steps closer to me, and I have to lift my head to look at his face. “Where are you taking me?”
Samael backs up and pulls my sneakers from behind his back. “You and I have business to attend to.”
I look at Haines’ sleeping form and wonder why he hasn’t woken up. “Is he all right?” I ask.
“Oh, yes,” he says happily. “Just a bit of angel mojo to keep him asleep. He’s fine. But he won’t be for long if you don’t hurry up.” He looks at the bed. “I made that rose especially for you. You’ve been deflowered, so…”
I scoff and shove my shoes onto my feet. Freaking perv. “Where are you taking me?” I ask again.
“To show you how it ends, baby-girl. To show you how you become the Bringer of Death.” He dances toward the bedroom door, twirling once before he grabs the knob. “And that would be your official title.”
“What?” I say, wrapping my arms around my stomach. “You’re lying.”
“Oh, no baby. It is very much the truth. Grab your rose.”
I walk toward the bed and look down at Haines. His lips are parted, and his face is serene. I carefully grab the rose. Is this thing going to explode?
After closer inspection, I notice that the black lines on the petals are music notes. It’s beautiful. I’m pretty sure some kind of crazy is attached to it.
The phone rings and I glance at the clock again. It’s almost three in the morning. Who would be calling at this hour?
“Come on, Perry-girl. Focus!”
I follow him down the hallway and down the steps. The phone is blaring, and I can’t concentrate.
I’m not going to kill anyone. Bringer of Death is probably some crap he pulled out his ass to scare me. Maybe he saw it on television and thought it would be a fun way to creep me out.
Samael is insane. He’s lying.
“Lying? Why would I lie?”
I shake my head and stop walking. He’s not going to string me along, making me feel terrible about myself so I’ll give in. “I’m not coming with you and you won’t hurt Haines. And stop reading my Goddamned thoughts!”
He throws his head back and laughs. “My, my, my. You are correct. I am indeed an angel of my word. All of us are. Except one.”
I turn around and start walking back toward the bedroom. “Get out, Samael.”
“You think you’ve got me, huh?”
“Goodnight,” I say over my shoulder.
He’s fast and I don’t even get a chance to turn around. “Let’s try something else.”
Samael grabs me by my hand and yanks. Everything starts spinning and flashing and when it all stops I fall to my knees.
“Jesus Christ,” I yell, looking down at his brown and black shoes.
“I don’t think He wants to talk to you.”
Samael grabs me by my arm and pulls me to a standing position.
Once my head clears the familiarity sets in. I know this room. The wood paneled walls and modern art. The queen sized, four poster bed I used to sneak into after bad dreams. The scent is clean, like mint and lemon.
My parents’ house.
I look at their bed and see them sleeping. It’s dark but I can make out their shapes. My dad sleeps closest to the bedroom door.
A lamp light pops on and I see my mother blinking rapidly. “Kevin. Wake up.” She looks like a teenager in her long, lavender night gown. Her eyes are sleepy but the fear shows true once she realizes Samael is in the room.
“Why are we here?” I walk toward the bed but Samael grabs my arm and throws me behind him. I slam into the wall, and with a loud thud my head bounces off the paneling and a few pictures fall down. The rose rolls across the floor toward my parents’ bed. I had forgotten that I’d been holding it.
“Because I’m not going to play games with you, Perry-girl.”
Ringing. My ears are ringing, and my vision is blurry. “I’m not going to give in to you and neither is my mother.”
My head clears a bit and I look up to see my father with his arm draped protectively across my mother’s chest. “You cannot have her, Samael. She’s made her choice.” His eyes cut to me. “Come over here to me and your mom, Perry.”
I try to get up, but Samael’s large hand palms my face and shoves me back down, slamming my head against the wall again. Harder this time.
“You will give in to me, Perrian.” Samael walks toward the bed.
“Leave her alone!” I say, trying to get up. My balance is still off from the brain-rattling he just gave me.
Samael rolls his eyes and breaks a post off their bed. “This’ll hold you ’til I get my point across.”
He’s instantly next to me, pushing me backward. Samael’s hands are quick, and it all happens so fast. He shoves the wooden post through my belly, impaling me to the wall.
“Perry!” my parents yell.
There is pressure and a dull ache. My breaths are ragged, and I feel like I’m losing consciousness. I pull at the post but I can’t get it out. The pain has weakened me, and my blood begins to pour down my pants and pool on to the floor. “Mom,” I whimper. I don’t think this can kill me, but it sure as hell feels like it should.
“You see, Perry-girl,” Samael says, pointing at my parents. “I’m not going to let you become who you’re gonna become. I started this happening all those years ago, and I’m gonna finish it. The only reason you are exactly what you are is because of your demon blood. Your succubus powers. So, you’re gonna give into me or I’m going to start killing people!” His eyes are wild, the dainty lavender now the color of a purple and red sky that signals a quick and vicious storm.
My mother runs toward me and puts her hands on the bedpost holding me to the wall. “It’s all right, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”
Samael laughs and starts hopping up and down. “You silly, stupid woman. I didn’t come here for you. I came here for the easy, human pickings.” He looks at my father and then back to me. “You need a little convincing.”
My mom yanks the wooden post from my belly, grabbing hold of me before I fall to the floor. “Kevin!” she shouts, realizing my father is the only one in the room who is vulnerable. Who is mortal.
She’s still next to me as Samael grabs my father, his delicate, long-fingered hands wrapped fully around my father’s head. “I send you safely home, dear brother. God-speed,” he whispers, kissing my father on the cheek.
There is no fear in my father’s eyes. Only sorrow.
A sickly crunch echoes through the room as Samael twists my father’s head around. Chopin’s Funeral March begins to croon from somewhere close. My father’s body falls back to the bed, and my mother screams. Flashes. It all seems like flashes of images. My father was alive. And now he isn’t. My mother was happy, and now she’s incomplete.
“Daddy,” I sob, grabbing my belly as waves of pain radiate from the wound.
My mother is silent now. Her grip on me tightens. I look at her and see tears running down her face. She mouths my father’s name over and over. No sound comes out. She’s not breathing. This is the pain people talk about when they say their heart hurts so bad that they can’t breathe, and they don’t know if they’ll live through another second.
Samael frowns and shakes his head. “If you don’t give up the ghost, so to speak, I will kill Trent, Ryan and their little firecracker of a son. And then I’ll kill Haines’ sister-in-law, who happens to be human. And their newborn baby. Oh! And your auntie, too.”
“Why?” I whisper. “Why are you doing this?”
He shrugs. “Abomination, remember? You shouldn’t be here. You are the Bringer of Death. Don’t you want to die?”
Right now, I do want to die. And I want to take Samael with me.
Samael winks. “Well, Perry-girl. That’s a start. If you die then you’ll pretty much take me with you. I give you my word that if you let go and come quietly, I’ll leave your family alone. No one else will die.” He reaches down and rubs my father’s face, closing his eyes.
“Don’t you touch him,” I mutter.
“One week, Perry-girl. Get your business in order or I start killing.”
There is a bright, blinding flash. And then he’s gone.
If it weren’t for the gentle playing of the Funeral March, the room would be quiet.
No more screaming or sounds of crying.
My mother’s face is buried in my neck. Her body is wracked with sobs as she clings to me, and I still can’t hear her breathe.
Maybe she’s trying to breathe. Trying to remember how to draw in air and let it out.
I look around and try to find the sound; to find where the music is coming from.
Next to the bed where the rose fell, it is standing firm on its stem, spinning as soft music pours from it. Playing a melody for my father. For the people who will die if I don’t give in to Samael. When the song stops, the music notes fade, and the petals begin to fall from the rose. And to think, I’d hoped it was a gift from Haines.
I glance up at my father, waiting for him to wake up. Hoping that by some miracle his grace will return to him and he’ll open his eyes; hoping that maybe once the music stops the spell will be broken and my father will wake up. But I know he’s not going to.
My mother finds her voice, and she screams. She screams as she clings to me, trying to pull me closer. And I hug her tighter and remember that I’m bleeding. All over my mother’s pretty nightgown.
Somewhere distant, behind her screams, I hear a phone ring.
A part of me that’s looking for normalcy speaks. A part of me that wants to undo and forget everything that’s happened. That voice is so calm.
Who is that calling at this hour?