City of Hell- Chapters 6,7,8,9&10

CHAPTER 6

Vince didn’t glance, let alone talk to me, all the way back to the cave. We went in and Maylee’s phone rang. She answered it with a hello and walked off into the tunnel, muttering urgently to someone.

We sat down, avoiding each other’s gaze. The awkward silence was finally broken when Maylee came rushing back in, panic on her face. Terrance got to his feet immediately,

‘What’s wrong?’ he asked worriedly.

‘John, a family friend, says that someone’s attacked our parents, he doesn’t know for sure, probably because he is too scared to go in the house.’

Parents? I thought, since when do vampires have parents.

‘Vampires are born, not made,’ Vince explained, as if hearing my thoughts.

Terrance held Maylee who looked like she was going to cry, but remember reading in Mary’s book that they couldn’t.

‘We have to go see if they are alright,’ Maylee announced.

‘Will you come with us,’ Terrance asked, looking at Vince.

Vince scratched his head as if he was thinking about it then gave them a nod. Although it was pretty sad about their parents he had promised that he would help me, not them.

‘What about Lisa?’ I questioned.

‘We’ll do that later; let’s help them at the moment.’

‘We can’t just do that later, Lisa could be getting hurt at the moment and we don’t have time to help them,’ I argued.

Maylee and Terrance looked at me in shock, which instantly hardened to anger. Vince looked at the three of us, obviously seeing an argument brewing.

‘Let’s quickly go check on their parents, then we’ll go look for Lisa because let’s face it, we have no idea where to look for her at the moment, okay?’ he verified.

I nodded.

‘Okay let’s go,’ Terrance said, not looking at me at all.

I instantly had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

Vampire city was very gloomy and dismal. Everything about the city was dank and murky; the whole place made me uneasy and hurled sinister thoughts through my head.

‘There’s their apartment,’ Maylee announced, pointing upwards at a window.

I saw no differences the building had to any other buildings; all of them were pitch black and the windows were all tinted to block out the sun. There were pots out on all the balconies full of dead plants the colour of ash.

I trailed after them, Maylee in the lead, into the building.

Inside there was a lobby, everything black like outside. Maylee approached an elevator and ushered us inside. She pressed the black button that had a white four on it and the elevator took off.

Music started playing in the background and I had to cover my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. The music was not actually music but low, depressing humming like zombies were dying or something.

Vince gave me a knowing look and was trying to stop smirking, he was more successful then I was. Finally, we stopped and the black metal doors opened.

Maylee pushed to the front, heading straight to the door down the hall. When she finally got there, I heard her gasp and Terrance rushed up to her. He gasped too. When Vince and I finally caught up to them, we understood what they were gasping at.

Blood covered the apartment; it was splattered across windows, furniture and a photo frame showing two children sitting on the laps of their parents. Maylee dropped to her knees, face in her hands as we all looked at vile scene in front of us. I swallowed back the vomit that was slowly rising into my mouth. Everywhere around me were bits of body parts, arms, legs and fingers. I couldn’t take this, this was horrible. This could be happening to Lisa!

‘Let’s go, you said we only had to come here to see if their parents were alright,’ I insisted, we had to go now.

Vince glared at me, his eyes turned black and he sprouted the black tail and horns that showed he was a demon.

‘You’re the most selfish human I have ever met, don’t you care about their parents?’ he asked, his tail flicking back and forth.

I knew what he was saying was true, but I didn’t care. There is only one person I care about and one person ONLY.

‘I do care, another thing I care about more though is Lisa and I don’t want her to end up like their parents, okay.’

I eyed him angrily. They were vampires anyway, how many people’s lives did they kill and torture because of their thirst.

I picked up the burgundy-coloured bag that I brought with us and tucked over my shoulder. Maylee and Terrance were watching me with blank eyes, they hadn’t moved from the floor. It was obvious that they weren’t going and I didn’t care.

All they had done since finding Vince and I in the vampire cave, was hold us back from finding Lisa. A pain ached through my chest, what were they doing to her now? Were they torturing her? Locked her up in a dungeon?

I turned to Vince, who was just standing there, staring at me with cold eyes and the corner of his lips pulled down. I ignored this and went over to the door.

‘Come on, we might be able to ask someone if they have seen her,’ I said with not much enthusiasm.

I walked through the door, yet had to walk back in because he hadn’t followed me. He was still standing there and by the looks of it, had no intentions of leaving.

‘Come on, let’s go,’ I insisted.

Vince looked at me with those cold eyes.

‘I’m not going with you,’ he muttered.

I stared at him, fear hitting me right in the face. He couldn’t leave me... again. Not in this dank, sinister place.

‘Wh- what?’ I choked out.

‘I’m not going with you.’

I stumbled back. It took me only a minute to recover and put on a brave face when deep inside me I was twisting and crumbling like a chip being squeezed into dust.

‘Fine then, I’ll go myself.’

I then walked out of the room, not looking back to see if they were following, and since there weren’t any sounds of getting up or moving, I guessed they weren’t. I was on my own... again.

* * *

Mist was everywhere; I guess it was unsurprising considering this place was a city for vampires. I continued down the desolate street, no idea where to go, when footsteps echoed behind.

Glancing over my shoulder, I notice that three shadowed people were behind me. I didn’t know if it was hallucinating, but they seemed to be following me.

I turned down an alley way, hoping to get away from them. When I glanced over my shoulder, I found that they were no longer following me and let out a long sigh of relief. What was I going to do here, in this creepy place?

Suddenly, I smacked into a solid, cold thing in front of me. The shadow people had not stopped following me, they had somehow moved in front of me. They grabbed me and I tried to scream.

With a simple, quick move one of the shadow people muffled my scream with their cold hands.

They dragged me toward the place with a glowing white neon sign named “The White Fang.” They were obviously vampires. Not once did they loosen their cold, iron-clad grip on my arm or slow their walk so I wasn’t tripping on my feet.

We got inside and went to what I called “the head vamp” in a blur. The head vampire was probably the ugliest person I’ve ever met, he looked like a hundred old man (probably is too) yet looked as strong as tiger. He wore a black velvet suit and a black velvet tie.

He eyed me hungrily with red eyes. Sitting around the head vamp were ten or fifteen other parasites, drinking blood in martini glasses like they were royalty or something. I was thrown to the feet of the head vamp; my already bleeding legs hit the stone floor painfully.

People or creatures in the casino were watching me like over-alerted guards. The inside of the casino looked like a black and grey photograph back in the old times.

The slot machines were a shiny grey and the leather couches were black. Even the vampires were wearing black, whether it was leather, lace or silk.

‘Take her to my room,’ the head vamp muttered, smiling wickedly.

Once again, I was pulled to my feet and dragged to another door. My knees screamed in protest as I tried to keep on my feet... I was unsuccessful.

* * *

My head hurt, legs hurt and even the sore the Gladfly had left was now reopened. It now oozed out of the scab, stinging like hell.

I was sitting on a four-poster bed; the sheets were a velvety rose red. The room was covered from the walls to the ceiling in lush purple velvet. Nearly everywhere I looked there was velvet; velvet clothes, velvet pillows and even velvet shoes. This guy had a serious velvet issue, I thought.

The door opened, revealing the head vamp. He walked in a snobby fashion and stopped right beside me. Swiftly, he pulled both my arms above my head, holding them there tightly. He brushed my hair out of the way to my neck and leaned forward.

He was going to bite me, probably drain me of blood and leave me here to die.

CHAPTER 7

He leaned into my neck; I braced myself for the acid bite that would put me in extreme agony.

‘Master!’

In a flash, the bloodsucker was off me and at the door where another bloodsucker was waiting.

‘It’s Jake, Jakes coven is here. They’ve killed Betsy, Miles and Joanne!’

Cold, crystal tears ran down the leeches face and I couldn’t help but pity her. Who is Jake though?

‘Take me to where they are,’ the head vampire said calmly.

They walked from the room; not caring that I was free to leave.

I ran from the room and as I sprinted down the hallway, I collided with someone. Dread filtered through me, I lifted my head up and expected to get slapped by a vampire.

The collider however wasn’t a vampire. I looked up into the handsome face of another Demon, behind him were four others.

‘Get up and run,’ he ordered, holding out his hand.

I took hold of his hand and he lifted me up. He shoved me towards the slot machines where the exit was near.

I looked behind them; six vampires came sprinting towards them, one was more ahead and smashed into the Demon’s shoulder. He smashed into him with a deafening crack.

‘Move!’ the Demon yelled.

I ran towards the exit and flung open the door. I sprinted down the cold street and approached another portal that came out of nowhere. I didn’t care where it would lead, whether a bad or good place, I flung myself through it. Leaving the most horrible place in City of Hell. Well, the horrible place so far.

* * *

I hit the cold, wet ground and all that I could see was blinding fog that blocked out everything. I got up off the dank ground and brushed off the grime that covered my black leather pants.

I needed new clothes, I had been wearing this leather suit ever since I had changed into this red headed, green eyed Demoness and that was what? Since I was last with Vince.

Vince, thinking about him sent shocks of pain up my slender body. How could he have left me? Well, technically I left him, but he wouldn’t come with me. I wiped at the tears from my cheeks.

Unbelievable, I was actually crying over him. Pull yourself together Sophie, I chastised myself. I had to forget him; he was just some Demon anyway. I got this far and was still alive, wasn’t I? Pride at my skills engulfed me, instantaneously giving me confidence.

Crack!

I spun around to face glowing red eyes coming from the sinister- looking trees. Two other pairs of red eyes joined them and out came three massive wolves.

They towered over me and must have been six feet high. One of the giant wolves was black as midnight while the other two had an exquisite shaggy amber coat.

‘Grrrrrr,’ growled the midnight wolf.

The other two circled around me, both in a pouncing stance and both growling. Obviously I did what anyone else would do in my situation. Run like crazy. As I turned to run, two more wolves appeared. One was pure white and the other dusty yellow.

They circled around me, thus blocking any sort of exit. I took a step backwards and my foot brushed against something. I looked down at a long, thick branch lying innocently on the ground. I knelt down slowly, still keeping eye contact with wolves, and grasp the branch.

That’s when the pure white wolf pounced, her teeth baring into a snarl and dripping with saliva. I lifted the branch up and just managed to hit her smack in the mouth.

Blood poured out of her mouth as flew into a tree and landed with a loud thump on the ground. Yessssss, I thought, I did i –. Two sets of claws sank into my back and slammed me into the already blood soaked ground. I cried out, the claws were putting so much pressure on my back and my head was spinning.

A nauseous feeling came from my stomach and I threw up on the blood soaked ground, adding to the mess. The pressure on my back subsided and bright white teeth appeared at my neck, grazing the skin.

‘Enough!’

The croaky voice came from in front of me and I gazed up to see a man in what looked like his late thirties. The man looked like a cross between at wolf and a man.

Firstly, his eyes were bloodshot and filled with so much crusty sleep I was surprise that his eyes didn’t close over. Secondly, he had dirt all over him and stank like a pair of dead rabbits, but ten times worse. And lastly, and probably the most disgusting was his wild, black beard.

Bits of what looked like chicken clung to the curliest bits of his hair and snapped up chunks of bones mixed in with the chicken.

‘Take her back to the site,’ he croaked.

‘Why!’ The female wolf had changed back into her human form and I couldn’t believe I was so surprise at that. Some part of me knew that they werewolves.

‘Because I said! Now do it!’ he snarled.

He walked back through the fog, leaving me with my captors.

‘Drug her,’ snapped the girl, like her wolf form she had pure white hair that reached her waist.

A needle appeared in the man who had me around the neck hand and he stabbed into my arm. A sharp pain shot up my arm and an avalanche of dizziness came crushing down, blurring my eyes so I couldn’t see. My eyes stayed like that as I was carried through the forest.

* * *

As soon as I woke up I knew I was bound. I hung one foot off of the ground and my hands had big, thick, heavy chains tied around at the wrists to keep me in the air.

I struggled; I tried to slip my hands through the chains and was unsuccessful. I squinted through the darkness to see if there was an exit and saw a massive man about in his mid-thirties.

He glared at me with black, beady eyes. I coughed, petrol fumes incensed the room and I could barely breathe.

‘Hello? Who’s there?’ a soft, familiar voice echoed from my right.

My heart missed a beat, I remembered the soft voice.

‘Lisa?’ my heart beating fast as I realised that I just found my friend.

‘No, I’m Mary,’ she corrected, ‘who’s that?’

My heart fell and when I spoke the disappointment was clear in my voice.

‘Sophie, remember Lisa’s friend.’

‘Yes I remember what, are you doing here? Where’s my sister?’ she spoke more liberty now that she knew who I was.

‘I don’t know, some Demons kidnapped her and took her here. She was trying to find you,’ I explained hurriedly.

‘That silly, silly girl. But how did you get here Sophie?’ she questioned, her suspicion as clear in her voice as was my disappointment a moment before.

I blushed; thinking about Vince was like sliding pins down my throat. Painful. Also what if Mary thought that me enlisting the help of a Demon was despicable and won’t talk to me while in here? Yet something about telling her seemed right.

‘You know Vince from school,’ I began.

‘Yes, he is a Demon and you got help from him didn’t you? Or did you force him?’ she asked.

‘Um, er, yes’ I stammered.

‘Well, that would have ticked him off. He’s actually a Demon in hiding and is trying to have a human life,’ she explained.

‘Oh, he never told me that.’

Actually it quite surprised me; I thought all Demons were evil or bad.

“Okay, first thing you need to know is you can’t trust anyone. The only way you can know that they are nice is to do this with your hand.”

I watched him clutch his hand in a fist then let go and wiggled his fingers. I thought the gesture was funny but I had another thing in my mind that I was shocked about.

“There are nice creatures of the dark?” I questioned.

“Yes, anyway,

I didn’t know that he was nice; maybe he should have told me or maybe he was and that conversation was his way of saying that he was nice.

‘Why would he?’ Mary’s voice echoed.

I squinted at her through the dark; she wasn’t looking at me and from the look of dark patches on her face and arms, she looked like she had been bashed repeatedly.

‘Will we ever get out of here?’ I asked, my voice nearly breaking.

‘I don’t know,’ Mary answered.

We were silent for a moment, the thought that we would be stuck here forever hung over us like a sinister, black cloud and it terrified us.

Suddenly, I remember that Mary had been here longer then me and already probably went through these thoughts.

‘Mary, how did you get here?’

‘The Demons I provoked sold me to this werewolf as a wife. I have to wait here until the Alpha’s son turns eighteen,’ she explained.

‘Why did you provoke them?’ I questioned.

‘I needed to find my boyfriend. It was too late, he’s dead.’

She went silent after that and I didn’t probe her with any more questions.

Three months...

Six months...

I think I was dehydrating, mostly from the lack of water that I got every once or so a week, and I keep seeing things because of it. I was hallucinating, once or twice a day I think I keep seeing a boy come up to me and giving me a little extra water touching his lips to mine and leaving.

I had no idea how long I’ve been there. Had it been days? Weeks? Months? For all I know a whole year could’ve past and everyone back at home are wondering where I was. Before leaving I left a note explaining to my parents that I would be over a friend’s house for a couple weeks.

If I was younger they would’ve thrown a fit and dragged me home, but being sixteen gave me some privileges.

God, I hate it here. The whole place smelled of stale urine, dirt and blood. The door creaked open and someone approached Mary.

My heart thumped against my chest, I have seen the werewolf beat Mary and on several occasions they’d beaten me.

The shadowy figure stood watching her, his stance looked familiar and so did the shape of his body. He, or was it a she? Approached me and whispered a single word with a voice that jolted my memory.

‘Sophie?’

‘Vince,’ I breathed quietly, afraid he wasn’t real.

His arms wrapped around my waist in a tight embrace then he reached up to the chains and with one hard tug snapped them both in half. Vince lowered me down to the ground and didn’t let go when my feet were on the ground.

I rubbed at my wrists; they had a long cut that went around my entire wrist and were bleeding.

‘We need to get out of here,’ Vince mumbled against my shoulder.

I nodded and then remembered Mary.

‘We have to take Mary with us, she’s Lisa’s sister.’

He let go of me and walked up to her.

‘Hey Vince,’ Mary muttered weakly.

Vince nodded in greeting and broke the chains in one swift movement. As soon as she was free, Mary slumped against his chest and Vince held onto her with gentleness.

‘I have an Alyack seed in my pocket, all we need is a safe place to go to so we can clean Mary up,’ he announced.

As much as I hated thinking about this person, she was the only one I could think of with medical knowledge and where she lived.

‘We can go to 36, Green Sea,’ I informed Vince.

He frowned.

‘How do you know about that place?’ Vince asked.

‘I-’

‘THE PRISNORS HAVE ESCAPED, THE PRISONERS HAVE ESCAPE!’ yelled the guard that had been asleep was awake.

Vince rushed forward and grabbed my arm.

‘We need to go!’ he shouted.

I looked at the guard; he was on the ground shaking like crazy and growing hair on his body. He was changing.

‘COME ON!’ yelled Vince.

He held out his hand and I grabbed hold of it. He threw the Alyack seed onto the ground and branches circled around us in a green light. Next thing I know I was getting sucked down into the ground like being sucked into a vortex. I kept my eyes shut and felt dirt press against my eyelids.

My mouth, however, was open and dirt was being shoved in at a hundred miles an hour. It was all over in a few minutes and we were above ground; outside a neat-looking cottage overlooking the beach.

I spat out the dirt and picked through my teeth with my fingers for dirt stuck between them.

‘Where are we, Sophie?’ Vince asked, still clutching the flagging Mary.

‘You’ll see,’ I mimicked, recalling the day at the creepy women’s shop.

I approached the pearly white door and Vince struggled after me. I knocked once on the white door and felt like running. The door creaked open and a Demon appeared. He was quite handsome, blonde locks and deep blue eyes. But I hated him.

‘Sophie?’ He squinted at me.

I nodded, feeling Vince’s grey questioning eyes on my back. I was puzzled too; my Demoness disguise was still showing! The Demon’s face broke into a huge smile that shone like the sun in the summer.

‘It’s such a pleasure to meet you, i-’

‘Is Melinda here or not?’ I cutted in- I was in no mood to talk to him. Not now, not ever.

His smile wavered, but only for a second.

‘Yes, come in,’ he said, waving us in.

I clutched my hand into a fist and tried not to punch his face in on the way in. Vince went to the couch in the living room that the Demon had led us into.

‘Is she alright?’ He asked.

Vince nodded his head, ‘she’s only a bit disorientated, but she’ll be alright if we can get her some water.’

The demon nodded his head and turned to me.

‘Do you need any water too, Sophie?’ he asked sweetly.

I shook my head; I didn’t want anything from him. But Vince had a totally different agenda and told him to get me a cup too.

I didn’t want a cup of water though, I wanted to leave this place right now and never see my betraying sister’s face.

CHAPTER 8

The Demon took a longer time expected to get just to cups of water and when he came back with a woman, I understood why. The woman looked to be in her early twenties and was short and stocky.

Her familiar caramel hair was tied into a loose pony tail and hung from the side on her bright green tank top. She grinned when she saw me, her recognizable brown eyes brightening.

‘Sophie, you look different,’ she affirmed.

‘How do you know it’s me,’ I muttered.

I would rather her not know it was me! When I planned coming here, I expected to leave Mary and go, her not being any wiser.

Melinda and the Demon shared a knowing smile. That set me off like a fire cracker.

‘Don’t look at each other like that, I’m only dropping Mary off and then I’m leaving. I don’t want to see you at all or hear how happy you’re stupid life is.’

Melinda’s smiled dropped.

‘Sophie, please you have to understan-’

‘No I don’t have to understand!’ I yelled.

I was on the verge of tears and couldn’t take it any longer. I ran from the room and went outside. I stood on the veranda, cold wind caressing my face and tears streaming down my cheeks.

‘Sophie?’

I didn’t turn around, I already knew who it was and didn’t really care. Well, I didn’t until his warm comforting arms wrapped around me and warmth spread to my cheeks.

Vince pressed his cheek on top of my head; even in my Demoness form he was taller than me. His thumbs stroked my elbows in a comforting way and I immediately started to relax.

We stood like that for a while, not speaking or moving. Something about Vince was just instantly soothing and calmed me down.

‘Who is she? Melinda I mean,’ he mumbled against my hair.

‘My sister, she ran off with that Demon a year ago and never came back or even stay in contact with us. I was the only one that knew he was a Demon, mum and dad were happy for her, I hated her for it,’ I explained.

I expected him to comfort me and say things like “I would have hated her too” or “she should have at least stayed in contact.”

Instead what he said next was something I didn’t anticipated.

‘Why, why would you hate her over that?’

‘Because she left me,’ I could feel my voice breaking, I really expected him to take my side.

‘Do you know how hard it is for a Demon to find someone for a partner?’

I shook my head.

‘It’s really hard, and you should be very happy that she has him for a partner. Demons are nothing but loyal and very protective over their partners. Human or dark creature,’ he enlightened.

‘But she left me,’ I croaked, tears were streaming down my cheeks again.

His arms tighten around me and he rubbed his chin against my head.

‘I know it’s hard, but you really should be happy for her and if you truly care about her seeing you that much, ask her if she can see you once and awhile, okay?’

I nodded and turned around to see his silvery grey eyes. Vince still had his arms wrapped around me tight and I noticed how close we were. I suddenly noticed how close we were, I could literally count all of his long, enchanting eyelashes that framed around those beautiful eyes like a big yellow petals framing around a sunflower.

Vince leaned closer and our noses pressed against each others. Then, like our noses, he pressed his cool lips against mine. I tugged him closer to me and his lips urged mine to open.

‘Er, Hem,’ interjected an awkward cough.

We sprung apart like guilty teenagers (which we kind of were) and I could help but sense a strange feeling of ‘déjà vu.’ I looked up at the tall figure in the doorway and saw it was Melinda’s Demon.

If I thought I was guilty before it was nothing compared being seen by my sister’s lover, and especially since I had been really rude to him about nearly the exact same thing. Vince was the first to spring into action and pulled me forward to the door.

On the way to the living room, the Demon (I really needed to find out his name) kept looking at me from the corner of his eye and smiling slightly. Unbearable heat flooded my cheeks like a river flowing into a lake. Melinda was tending Mary when we walked into the room and from the look of it she’d been crying.

I turned towards the Demon that looked like he wanted nothing more than to rush to her side and comfort her.

‘Um, I guess I should know your name,’ I stated.

He turned to me, a smile that was almost as dashing as Vince’s and told me,

‘Devon, Devon Parker.’

Feeling kind of awkward, I raised my hand and he shook it enthusiastically. My sister was smiling at me with relief.

‘It’s such a pleasure to meet you,’ Devon continued.

I nodded in agreement and a sudden squeal came from my sisters rosy lips. She rushed over and pulled me into a tight embrace.

‘Thank you for understanding,’ Melinda muttered.

After a few more moments of uncomfortable hugging (for me) Melinda announced that she was going to cook tea for everyone and Vince said that he was very interested to find out what I had done these past few months.

Mary, however, was fast asleep on the couch which quickly changed to a bed when my sister asked Devon to take her upstairs. I helped Melinda peel the vegetables, potatoes and pumpkin while Vince set the table.

After a big helping of pumpkin and potatoes mash, mixed boiled vegetables and roast chicken, everyone quietened while I told them what I’ve done during the past few months.

I explained what Mary had said to me about being held for marriage to a werewolf. When I got to the part about Jake, Vince seemed to notice my confused tone and filled me in.

‘Jake and his coven are a group of Demons that are against the bad treatment of humans.’

‘Any Demon that is half-way decent would want to join him; Jake and his coven are legendary,’ Devon said.

‘They’re also outlaws- cast out by our kind because of what they do,’ continued Vince.

Both Demons had a look of adoration in their eyes which I’ve never seen before on a Demon.

‘What happen with you?’ I asked Vince.

The adoration in his eyes disappeared and he turned to me.

‘A day after you left I went looking for you, but I couldn’t find you for months. Yesterday, I was sitting in a pub when a heard two mutts talking about their old pack capturing a Demoness and I knew it was you,’ he explained.

Some part of me was happy that he was worried about me and another part felt stupid because he knew it was me that had been caught by werewolves. I was terrible at pretending to be a Demoness.

‘Why did you call the werewolves mutts?’ I asked conversationally.

‘Mutts are different from werewolves. They’re more tame, more stable,’ Vince replied.

I nodded my head and turned to face him fully.

‘We still need to find Lisa,’ I stated, ‘have you heard anything about her?’

‘Unfortunately, no, I haven’t heard anything,’ he said in an almost dull way (he was clearly disappointed with himself.)

Lisa was the main reason I was in City of Hell and I hadn’t found out one thing to help me find her. My hope for this trip was fading faster than evaporating water.

‘Maybe I can help?’

I looked up at the Demon, er, I mean Devon and he walked out. Yep, walking out is really going to help. When he walked back in, he was carrying a blue and green seed that looked a lot like an Alyack seed.

Vince was looking at it with his mouth open and looked clearly starstruck. I didn’t understand, it was just an Alyack seed, wasn’t it?

‘Where did you get that?’ he asked.

Devon smiled, clearly pleased with himself.

‘My mother gave it to me; I’ve been saving it for a special time but considering the situation, you can have it.’

He thrust the seed into his hands and Vince gazed at it with wonder.

‘Um isn’t that an Alyack seed?’ I questioned.

‘This is not just any Alyack seed; this is an Alyack seed from the sacred oak trees. All you have to do with this seed is to think of the person you want to see and it will send you within a foot away from them,’ Vince explained.

‘Then what are we waiting for? Come on let’s go to Lisa!’ my heart was beating fast- Lisa; I was going to finally find Lisa.

‘I don’t think so,’ Melinda stated.

I looked at her with complete surprise and when I spoke next, I sounded childish.

‘Why not?’

‘I’ll tell you why not. One, it’s the middle of the night, two, both you and Vince need a bath and rest and lastly, wouldn’t it be a good idea to change Demoness forms?’

Vince nodded at me and I felt like smacking him across the head. Hard. Lisa could be dead for all we know and my sister was suggesting I have a rest and bath!

‘Come on Sophie,’ Melinda urged, pulling me by the sleeve.

She led me up a flight of stairs and to a bright pink bathroom. Pink? Seriously my sister had a horrible taste. Melinda turned on the taps and steaming hot water flowed into the pink bath.

As my sister started adding salts and oils; I turned to look into the long mirror they had in here. After looking at myself for a full two minutes, all I could sum up was that I looked horrible and terrifying.

My usual fiery red hair was matted with blood that had spurted from the spilt in the crown of my head, my lip was cracked and bleeding, and bruises and cuts covered my face, legs and arms.

‘MELINDA!’ yelled Vince from downstairs.

‘Get dressed and hop into the bath, I’ll be back soon.’

She stalked from the room and I got undress; my chest wasn’t a pretty sight but at least it wasn’t as bad as the rest of my body. I lowered myself in, feeling the warmth from the water lick tenderly at my legs.

Holding my nose and breath, I descended under the water and came up for air every few minutes. On the fifth time, Melinda was there holding a purple bottle that Vince had given me before we entered City of Hell.

She was also carrying clothes which I identified as a pink top and pink and white poke-a-dot shorts.

‘Drink this after you’re finished and here are PJs to wear, I’ll wash your clothes tonight and don’t give me that look. I know they’re not your style but it’s only for one night.’

She put the bottle and the PJs on the floor and left the room. I spent the rest of the time in the bath washing my hair and body. After finally winning the war with my hair, I got out and dried myself.

I tugged on the PJs and uncorked the purple bottle. I scrunched up my nose before swallowing and the same foul taste filled my mouth.

Slowly my hair turned from fiery red to midnight black and my height and eyes stayed the same. After examining myself once more, I yawned and shuffled downstairs.

* * *

As I walked into the room Vince stalked past, tugging at my long plait as he did and laughing softly. I felt heat flood to my cheeks again. I shuffled into the kitchen.

After eight cups of ice cold water from the ‘Awesome Water’ machine, I shuffled back into the lounge where my sister and Devon were full on pashing.

‘Get a room,’ I muttered and looked up, embarrassed and guilty looks on their faces.

I sat down beside them and watched the crime show called NCIS- a show where a group of agents solved navy related crimes. I glanced at them and noticed Devon’s hand on her hip, slowly stroking it.

I felt sick just glancing at them and glued myself to the screen. Vince finally came back from his shower and I couldn’t help noticing how dashing he looked with dark, wet hair.

I stared at him, trailing my eyes up his relaxed body and as my trailing my trailing eyes reached his intense eyes, I blushed and muttered quietly that I was tired.

Melinda ushered me to the spare room; too tired to think about the horrible pink wallpaper, I fell on the fluffy pink covers and fell asleep instantly.

CHAPTER 9

I awoke to the smell of eggs, toast and bacon wafting like a cool breeze into the room. I pushed myself up sleepily from the pink covers and pulled on my freshly unsoiled clothes that Melinda washed last night.

I walked downstairs, almost tripping the whole way, and stepped into the kitchen where Vince was ‘hauling’ down eggs and toast. I laughed, clutching my sides that were hurting badly from the laughter and Vince looked at me. Melinda marched up to me, grabbing my sleeve and pulled me to the table where she piled my plate with eggs and toast.

I didn’t like bacon. I started off with one bite but soon enough I was woofing it down. I hadn’t realised how hungry I had become these past months. Just eating and filling my stomach was a great pleasure.

After breakfast I went upstairs to strap in all the weapons that my sister gave me. I strapped in Kalashnikovs, lances and a variety of other weapons into the black, leather belt wrapped loosely around my waist.

I looked at myself in the mirror; I had a lot of weapons. For your protection, she had said.

‘Need help?’

I twisted around to see Vince staring at me from the doorway.

‘Help?’

He smiled and stalked like a panther towards me. He seized hold of the belt and tightened it so that it was pressed against my stomach; it sort of felt like a snake squeezing its prey. His hands stayed on my belt as his silvery eyes gazed into mine.

He leaned towards me, placing those unbelievable lips on mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he pulled closer. It felt so wonderful, so magnificent, so breathtaking, so amazing...

We stayed like that, lips interlocked and arms wrapped around each other. Unexpectedly, salty drops of water splashed onto my face like raindrops and I opened my eyes to see tears running down Vince’s face.

Reluctantly, I unjoined our lips and pressed my face into his shoulder. His arms stayed wrapped around me.

‘I’m going to die, aren’t I?’ I mumbled against his shoulder.

‘No,’ he answered, ‘I might die, but not you. I will not let you die, ever.’

Just from those words of the Demon I loved, I knew. I would not die.

* * *

We were outside, Alyack seed in hand; at the ready, and preparing ourselves for wherever we were going. Melinda and Devon were standing away from us and were smiling at us.

My sister and I looked at each other. We have finally established the bond that once was broken. Abruptly, a flash of black came across Melinda’s eyes and my heart thumped. Oh no.

Vince went to throw the seed down, but I grabbed his hand and prevented him from doing so.

‘I need to go to the toilet,’ I announced.

Vince rolled his eyes and rushed up to the house.

‘I told you to go before, Sophie,’ Melinda mourned.

‘Sorry!’ I yelled.

I ran into the bathroom, heart racing and memories flowing back in. Melinda hated pink and anything fluffy. I loosened my belt and walked back out.

‘Vince! Can you help me with belt?’ I yelled.

They all groaned.

‘Please! It’ll be quick.’

Vince stomped all the way to the house and slammed the door impatiently.

‘Really, grumpy pants, I’ve got something to you.’

‘Now?’

‘When I was looking at Melinda before her eyes flashed black and I remember that she hated pink and anything fluffy. I think she is a-’

‘Demon,’ he cut in.

I nod.

‘Meaning-’

‘Lisa must be here.’

My heart started racing again, Lisa is here.

‘Come on, let’s look in the attic. I remember the so-called “Devon” saying not to go up there because of a bat problem.’

He snatched my hand and we race upstairs. With no moment to lose, he pulled the string hanging from the ceiling and stairs come rushing down.

We climb up into darkness and I suddenly felt myself thinking about “Melinda and Devon.” They were probably wondering why we were taking so long to tighten up a belt.

‘Wait here, I’ll find the light switch,’ he whispered almost inaudibly in my ear.

I felt his presence leave my side and in almost a second, light flooded the room. I gasped in shock. Lisa, Melinda and Mary were bound to chairs; their heads hung almost lifelessly but awoke at the blinding light.

Devon was also in here, but bound against the wall with heavy looking chains.

‘Sophie?’ Lisa whimpered.

I rushed to her and grabbed hold her, hugging her tightly.

‘So you found Lisa and all the others, well done.’

I spun around and faced Melinda and Devon, now morphing back into curly orange haired twin Demons.

‘Too bad you won’t live to tell the tale,’ one of them said.

CRASH!

I twisted around to the spot where the sound came from and saw Vince breaking the chains and setting Devon free. They dashed to my side, both tense and flexing for a fight.

‘Oops, my brother forgot to introduce us. I’m Alec and he is Alex, we like to introduce ourselves to the people we’re going to kill,’ said Alec, a smirk on his face.

‘Then it’s a waste of time since you two are the ones that are going to die,’ Vince said defiantly.

‘We’ll see,’ Alex sing-song.

They strike, both springing at Vince at the same time and both baring dashing white teeth. Vince shoved out of the way and Devon grabs hold of Alec... or was it Alex? and throws him into the wall.

Vince had hold of the other twin in a headlock and was reaching for his Kalashnikovs. I sprint over to Lisa and the others and pull out one of my knives. I cut through all their ropes and for minute we hug each other. Then a scram broke our hug and it wasn’t from one of the twins.

The twin Devon had had broken from his iron-grip hold and was trying to rip Devon’s arm off. Melinda was the first to break from our group hug and seized the knife from my hand. My sister charged at the Demon with a look of brutal fury on her face and stabbed Alec or Alex in the back.

A screech of pain erupted from the Demon and he dropped Devon and turned on my sister.

‘No!’ I screamed.

But I had nothing to fear because Devon then sunk his teeth into the devil twin arm. Horrible screeches of pain echoed throughout the room.

My gaze then turns to Vince, who is more an equal match for the twin fighting him. Although he was covered in long deep cuts, he was nothing compared to the twin who had massive chunks of skin from his arms and a bloody nose.

My heart rose; we were going to go home and everything was going to be alright. My happy thoughts were interrupted with the biggest scream yet. From Vince. Vince laid on the ground, blood pouring out of his stomach and the Demon twin standing over him, knife poised to strike.

I plunged towards him and knocked him over, knife flying from his hand. I kneel beside Vince, tears streaming down my face as I yelled.

‘Vince, no, no, please Vince talk to me, TALK TO ME!’ I cry.

A guffaw from behind me fills me up with unbelievable rage. I drag out one of the blades and stand up. I charge at the twin, knife raised and stab it in its heart. He screams and falls to the ground, blood spurting from his mouth and the stab wound.

Screeching behind me told me that his twin had just seen what happened and I ignored it. It wasn’t enough; I kneel over him and stabbed him again. And again, and again, and again.

Sobs retching from my throat as I keep stabbing, unable to stoop the deep fury and sadness from within. All I wanted was for it to all stop and go away. Hands grabbed mine, ripping the offending knife from my grip and pulling me off Alec.

‘It’s okay, it’s oaky,’ spoke a soothing male voice.

I instantly wrenched from his grip and heaved myself over Vince. His eyes were open; a glassy, lifeless gaze. More sobs retched from my throat as I looked at Vince, he was gone.

‘No... no, no, no,’ I sobbed.

A comforting hand presses against my back and I ignore it. It wasn’t until that hand started pulling me that I started screaming.

‘Shush, it’s going to be all right,’ said a soothing but different voice.

Jake appeared next to Vince, kneeling over him and pressing his hand into the wound. Green light sped throughout his lifeless body and faded away.

Vince’s unresponsive body gave a jerk and starting choking.

‘Vince!’ I cried in relief.

I pried away from the person holding me and pulled Vince into my arms. I press my lips to his savouring the sweet moment.

When I finally stopped, I looked into his eyes and found him smiling and couldn’t help but smile too.

CHAPTER 10

‘And he left, just like that,’ Devon clicked his fingers.

‘I think it was because Jake’s coven was there, ‘Melinda said.

‘I still can’t believe he didn’t stick around,’ Vince muttered, crestfallen.

Jake and his coven didn’t stick around after he healed Vince. They just left out of nowhere and Vince was upset he didn’t get to meet him.

He’s been distant from me ever since yesterday from some reason.

‘Come on, let’s go,’ Lisa persisted.

When we get back she’s going to live with me which is going to be super fun. We have to make up some story about escaping the murderer of her parents.

Lisa couldn’t believe they were dead and cried solidly for six or more hours last night before drifting off to sleep.

We approached the portal that Vince and I first used to get into City of Hell. Vivid memories flashed back to the beginning when we didn’t like each other much at all.

I turned to face my sister and give her one last hug.

‘Give mum and dad hugs from me,’ she whispered.

I nodded and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Next, I turned to Vince and Lisa. We approached the portal and jumped.

I screamed even though I had already done it before. It was over in less than ten seconds and left me with a nauseating feeling.

The familiar smell of my room filled me with bliss and I noticed that nothing had been touched or moved while I was gone.

‘Lisa, you should go tell Sophie’s parents she’s back,’ Vince said.

She left, leaving us alone. I turned and took one step forward, arms out ready for a hug. He held out a restraining hand and I stopped mid step.

‘Sophie, I’m leaving,’ he stated.

My heart stopped; Vince…leaving?

‘What are you saying?’ I asked.

‘I’m leaving and I’m never coming back,’ he explained.

‘You’re never…why?’ I demanded.

‘You shouldn’t be messed up in this sort of stuff; you’ve been through too much.’

‘This “us” isn’t a good thing.’

‘But no one will have to know, we can-’

‘I’m sorry, goodbye.’

‘Wait!’

For a moment, he looked like he was reaching out and he was gone. Tears streamed down my face and I felt Lisa come up from behind me and give me a hug.

He was gone.