The Demon's Pa

Chapter 15: Monster in the closet

The world around me came to a stop.

So my family knew I was a vampire. How wonderful.

Looking at the expressions on their faces I wasn’t sure if they were terrified of me or terrified for me. After all, I was battling a very murderous looking demon and in comparison I looked like the helpless, weak and harmless one. Maybe there still was some hope for me, not to live, but to regain their trust.

The one thing I knew, however, was that I wasn’t going to die here, this wasn’t the right time or the right place. This was not the place I saw in my vision, so what did I have to fear? Someone changing the future perhaps… or the present and then that leading to changing the future… These stupid future past vision stuff always confused me.

The world sped into motion again when Alexander took a step forward.

And then another. And suddenly he was striding towards me and glaring down at me where I still sat in the break ware debris.

He bent down and wrapped his hand around my neck, lifting me off of the ground so my feet were dangling in the air.

I hung in his grasp like a limp, lifeless doll, not even trying to fight him. “Anything you would like to say?” he asked as he watched me.

“Actually,” I managed to croak out –speaking was rather hard when someone was crushing your neck- “I do have something I would like to say.”

He narrowed his eyes at me, “Oh? Do tell.”

My laugh came out breathy, “I’m not going to die here today.” He didn’t flinch. “And I have some advice for you.” He still didn’t react to my words so I continued, “I am not the only royal in this world, you forgot about your brothers and you forgot that Viktor was with Zaiden and Samael who are right here at this very moment. So you might want to watch your back.”

The look of realisation that appeared on Alexander’s face was priceless, but he wiped it off so quickly I had to wonder if I’d imagined it, “You don’t really think I’m going to fall for that and look behind me, do you?”

I gave the best shrug I could give under the circumstances as I used his own words against him, “Your funeral.”

My eyes snapped to Viktor and Norabo who were standing behind Alexander, watching the situation carefully and I ginned as Norabo spoke, “You should listen to your Promise angel Alex, after all, you only get one.”

Alexander spun around to face the new enemy, his hold on me loosening and I used his surprise to my advantage the best I could.

I braced both my hands on his shoulders and pushed myself away from him with all my strength. He didn’t move an inch but I flew out of his grasp and flattened myself against the wall to get as far away from him as possible.

Alexander –looking a bit shocked and somewhat lost- turned back around to see exactly what I was scheming, but I gave him no time to figure it out before I sprang at him. He had no opportunity to block me.

We collided with enough force to make the windows shatter and I wasn’t completely sure how I got there, but I found myself sitting on top of his chest, holding him down.

He tried to throw me off, but Zaiden was standing over him with a dripping wet rope pressed to his neck. “Stay down.” Zaiden hissed at him, “You stand no chance against us now. Not when we have three royals with us.”

Alexander snarled, protestant, but he stopped moving and I saw how the rope was causing vicious red burn marks on his neck.

I barely held back my sigh of relief, thank goodness for Mors est in sancto. It was weakening him enough so I could keep him pinned to the floor and from killing everyone I cared for. And it seemed that the thick rope Zaiden held was strong enough to do the same.

A pang of pain shot through my heart. It was keeping him from killing me, but it was hurting him and I wanted it to go away. I shook my head to rid it of thoughts of helping him.

He was the enemy here.

“We have to tie him up.” Viktor stated the obvious, “But keep that thing away from us or we’ll all be incapacitated and soon dead.”

It took me a moment to realise that that ‘thing’ was the rope soaked in Mors est in sancto.

Viktor and Norabo both moved closer to take hold of Alexander in my stead as I got up slowly, carefully. “Make one wrong move and I’ll dump this bottle of holy water on your head.” Samael threatened as he took a step closer cautiously.

Alexander didn’t fight at all when I told him to roll over onto his stomach so I could tie his hands behind his back and I managed to tie a strong knot around his wrists.

I got up to inspect my handy work and gave both Norabo and Viktor half a smile, “Thanks for showing up when you did guys, you saved my life.”

Norabo grinned, “We merely served as a distraction, Ash.”

I couldn’t argue with that since technically I did manage to take Alexander down on my own. “I’m still happy that you’re both here.”

They pulled Alexander to his feet, both of them firmly holding one of his arms, “No problem, I really don’t want anyone to kill my sister.” Viktor said.

“Indeed,” Norabo agreed, “Not even a brother.”

All here of us looked at Alexander intensely and he snorted, “If you’re expecting some heartfelt apology go look somewhere else. I will kill her and all of you when I have permission.”

There was silence for a moment, “Where will you take him?” I questioned Viktor.

“To where I live. I have somewhere we can keep him where he won’t be able to harm anyone.” Viktor told me with a hesitant look in his eyes.

I nodded thoughtfully and softly asked the question I was so afraid to ask, “And then what? Can we help him?” I looked down to avoid the eyes of everyone around me. I could feel the pitting looks that the vampires were giving me but I refused to acknowledge them.

“I don’t know.” Was all Viktor finally said after what felt like an eternity of silence.

“I see.” There was a small pause before I asked Norabo, “Did you find your Promise angel?”

He immediately looked down and smiled a small smile, “Yeah…”

I couldn’t help but feel a strange mixture of jealousy and joy, “Oh? What’s she like?”

“She’s beautiful, Ash.” His eyes saddened a little.

I gave him a questioning look, “So… what’s the problem?”

“She hates me.”

“Oh.” I managed unintelligently, it made sense that not all the Promise angels would love their half demons at first, “Oh… I’ll talk to her.”

Some hope filled Norabo’s eyes, “You will?” I nodded, “Thank you.”

Viktor cleared his throat, “We’ll take care of Alex, but I think you have bigger problems to deal with right now.” He used his free hand to point behind me and I slowly turned around.

Janessa was still clinging to Caleb who and both his arms protectively wrapped around her and Paul. They stared at us.

I swallowed hard, “Yeah, you guys go on ahead, I’ll catch up.” I turned to Samael, “Go with them but come back here when Alexander is bound.”

Samael bowed his head, “Of course.”

I refused to look at Alexander, I just couldn’t handle it, but I knew he was looking right at me. “You should watch your back as well, kitten.” He suddenly said, “Sometimes the people closest to you will be the ones to betray you first.”

I didn’t even want to start thinking about what he could have meant by that.

It didn’t take much to get Alexander to leave with them, but Viktor and Norabo still moved him cautiously.

When they were gone only Zaiden, my family and I remained I turned to face them again slowly. Not knowing what to say, I said the first words that popped into my head, “I’m a vampire.” Tears started running down Janessa’s face again and my heart clenched. “It’s all right if you hate me, I will leave you alone, but I am going to order one of my nobles to protect you all. You won’t be harmed.”

“Don’t be stupid, Ash.” My sister sobbed. Before I knew what was happening she’d thrown her arms around me and was crying even more than before. “We don’t care that you’re a vampire.”

And so, I too cried like an infant while she held me.

After I’d explained to Janessa, Caleb and Paul what had really happened to me when I was away, the whole and complete truth of it, a tense silence surrounded us for a while as they all sat lost in thought.

“You know,” Paul said and my head snapped towards him, “All that I really understood out of that whole story was that you fell in love.”

“I did.” I admitted, “And don’t forget the part where he’s trying to kill me now.”

Caleb made a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat, “I understand now. The weird tension between you guys I mean.”

I nodded awkwardly, “Yeah, it’s… it’s complicated.”

Janessa patted my back caringly, “Well don’t worry, you still have us.”

I couldn’t help but smile at her, “Thank you.”

I knew Zaiden was watching me carefully from where he was leaning against the wall and when my eyes met his he grinned, “I just can’t believe you drank demon blood and survived to tell the tale.”

I shrugged, “Guess I was just lucky.” My expression turned serious, “Will you watch over my family?” There was no one I trusted more than him so Zaiden was the obvious choice.

“No.”

I snarled at his unwillingness to obey me, “No?”

He shrank back a little but his answer didn’t change, “No, I promised myself to never leave your side again and I already have and I hate myself for it, I’m not doing so again. Samael can watch over them. I am your first noble, Ash and you are my royal. Besides,” He said playfully with a knowing smirk, “I still have to teach you how to fight since I don’t think that move you pulled on Alexander will work so well on other demons in a fight.”

I relented with a sigh, “Fine.”

“A royal,” Paul mused, looking interested by the thought, “How fascinating that the girl who can’t even keep her underwear drawer organised is he ruler of an entire continent.”

“Oh shut up.” I said, fighting back a smile.

“Ash!” I heard someone scream from behind me and arms wrapped around me from behind in a tight hug.

I awkwardly patted Lucy’s arms as she clung to me like a little monkey, “Hey Lucy. What are you doing here?”

“I just came to see if you were alright.” She said sounding a little breathless, “I would have come here earlier with Viktor but he said it was too dangerous for me and he made me stay home.”

I could almost see her displeased pout and I laughed as she let go of me and came to stand in front of me, “It was dangerous, but everything is alright now.” I frowned as I looked at her, “You came here alone?”

She sighed, “If only, Viktor made this one come with me.” She shoved her thumb in the direction of a female vampire with blue eyes.

The female hung here head, “I have a name you know.”

“I know and I’m sorry, it isn’t you I’m mad at Dory, I’m just upset that he doesn’t trust me to go anywhere alone.” Lucy said stubbornly.

“Well at least you know he cares.” I said, “Oh, I’d like you to meet everyone.”

When I was done introducing her to everyone Samael had returned with a message from Norabo, “He wants you to come meet Tabitha.”

“Tabitha?” I questioned with a small frown. “His Promise angel?”

“Yeah.”

I turned to Lucy, “What’s she like?”

“Oh she’s really pretty. She has these bright blue eyes and blonde hair. I wish I was as tanned as she is…” Lucy trailed off with a look of envy on her face.

“I was talking about her personality.” I said slowly, “What’s she like?” I repeated my question.

“She’s very…. Spirited.” Lucy said slowly.

I narrowed my eyes, “What is that supposed to mean?”

“She uh… she…” Lucy sighed, “I’m actually not sure how to tell you this, but she kind of kicked Norabo between the legs when he told her that they’re soulmates.”

My eyebrows shot up, “She what!?”

“She-“

I held up my hand, “I heard you the first time, I just… can’t believe it. All the Promise angels I’ve met so far have been rather collected about the whole situation.”

Lucy gave me a questioning look, “All?”

“Yeah, I met Jagger’s PA as well on my way here.”

“Cool.”

“But Tabitha doesn’t really hate Norabo right?” I asked cautiously, “She’ll help us?”

“Well….” Lucy said stretching out the word as long as possible. “She might hate him now, I’m not sure since I haven’t actually spoken to her.”

“You haven’t spoken to her yet?” My statement came out as a question and suddenly I became nervous about why they hadn’t even spoken yet. “Please don’t tell me he did something stupid.”

“Well…. After she kicked him he kind of took her with him against her will and locked her in a closet after they arrived here.”

“He did what?!?” I screamed in outrage. What the hell was Norabo thinking?!? Locking the girl in a closet was not sweeping her off her feet to get her to like him!

“He locked her-” Lucy started again but I cut her off.

“How big a moron is he?” I asked as I paced back and forth, “This is bad, this is really, really bad.”

“He seems to like her though, she’s even crazier than he is.” Lucy pointed out.

I stopped to stare at her, “It doesn’t matter if he likes her, what matters is her liking him.”

“Oh I see.”

“I need to speak to her as soon as possible.” I muttered to myself. Maybe I would be able to save whatever was left of the situation. “Didn’t you try to stop him?”

Lucy looked at me with her large doe eyes, “She scares me.”

I sighed, this was hopeless, “Fine, but I need you to come with me so you can help explain everything to her.”

“Sure, I’m just not going in there alone.”

“Alright, let’s go right now.” I turned to Samael and waved him over. He was standing in front of me in milliseconds.

“Do you need something?” He questioned me with sincerity, almost like he’d do whatever I asked.

“I need you to stay here and protect them.” I nodded towards my family, “They mean the world to me so if something happens to them… I’ll never forgive you and never speak to you again.” I knew that to a noble that would be a punishment even worse than death so I used that to my advantage. It wasn’t like I actually had it in me to kill Samael either so that worked in my favour.

Samael’s face fell, “I promise, milady, I will protect them with all I have in me. They won’t be harmed.”

I hit him on the back hard and grinned widely, “Good sadist.”

With a quick goodbye I set off with Zaiden, Lucy and Dory to where Viktor lived and where some poor girl was locked in a closet.

I was preparing a speech in my head of what I could say to her and a different one in which I gave Norabo a piece of my mind.

Viktor’s estate was a little ways out of the city but we arrived there in about ten minutes anyway. His house was huge, even bigger than Alexander’s house if I had to compare them but I barely took note of anything as I stormed through the halls in search of the only thundering heartbeat in the building besides Lucy. Lucy was having trouble to keep up so Zaiden was half dragging her along at quite a quick pace. “Ash!” She exclaimed, “Going a little slower won’t kill anyone.”

I ignored her. How would she feel if someone locked her in a closet?!

I spotted Norabo while he was still far down the hallway, sitting in front of a bedroom door.

“Norabo!” I shouted at him and he jerked in shock. He got up when he saw me, a smile on his face, but it disappeared when he saw the murderous look in my eyes.

“You look mad.” He said softly.

“You locked her in the closet!”

“She’s scary Ash,” He said with wide eyes, “I’ve never met someone in my entire existence that scares me as much as that girl does.” He grinned, “She’s amazing.”

“That doesn’t give you the right to kidnap the poor girl and hold her against her will.” I pointed out.

“But-“

“No buts.” I told him firmly, “You better apologise to this girl on your knees like you mean it or we might as well kiss our butts goodbye. Jagger and his Promise angel have already decided not to be part of the war, the last thing we need is losing another Promise angel.”

“When you say on my knees do you mean-“

I frowned and cut him off, “You’re going to grovel at her feet.”

“Oh…” He said slowly and then frowned, “I’ve never grovelled before.”

“Learn on the job.” I sighed and my voice softened, “You probably feel bad for locking her inside the closet, don’t you?”

“Yes.” He admitted instantly, “But she’s a type of crazy I’ve never seen before.”

“She’s like you then?” I asked with a knowing smirk. “Alright, let me talk to her before you do, I’ll see what I can do.”

Norabo’s eyes widened, “You’re going in there, alone?”

“Yes?” I asked hesitantly.

He nodded and pulled out the keys to the room. Wait, did that mean he locked her inside the closet and inside the room as well?

Lucy stood behind Zaiden when she shouted her encouragement at me, “Good luck.”

I pursed my lips, I couldn’t believe that one girl was truly that terrifying.

When the door was unlocked Norabo took a step backwards and I slowly pushed it open and peeked inside.

The first thing I saw was the closet door with a hole in the middle. It was one of those doors that were hollow on the inside so I had no doubt that she easily busted her way out of there.

I opened the door wider and took a step inside.

Suddenly a girl who looked a little older than I did jumped out from behind the door, swinging a baseball bat right at my head. Where did she even get bat in the first place?

I threw up my arms in surrender, “I come in peace!”

I let out a sigh of relief when she stopped with the baseball bat above her head and gave her a knowing look. I stuck out my hand, “Hey, I’m Ash.” I nodded my head in Norabo’s direction. “Please forget whatever that man told or did to you, after all, we all know that men can be impulsive idiots at times.”

She lowered the baseball bat and slowly a smile spread across her face.

She took my hand in a firm grasp and shook it, “I’m Tabitha Jade.”

I grinned, I liked her.