by Bee Douglas
“This has to be some kind of sick joke.” And yet, no one is shouting out “surprise”. Eleanor lets out a sigh, running both hands through her hair. “Who the hell do I need to talk to for you guys to let me leave? This kidnapped hostage thing is getting old.”
I lock eyes with Royce. “I’ll get the car,” I tell him.
I shoot Singh a quick text message. If she had even the slightest idea of she’s about to walk into, she wouldn’t be so eager to get this meeting done and over with. But it’s too late now. We have a date with the Devil, one that can’t be missed.
5
Kane
Eleanor hangs closely to Royce and I don’t blame her. She’s being cooperative. I’m not going to be the bearer of bad news and tell her that her new found friend is the reason she’s in this predicament.
On the drive over to the boardroom, I let the two of them take up the back seat. When Singh realizes that we’re accompanied with someone other than Griffin, his body instantly tenses. I make a point to make eye contact with him when I climb in the town car. Though his mouth opens a few times, he keeps any comments to himself. He relaxes a little once Royce picks up a conversation with Eleanor. Occasionally, his grip tightens around the steering wheel. Other than that, he complies as usual.
By the time the town car pulls up outside, Eleanor has calmed down. She spends the majority of the drive answering all of Royce’s questions. But when she notices that the car has come to a complete stop, a thick air of tension fills the vehicle. We’ve arrived.
I hang back, letting them walk in the building together. It’s best to keep her as comfortable as possible, but the space allows me reaction time if she makes any rash decisions. I can easily goalie her back in line.
When I touch her arm outside the boardroom door, she nearly jumps out of her skin. “I know this is all new and strange to you, but you are about to meet some very powerful, important people. You need to remember that above everything else.”
“And you need to remember not to touch me.” As she rips her arm away, she casts me a challenge filled glare. Behind her eyes, I can practically see flames flickering brightly. Over her shoulder, Royce’s coughs into his hand, stifling a laugh.
“You’ve be warned.” Each word that makes it through my clenched jaw is low.
I push the door open and step inside. Death is already gathered. It’s such an odd sight seeing them waiting on someone. The three Princes of Hell are seated around the far end of the conference room. They don’t acknowledge my existence, but the moment Eleanor steps in, their conversation turns to silence.
“Eleanor, allow me to introduce you to Death.”
Even as she steps in the same room as demonic royalty, she keeps herself grounded. Her shoulders are pulled back with a false air of confidence as she nears the conference table. “It’s Nora, and I want to go home.”
Leviathan is the one who speaks first. Well, it’s actually his berating laugh that breaks through the silence. His head tilts back, showing the underside of his perfectly manicured beard.
His brother, Belial, places a hand on his shoulder as he rises to his feet, ceasing the laughter. “Eleanor, yo-”
“Nora,” she snaps.
“Apologies.” The stone-like finish of his face doesn’t crack, despite the empathetic statement. “You seem to have found yourself in an odd predicament, Nora.” Her shoulders slightly relax. She must think she just won some type of ground with him, but knowing Belial, he’s simply pacifying her. “Do you have any knowledge of what you are?”
“Lots.” Leviathan spins around in the chair as he listens to the conversation. “I’m a nurse. I’ve had years of schooling and experience in the medical field.”
“Your mortal employment is not what I am referring to, Miss Nora.” Another strong enunciation of her name. “There has been a major mishap. We should have been in contact with you a lot sooner. You will have to pardon us.”
Leviathan stops mid-spin. The corners of his eyes squint as his gaze travels from the top of her mused hair, down to her worn shoes. “You really have no idea, do you?”
“Listen,” she huffs, “all I know is that this man came to my work.” She points an accusing finger in my direction. “I wake up in some strange room. Then Asshole and Asshat over there dragged me here. As fun as all of this has been, I need to go home.”
Royce leans in, whispering, “I call dibs on Asshat.”
I roll my eyes, ignoring his comment. Belial stands and walks forward, cautious of where he steps. “Do you even know what a Banshee even is?” Eleanor swallows hard, and then shakes her head.
“A Banshee,” Belial’s voice settles at a monotone level, “is one of the most feared beings in this world. By using the simplest of things - their voice - they can toy with the lifespan of a human. Theirs is the only voice that can play a detrimental role, whether for better or for worse. It has come to our attention, that after a century, a Banshee has resurfaced once more.”
Leviathan leans back against his chair, resting his arms behind his head. “We didn’t think another was going to arise. We were convinced that the bloodline had died out.”
“Due to the work of our dedicated servant, Kane has-”
“Excuse me, my Lord,” Griffin cuts in. I didn’t see him sitting in the corner when we first came in. “It wasn’t Kane who thought it imperative to tell you of the Banshee.”
Belial shoots him a look, daring him to speak out of turn once more. A smug grin plays at my lips. It serves the fucker right. “Thanks to our dedicated servants, we are able to be reunited with such a magnificent creature. Once you’ve unlocked and tamed your inner beast, you will be unstoppable.”
A hysterical laughter breaks loose from Eleanor. Her shoulders shake violently that I fear her clavicle may break.
“Eleanor,” I warn, catching the irritated glaze that covers each of the princes’ faces, “please-”
“For the last time, my name is Nora!” Her hysterics fade to shouting. “I don’t know what you people are on, but I’m not this Banshee thing. I don’t have some super freaky voice ability. I’m not out here trying to play God. I take care of people in a nursing home. That’s it. So, please, just let me go home.”
“That is what you do not understand. You returning home is not an option, at least until you have full control of your abilities. Then you will be free to roam where you please,” Belial states, his voice firm.
“I’m not doing shit for you crazy people!”
“Enough!” Satan chose to stay quiet until this very moment. He slams his hands down on the table and stands, causing Eleanor to jump out of her skin. A few tears track down her cheeks. “This is the most taxing thing I have ever endured. You mortals have no sense of obedience. Eleanor, you have no hand in making decisions. The harbinger inside of you has not yet been awaken, or else there would be a major discord in our world. Your freedom is no longer in your hands, since you are of no use to us until that day.”
Her voice croaks, “This is illegal.”
The veins around Satan’s eyes turn an inky black, matching the dark void that has taken over him. His temper breaks through, cracking open his human skin. “You insolent girl, can you not grasp the power in which your dealing with?”
Eleanor’s shaking form staggers backward into me. She leaps out of my grasp when I try to steady her.
“While we are not willing to risk the life of such a rare specimen, we will not hesitate at corrupting another mortal soul. Right now, there is a little girl waiting to be tucked in. It takes just a moment for a soul to be marked.” The bastard toys with her. “I wonder, will you be able to live knowing your half-blooded sister will burn for eternity in Hell because of an ignorant choice you made?”
Eleanor’s breath catches in her chest. Royce’s mouth opens to speak, but I shake my head, stopping him before any words topple out. The soul of a child is not to be touched until they reach a certain point in their life. Demons are not to make any play for the
ir souls until they can take the reins of their own free will. This is a severe indiscretion. Everyone in the room knows that. All except for the girl. For all she knows, Satan is not wielding a bluffing hand.
“She has nothing to do with this.” Her voice, once boisterous and demanding, is eerily quiet. “She’s just a child.”
“She may be, but I am also growing tired of your incompetence.”
“Having a choice is not a gift we grant often,” Belial explains. “Under these circumstances though, I believe we can make room for an exception.”
“You want me to choose between my sister’s soul and, what?” Her inner fire slowly rekindles. “Being kept a prisoner with you?”
“With Kane, to be precise.”
Satan must sense my irritation. His attention is no longer on the girl. For this particular demonic Prince, rage and anger fuels his power. He can hone in on even the most subtle feelings of upset. “Is something the matter?”
“I am not a babysitter,” I spit. I try to tame my own festering temper.
“Of course not,” he agrees. “But what better way to discipline your recent infractions. We cannot allow you to continue rivaling these mortals with their lack of respect and obedience.”
Bridging his fingertips together, he challenges me to speak. As he sits back down, the skin stretches tightly over my fisted knuckles. I bite down on my tongue to keep comments trapped inside.
Leviathan lets out a quiet chuckle. “Where’s the popcorn?”
“Your fellow comrades will have their own tasks to complete in midst this period of time, Kane.” Belial ignores the behavior of his brothers, refocusing the meeting. His head snaps to Royce, whose face loses all of its caramelized color. “There is a witch that we will need to obtain. She has experience working with the past Banshees, which is vital to our cause.” He picks up one of the envelopes that appear on the table. Pushing it in Royce’s direction, he then turns his attention to Griffin. “For the gratitude that my brothers and I share for your loyal service, you will be given the chance to show your abilities as a Reaper. You are to take on several more reapings than the amount you are normally allotted. Do not fail us.”
“Thank you, my Lords.” He slinks back to the corner he dug himself out of.
Aside from the blood pounding in my ears, the room turns deathly silent. Even Eleanor’s cries are soundless.
“My Lords, you’ve given us these responsibilities,” Royce’s voice is laced with confusion as he glances around the room, “but she hasn’t even made her choice.”
“Oh,” Leviathan muses, sharing a look with his brothers. Their devilish horns practically visible in the mortal realm, “but she has.”
6
Nora
It takes everything I have to keep all these tears from falling. All because I chose to go out last night instead, I’m being uprooted from my life. Not that it’s much of a life to begin with, but it’s the principle of it. A song - a fucking song - is to blame for me having to leave my job and family behind to appease these delusional people. I wish you would’ve just gone home and did laundry.
A Banshee - that’s what they had called me. The men in that creepy conference room were convinced that I’m this harbinger thing. They’re insane. All of them. I’m a nurse. That’s it. None of them believed me. I contemplated making a run for it once we hit the lobby, but I couldn’t. Even though they were all out of their minds, I didn’t dare try and push their hand. They had threatened Hannah. How they even knew about her is lost to me. But for the sake of my little sister’s life and innocence, I agreed to their terms.
I have no idea what they want from me, but soon they’ll see that they were sadly mistaken. I am nothing more than a below average girl trying to keep my head above water. I’m not exactly succeeding at it, but it’s all I have.
The dark man shifts in the seat beside me, crossing his ankle over his knee. They had called him Kane. It’s a name that would usually come off as intriguing and sexy, but it only gives me chills. I’ve been trying to take him in without blatantly staring. The passing streetlights occasionally bring him out of the shadows. In the apartment, I noticed that he’s tall. I had to tilt my head up to lock eyes with him. He keeps his dark hair brushed back, exposing his intense molten copper eyes. He is the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. Except this isn’t some romance story. He isn’t riding in on some horse to save me from danger. Instead, he’s the dragon, swooping in and distressing this damsel.
The town car slows to a stop outside of my house. The driver, a middle aged Indian man, reaches up and turns on the dome light. Kane looks at me, his eyes piercing through me, making it hard to breathe.
“You’ll have fifteen minutes to gather your things. Stick to the basics: clothes, shoes, toothbrush,” he instructs. “If they ask, tell them whatever you need to. If you are not out in time, know that I will come in and drag you out. No scenes. No funny business. Do you understand?” I swallow hard and nod my head. “Then go.”
I clamber out of the car. The walk up the front sidewalk seems longer than usual. Every single one of my nerves is shot. The sound of my heartbeat pounds harder in my ears as I unlock the door.
The kitchen is consumed in darkness. The only noise I hear is the faint sound of the television upstairs. I step quietly through the kitchen and living room. I don’t dare open Hannah’s door. I don’t want to wake her. My heart is barely hanging on as it is. If I have to deal with her, I’ll be completely lost.
The disarray in my room hasn’t changed since this morning. Kane said to grab the essentials, probably thinking I have entire wardrobe to comb through. I stuff a pair of jeans and leggings in a duffle bag, followed by some shirts. I don’t bother changing out of my work clothes, but I do swap my crocs for a pair of sneakers. Fifteen minutes? I only need five. Tiptoeing across the hall, I grab a few things out of the bathroom. My hand hovers over the door knob to Hannah’s room. My basic instinct is to crack it open and check on her.
“No,” I tell myself, pulling my hand away. I run through a mental list, making sure I’m not forgetting anything of importance.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Dina’s strained voice stops me in my tracks several feet shy of the door.
I turn to her and gesture to the bag in my hand. “I have some stuff to take care of. I’ll be back in a few days.” Hopefully.
She lets out a cackle. “You’re not going anywhere. You have work and bills to pay.” I clench my jaw tightly, fighting back against the remarks trying to break through. “Take you happy ass back there and unpack your things.”
“No,” I say, trying to keep my voice as level as possible. “I’m not a child. Like I said, I have stuff I need to take care of. I’ll be back.”
“Keep your voice down,” she hisses. Dina wraps her stained robe closer around her body. “It took me over an hour to get your sister to sleep because someone let her down. You shouldn’t promise a child something you can’t follow through with.”
Dina set her target and it hits - bullseye! She knows that all she has to do is mention Hannah’s name and I’d fold. It’s worked every time before; why should it now? Little did she know that my hands are tied, and it’s because I’m protecting that little girl.
Speaking of her protection, I don’t know how much longer I have left. At any moment, Kane can come barging in.
I take a step closer to Dina, trying to conjure up any strength that might be lingering around. “I had to stay late at work. Stuff came up.”
“Of course. It’s always work,” she seethes; hate weaves in between her words.
“Yes, Dina,” a few more steps closer, “work. It’s always work. There’s nothing other than work. Maybe if you and George actually acted like adults, I wouldn’t have to work as much as I do. But you and I both know that’s never going to happen.”
“How dare you speak to me like that.”
Dina waltzed her way into my life years ago. She had twisted my father’s mind, conv
incing him that she could replace the mother that left me behind. And yet, my mother never left my face stinging. Dina, with her hand still raised, dares me to say another word.
Part of me wants to apologize and explain the absurdity of the situation. Part of me wants to beg and stress how important it is that she takes care of Hannah. My sister is still young and impressionable. She hasn’t realized the twisted manipulations Dina has mastered over the years - a witch versed in potions and charms. Until the day she learns that, the little girl is nothing more than a puppet to her. This is why the other part of me wins over - the part that wishes I would’ve stood up to her long ago.
“Take care of her.”
I don’t wait for her reply. It would have probably just pissed me off more anyways. But as I shut the door behind me, I lean against it for support. A tearless sob creeps up on me. I squeeze my eyes shut, taking a moment to calm the adrenaline rushing through my veins. This is such a mess, I think to myself.
When I open my eyes again, Kane’s leaning against the car. His brow is drawn together, studying me. I don’t even want to know what he overheard. I don’t speak to him as I walk to the car. I don’t thank him when he holds open the door, despite it being a gentleman’s act. As the car pulls away, I look at the time on the dash. It’s been twenty-three minutes since I got out of the car. Kane doesn’t speak, nor does he look my way. But I do notice how tightly his jaw is clenched as he stares out the window. His opinions and judgements are uninvited. And yet, I find myself running my hands through my hair, creating a veil between us - my skin still burning from the slap.
...
It’s as if the car goes on for hours. I don't know if it’s because of all the turns he keeps making, or if the dead silence is making the time drag on. I wasn’t awake when I first came to the apartment. With how nice the inside is, I’m honestly shocked at the worn down building we pull up to. I don’t know where we are. I do my best to avoid this side of town. After tapping the roof of the car, signaling that the driver could leave, Kane heads to the door. I follow close behind. The building travels upward, disappearing into the sky. A heavy industrial door opens to a small hallway. There are no other doors or hallways, just an elevator.
