by RG Stancu
"I never knew there were erupting volcanoes in California,"
Dallas said.
Busted. Kinky laughed. How are you going to explain this one?
Wait! Let me grab my camcorder so I can record it for future reference.
I grimaced. Granted, I didn't think of the possibility Dallas might look out the window, but it was nothing I couldn't fix. "It's all for show."
"Huh?"
Moistening my lips, I turned to face Dallas as I pointed at the highest peak, the flickering red flames giving the impression of a huge halo towering above it. "See that one over there? It's called Bursting Mountain. All kids are scared to death when they see it because it looks so real, but it's all plastic and special effects."
"You can do anything with lighting nowadays," Dallas said.
I nodded, thankful he bought my bluff. "Uh-huh."
"Since we're here we should visit it."
"Yes." I bobbed my head enthusiastically, then grimaced. "Oh no. So sorry, babe, I forgot it's closed for renovations. Maybe another time."
"Why are the special effects on then?"
Gee, he missed nothing. "Thanks for mentioning it. I'll point it out to Dad. They might have forgotten to turn it off. What a waste of resources." Hopefully, Dallas forgot and never asked about it again.
Otherwise, Dad might have to find a way to put out the volcanoes. I got up from his lap and returned to my chair, flicking through his notes.
"These are just suggestions," Dallas said. "I'm nowhere near a breakthrough yet."
"I like them." It was a lie. Organising a Halloween party? Booking the spookiest hotel in the world for a launch party? He had to be kidding. Children might end up scared for five minutes, but that was about all the fear he'd get.
"This one's great." Dallas pointed at a few sentences squeezed near the edge. I leaned forward, squinting, as I tried to decipher his impossible handwriting.
"Jock thy Keeper? What's that?"
He laughed. "No, silly. Jack the Ripper. We could hire him."
"Nope." I shook my head. "Dad will never let him out of that dark dungeon. I hope he rots there for eternity. That nut tried to kill me because I knew his true identity."
"He's dead. Pulling my leg again? You're such a jokester."
Amusement sparkled in Dallas's eyes.
I blinked, realizing my blunder. Dating a mortal was more difficult than I ever imagined. I had to keep all these secrets bottled up and sometimes they just spilled out of my mouth. When I dated down here in Hell, I could say what I wanted openly and everyone knew what I was talking about. "Of course it was just a joke. He's dead. I'm glad we'll never have to see that crazy dude."
"I wasn't talking about the real guy anyway," Dallas said. "Your dad could hire an actor to play him. Maybe even organise a whodunit in the style of Agatha Christie. Only, visitors will think there's a serial killer on the loose."
Jack the Ripper's picture still lingered at the back of my mind, making me shudder. Boy, did that bring back bad memories. In history class, we went back to London during the murders for a week of watching it all live, during which I had a really close encounter with Dr Thomas Neill Cream aka Jack the Ripper. I tried to help Sherlock Holmes solve the case by revealing the killer's identity. Unfortunately, Sherlock was pig-headed and refused to believe me. He went down in history never solving the case. Sucks to be him. In Heaven, everyone still taunted him.
"What do you say?" Dallas prompted, jolting me out of my thoughts.
Nodding, I let the picture flash through my mind. The idea was quite original, but how would Dad fit into it? We could claim he was Jack the Ripper, but I couldn't quite see the connection to Hell.
"What do you think?" Dallas asked.
"Sounds great. I'll run it past him. He might want a few more options though. He's very hard to please."
"I'll get back to brainstorming then." Dallas gave my hand a quick squeeze before he resumed his scribbling.
Peering out the window, I gathered my thoughts. The conversation with the Omnidus zoomed through my mind. Dallas was keen on moving to California because he was scared of something or someone. With Hell, Dad's identity and Dallas's focus on turning his home into a fortress, there were too many secrets between us. How was this relationship supposed to work when we weren't honest to each other?
"What did Amber say?" I asked, hoping he might open up to me.
Dallas peered up from his notes. "What?"
I flicked open my phone, then shut it again. "You never told me what your sister said."
He blinked. "I did."
"No, you didn't." Waiting, I crossed my arms over my chest. He didn't reply. "Was she upset because the parcel didn't arrive on time?"
"How do you know about the parcel?"
I rolled my eyes. "Dallas, you only called a million times to complain about it."
"Right. I forgot." He nodded, still tight-lipped.
I wished he'd share his worries with me instead of bottling up.
Grabbing his hand, I forced him to look at me. "Why is she worried about you?"
What are you doing? Pinky hissed.
I grimaced, ignoring him.
"What makes you think she's worried?" Dallas asked.
There, now he's suspicious, Pinky said.
"You grew up together. When two people are this close, it's only natural to be concerned." Would he get the hint?
"Of course. We're very close, even more so now." Dallas sighed.
"Let's get some work done before your father sacks us both."
Changing the topic wasn't going to work when I was as stubborn as a mule. "Last time I checked she left Scotland. Where's Aidan hiding her?"
Dallas's head snapped up, a frown crossing his brows. "What makes you think they're hiding?"
I groaned inwardly. If we kept going in circles like this we'd still be talking about it the following week. "Don't take it literally."
Obviously, if I cared to find out where they hid I'd only need to give Thrain a call.
Dallas nodded, still avoiding a clear answer. "Okay, sorry."
My gaze searched his, the mental wall inside his head hindering my probing mind. Amber must've told him what happened, and Dallas kept it from me because he thought I was just a normal girl who couldn't handle the supernatural. I wished I could tell him I was the supernatural, but that might freak him out even more than having a necromancer in the family who could raise Great-grandma if she so desired.
I sighed. "Dallas, you know Amber and I go way back, right?" Way back was an exaggeration when we only met thrice a few months ago, but the truth didn't sound quite as indicative of my friendship with her. Dallas nodded so I continued, "To cut a long story short, she told me everything."
He gawked at me, disbelief reflecting in his magnificent eyes.
"Really? She did? Even the last part?"
"Yes, she did. What happened back then is—" I whistled "—crazy stuff."
He laughed. "Loco. You could say that. I can't believe she told you. She said almost no one knew." No one? How about half of the supernatural world?
I got up and snuggled into his arms, brushing his hair off his forehead. His skin felt so warm and soft. "I'm one of the selected few.
She trusts me implicitly." That was a lie too. Amber didn't tell me a thing. I had to read her mind.
Dallas buried his face into my hair mumbling against my throat,
"I wish I could protect her. I'll never be able to sleep soundly knowing she isn't safe."
"She has Aidan."
He nodded. "I'm not sure about him." How could an immortal not be good enough to protect Amber? "I have some really bad news,"
Dallas continued.
I pushed his arms away to look at him. "What?"
"I'll have to leave as soon as possible. What we have is special, but I can't just leave my sister. I'm not ready for this until all the issues in her life are sorted out."
Dallas was so loyal to family. It amazed me. H
e'd do anything to protect the ones he loved. That instant I knew he'd fight for me too if it ever came down to it. He needed me now more than ever. I had connections he couldn't even dream of so, naturally, I'd stand by him.
"I'm coming with you."
Dallas hesitated as though he was leading an inner battle whether to be honest with me. I guess his wish for honesty won. "No, that's not a good idea. Amber wasn't keen on us meeting again."
"What?" My anger flared up. Forget Layla, once I got hold of that wrench Amber I'd show her what a real immortal could do. I had every right to help protect the man I love, with or without Amber's blessing.
Dallas winced. "Her exact words were that you're trouble."
I snorted. "Me? That's a ridiculous insinuation. I've never been trouble in my life. "
Pinky emerged on my shoulder. May I remind you of that one time when you set Heaven on fire because you thought it'd be fun to watch the Cherubim run around like headless chickens?
I was only five, and it never happened again.
"Please don't get upset. She didn't mean it like that," Dallas said.
"You bet she didn't." Amber might think she had the upper hand, but I wasn't going to give up on Dallas so easily. I smiled, sweetly. "I understand your concern, and if you want to leave I won't stand in your way."
"Thank you." He sounded relieved. How could that thought of leaving me ever cross his mind when we actually shared a bond?
"Did you know Disneyland boasts more security than a prison?
We have cameras everywhere. No face escapes the highly trained ex-marines living in the observation department."
"Really?"
Obviously, I had no idea, but I loved how gullible he was. My fingers brushed his cheek. I marvelled at the softness of his skin. If Amber wasn't safe, neither was Dallas. I truly cared for Amber's safety, but I didn't want her problems taking away the man of my dreams. Surely, she would understand, particularly since she shared a bond with Aidan and knew how it all worked.
"Trust me on this one." I leaned closer whispering in his ear, "I'll share a secret with you, but don't ever tell anyone. It's so safe here, sometimes people placed under the witness protection scheme stay with us. We've never had an incident." I laughed inwardly. How could we have an incident with millions of guardian demons defending Hell with the help of their abilities?
"That's exactly what I'm looking for," Dallas said.
Putting on my poker face, I peered at him from under my lashes. "I should be mad at Amber for calling me trouble, but friends forgive and forget. If she needs my help, I'll be there for her."
Dallas smiled. "You mean she can stay here until they've figured out what to do?"
"What an excellent idea!" I popped my eyes wide open in fake surprise, hoping I wasn't going overboard. "Why didn't I think of it?
You're so clever."
He tapped a finger against my nose. "Technically, babe, it was your idea."
"No, it wasn't. I would never take credit for your suggestion." I lowered my face until our noses met. "Why don't you call her and see what she has to say. Don't forget to mention you came up with it."
"What about your dad?"
I squirmed in his lap, stalking for time to make it seem like I was hesitating. "Don't worry about him. I'll figure something out."
Retrieving the phone from my desk, I pressed it into his palm and winked. "Here, call her, and don't take no for an answer. There's a reason why even guys from the FBI come knocking on our door every now and then."
Chapter 11 – The curse
Dad didn't seem very happy to hear I was having yet more friends over.
"You're what?" He was pacing the study up and down; the frown on his forehead had been in place for the last two minutes, which was a new record given that we were neither at work, nor meeting Mum for lunch.
Pouting, I pressed my hands on my hips, ready to scream, beg or start giving him the silent treatment, all in this particular order. "You said I never bring anyone home, so there, I followed your advice."
"But, sweetie, I—" he ran a hand through his hair "—they're mortals."
"You say that like it's a crime. Are you discriminating against your main target audience? Besides, they're not mortal." I couldn't hold back a grin when I saw his jaw drop.
Dad's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What are they?"
I shrugged. "This and that."
"No, Cass. If you want them to stay here you'll have to tell me the truth. Obviously, I could find out in a heartbeat anyway.
I laughed inwardly. If he could hear a heartbeat. Aidan was as dead as a doornail.
"Cass, are you listening?"
I nodded. "Sure. You were saying?"
"Why should I have to use my investigative skills? I want to hear the words out of your very own mouth." His voice sounded calm yet resolute. I sighed.
"All right, if you must know. Amber's a necromancer."
"And the boy?"
I winced. Nothing escaped Dad's heightened perception. "He's a
—" I snapped my fingers, thinking. "What's another word for vampire?"
Dad groaned. "He's a vampire? In Hell? You know that's about the only species we don't have down here, and there's a reason for it."
"Come to think of it, I'm not keen on that word since Aidan neither drinks blood, nor shuns the sun." I started playing with the green tapestry on Dad's sofa, avoiding his gaze in the hope he wouldn't ask how I knew them.
"Good then, because we're not causing an eclipse just so he can venture out in search of his next snack."
I jumped up from my seat and hurried over to plop on his desk.
"Dad, I told you he doesn’t drink blood."
He peered at me unconvinced. "Is that what he told you?"
Really, he kind of underestimated me. "Nope. Obviously, I don't rely on hearsay. I know this for a fact because I attended the ancient ritual ceremony at the Shadowland cemetery."
"What?" Dad's jaw dropped. "I told you to never set foot on their cursed territory. They could use your blood for their rituals."
"You watch too many movies." At his shocked expression, I patted his hand. "I was only there for all of five minutes because Aidan agreed to retrieve an ancient ritual book from the Otherworld and give it to the Shadows in exchange for a ritual to free himself from the curse of blood. Since at that time I was still considering my career options, I thought it might be a good idea to assist everyone so it wouldn't turn into a bloodbath." Obviously, my plan was to pinch the book because I couldn't just leave something that powerful with all these wannabe immortals. The book was now stacked in a hidden compartment in my bedroom, but Dad needn't know.
"Where do you know these people from anyway?"
My chance to avoid this particular question evaporated into thin air. I shrugged again. "You know me, I travel quite a bit so, naturally, I get to meet the odd person. It's a small world."
Dad smirked. "Yes, well, they don't exactly advertise themselves on social networking sites."
I gawked, open-mouthed, because I never figured Dad knew one could use a computer for more than keying the number of souls entering Hell in an Excel document.
"You're surprised, huh?" He laughed. "Yes, your old man knows a thing or two about what's going on in the world. It doesn't mean I like it, but I'm clever enough to keep myself informed."
"That's great, Dad. Well done." Rolling my eyes, I slapped his shoulder. "Now, can we get on with it? The love of my life is waiting for me."
"They can't stay here, Cassie. Having a vampire around wouldn't be good publicity." Taking a sip of his coffee, Dad turned back to the folders occupying most of his massive desk, signalling me our conversation was over. Maybe for him, but not for me.
I smirked because it was time to skip the arguing and possible yelling, and move on to plan B, which involved begging, and maybe even shedding a few tears if I could squeeze them out. Truth was, I knew he was aware I manipulated him, but I didn't care. He should've th
ought about possible consequences before teaching me how to wrap Mum around my finger.
"Daddy?" I batted my lashes. "You know I'm really enjoying the last few moments we're getting to spend together. Soon I'll turn eighteen when it's time to leave the nest and fly away into the night."
"Stop being melodramatic, Cassie. It's not working. Not in this particular case." He sounded serious, but a glint of amusement flickered in his gaze.
I brushed a stray lock from my eyes as I continued unfazed, "You see, I might leave the nest sooner because Dallas needs to take care of his sister. Since he's the love of my life, I'm not letting him go. Will you miss me?" I pouted, praying for those tears to start flowing. They didn't.
"The love of your life?" Dad snorted. "You've known him for, what, two weeks?"
Not even, but Dad didn't need to know. "Haven't you ever heard of love at first sight?"
"Of course I have." Dad snapped his fingers. Thunder boomed and a brilliant bolt flashed over my head. "You have a better chance of getting struck by lightning."
I smiled. "Well then, call me one of the lucky ones."
"Who says you're lucky? Been there. Trust me, it's not all chocolate cake. " He snapped his fingers again and a dark rain cloud hovered above my head.
"Don't you dare," I hissed. Water didn't usually do my frizzy hair any favours. I couldn't risk looking like a drowned rat with my beloved around.
The cloud disappeared. Sighing, Dad started rolling his pen around his fingers. He was slowly losing his patience. It made sense to exalt my game. I pinched my thigh until it hurt, but the tears still wouldn't make their grand entrance.
"I'll give it two months," Dad muttered.
Ignoring his annoying wise apple attitude, I reached out and covered his hand with my palm. "I don’t want to leave just yet and lose the last precious months we have left, but I must."
"Cass, I said stop the drama. You're turning eighteen, not entering a convent."
The first wet sensation reached the corner of my eye, but it was nowhere near enough to spill a fat, visible tear down my cheek.
"Turning eighteen is a passage that changes everything. I've heard it can turn the most loving adolescent into a party animal, who's always too busy with drinking and hooking up to call home. Is that going to be my future? I'm scared."
