by Aly Westman
“What do you mean?” Corey asked quietly. He didn’t want to get involved in this, he just wanted to get the job done. But to finish the job, he had to bring back a breathing Ava.
Quinn held out his arms. “She has puncture wounds. I bet those demons gave her something, more than something, to keep her alive. I can give her an IV here, I have everything. But I don't think she will let me. I think it might set her off.”
“Get Ty on the phone.” Seth sighed. “Let’s see what he wants.”
Damion was the first to pull his cell out, pressing the speed dial and putting it on speaker.
“Yeah?” Ty’s groggy voice came through the speaker. Wherever he was it must’ve been in the middle of the night. No one bothered to apologize for waking him.
“She’s dying.” Seth’s accent was slightly stronger than usual, a sign he was getting worked up.
“I thought you said she looked good,” Ty spat out.
“She did.” Quinn sighed. “She’s dehydrated but...she's given up, Ty, she must’ve been going on adrenaline alone.”
“Tell me…” Ty whispered, his voice sounding broken. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Quinn leaned forward. “She won't let me near her,” he began. “I tried Ty. I told her about you, how you have been looking for her and her father. She sits, curled in the corner of the room. I can see her breath and when she breathes her whole chest is working hard, like it's taking all her energy just to do that. And her eyes...Ty, her eyes are closed and she won't open them. She looks like a frightened pup...I think she has given up. I can take her to a hospital. They will fix her up...but I’ve seen some of her scars man.”
Quinn looked around the table, all his brothers were staring at him. Though they had no blood relation they had been together long enough and through enough to become brothers.
“She has a deep scar lengthwise down her right wrist. She’s tried before...She’s tried to escape. She has signs that the demons injected who knows what into her arms. So yes, we could take her to a hospital. We could fix her up and send her to you. But what will you be getting? An empty shell? What will she live like? A ghost? Ty...you know what these things are capable of...and they had her...all this time.”
“Are you suggesting I just let her die?” Ty snapped angrily.
“I’m saying treat her how you would want to be treated.” Quinn sighed. “This is coming from me, man...You know I would do everything I can...but she doesn’t want to–”
“Stop.” Ty was shouting now. “Fucking enough! Who the fuck came running for you guys? Who the hell pulled you from the depths? Look at each other! You guys are a team for a reason. You all have been where she has been. You all have gone through just as much as she has. Now pull it together. Bring her out of it. I love my niece. I may have only held her once in my life but I love her. And I owe my fucking brother, I owe him everything. If she dies not only do I let him down but the whereabouts of that thing disappear. And if we want society and everyone in it to live as they are then we need those whereabouts. Now.” He took a deep breath. “Fix her up, by any means necessary. And bring her here.” With that the line went dead.
Everyone looked up at Quinn. He was the one with the medical knowledge, this was his forte. Quinn dropped his head into his hands and cursed. “I need the medical supplies from the truck. I will start an IV and see if we can get her rehydrated.” He mumbled. “I may need...I may need help holding her down.”
This went against every cell in his body but it was the only choice.
It didn’t take long for the supplies to be assembled. Quinn was prepping the line and getting everything ready outside of the room so once she was still he could start it.
Seth stood with his arms crossed, looking like business as usual. Ty had given the orders. Make the girl live so they could find the whereabouts of this damn demon king or prince or whatever he was. Corey failed in his greatest efforts to locate the abomination, now this was the last chance. Although something nagged at him...Were they not doing exactly what the demons had done to her?
Corey seemed bored, hands in his pockets waiting for his instructions from Quinn or Seth. Whoever. He couldn’t care less about being there. He would rather be out somewhere locating and exorcising anything with solid black eyes that posed a threat.
Damion was nervous. He hated this, hated the entire situation. So she wanted to die, was it their duty to save her? Were they saving her? Or were they prolonging her death? Quinn had said he noticed scars, was this an easier death than bleeding out? If they were to save her now would they wake up one day to see her in a crimson filled tub somewhere? This had vengeful spirit written all over it and he only hoped she never came after him. Damion cracked his knuckles before taking the sucker stick out of his mouth and tossing it somewhere behind him. He pulled a wrapped candy from his pocket and popped it in his mouth. He didn’t need the stick of the sucker jamming into his throat if there was going to be a struggle. And he was pretty sure there would be.
“Okay,” Quinn whispered. “Go easy at first, I don't want all of us in. I will go, talk to her, explain what I am going to do. Only if she puts up a fight, and I mean this Seth, only, if she puts up a fight will I call you three to hold her down. Just her arm, and only long enough for me to get the IV in and ensure she won't rip it out. Got it?”
They all nodded, eyes on him and waiting. Quinn took a deep breath, counted to three and opened the door. He didn’t close it, he wanted to make sure the guys had a clear path to him.
The room was dark and smelt of swamp water. Ava had refused to change, she had refused to move in any way. Quinn flicked the light on to his right and his eyes went right to her. Where she sat curled up in a small ball with her eyes squeezed shut and head leaning against the wall.
“Ava.” He used a gentle voice as he slowly approached her. “I talked with your uncle. We need you to live Ava. We...we need to find the demon prince...not just that but he loves–”
“Fuck off,” she rasped. “I’ve never met him. Leave me.”
Quinn took in a deep breath, unsure how to word this. He turned into medic mode. “You are dehydrated. You will die soon if I don’t start an IV. I will give you a choice, you can either drink on your own or I will have to give you an IV.”
“No,” she croaked. Her breathing was filled with crackles and wheezes almost as loud as her voice.
Quinn approached her as easily and gently as he could and then kneeled down to her, reaching out for her arm. Instantly she pulled away. “It has to be done Ava,” he said, keeping his medical voice in check. He would not let emotions get in the way.
“No.” She snapped, slashing her hand towards him and slapping Quinn square in the face.
He was shocked, to say the least. He didn’t hear the others come in but one moment they weren’t there and the next they were. Hands on the small girl as she fought and kicked and bucked her body. Seth held her legs as Corey and Damion grabbed each arm. They wrestled with her as she tried to bite and spit and kick. Although she had no saliva left to spit at them, it only came out in small raspberry sounds.
“I hate you!” She screams as the guys laid her out on the bed. Quinn shook himself and grabbed the line and alcohol swab. She wiggled under everyone’s weight as he tried to find an adequate vein. “You are just like them!”
Quinn froze, swab in one hand, needle in the other.
Ava’s body stilled, her breathing labored and exhausted from the struggle. “You’re just like them,” she repeated, her voice weak. “I thought I left them. I thought I could die in peace. I thought they had taken my freedom and that you had given it back...but you only want it for yourself. Do it. Give me agony. I don’t care anymore.” Her body shook with sobs but no tears were produced, her body truly as dry as he thought. “Use me just like they did.”
Quinn cursed and threw the supplies against the wall.
“I can’t do this.” Damion was the first to let go of her, holding his hands up and bac
king away. “This is sick. Fuck Ty.”
“What do you mean fuck Ty?” Seth backed away, followed by Corey.
Damion stuck his finger at Seth. “I mean I fucking know when to think for myself and this is damn wrong. If you don’t feel it then–”
“Easy!” Corey shouted. “We don’t need to turn on each other.”
“Guys…” Quinn whispered. “Enough.” All eyes turned to him, but he was looking at Ava. They stared at her. She had curled up on the bed, sobs wracking her body so hard that it nearly shook the bed. “We agree, yes?” Quinn said. “We let her make her choice, yes?” He begged them with his eyes.
“Yes,” Damion said.
Seth sighed. “Yes.”
“Sure, okay.” Corey nodded. “But no communication to Ty.”
“Agreed.” Damion backed up. “He will have an ambulance here faster than we can make it to the door.”
Seth groaned but nodded.
Quinn crawled up onto the bed. “Ava...this is what you want? You will die.”
“I don’t want to live.” She cried. “You don’t know...you don’t know what they did to me. I can’t get them out of my head.”
Quinn sat back. “Okay...It’s okay...We will follow your wishes but we aren’t going to let you die alone, okay? I’m not going to let you die alone.” Quinn closed his eyes, fighting back demons of his own as he gave into this girl's wishes.
Chapter 3
Ava
I fought them as much as I could, and it was pitiful. I hated myself. I hated how weak I was, I hated how heavy my body felt, but most of all I hated the fact that I was here at all, that I was breathing. I couldn’t get their black eyes out of my head. I couldn’t get their putrid sulfur smell out of my nose. I couldn't be rid of the sound of their voice that always made my skin crawl. I was finally away from them but I couldn’t get rid of them. They owned me...so yes I wanted to die. Most would call me weak, call me selfish, but the only selfish ones were the ones forcing me to live so I could complete some task for them. Become triggered and then what? Find a demon that would more than likely kill me? No… I was done...I was out for the count.
I vaguely remember hearing Quinn’s soft voice whisper he wouldn’t let me die alone. I didn’t care, as long as I was dead and done with this world. I felt my body shut down as I slipped into a dreamless sleep. Please, I prayed, let this sleep be the last.
I felt the rumble before I heard the sound. A deep chuckle. At first I thought maybe I was dreaming. At the sound I could feel my cracked lips tug a little. The deep rumble grew louder, on both sides of me. It warmed me a little. It reminded me of those nights, as a little girl, when I would fall asleep on my father’s chest lulled by the deep rumble of his voice.
A mocking, French accented voice was loud in the room. I could tell it came from a television, I swear whatever they were watching just called someone’s mother a hamster and their father smelt like elderberries. It sounded like a movie my father used to watch, Monty Python.
The room seemed to erupt with laughter, forcing my eyes to open, though they felt like sandpaper. My face was buried into something, something that smelled sweet like cherries. I tried to roll over, realising I was on a bed, but bumped into something else behind me.
“Turn it down,” Quinn said. The volume of the French voice immediately went down.
I shifted to my back and looked up. Damion sat on the bedside to my right, I had had my face pressed into his stomach. Quinn sat to my left, both of them looking down at me. “Are you in pain?” Quinn asked.
I was, my body ached and my stomach felt like it was being hung inside out. The wounds on my torso pulled and pinched.
He leaned in close until I could smell cinnamon. “I can give you something for it, if you want,” he said, his breath warm and welcoming on my face.
I frowned. “No...No pills...no needles.”
He nodded as if he had expected this.
“Oh, this is a good part, turn it up.” I could pick Seth’s voice out by his slight Russian accent. I wanted to sit up and look to see where everyone was but thought better of it. I rolled back over, not caring that my face was pushed against a stranger that smelled like candied cherries.
I wanted to ignore them as they laughed at the show. I wanted to tune it all out. I wanted to stay in darkness...but I couldn’t. Part of me was ready to sit up and yell at them. Tell them to get out and leave me alone. But I couldn’t...their voices, their laughter...I could feel my heart ease ever so slightly. I could feel the dark memories slip as if they weren't as important.
I listened to them, Damion, I knew it was him because I could feel his body move when he talked, would sometimes start saying the lines as they were playing out on the movie. Now and then Quinn or Corey would be the other character responding back to him until they were all in fits of laughter.
When the movie finished Damion got up, leaving an open gap beside me. I opened my eyes and saw Seth sitting on the far side of the bed. He must’ve been beside Damion. “No not that one!” Seth called out. “It is my turn.” He was staring straight ahead, a smile on his face. “Yes...The cars.”
“Always with the Fast and Furious.” Corey’s voice drifted back.
“With Russia it is always fast and furious,” he responded, forcing his accent to thicken.
Damion’s laughter came to me like a warm blanket. After hearing it so much I knew who it belonged to. “You poser, you grew up in Canada.”
Seth turned to me, his blue eyes sparkling with humor. “My grandmother was Russian.” He shrugged.
A smile pushed its way to my lips, causing them to crack and hurt. Seth frowned. “You’re bleeding. Quinn?”
Instantly Quinn was over top of me, hanging upside down and looking at my face. I could have laughed at how silly he looked. “Ah, give me a second.” He bounced off the bed and I slowly pushed myself to my back.
Corey was sitting on the other end, next to where Quinn was. He had a bowl of popcorn on his lap and was watching Damion. Damion was standing under a massive TV that hung from the wall.
“I don’t remember seeing a television.” My voice croaked.
“Seth installed it.” Damion jumped back onto the bed, crawling up next to me. “We got a little bored.”
Quinn came back, a wet cloth in his hand. He held it out to me and I pressed it against my lips, hiding another smile. They got bored waiting for me to die? I wanted to laugh, and I didn’t know why. It was silly really. I probably should be mad they were here at all, but I wasn’t.
“Are you comfortable?” Quinn asked. “Can you sit up?”
I tried to push myself up, but I was struggling. My body was sluggish. Unexpectedly, arms came around me. Damion and Quinn from either side slipped under me and hoisted me up in bed, against a bunch of pillows that were propped up leaning on the headboard.
The cool cloth against my lips did good to ease the aching feeling, only...bits of water went into my mouth, causing my throat to ache. The movie started and my eyes became heavy again. The smell of popcorn and candy caused my stomach to churn and growl. The guys didn’t say anything, even though I know they could hear it. I didn’t care for it.
My head lolled to the side now and then until Quinn reached up and pulled it down to his shoulder. My cheek rested comfortably against his soft hoodie, the scent of cinnamon reminding me of Christmas days at home, and before I knew it I was sleeping.
“Where is my warrior?” My dad’s voice was filled with laughter. I stayed hidden up in the tree as he wandered through the woods looking for me. It was hard to keep quiet, I wanted to shout HERE I AM!! But I also wanted to surprise him.
I was only a couple feet above his head. I reached for one of the many ropes he installed on the trees and as he passed under me I swung silently, reaching for the next tree. He paused and looked up to the tree I had come from. Again I bit back a giggle as I pressed myself closer to the tree trunk.
“Warrior? It is time for a bath and that is that. I
can’t have you full of dirt for your sixth birthday.”
“I don’t want to grow up!” I shouted, covering my mouth and suppressing a giggle that seemed to escape. My father spun around toward me as I jumped for a rope...only...I missed it.
I was ready to tuck and roll but before I could two arms came around me and caught me. “What does my little Peter Pan think she is doing?”
I laughed again. “You didn’t let me fall daddy, I wanted to fall.”
“That fall was too much for you. Sometimes you can fall on your own but sometimes you need some help to land it.”
“I’m not Peter Pan. I’m a warrior.” I wiggled in his arms but he only lifted me up over his shoulder.
“Ah yes, a warrior. And what might my warrior want to wear for her sixth birthday. A beautiful pink dress with a lovely bow.” He began walking to the house as I laughed and kicked, trying to get out of his grasp.
“No! I need my Rambo gear!” I shouted. Daddy never let my watch Rambo but I had an outfit he told me looked like Rambo. “I want to go hunting daddy!”
My father paused and slowly set me down in front of him. “What did you say?” he asked, his voice quiet, his eyes serious.
My face fell, we weren’t playing anymore. I wiggled but couldn’t get out of his grasp. “I want to go hunting. The dark things. Like you and Wren were talking about.”
“No...no sweetheart. Not yet. Come, let's get you washed up.”
“Okay, it was one time! And you can’t hold it against me forever!” Corey shouted, waking me from my dream. Everyone laughed at him.
“Oh yes we can!” Damion said.
“You’re not one to talk!” Corey and Seth were sitting in front of Quinn, Damion, and me. “I have never been married before.”
“Now that is something you can't hold against me!” Seth and Quinn could barely breathe they were laughing so hard. “And last I checked the divorce was settled, it was an illegitimate marriage!”
