by Aly Westman
Chapter 9
Hours had passed but nobody said anything or even moved from their spot. They were all quiet as Quinn drove and Damion slept. My stomach began to growl just as we came into our sixth or seventh small town.
“We need gas,” Quinn announced.
“And Dame needs food,” Corey added.
“We will stop at the next station.” Seth sat up in his seat and gave a stretch, as much as the vehicle allowed him to.
We didn’t have to go much further to find a gas station, and it had a diner just off to the side of it. Quinn thought it better to get gas first in case our meal was cut short by unexpected guests.
Corey reached to the ground and grabbed the bag of suckers that must’ve fallen. He opened one up and then began to shake Damion rather violently. “Wake up lazy ass!”
I flinched and Seth shook his head. Damion didn’t open his eyes as he blindly reached for the sucker and popped it into his mouth before sitting up. His eyes remained shut while Quinn filled the truck up with gas all the way until he pulled to the front of the small diner.
Everyone opened their doors and got out, Damion followed Corey out. I frowned and suddenly felt self-conscious. Had I done something wrong? Quinn held the diner door open for me, a sign at the front instructing us to seat ourselves so I found a booth seat for us. There was some whispering behind me and when I sat down I noticed only Seth and Corey had followed me. Quinn and Damion were headed towards the bathroom sign. I couldn’t help but feel something was up but thought I was acting silly, they had just been in the car for hours, of course they had to go to the bathroom.
The booths were an outdated pale pink color with tan tables and pale green trimming. A waitress with shoulder length hair and bright eyes came by with a pot of coffee and motioned towards the cups on the table.
“Please.” Seth flipped his coffee cup right side up and pushed it towards her. She set the menus down as she poured his coffee. “Just so you know our specials today are the corn beef on rye and our soup is chicken noodle.” She smiled. “Our breakfast menu runs all day.”
“Thanks.” Corey nodded and handed me a menu.
“Can I get you something to drink or did you want to wait for your friends?” she asked.
“Water for one, the other will take a strawberry milkshake with whipped cream and chocolate sauce,” Corey said as he stared at the menu.
“Can you add extra strawberries around the rim?” Seth asked. Both of them acted like this was a normal order, the waitress wrote everything down.
“I will take an ice tea,” Corey mumbled.
The waitress looked to me, waiting. “Oh, uh, water is fine.”
Chapter 10
Quinn led Damion into the men's bathroom, grateful it was a single bathroom and not stalls he would have to check or run the risk of someone walking in. He locked the door behind them and then turned towards Damion, arms folded across his chest. "Tell me."
Damion sighed. "You know what I see is private."
"I've seen her scars. I pulled the stitches out myself."
Damion shivered. "She has repressed a lot, I mean a lot." He leaned against the sink, holding his arms around his stomach. "What they did is messed up, beyond messed up. I think...I think the one demon thought he could extract the trigger by peeling the spell from her soul."
"And what does that do? What does that entail? Can it even be done?" Quinn questioned. Souls, spells, and memories, this was all Damion's specialty, he had no idea where to even begin.
Damion laughed but there was no humor in it. "It's fucking painful is what it is, for anything to go near a soul, especially something so dark. And no, it can't be done. It's a spell, it can be reversed, but it can't be fucking ripped off of its host. I have no idea what that demon was thinking."
Quinn ran his hand through his hair in frustration as he began to think things over. It couldn't be done, so chances are Ty wouldn't try it, which was good. But were there other methods that Ty may try to reverse the spell or remove it? Would it hurt her? Did he even want to return her to Ty. Damn it, what was he thinking? Of course he had to return her.
"We can leave with her," Damion said, reading his thoughts, "We don't have to take her to him."
Quinn shot a glare at him before resuming his pacing. "You know we can't do that."
Damion shrugged. "She'd make a good hunter."
At that Quinn stopped in his tracks. "You didn't." When Damion just stared at him and said nothing in response Quinn let a swear slip from his lips. "Damn it Damion! She's Ty's damn niece!"
"It was just a kiss. I didn't have the energy to hold her thoughts and go further."
Quinn tried to tell himself he was pissed because Ava had been through so much, because she was Ty's niece and even though he hated Ty for wanting Ava for the trigger he still respected the man. Damion had no right pushing himself on her.
"Whoa whoa whoa, hold up. First of all I never forced myself on her, that's not my style."
"Stay out of my thoughts brother."
"Kinda hard when you are projecting them so loudly." It wasn't that Damion could read his thoughts, it was more so that Quinn had so many conflicting emotions wrapped up that Damion had a hard time staying out of his thoughts. The emotions drew him in whether he wanted them to or not. "Listen, Quinn. She needed me, I could feel that much for certain. She needed warmth and a human. She has been with those cold bastards for far too long. She made the first move and it wasn't fucking love. Had it been anyone of us there I’m sure she would have done the same. She just needed human contact." He pushed off of the sink, stepping closer to his brother. "Now, I have no issues or problems if she goes to you too."
"That's sick Dame."
"What? What's so wrong about it?"
"Are you suggesting we share her? Take turns using her?"
"No, I'm suggesting we take turns letting her use us. This isn't about us. Her soul was touched by a dark entity. Do you have any idea how that makes a person feel? Sick, dirty, unwanted... After all she has been through she doesn't deserve those feelings."
Quinn shook his head before turning towards the door and flipping the lock. "I'm not sharing Ty's niece. I'm not doing anything with her except taking her back to the only family she has."
Damion slammed his hand on the door, stopping Quinn from opening it. "Right now we are the only family she knows...She doesn't know who Ty is except what we tell her about him. I'm not talking about sharing her, I'm talking about being there for her. From me she wanted physical touch, maybe she just needs someone to talk to from you. Fine. It is what it is. All I'm saying is that if she wanted something physical that you won't be hurting me. Okay?"
Quinn pressed his forehead to the door. "I can't do it Damion," he whispered. "I can't stop thinking about Kari..."
Damion's hand moved to his brothers neck, holding him steady as he leaned his head in. "Perhaps then, Quinn, this is about healing you just as much as it is healing her." Damion pressed his lips to Quinn's temple before pulling back. It didn't bother Quinn, Damion was always a touchy guy, it came with being an Empath. None of it was sexual, more so a father to son or brotherly affection. They were all used to it by now... well... except Seth. "Let's get back, I'm starving."
Chapter 11
No one said much as we ate our meal. I was surprised how much food Damion could pack in, I wasn’t even sure if he breathed at all as he slammed back three pancakes, three eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, two orders of toast, an order of homefries, and downed his strawberry milkshake. But that wasn’t it, he finished off Seth’s french fries, ate Corey’s side salad, and took the pickles from Quinn’s burger. I was only able to finish half of my chicken ranch wrap and was absolutely shocked when he took the other half.
“How are you not fat?” I asked in amazement.
They all laughed. “Shifting through memories burns a shit ton of calories.” He smiled, patting his belly which should be protruding but nope, same lean flat stomach as usual.
Seth paid for the meal as the rest of us made our way out to the truck. Damion made a detour to a little candy shop at the front of the diner and purchased a bunch of sweets before coming out.
And then we were off, again. It felt like I was forever sitting and even though I had been out of the truck for the last couple hours, my legs ached as soon as I sat down as if they were protesting anymore driving.
Corey took control of the driving this time, Damion sat in the passenger seat, and I was sandwiched between Seth and Quinn in the back. Quinn was lean and muscular, he took up just a little more space in the seat than I did. He sat close to the door to give me room but all that was useless because Seth took up more than his share of space. My leg was pressed right up against his thick hard thigh, and my side was flush with his built tattooed arms. I could feel the heat coming off his body, causing me to get all hot and sweaty.
“Sorry,” he murmured as he tried to reposition himself to give me more room. It kind of made me smile as he finally lifted his arm and put it behind me. He was so awkward about it. “We rotate drivers and seats but usually there is enough room back here for Quinn and me.”
“No worries.” I tried to stare out the front windshield and not at him so he wouldn’t feel so self-conscience. With his arm out of the way, my body sort of fit right into his side. I tried to shift over a couple of times but gave up. He didn’t seem bothered by it and I wasn’t sure what kind of deodorant he wore but it smelled amazing.
I looked over at Quinn but he seemed to be in his own little word, lost in his thoughts as he looked out his window. It was only minutes that passed since we left the small town however it seemed like hours. Before we left I had eaten and then used the restroom, I wasn’t tired for the first time in a long time, and so I had nothing left to do but be bored. We had already been in the truck for hours and hours, there’s only so much landscape you can stare at before you go insane.
I finally looked up at Seth. “So, how do you know Ty?” I asked.
Seth looked at me before his eyes shifted above my head towards Quinn. “Ya govoryu pravdu?”
Quinn’s eyes never left the window and he didn’t move as he answered Seth. “Ne pugay yeye.”
Seth sighed and I turned away from him. “You don’t have to tell me. I’m just bored.”
He remained quiet for a moment and I turned my attention to counting the number of buttons I saw on the center console of the truck. “I met him in Russia. When I was thirteen.”
I stared up into his blue eyes, the color bringing a smile to my lips. “Did he bring you back here? Thirteen seems pretty young to turn into a hunter.”
“Some of us, like Corey and Dame, are born into it.” Really? I guess I never thought of it before. “I don’t recommend asking hunters their story, most times it isn’t a pleasant one. Ty helped me avenge my parents. I owe him a lot.”
Quinn sat up and began speaking Russian again and this time I was getting annoyed with it. “You know, I am right here. It’s pretty rude to speak in another language when there are three others who can’t.” At least I thought Corey and Damion couldn’t.
“I know their feelings, I get the gist of it.” Damion shrugged.
“I really don’t care what they say,” Corey said.
Well damn.
“Sorry,” Quinn said before returning to his window. He seemed a bit off, but what did I know. I blew out a breath and went back to counting buttons. When I was finished I started counting signs we passed. Everyone seemed quiet, in their own little worlds.
“My parents were killed by Likho,” Seth said, bringing my attention back to him.
I looked up at him, not really sure where he was going with this. I probably should have said sorry your parents died. Instead what came out was, “I hope they caught the guy.”
“Ty and I killed her. Likho is a demon. I grew up in a small village in Russia. We were considered a rich village though, we worked hard off the railway. I was five years old when Likho made her appearance. It started with disease, an illness that spread through the babies. My grandparents spoke of Likho but my parents didn’t listen. Then our business began to sour. Our tracks began to break and the town spent much money on repairing them, not only that but others made stupid choices on investments. The whole village was running out of money, our babies were dying…and then Likho hit the able bodied adults… a plague spread…and my parents died. Those who could, moved away. My grandmother and I were all who were left in Russia, so we moved to Canada with my uncle. I had twin baby sisters that never made it.”
His eyes changed. The blue cold eyes usually were filled with authority and confidence…now they were filled with sadness. He loved his sisters.
“I was twelve when my grandmother died. My uncle and I decided to go back to Russia to bury her ashes with my grandfather. Little did I know, Likho was still there, even after all those years.”
“Did you know about it… her… the demon?”
“My grandmother used to tell me stories about her, but she was a very superstitious woman. As she got older she got worse. My uncle didn’t believe it.”
“So how did Ty get there?”
“He was hunting it, hunting Likho. He had heard some stories about my village and decided to check it out. Only a handful of people still lived there and most of them stayed away so it was up to us to do the funeral. It was that night, right after the funeral, that I saw her. In order for Likho to give its misfortune to you she has to whisper into your ear or touches you. She came into our room, I thought she was a ghost. I watched as she whispered into my Uncle’s ear, I remember trying to stay as still as possible and hope she didn’t see me, hoping it was just my imagination.”
Seth sighed and shifted in his seat, his knee bumping into mine. “My uncle was dead the next day. It was then that Ty found me, wandering the streets looking for help, and told me what was happening, what she was, and he gave me a choice.”
“What’s that?”
His eyes flicked over to Quinn briefly before settling back to me. “It’s the same choice he gives all the children in situations like mine. Either he can get us out of there, find a home far away for us that will keep us safe, and we can keep living and move on. Or… he will teach us to hunt, and he will take care of us.”
Huh… Maybe Ty wasn’t just some hunter who inherited a business… Maybe there was something to him after all. I wonder how many children he has helped, how many “Seths” were out there. Or… Maybe he was selfish, maybe he was just trying to build his army of hunters, or profit from them. Damion did mention that some of the people who call for hunters pay for the service.
Then there was the Likho. Plagues, misfortune… He was a demon, or rather she. But not like the demons I came across. How many… how many were there.
“So you chose to fight,” I finished for Seth.
He nodded. “Yes… I did.” He had a far away look in his eyes. I wondered how hard that must’ve been, for a twelve year old to go through.
I settled into my seat, angled so my side was leaned right up against Seth. Ever since the cabin I started noticing that I felt comforted when I was touching one of them, as if being in arms reach or right up against them somehow protected me. Seth didn’t seem to mind.
I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes.
“Ava,” Seth whispered.
“Mhm?”
“Did I scare you?” I frowned, wondering what he meant by that. Did he scare me? An image of black eyes flashed through my mind and I shivered. I shook my head, no. “Good.” His arm came down off the back of the seat and he gave me a little squeeze before returning it.
Seth, I had learned, was a quiet guy. He didn’t say much and I would probably think he was a bit stuck up because he was so quiet, but in reality I guess he was assessing. He was obviously the leader of the group. It was his responsibility to make sure things went as planned, or, at least that was t
he impression I was given.
“Seth?”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry I froze, back at the gas station.”
Seth didn’t say anything, he just slipped his arm back down and around my shoulders, tucking me into his side and giving me a small pat with his hand. It was there that I drifted off into a light sleep.
“He isn’t coming back daddy.” I cried as I sat on the window seat in my room, looking outside into the crisp night. I waited for days to see any sign of the blackbird I rescued, but he was gone. “What if he died.”
My dad sat down beside me. “He is probably somewhere with his family. Come, time for bed. Did you want me to sing you a song tonight?”
I was heartbroken, and sad. “Do you know any songs about blackbirds?”
My dad thought about it as he guided me to my bed and tucked me into the covers. “I do know one.”
Chapter 12
“I need to take a piss,” Damion announced to the car and he stretched his arms high over his head. They had been driving for hours, Ava snuggled into Seth’s side. She sat up now and looked out the window. The flat farmer’s fields stretched on and on, surrounded by tall trees and forest.
“There is nothing for miles. Can you hold it?” Quinn asked.
“Just pull over, I will be like two seconds,” he said to Corey. Corey pulled the car off to the side of the road as Damion jumped out walking down into the ditch. They were parked in front of a spot that was covered with trees.
Ava looked the other way, trying to give Damion some privacy as he found a tree and adjusted himself. It was then that she noticed the grey clouds rolling in. At first she thought it was somewhat of a beautiful sight, how the clouds moved overtop of each other with such speed. Having spent so long indoors she almost forgot what a storm looked like.
Then the first boom of thunder echoed through the land. Ava’s heart dropped and as the air around her became thin, she was suddenly gasping, tying to bring in as much oxygen as she could as panic overtook her.
