I didn’t know whether it was a shop or a madman’s office who believed in the occult and was trying to prove the existence of the Devil. Of course, being down in Hell and all, well then this could have just been the store that sold cures to a certain type of foot fungus or where Demons got their horns polished and claws manicured.
I started closest to the door and worked my way around, taking in little bits of everything as I went. Like one corner that seemed devoted to crystals, obvious by the collection of polished geode spheres all lined up on one shelf. The next shelf down was filled with hand sized baskets of smaller stones. A huge, quartz geode stood off to one side and it was so high that the arched tip of the sliced rock must have reached my shoulders at least.
Moving along past the bay window that was filled with larger baskets of dried herbs and twisted pale roots, was a ceiling high cabinet. One that had hundreds of cube shaped drawers, each labelled with an alchemist symbol. In front of this was a sort of work bench that was filled with items that looked like everything you would need for potion making, from bowls sat in holders over candles to heat them, to dishes of bloodied meat, jars, and bottles. Stacks of books framed the desk, all piled on their sides. Tools of all kinds were also spread out in that used and haphazard kind of way.
Over the other side of the shop was another cabinet with five glass shelves behind locked doors and it was one that had every inch filled with old fashioned bottles. Each of these had what looked like a different aged label, telling you which were newly made and which had been there for years left unused. The last and biggest shelving unit in the place looked like it took up an entire wall and this was filled with what I would have called ‘the body section’.
This was because it was home to the biggest jars and ones that each looked filled with formaldehyde, which was used to preserve the demon body parts inside them. Each looked magnified due to the thick glass and with the heavy booted footsteps of the three men, they started to look alive with the vibrations caused in the liquid.
Among these jars were also smaller ones that looked filled with different coloured powder, that could have been ground up flesh and bone for all I knew. I wouldn’t have been surprised considering in the other jars there were teeth and fangs, along with small bones and horns.
Black bottles also filled one shelf, with unusual stoppers in the top, carved like skulls and clawed feet. A huge horned skull of a demon sat in the centre of them, almost like a prized trophy that had provided many of the pieces seen contained behind the glass.
“What is this place?” I asked, as I watched Vern stroll right up to the counter that was right in the centre of the shop. Then he made a show of raising his hand up and then dipping it down onto the buzzer in a comical way. It made a ding sound, but as no one appeared, he got bored and started to stick his finger inside a fancy iron cage that held a simple blackbird inside it.
“What’s it look lik', Lass…ah crap, nae this again,” Trice said, not answering my question but instead walking over towards his two brothers. And I guess he was right, because if I had to take a not so wild stab in the dark here, then I would have said the shop belonged to a witch and this was her supply store.
“Well, if it isn’t the McBain brothers, nice to see you bastards still can’t read,” the woman said who came from behind a curtain made up of what looked like gold dipped finger bones. This was behind the counter and the shimmery gold doorway was framed by lengths of bunched herbs and dried flower buds.
As for who I assumed was the witch, she was a beautiful girl with the most unusual navy coloured hair. It had a sort of ombre effect where it turned from ink blue to a lighter navy and then to startling white at the tips. It was a mass of waves that were held back in a thong of leather with pieces of it coming loose from the tie, creating shorter waves to lie across her forehead. She had navy blue eyes to match and wore white eye makeup around them, making them look bigger. Peach coloured lips and a thin nose complimented her high cheekbones, and her perfect shaped chin had a tattooed white line down the centre about an inch thick, which had blue symbols down the middle.
She wore a light grey poncho style cape with wide arms and the top part was a tight crop top style that showed off her creamy white toned belly. The neck was wide folds of material from the large hood that hung down the back. With this she wore tight navy trousers, that were tight around the waist and were ruched up by the knee with the gathered material resting on top of oversized leather boots. A thick wide leather belt with pockets and bottles hanging from it completed the look.
“Necro, Ye Bonnie Lass!” Vern said in a cheeky tone, that was definitely considered as flirting.
“It’s Nero asswipe, now what do you want!?” she snapped, clearly not impressed by Vern’s charm and also I swear that I could detect a little hurtful glint in her eyes at him not getting her name right? I could tell a fake attitude from anywhere, as Wendy was always putting it on when talking to guys, especially the ones she really liked.
“Now, is that any way to treat a customer?” Vern said placing a hand on his heart and pretending to be hurt.
“Depends if you plan on paying for shit this time or just stealing it like usual,” Nero said in a dry tone. Vern smirked at her and continued to pop his finger inside at the bird.
“Will you stop that! It took me ages to get them all back inside her the last time you wouldn’t leave her alone,” she snapped trying to bat his hand away from the cage.
“What can I say, Pet, I am attracted to pretty things,” he replied winking at her, and she just rolled her eyes in return. But then the bird let off a high pitched wailing sound and opened up its wings. This released about twenty white butterflies that looked as though they were made of sparkling vapour. This was all from a ribcage that had no flesh inside, as the bird’s body was just all bone.
“Gorgon Balls, Vern, why can’t you just leave shit alone, eh?!” she complained as she tried in vain to get them back, after first dumping the contents of a glass jar, which looked filled with used quills, on the floor, so she had something to catch them in.
“Ah, bit o' coorse ye remember mah name,” Vern said proudly making her roll her eyes and snap,
“Yeah, whoopie doo, I remember all the names of people I consider a pain in my ass, now what do you want?” I couldn’t help but laugh and she looked around Vern to see me.
“And any reason there is a human in my shop…no offence, Chica?” she asked making me shrug and reply,
“None taken, besides, I know when I really don’t belong in a place.”
“Well no, you’re not dead for a start…or at least you’re not right now but stick with this one for too long and that’s bound to change...walking disaster if you know what I mean, and don’t even get me started on the shit he burns!” I laughed making her smile back at me and I had to say, when she dropped the hard ass frown, she was a serious beauty when she smiled!
“Hello, richt 'ere,” he said waving and making Trice sigh as it was obvious his patience was waning.
“Oh, we know, right Honey?” I laughed again at her reply, which was when Trice had obviously had enough and got straight to the point.
“We need another Elixir, Nero.”
“What, another one?!” she replied sounding shocked and making me curious to know what it was and what Trice needed it for.
“It wasn’t long ago…” she started to say.
“I know, do you have one?” Trice interrupted in irritation.
“Can’t you just sleep it off like other shifters, it’s not like that shit grows around these parts, and that particular Soul Weed is hard to come by…for obvious reasons.” After she muttered this last part, I looked to Trice who, after granting me a quick frown, stepped forward and said,
“We have a time constraint here.”
“Yeah, and that is my first and last name too,” I piped up sarcastically when looking around the large back of Trice’s straight at Nero.
“Right,” she answered ma
king Vern get back in on the conversation,
“Sae, ye going tae hulp us, beautiful?” She rolled her eyes and said,
“No, I will help your brothers, you however, don’t pay for shit and think being charming is payment enough.”
“Ah sae ye dae think a'm handsome then?” Vern said bending a little and pointing to her eyes as if he had caught her out.
“Seriously, does he just hear whatever the Hell he wants and it makes sense to no one but him?” Nero asked and both Gryph and Trice both said at the same time,
“Aye.”
“Pretty much.”
“Och, cheers fur th' back up lads! Jeez, we only share th’ same mother an a'll,” he complained making Gryph pat him on the back and with a large hand gripping his shoulder, he said,
“Why nae ye pull a flaming arrow oot yer arse 'n' see if that impresses her.”
“Aye, she might think yer hot then,” Trice added making everyone laugh but Vern.
“Ha, ha laugh it up ye bastards, 'n' just wait till yer wake wi' yer eyebrows singed aff lik' lest time,” he replied making Gryph rub his eyebrows with a frown as he remembered his brother doing this.
“’N’ as fur ye, Lassie, dinnae ken what your game be bit if ye carry on I’m going ta skelp yer wee behind!” Vern threatened and Nero scrunched up her nose and said,
“I have no idea what you just said you ginger nutcase!” This is when I thought to add my answer,
“I think he said that if you carry on, he is going to spank your ass.” At this Nero looked outraged whilst Vern put his hands on his hips and said,
“Aye, what th’ bonnie lass said.” Although I had to say that he should have taken the threatening glare from a witch more serious as she narrowed her eyes before she slammed her hands on the counter. This made a pot of ink spill before she grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him to her. Then she warned,
“I’ve had enough of your cocky Scottish mouth, time to change that!” Then she whispered something I couldn’t hear before she pulled him the last few inches and slammed her lips over his, kissing him.
“Och…Tis not good,” Trice said as Gryph followed with,
“He’s gonnae be pissed,” then he scrubbed a big hand down his face. Meanwhile, I was just about to ask why them kissing was a bad idea when the tattoo down her chin started to glow and her eyes turned cloudy white. Although not that Vern seemed to care as he grabbed her in a more secure hold, with one hand fisted in her mass of hair, as he deepened the kiss.
In fact, the two of them looked as if they had forgotten what started it and were now only concerned with how to end it… and that was in a bed. It was only when Trice cleared his throat, twice, that Nero finally pulled away. Vern however growled low in his throat, in what was surprisingly a dangerous sound and pulled her back to his lips for another kiss as he was clearly not done with her yet.
“Weel, that’s new,” Gryph commented on a chuckle, making Trice groan,
“He’s a fckin idiot.” I frowned wondering what it was that they knew, and I didn’t.
“I think I am missing something here,” I muttered.
“Aye, just wait fur it, Lass,” Trice said before he decided to intervene and he did this by putting a hand on Vern’s shoulder, one he tried to shrug off. But Trice had clearly had enough and must have shot an icy blast through his fingertips as Vern jerked back and it broke the kiss.
“What the in the blazes, dear brother…? Hold on a moment, what has become of my voice?” Vern said and I burst out laughing the second I heard it now coming out as a posh old English accent. Something he looked as though he had no control over.
“Why has my manner of speech fled me?” Again, I sniggered trying to hold back a laugh and the other two brothers looked to be trying to do the same.
“You there, you did this to me, and I demand that you return thus the manner of my speech back to me,” Vern said and then looked off to one side and mouthed a silent, ‘thus’ in question at himself. Meanwhile, Nero looked like she was still trying to get over that kiss as her cheeks were flustered and she was fisting her hands to stop them from shaking. Then, as if forcing herself to snap out of it, she said,
“Relax your jockstrap, Sugartits, it will wear off in a day or two.”
“A day or two? Good Lord, my Lady, this is not acceptable behaviour.” Nero smirked, crossed her arms over her chest and said,
“I disagree, I think it’s a vast improvement…now do you want this shit or what, as I haven’t got all night?!” she said nodding to Trice who put an arm to Vern to move him back and said,
“Aye, move aside, Sugartits, we git a job tae dae, c'moan, Gryph.”
“Well I never! The utter cheek of the man!” Vern said and his face said it all, asking himself why he continued to say this shit.
“You kin slap me silly later, ye naughty nelly, bit fur now, stay here 'n' watch th' girl…oh 'n' try nae tae git yourself in even more trouble, ye posh git” Trice said before ducking through the curtain of bones and Gryph followed, after first trying to go head on but not fitting. So, he ducked, bent his knees a little and went through side on, telling Vern,
“Aye, catch ye later, Buttercup.” Then he winked with a massive grin making Vern scowl at him, obviously not chancing a comeback.
Then Nero pointed a finger at him and said,
“And you, I want all the souls of my ancestors back in that bird by the time I get back, or you will find a posh new hairdo to go with that poncey new voice of yours…you feel me?!”
“I understand you perfectly well, my dear, and as for feeling you, there won’t be any of that until we are first courted and then wed.” At this Vern slapped both his hands over his own mouth as if horrified by what he’d just said. Nero, on the other hand, blushed scarlet and tried to play it cool by saying a lame,
“Err…whatever…just…erm… don’t touch anything!” And then she was gone with a clattering of the gold bones.
“Well, that went well, I think,” I commented making him shake his head at me, then he rolled his eyes before making a motion with his hands as if he was going to strangle me, making me laugh. So, I stepped up to him and patted him on the back.
“Don’t worry, Vern, just think, it could be worse,” I said using his words back at him.
“How so, my Dear?” Vern asked making me roll my lips inwards so I wouldn’t laugh and was able to tell him,
“She could actually have given you sugar tits.”
Chapter 19
Shattered Moments and Blood
After this I spent the next ten minutes watching as a posh Vern tried to catch ‘soul flies’ into a jar. This mainly consisted of him saying ‘darn’ and ‘dash it all’ a lot, which was followed up with him punching stuff in anger. I also had to stop him from taking a pair of scissors at one point as he seemed determined to cut the longer parts of his hair off, as it wasn’t becoming of a gentleman for it to be so long. Thankfully, he finally snapped out of that one in some weird wrestling with his own hand type of thing.
It was only when he managed to get the last glistening butterfly back in the cage, did he pick it up and shout,
“Hurrah, tis the most splendid moment, I must go tell Milady, I will be but a moment.” Vern winced at his own words and I waved him off and said,
“Don’t worry, I don’t plan to go anywhere.” He nodded and then passed through the curtain of bones with the birdcage in hand. After this I looked around the shop, almost torn on what to do, because if there was ever a time to make a run for it, then it would be now. I also didn’t know when another opportunity like this would present itself again. But then, I also knew that my best bet at surviving this was sticking with the three brothers. This meant that all I could hope for was that whoever this King was they were taking me to, didn’t order right away for me to be beheaded or something equally as medieval and well…Hellish.
Although, surely that was being a tad dramatic?
No, it was time to stop making foolish
decisions, as that was what landed me here in the first place. Plus, I was starting to get attached to the big guys, they were funny and sweet. And yes, Trice was a little hot and cold with me, but then I guess seeing as he was the suspicious broody type, then I wasn’t surprised that he was going to be this way.
Besides, I was pretty sure that if Lucius were to have a say in my choices, then he would have wanted me to stick with these guys if it meant keeping me safe. Gods, but just thinking about Lucius again and I found tears clouding my vision and I wiped them away angrily the second one fell to the ground. And I don’t know why, but the moment it did, I felt strange. I looked around the shop to see if there was anything to cause me to feel this way, but this was when something on one of the cram-packed shelves caught my eye.
So, without following through with trying to find a cause, I walked over to the shelf and focused on the light reflecting off something. It was caught between two jars filled with some kind of herbs in oil, glinting off the candles that lit the shop. Then, without thinking about the dangers involved, I just reached out and pushed the jars aside so I could reach in between and grab whatever it was my mind seemed fixated on.
I curled my fingers around the cool round glass and pulled it free. Then I took a step back and brought it closer to have a better look at it.
“A snow globe?” I questioned aloud as the movements had made it cloud with what looked like tiny silvery grey leaves, ones which looked the same as on the Tree of Souls. I turned it up upside down the second I felt a key at the side, and I turned it, winding it up to see what it did. But then as I put it upright the leaves started to settle and music I knew started to play.
“Phantom of the Opera,” I whispered as the tiny leaves soon revealed at its centre a small couple dancing, spinning around slowly in a circle, forever in each other’s arms. They were also wearing crimson and featured in a familiar ballroom, with tiny aspects of the room now in miniature, like a grand staircase.
Kingdoms Of Hell: Vampire Paranormal Romance (Transfusion Book 7) Page 16
