by Bailey, G.
"I promise you a debt," Hali says, and the words magically echo around the room as I glare at her.
"Hali! She is a dangerous demon and could ask anything for that debt!" I shout at her as she stands up, nods once at the demon before looking at me. Not that anything she could say could make this any better in the slightest. A debt is a debt. In the end, I wouldn’t be able to stop Lamia from collecting it. I can hear and sense the magic wrapped around Hali’s last words.
"Pick the necklace up, Evie. You kept me alive, and I owe you a much bigger debt I want to pay back. That necklace will give you time with your guys, with me and your family you just found. That time is worth any debt, and I owe you," Hali tells me, acting so strong and so much older than she should have to. “Let me give you this, Evie. Please,” she pleads with me, tears falling from her big pale grey eyes. I hate it when she cries…because all I want to do is fix the world for her.
"Hali..." I whisper, sighing.
"For once in your life, listen to someone and pick the necklace up," Lamia tells me, and I pull my gaze to her. I step closer, slowly picking up the necklace and lowering my voice.
"Thanks for the bacon and the advice," I say. "But if your debt hurts her in any way, then I will find a way to end your existence. Even if I'm dead, I will find a way from the other side. Hali is my world, understood?"
"Your adoptive child will not be hurt by my debt. I do not wish a war with the Salvatore," she replies. "Even if I did not care, I respect your past actions too much to betray you. I have only ever helped or interfered with good people. Azi is one of those, you are another, and Hali will be another when she is challenged."
"What are you?" I ask her, wondering who this strange demon is and how she has so much power. Demons usually have red, orange or blue skin or hair. Something that makes them appear less human. This woman looks human to me, even when it’s clear she is anything but.
"A time keeper demon. The last of my kind, and that is a true curse you could never imagine," she says, putting her cat down as she stands up. She is a little taller than me as she waves a hand over the plates and cups on the table, making them disappear.
"Maybe it is a curse because you keep yourself locked away in here. All alone," I reply. “You could come out into the world.”
"I'm not alone, I have my familiar and memories of family that will keep me alive for many more years yet," she tells me.
"Demons can have familiars like Protectors?" I ask. Never heard of that before.
"As you well know, demons, Protectors, angel, witch, reaper or whatever. We are all similar in the way we share the magic of this world," she says, winking once at me which is creepy, but I don't say that. I agree with her statement though. "Time for you to leave. Your people do need you at this time."
"I won't remember this conversation, will I?" Hali asks, coming to stand next to me as Lamia goes back to her chair.
"No, but I will remind you of it when I collect my debt, death-marked witch," Lamia replies.
"My name is Hali," she sarcastically states, walking to the door and out into the corridor.
"Good luck," Lamia whispers to me, though I hear her loud and clear from the other side of the room.
"Same to you, Lamia," I reply, nodding once in a respectful way before walking out to the corridor. I slide the necklace over my head before tucking it into my vest.
"I won't let you die from this magic. It won't happen, Evie," Hali says. "Even if I don't remember why I feel sick and sad from how scared I am to lose you. The demon can't get rid of that feeling, and I will know only one person in this world can make me that scared to lose them."
"When did you get so smart...and well, older?" I ask, placing my hand on her shoulder.
"Around the time I was taken hostage, then rescued by strangers, then lost you. Then you came back and, well, I could keep listing," she says, “but this mark I have…it means life will never be easy for me.”
"When this is over, you can have a normal, protected life," I tell her, meaning it. “We can find a new Chinese place we love, and catch up on the Catfish episodes we have missed. We can have our normal back.”
"Not without you though, and you can’t promise me a future right now. You are my family, and I have nothing without you," she says, letting tears stream down her cheeks, and before I can reach for her, she walks out of the door, letting the magic take her memories. I follow her out next, seeing her stand on the steps looking confused as she wipes away a tear.
"Should we go inside?" she asks, looking at the door in confusion as it slams shut, and suddenly the busy streets of New York burst back into life.
"No, we already have and you have forgotten. We have to go now," I explain to her, offering her my hand to hold.
"Why am I so sad?" she asks.
"I don't know," I lie as she takes my hand, because telling her the truth will only hurt her more, and I won't do that. I can't ever do that to her because it's my job to protect her, and that is what I am going to do. I'm going to protect everyone.
Chapter 5
Trex
"Star, come on. You have to eat something, girl," I say, stroking Star's back as she sits by the window, hearing her huff once more at me. I'm not surprised to find her waiting once again, like she has done since we had to let Azi take Evie away to keep her safe even if none of us wanted that to happen. It feels wrong not to be at her side when the world is going to shit, but if I trust anyone to keep her safe, it is Azi. I stroke a hand down Star's back, hearing the slight whine she lets out as I look out of the tiny window at the demon underground. This place shouldn't exist in such peace, but here it does. When Evie passed out, she sent out waves of red magic that were so powerful, it killed demons like they were nothing more than paper in the wind.
The demon underground is made of old shipping containers that rise high in the sky, and the demons have made their own little streets lined with everything from nightclubs to food markets. The demon underground Evie took us to was destroyed by yellow demons, and this one in the south of France is one of the last two demon undergrounds left, according to the demons we have spoken to. The fact they opened their doors to hundreds of Protectors tells me all I need to know. They are kinder than we Protectors are, because we would have never let a demon into the city.
I don't think I will ever get the image of watching the gold buildings of my home burn down. The screams of the people we couldn't save still haunt my dreams as well as the knowledge the city is gone. There is nothing but ash, dust and pain in the place I loved and grew up in. Evie was always right about the demons though; they are just like us. They have families. They fall in love and fight for what they believe is the best thing for the world.
"Star, Evie would be upset if you turned down the bacon-covered steaks I made you," I tell her, knowing bribing her to eat might be my only chance. "And you need to be strong for when Evie comes back to us." Star looks at me like I'm the devil before huffing and walking into the kitchen on the other side of the room. I pick up my sword from where it is resting by the front door, clipping it onto my back before walking out the container, onto the metal panels outside.
"Trex!" I hear someone shout, and I walk to the edge of the panel, holding onto the bars and looking down at Connor who is at the bottom of the stairs. "We have a problem!" I don't need him to tell me anything more as I sprint down the path and to the stairs. I quickly run down the steps, jumping around the corners until I get to the bottom. Connor nods his head to the side, running down the alleyway and into the crowds of people. There is cheering, swords clashing, and I look up as a fireball flies into the air.
"What's happening?" I ask as Connor pushes his way through the demons in the crowd, and the sound of fighting gets louder.
"One of our people is fighting a demon. I don't know the details," Connor shouts back to me as we continue to get through the people who are not interested in letting us pass. We finally push through the crowd just in time to see Nix jump into the b
attle. He grabs the demon that is on fire, lifting him in the air and throwing him across the dirt floor before spinning to face the blond Protector, placing a hand in the air and warning him not to bother.
"What the fuck is going on?" I ask, walking into the now silent space and over to Nix's side. He nods at me before looking back at the demon, who seems to be calculating the odds of trying that again. The Protector is a young man, one I don't know, and he is covered in burns and blood but stands his ground while facing us. He looks behind his shoulder once, holding a hand out, and a young demon woman with orange skin, black hair and big eyes runs to hold his hand. She clings to him as he kisses her forehead.
"She is my sister, and mine to care for until she finds a mate," he spits out.
"I choose him," the girl says. "I know we only met a few days ago, but sometimes you just know who you are meant to be with."
"Then he dies for touching you. He is a dirty Protector, not even a demon! He cannot be trusted!" the demon shouts, and there are hushed whispers following his words. I go to speak when a hooded figure walks right into the middle of the circle. I know who it is instantly from the way she walks and how she holds herself.
"When is everyone going to learn that demons and Protectors have more in common than their differences?" she says, lowering her hood and letting her long blue hair be revealed. The crowd instantly bows their heads as she locks eyes on mine, and I see the relief in her gaze. It matches my own. I'm fucking glad to see her alive and well. "I should know this fact because I was brought up around you, and I am a Protector. I am also your queen, and I will not tolerate us fighting each other. You can trust my words when I say that there is a fight coming our way, one which most of us will not survive, so save your strength for that. Save it for the overlord demon called Cex who wants to destroy every world, and I am going to stop him. We are going to stop him because this is our home. Protectors, humans, demons and every other creature that lives in this world need to stop him. No more fights, no more petty arguments. Save it for the real enemy."
The crowd murmurs their agreements before the words Salvatore and queen are whispered instead. She has returned.
Chapter 6
"Blue, damn it is good to see you. I was worried," Connor states as the crowd disappears into the streets and, most of all, their eyes are no longer on me. Connor kisses me as he wraps his arms around my waist, and I lose myself in the feel of his lips against mine as I slide my hands into his soft hair. Someone clears their throat and a hand rests on my back. I pull away from Connor to see Nix at my side, smirking down at me. He purposely leans down and seductively kisses me while Connor holds me, reminding me of that one time he watched Connor and me together, before he pulls back.
"We all missed you, and you have an audience I presume you don't want," he says, and I nod in a little bit of a haze. I forget how they make me feel when I’m around them. I forgot how much I missed them and feel complete with them near. Everything feels just a little less terrifying when they are here.
"Why are you here? With Cex as your knight, he can follow you," Trex asks, coming over to me.
"Ah Trexy, are you not happy to see me?" I ask, placing my hand on his arm.
"It's not that, and you know it," he replies, and I grin at him. I do know it. I pull the necklace out of my shirt, letting the red glowing gem hang in the air.
"I was given a gift from a creepy old demon lady in a haunted house," I explain to them, running my fingers over the gemstone.
"Wait, start from the beginning of how you got that necklace," Trex asks, looking confused.
"Well, she had this power to make bacon appear—" Connor’s laughter cuts me off.
"Did you really walk into a creepy house, no questions asked, because she had bacon?" he asks.
"I think we know Evie well enough to guess the answer," Nix mutters, though he laughs a little.
"I didn't know she had bacon until I went inside. Either way, I'm safe from Cex being able to find me," I explain to them, and they all look relieved.
"And the magic?" Connor gently asks.
"Controlled for now," I say, which is the closest to the truth I'm willing to tell them. Trex stares at me for a second, clearly not believing I'm telling him everything. Which I am not and never plan to.
"Connor!" Hali shouts, coming out of the crowd with Azi at her side. Connor opens his arms and hugs Hali, which thankfully distracts them all from me.
"Kid, I don't get a hug?" Nix asks as Connor lets her go. Hali smiles before hugging Nix, and Trex simply crosses his arms as he nods once at her.
"I'm glad you are here, Hali," Trex says, which is basically his version of a big old hug.
"Me, too," she says, grinning.
"We have a building to live in. It belongs to Seth, and he has offered to let us stay there," Azi explains, holding out a key.
"Offered, huh? Doesn't sound like him," I say, raising an eyebrow at Azi.
"Seth offered once Azi told him we could all move into his apartment with him if he didn't give us the house," Hali interjects.
"Ah, brotherly love," I say, crossing my arms and looking around at the demons and Protectors going about their daily lives here. It's odd, mainly as the Protectors have dirty, burnt clothing, and the demons are better dressed. I'm surprised out of all the places they could have run to, they trusted the very demons they have hunted for years. This is why you shouldn't be assholes to anyone; they could turn out to be the one person you need help from in the future.
"We should get going to the house and have a talk about what really happened in Lamia's house," Azi suggests.
"What do you mean?" I innocently ask, noticing how all my Protectors are quietly listening, their eyes on me as they try to spot if I'm lying.
"Lamia wiped Hali's memory, which she wouldn't have done if there wasn't something to hide. Also, Hali looked like someone just stole her favourite person in the world, and she wanted to cry. So, something else happened, and I want to know what," Azi says. Dammit, these men are too smart for their own good.
"Nothing else happened," I quickly reply.
"You're lying to me," Azi says, crossing his arms and looking like he wants to spank the answer out of me…which I’m not all opposed to.
"She is lying to us all, and Evie would only do that to protect us," Nix says, rubbing his chin. "But I know Evie would come to us, tell us everything if it were the right thing to do."
"I will find out," Azi grumbles in annoyance. "But come on, we should get to the house and off the streets."
"Where is Star?" I ask, following Azi who instantly walks off, not waiting to see if we are following him. Every step he takes is stomped, and his back is tense. I want to tell him everything, but that cannot happen. I'm not going to die. I'm not one of those selfless hero types that is happy to die for the entire world. Nope, I'm going to find a different way to save myself. I have always saved myself, and this time is no different. At the end of the day, they can't help me, but I know a few people that can. I need information on black magic and what it does. That tree I got the power from cannot be the only one of its kind or the only magic tree that can hold all the power.
"Call her," Connor suggests, looking at the black rune on my arm. "She will be delighted to see you. Star has been upset and angry since the test."
"What happened in the test? We never did get to ask you, and Keeper Grey has been silent since it happened other than to tell us Cex is your knight and that you have half the black magic while he has the other half," Nix asks from my other side, and I pick up the protective tone in his voice. I glance at Trex in front of me, who has slowed down to listen in.
"I won the tests, and Star was hurt in them. The next thing I know, Cex is there, holding Connor and threatening to kill him," I explain. Even the memory hurts when I think about it.
"He jumped me in the fight outside. I fucked up and didn’t see him, it was my fault," Connor mutters, shaking his head, and I grab his hand, linking our fingers.
"It wasn’t your fault. If it wasn't you, it would have been Trex or Nix. Or even Hali if he could have found her. The point was that he knew I'd do anything to save you all, and he used it against me," I say, needing him to understand this isn’t his guilt to bear.
"I love you, and I'm sorry he used me against you," he tells me.
"You know I love you as well," I whisper, still not quite used to saying those words to anyone. "You guys are the only ones in the world that will ever hear those words from me."
"We know," Nix whispers from my other side and presses a kiss on my forehead as we get to the end of a path and take a left down another one that has three houses on the path. I've never seen this in a demon underground. Usually, they can't have buildings, or anything other than what they can find to make houses with. This is an actual street, kind of, with real houses.
"Anyways, Cex forced me to make him my knight, and then opened a hole in the ground which led to this old tree. He started taking the power, and I knew I had to do something. I placed my hands on the tree, and the power was so strong, so powerful that I have no clue what happened in those moments. It was overwhelming, like nothing else, and then it just stopped. I fought Cex and escaped, found Nix, and well, you all know the rest," I explain as we all stop outside a cute house with a blue door.
“Here it is,” Azi says, unlocking the cute front door. I run my eyes over the house, the little pathway to it and the flowers outside. I really like it, and it feels like home.
"I think I'm stealing this place from Seth when this is all over," I say, putting my arms on my hips. “Yep, it is decided. Hali, guys, do you like your new home?”
"You can't steal a house," Connor says, while the rest of them laugh at me like I’m a little crazy or something.
"Sure, you can. Watch me," I say, shrugging a shoulder.
"I'm sure the queen of the Protectors does not need to steal a house when she could simply buy one," a voice says from behind me. I turn and grin at Keeper Grey, who smiles at me as he lowers his hood.