by Jill Cooper
More was going on than they were told, that much was clear, but Jessica didn’t have time to worry. Not with Duncan captured by the sworn enemy.
“You’re not mad at me, are you?” Amanda’s eyes widened like a stray puppy dog.
Jessica shook her head but didn’t say anything. No, she wasn’t mad. How could she be mad? Was she terrified at what this meant? You betcha. How could Amanda change so much, in only the span of a few days?
The man returned with a box of food for them. Hot dogs, sodas, chips, and even some fresh fruit. Amanda took it from him with a delicate curtsey. “Thank you so much, Sir.”
He waved her off with a good natured laugh. “You girls looked like you could use a good meal. You can gas up now too. The pump has enough on it to fill that beast of a tank.”
Amanda kept talking, but Jessica used that moment to escape over to the car. She wasn’t big yet on human conversation so she pumped gas into her car. The gas cover hid behind the license place, so Jessica squatted and held onto the hose aware that a shadow crept behind her.
“You should announce yourself before sneaking up on someone.” Jessica stood upright and saw the glower of a police officer.
The cops. Jessica gulped and her heart raced. “Officer, what can I---.”
He spat what must have been a wad of chew onto the ground. “This here car is wanted in connection of a crime, did you know that?”
“A recent one?” Jessica cringed. She didn’t know that. How would she know anything like that, she’d been held captive in the underworld?
The cop nodded. “Murder at a hospital down in Kansas. Not just a murder, but several dozens. Calling it a massacre. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
“Me? Well, listen I’m sure we can clear this up.” She thought about what happened to Ron and all of the Black Scorpion gang members that were gutted like fish. Jessica had done that and for that crime, she deserved to pay. Sure, she had been under Lourdes’s control, but Jessica owned that guilt. It was hers.
She remembered the screams and the heavy smell of blood. The horror on their faces and how it felt to slide her blade into their skin. It never went in as easy as you thought it would. Popping of cartridge and bones, Jessica thought she might never forget that noise as she’d slaughtered men who had pledged their lives to help her sister.
Demons were one thing. Possessed humans were even expendable, if a dire situation arose, but what Jessica did? No, there was no excuse. No excuse at all.
The cop put the gasoline hose back for her and in his other hand twirled a set of handcuffs, intent on arresting her. He’d take her down to the station, and she’d probably never get out again. That was what Jessica deserved.
The cop went for her wrist. “You’re under arrest, little lady.”
But Duncan was in trouble. He needed her and didn’t deserve being abandoned over a little thing like her conscience.
“I can’t let you do that,” tears shined bright in her eyes. “I’m sorry.” `She grabbed his wrist and yanked him close. Eye wide, he flung toward her and Jessica slammed him under the chin with the open palm of her hand. “Amanda, it’s time to go!”
The officer’s feet skidded on the wet pavement so when Jessica kicked him in the gut he fell over to his back. No one rushed to his aid so she took a moment to handcuff the cop to a pole.
And stole his gun.
“Wait! Stop!” he screamed after her, but Jessica slid into her car.
She stowed the gun inside the glove box as Amanda slammed her car door shut. “Always good to have more ammo, but we’ll need to ditch the gun,” Jessica said as she peeled out of the gas station.
“Twizzler?” Amanda offered her with a sad smile on her face.
Jessica took it and tore into it. No one would ever mistake her for a good person. No one. Especially not herself.
27: Amanda Blood
Amanda slept, and when she slept, she dreamed.
Through miles, she traveled to someone close to her. Someone desperately in need of her help. Beaten and bloody, her poor friend Duncan was tethered by chains. More than a friend, like a brother, he was on his feet in a large room surrounded by cages on all sides.
Cages. Amanda’s inner heart broke for the women who filled them, but she focused on Duncan. Shirtless, he wore only his low hung blue denim jeans, now splattered with his own blood. His pecks were cut and his chest and abdomen bruised from the endless torture. Head down, his chin buried in his chest, it didn’t please Vain at all.
Gripping his hair tight, she threw his head back. His eye was swollen, and his lip bled. “Sleeping on me?” She slipped golden knuckles on her hand and pummeled him in the stomach hard.
Again and again.
With a cry, Duncan came awake. He moaned as his legs gave out, yanking on the chains from the ceiling.
“Does it hurt?” Vain’s eyes widened with hope. “Do you want to beg me yet to kill you?”
Duncan mumbled, incoherent. His head shook, but then he lost control and it snapped backward. Lips parted, his words came out as sincere as anything Vain had ever heard. “J…Jessica.”
Vain’s face contorted with rage. Nostrils flaring, her teeth bared, she screamed and kicked him in his broken ribs, sending him soaring backward. His cries didn’t bring her comfort. Nothing did.
“Then let us start again, Duncan Jasper.”
****
Amanda snorted awake and wiped her hair from her face. Gazing around she saw they were still driving and the orange sunset off in the distance. Jessica barely glanced at her; instead, she had a white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel and just stared off into the distance. There was so much despair coming from her, Amanda just wanted to help her.
“Do you want some sleep?”
Jessica shook her head but otherwise didn’t say anything.
Amanda wished Jessica would get some rest or talk to her. “I dreamt of Duncan,” Amanda swallowed and watched Jessica’s face turn toward her. “Vain is killing him blow by blow and she’s not alone. Vaughn is there. I didn’t see him…I felt him.” Amanda rubbed her arms to warm herself.
Suddenly inside she was cold. So cold.
Jessica sighed with an exaggerated eye roll. “Vaughn, perfect. Then we end it all tonight. Kill Vain, Kill Vaughn. Go on our merry way.”
“Orrrr,” Amanda drew it out, watching Jessica’s face for a reaction, “we exorcise him. Leave the host alive and destroy Vaughn piece by piece until there’s nothing left to send to the underworld.”
Jessica slammed on the breaks as they approached a red light. “Have you lost your mind? Exorcise a high-level demon like that? He’s been in that host for what, hundreds of years? They’re practically one at this point. You have any idea how long that’ll take?”
“Maybe,” Amanda shrugged, “but I’m getting stronger, Jess. I removed Lourdes’s mark from you and I brought Gwen back from the dead. The dead! The things I can do…”
“Scare me,” Jessica said softly as she released the break. “You’ve gotten so strong, so fast. There has to have been some sort of trade off for this kind of power. It terrifies me.”
“That I’m not your sister anymore?” Amanda’s eyes were wide as she felt Jessica’s greatest fear rolling off of her. “I’m still Mandy. I’m still your sister. I’m stronger now, Jess. Think of all the people we can save. Think about what we can do.”
Jessica shook her head. “You just promise me one thing; if it comes down to your life or Vaughn’s you pick yours. Okay? You won’t sacrifice yourself for some host who means nothing to us. You promise me.”
Amanda nodded. “I promise, Jess. I never break one, you know. Just like a Disney princess.”
Jessica snorted. “Who told you something so corny?”
“Duncan did.” Amanda settled in her seat and leaned her head against the dashboard. They fell into an uncomfortable silence and Amanda could feel Jessica’s doubts creeping through her mind. “I thought you’d be happy that I
can help you more. I’m not just some fragile vase that needs protecting anymore, Jess. I’m not dead weight.”
“You were never never dead weight. Don’t you ever say that.” Jessica’s anger flexed. “You were—you are—the best thing about all of this. So don’t you go wanting to change, Amanda. Don’t.”
“I don’t want to change, but I don’t know how to stop. I don’t think I can.” Amanda’s voice shrunk and the truth of her words even scared her.
Jessica shook her head. “Well find a way. Please. I don’t want you to change, Mandy. I…” her voice shook, “I need you to stay just the way you are, okay?”
So unsteady and afraid, Amanda took Jessica’s hand and kissed it. “You’ll always have me, Jessie. Always.”
“Good,” Jessica’s face flushed as she kissed her sister’s hand. “Life wouldn’t be worth it without you. You know that? Nothing would be.”
She felt bad for Jessica, she did. Everything she had been through had really messed with her mind, but what was there to be afraid of? Exorcising demons was what they did; this only meant Amanda would have the advantage—didn’t it?
Lourdes
House to house, person to person, it didn’t take Lourdes long to have what she needed. An army of husks. Their gray skin dry and tough as leather, their clothes hanging loosely around their bodies. Their eyes were dried and brittle, bulging from their sockets and their teeth giant in their skeletal mouths.
“Follow me,” Lourdes commanded as they marched through the city streets. They followed closely behind in tight-knit rows of ten. Dozens of rows, hundreds of husks shuffled their feet. Every word she said like a vow straight to their sunken hearts.
Lourdes skin shimmered darker than ever. Her strength at an all-time high, but the urge to feed again was always present—twinging in her gut. She needed to accomplish much, but had little time to do it before the Bloods seized the upper hand.
This town was finished. It was the first, but more would fall. Before the next full moon, the Earth would be her domain and heaven would be next—if she played her cards right.
She led her army of husks to a hill, and gazed down at the sleeping city below. Traffic lights still flicked off and on, but the town was empty. Behind her, it followed foot by foot.
Step by step.
“Open your mouths, my friends,” Lourdes smiled with pleasure. “Open your mouths and level this town to the ground.”
They could do nothing but comply. The husks angled their heads back and opened their mouths. Fear and pestilence flew out in the hundreds of thousands. With tiny wings, the locusts flapped and flew over the town. Consuming every tree branch, every house, anything that once contained life would be eaten; destroyed.
The husks mouths came dislodged as the decay flowed. When they were done, when the town was leveled to the ground, Lourdes would move on to the next. The world would pay for what the Bloods had done.
With their very souls.
*****
Mike had never liked Gwen’s taste in cars. The jeep was no exception. Sure, he didn’t say anything about it outright, but his sigh made it obvious. Once they hit the road, he held on as if his life depended on it. Would have been funny if it didn’t piss Gwen off to high heaven. “I’ll have you know that there’s nothing wrong with this jeep.”
“I’m sure it’s in top working order.”
Gwen rolled her eyes. “Fresh spark plugs and an oil change just a few clicks ago. Even while possessed, I’m good at car maintenance.”
Mike wiped the spit from the corner of his mouth. “Making light of that situation?”
“Is that or break down and cry, but that never helped anyone. Just like I’m always telling my nieces.”
Arms crossed he nodded. “Is it something you want to talk about?”
Lips pursed together, Gwen answered curtly. “No.” Hell, no. Definitely not. Gwen didn’t talk about things. What was the point to it, anyway? Nothing ever changed. Life was a battle. Period.
“Is there anything you do want to talk about? We’re only halfway there.”
Gwen couldn’t think of any safe subjects. “Just being here with you is surreal enough. I don’t think either of us needs to talk about anything.”
“I spent so many years avoiding you,” Mike sighed, “now here we are, sitting side by side.”
“Off to save the world.” Gwen shook her head without a drop of comedy. Just being around him made her nervous. What did you say to the only man you ever loved? The man you slept with, gave yourself to, only to have your whole world blow up? “Hopefully, it goes better than it did the last time.”
Mike paused to cast her a look, but never met her eyes. He never did, did he? Not since their baby boy died. Maybe Mike blamed her, maybe he didn’t, but Gwen couldn’t forgive herself so that too didn’t matter. “Could be nothing. Maybe his phone has no signal. Might not be anything wrong at all.”
Gwen snorted. “Since when have our lives been that easy?”
He conceded the point with a nod of his head. “Despite everything, it’s good to see you again. I didn’t get a chance to say it before.”
“Demon possession is a might bit inconvenient. I’ll say this; you have great timing, and thank you. With the girls around I didn’t get to say it, but I meant to. If it hadn’t been you, the demon would never have been cast out. No one else would go to the lengths you did.”
Mike shifted in his seat. “For some, murder is the most heinous of crimes, but for me, it’s just one more to add to my growing list. I knew you would rather be dead, than be used against your girls.”
Her girls. Gwen’s smiled bitterly. The color of their hair was perhaps the only thing they shared in common. Once she thought her and Jessica might grow to be friends, one day, once Jessica knew everything. But after today, well, “I had no idea I made Jessica feel so defeated. No idea.”
For a brief moment, Gwen thought she might cry and that was unacceptable. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop it from happening. “Don’t be so weak, Gwen,” that’s what Jacob once said to her. Once, before he knew real love—before bouncing those two girls on his knee changed his life.
And he should’ve had more time with it, damn it. He should’ve put party hats on their heads for more birthdays and been there for the first talk about boys. Warned Jessica, about the likes of Duncan Jasper. Gwen was a poor substitute. She knew that and spent so much time running from that responsibility; she’d left them in foster care. Those bruises on Jessica’s face and arms hadn’t come from demons.
Gwen would never forget that first meeting with the scared and battered girl. Never forgive herself for that either.
“You did what was necessary to get them through. Everyone knows that. Jessica does too. Now isn’t the time to take her words to heart. She’s hurting bad, Gwen. You didn’t see…” Mike cleared her throat. “Lourdes put her through unspeakable horrors. I doubt she’ll ever be the same.”
“Don’t say that,” Gwen’s mouth fell open, horrified. She had been there, done that, but she always wished for better for her girls—especially Jessica. A special child, took after Jacob in so many ways, but her capacity for love, it didn’t come from being a Blood. It came from Donna—Jessica’s dear saint of a mother.
The loss of a great friend—the sweetest and kindest there ever was—Gwen mourned her almost more than the loss of her older brother. “Don’t you say that. They might not know, really know, but I love them. I do.”
“I know you do,” Mike spoke softly as if his own voice might betray him. “They’re alive, thanks to you. Deep down, they know that. Amanda can feel everything you feel. She’s getting stronger.”
Gwen knew that too and it terrified her. “Everything that was written is coming to pass. Every bit of prophecy about Lourdes we set in motion is coming true.”
Mike swallowed and his knee bounced up and down. “Amanda isn’t that far gone yet.”
Gwen laughed, bitter. “It won’t matter. If Lourdes manag
es to get free and walk the earth, we’re all doomed. It’s only a matter of time before she takes on the angels and this time, Lourdes will be ready for them. The only way to avert it, you know what it is.”
Mike nodded, a haunted look in his eyes. “You should’ve told them, should’ve warned them.”
“If they knew,” Gwen’s lips twisted down as if she tasted something vile, “I’m afraid they’d choose each other over defeating Lourdes.” She sighed. “And we can’t have that. The future of the world is more important than two people.”
Even if you loved them dearly.
A handler of rare antiquities and books, Gwen expected to find her old friend Archibald Franklin at his home estate. A sprawling mansion, really there was no other word for it, located in the city of Rosenberg. A quiet placed, where an eccentric old bat could do what he did best. Live a life of solitude and confinement while tending to his wares.
Gwen’s stomach tensed as soon as they entered the city limits. A place people went to retire to a quiet life, it had never been stagnant, but now an eerie silence hung above the town like a fog. There were no other cars on the road and the houses weren’t lit from the inside. She slowed the jeep down to a crawl and peered out the window with dread.
“It is night time. Everyone is probably still asleep,” Mike rolled down his window to get a better look outside.
Not a single light? Gwen’s stomach rocked uneasy. “No noise. Nothing. I think we better get to Archie and find out what’s going on.” Gwen stepped on the gas and the jeep accelerated up the hill. Once over the top, the lampposts were burned out and the homes just over the ridge—
“Mother of God,” Mike whispered and made the sign of the cross against his forehead. Gwen wished he wouldn’t do that in her presence, but was too dumbfounded to speak.