Fall From Grace Part 16

Take two. "Ok, so since he blabbed, word spread and there are a lot of creepy demons out there who now know what you're capable of." Ash looks concerning towards me as if I might break in two at any moment.

I look back at him blankly. "I still don't get it?"

Annoyed, Hunter chucks the book on the bed, sits up with his feet back on the floor and continues for Ash.

"What your r.e.t.a.r.ded 'boyfriend' is trying to say is that bad a.s.s demons have put a bounty on your head and they're coming for you. Period."

"Hunter!" Ash snaps.

"What? No need to p.u.s.s.y foot around the issue my friend. The situation sucks and stalling in this c.r.a.p a.s.s motel isn't doing her any favours. You couldn't have chosen something a little bit more, I dunno, non psycho-ish in accommodations?"

"What do you mean a bounty? What would they want with me?" I turn to Hunter for answers as fear begins to slither up my spine.

Ash tries to explain it more delicately pulling my chin back to him. "Well you know how stories pop up about people stealing livers and selling them on the black market? Well when a demon has an exceptional gift, they become a hot commodity so to speak."

"Someone wants my liver?"

Hunter laughs out loud. "f.u.c.k dude, spit it out already! I think she's smart enough to understand. Well... at least I a.s.sume so," he says with a tad too much scepticism for my liking. "They want you. They want to sell you to the highest bidder. At which point you're body parts will be sold off to scullers."

"Scullers? Stop speaking demon c.r.a.p - I am s.h.i.tting my pants over here! What the h.e.l.l you're talking about!" My voice rising in panic as I look from Ash to Hunter.

"Whoa, ok, first things first. We aren't going to let you get sold." Ash rea.s.sures me and shoots Hunter a sharp look. "Secondly, we just have to make a plan to keep you safe until this all blows over. We can do some back pedalling and leak word that Will is a f.u.c.k nut and got it all wrong, or we can say you are dead already, or... "

"Wait a second. Stop sugar coating this Ash. Exactly for what purpose would these so called scullers want me for?"

"Jesus. Look Stella, I'm sorry to tell you this, but what Ash is terribly explaining to you, is that your whole body is THE commodity. Your flesh is what they want, not you. Basically they would sell you off in pieces to the highest bidder."

"But why?" I stammer, looking to Ash.

"Well, some demons would use it in ritual sacrifices to please more powerful demons in other dimensions, gaining their favour. Other sick b.a.s.t.a.r.ds might covet your rare ability by, um, consuming the purchase. Some think powerful demon parts would enhance their own skills or give them new ones. The rarer the demons ability, the higher the concentration of power to be transferred - in theory... " Ash trails off, looking at the floor, as if he might be sick.

"You said 'some' demons. What would the others want me for?" My voice sounds weak and far away. Ash still can't meet my eyes. What would be worse then eating me for s.h.i.ts sake?

"We won't let that happen Stella. It won't come to that, trust me. We are going to protect you and keep you safe." Ash tries to calm me down and pulls my face into his hands in rea.s.surance. Rea.s.surance for me or for him?

"I think we all need a drink, any liquor stores open late around here?" Hunter hops up and heads to the door while I lay back on the bed and digest the fact that I have just become a sought after happy meal.

Chapter 29.

The Wrath of Dad "You know you won't have any nails left if you keep at the clip you're going."

"Shut it Grey. You aren't the one about to unload a whole bunch of super natural hoo-ha on your conservative Dad in hopes that A - he'll actually believe you, B - he won't have me committed, or C - he won't take off your t.e.s.t.i.c.l.es with a shot gun."

"In that case, perhaps I had better start chewing on mine," he says as he grabs my hands away from my mouth and tightens his grip for comfort. He doesn't take his eyes off the road but smiles when he takes my hand.

I swear this has been the shortest drive home I have ever experienced. I know we were going normal speeds, but the dread over my next task has submerged me in fear. How was I going to tell my Father about this - this world? I need to keep him safe, so I need him to listen and believe me, but as we approach the town limits, I'm starting to think we should just drug him and tie him up somewhere until we can figure this mess out.

"So you're telling me that you have special 'gifts'?"

"Uh yeah."

"And so does... he." The look of disgust on his face as he motions towards Ash makes me think that perhaps I should have come alone.

"Yes sir, Mr Grace."

Dad looks from him to me, and back to him as I sit on the edge of my seat furiously working on unraveling my entire sweater hem in a nervous tick. Suddenly he bursts out laughing and leans back into the couch opposite us, apparently relaxing at the realization that his greatest fears haven't come to fruition. I'm convinced he was expecting me to tell him I was, well, expecting.

"You had me going there for a second Stells." He waves his finger at me and runs his hands through his hair.

"Ok really, what is up with you two." He places his arm on the back of the couch and folds his ankle over his left knee. "What's with the storytelling? All this supernatural c.r.a.p. You're not on drugs are you?" This makes him serious once again and leans forward, arms on his knees.

"No Dad! Ok listen, we knew this was gonna be hard to believe, but you have to understand that what we are saying is true and you really have to leave the house for a little while. You're just not safe here," I say.

"What is really going on with you two, you want the place to yourself for a party maybe? Over my dead body Stella." Dad gets up and walks into the kitchen to the fridge. He continues on, yelling from the other room.

"I won't be fooled into that trick. Ho no, dear old Dad has been there, done that, and you can't convince me otherwise. Good try though, very creative I must add." Dad grabs a beer and takes a long haul off it.

We followed him into the kitchen as Ash's phone annoyingly starts to chirp. I mean really guy? You're going to answer that now?! Ash answers, retreating to the front room again, as I shoot him a glare, which he ignores, and I continue round two of Operation: Keep Dad Away (effectively saving him from a slow death from scary demon bounty hunters).

"This is as new to me as it is to you really. Have I ever lied to you before Dad?"

"Uh yeah, actually you have, when you ditched school and went all crazy these last few weeks, which I might add was due to your 'a.s.sociations' with this guy. so excuse me if I find it hard to trust my daughter who is sitting here in front of me telling me she is some sort of super hero." He grins back at me and takes another drink.

Well yeah there's that.

Ash joins us back in the kitchen, flinging his phone on the counter, patience has left him I can tell. "With all due respect Mr. Grace, we are running out of time. We came here to warn you, and it is your choice to believe us or not, but I'm sure Stella won't let us leave until you pack a bag and get the h.e.l.l out of here."

My mouth is hanging open in shock. He calls THAT subtle coaxing?

Dad's face goes bright red and I feel an explosion coming on. "Hey now you little s.h.i.t. That is no way to talk to an adult and I'd appreciate if you'd get the h.e.l.l out of my house AND my daughters life in the next five seconds or I'll have no choice but to throw you out on your a.s.s." Smooth going Ash.

Ash leans into the island in a death stare with my Dad, crossing his arms in front and concentrating really hard, Uh-oh. I look out the back window and a cloud of dirt and dust appear in the window, like our house is wrapped up in the middle of a tornado. I can't see beyond a meter outside the window. It looks like a dirt filled vortex and we are at the epicentre. Thank G.o.d Harve came in with us. The sound is deafening and terrifying all at once and even I know what is going on.

Ash is still staring down Dad who turns to looks outside in horror seeing his patio furniture flying around in circles. Clearly thinking mother nature, he springs to action.

"Holy s.h.i.t, ok everyone, to the bas.e.m.e.nt right now, GO GO GO!" He runs around to my side grabbing my hand and sprinting to the bas.e.m.e.nt door.

"WAIT!" I scream and turn in a fast circle. "Ash STOP acting like an a.s.s!"

Ash rolls his eyes unfolding his arms, as the wind suddenly dies down leaving a thick cloud of dirt on the window panes. The outdoor adirondack chairs land with a huge thunk as they break into multiple hunks of wood. Dad leapt back about a foot, a mixture of confusion and fear across his face.

"What the... How?... Was that... Was that you?... How..." he trails off and walks over to the window in disbelief.

"Smooth Ash, way to give an old man a heart attack!" I snap, giving him a glare and walk over to stand behind Dad at the back window. I can see our reflections in the gla.s.s as he continues to stare through the grim.

"Um, Dad, sorry about that, it was a little harsh. But we really do need you to trust us on this one." I place my hand on his shoulder gently but it's as tense as a tightly wound coil. Gingerly I pull my hand back and clasp the two together, trying to figure out how to handle this one.

Dad's still staring out the window with his mouth hanging open. Perhaps I should worry about him going into shock?

"Dad? You ok?"

And just like that, he swiftly brushes past me, leaving the room in three strides. I hear him walk through the front room and up the stairs to his bedroom.

"Smooth move Ash, now my Dad is probably up there calling the cops on us!"

"Look Stella, I know you're p.i.s.sed, but we really don't have time for this." His nonchalant att.i.tude is irking me.

"Don't have time to try and make my Dad not scared of me? Of us? Don't have time to at least give him more then 20 seconds to processes this news? Don't have time? Really?"

I storm out of the kitchen and up the stairs, turning right at the top towards Dads room. The door is still open and I peek in to make sure he isn't brandishing a baseball bat.

He's actually in his closet pulling down clothes into a duffle bag.

"Uh Dad, are you ok? I'm sorry he did that to you, it was off side." I feel like a little kid standing before a scary adult, telling them they broke a family heirloom vase, or cheated on a test. I can tell he's feeling confused and scared, but I can also feel something else. Something more difficult to read, almost like I can sense the wheels turning in his head in some sort of self realization.

I move over to the bed and sit down on the edge, waiting for a response. As he looks at me from the closet he grabs his almost full bag, walks over and plops it on the floor and takes a seat next to me.

Before speaking he heaves out a big breath. "This has to do with your mother somehow doesn't it?" This shocks the c.r.a.p out of me.

"Y-yes," I stammer.

"I'm not stupid Stella, I remember everything about her, and I wasn't blind to the fact that she was special somehow. I just... " he trails off, collecting his thoughts. "I just, didn't really want to know, you know?"

"I understand Dad, I do. There are so many things I have learned lately, I just don't know where to begin. I... " Dad cuts me off and grabs my hand.

"Hold up, ok, I get that there are some things going on, but I'll still not ready to hear it yet, not today. Listen, I believe you, but what it more important, are you in danger Stella? Like in real danger? Can I take you somewhere? I mean what can someone like me do to help you? You're my whole life and I can't sit back and do nothing."

"Honestly Dad, you just need to leave and stay safe, everything will be fine, I promise. This just has to blow over a bit and then I will explain everything."

"Are you sure?"

Lying never was my strong point, but I had to win this in spades if I was to keep him safe, and that is all that mattered to me right now.

"Definitely." I pull my lips into a smile and give his hand a squeeze.

"Ok, I'll head to Age's house, call me constantly though, no goofing off, and if this is actually still a ploy to have a party here while I'm gone, then I am so not letting you move to New York. I'll lock you in the bas.e.m.e.nt if I have to."

I laugh a little and rea.s.sure him once more that partying is the last thing on my mind right now. I leave him to finish and head back downstairs feeling a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Just having my Dad know and not want to run screaming from me, gives me false hope that everything is going to be ok. That is until I see Ash's tense face when I re-enter the kitchen.

Chapter 30.

And now the wrath of Gabs I'm not really sure what she's saying. Well, I can guess but it isn't a flattering picture let me tell you. A jumbled mess of expletives and major insults spewed in a foreign language (or two) that she is very thoroughly enjoying getting off her chest. Sitting on her bed while she paces in front of me, I know better then to move, look at her, or even breathe. Demons may be scary, but they don't hold a candle to this chick.

Driving over here after leaving home, while Ash took off in a huff to meet Hunter, took a lot of effort on my part. Ash was more agitated then normal and anxious to get moving so I hastily packed a bag for myself and took Murrie, heading over here in a subconscious effort. Seeing as how a price was put on my earlobes, I don't have any choice but to make amends with those I have hurt and that meant that I needed to apologize to Gabby.

Snapping back to reality I notice she's stopped yelling and standing in front of me with arms crossed.

"W-E-L-L? Are you going to tell me why you acted so r.e.t.a.r.ded or not?" she spits at me.

"Ok, so here goes. This is probably something you won't believe and I don't blame you, but you have to listen to me and hear me out ok? No interrupting?"

She taps her foot and heaves a sigh. "Fine, fine, just spit it out traitre."

I deserved that. Sitting on the edge of her bed, leaning back on my hands in order to gain a little distance in case she wollops me, I tell her everything. Who Ash is, what I am, what happened between us, what snapped in me to make me act that way. The whole she-bang. She never wavered once, never spoke, never even moved an eyelash; this terrified me even more. As I sidled backwards on the bed just a little further, I ended my spiel with an even bigger apology then I gave from the start, I need her to know I love her, even if she thinks I'm a tool.

"So, that's it, what you saw Ash do in that alley. You were bang on and c.r.a.p is. .h.i.tting the fan right now, so I came here to tell you that, that I love you Gabby, and I know this sounds pretty strange and odd and hard to understand, but it's the truth and I need you to know how very very sorry I am for treating you that way. It was unforgivable and awful and I hate myself for acting like that."

Looking up into her eyes, she is literally unreadable. She's just staring at me, no expression, not a flicker. Should I just get up and leave, can you say awk-ward?

Finally she breaks her stance and places her hands on her hips and widens her mouth into a huge grin. Uh-oh.

"Finally! The truth! I knew it! I knew it! You thought I was insane and totally made fun of me idiota!" She leans forward to me as I instinctively lean back in shock over this reaction and envelops me in a big hug.

"Gabby, you're sorta freaking me out. You mean to tell me you believe me?"

"Of corse I do bella! It all makes sense now. I knew what I saw, and you just couldn't have gotten this hot on your own, I can't believe I didn't think super natural to begin with, duh Gabby!" She slaps her forehead and steps back from the bed br.i.m.m.i.n.g with questions.

"So tell me more about what you can do? Oh this is so exciting! Can you like fly? Do your makeup with telekinesis? Make Francine get a tonne of zits or like vomit all over her new boyfriend, who I've got to tell you, I just don't like at ALL."

I cut her off before she makes me perform some voodoo on our senior cla.s.s.

"Whoa Gabby, not so fast. I'm just learning about what I can do, but actually I came to tell you that I'm in a lot of trouble and I need your help.

"Certainly Stell, I am there for you! What a relief, I thought I was such a loser at Grad, no best friend, no one to make fun of people with, you were such a b.i.t.c.h!" she says as she playfully slaps my arm and grabs her purse.

"You mean you'll come with me? Just like that? After what I just told you?" I stand up astonished and literally stunned.

"Of corse Stella, what are friends for?"

Her honesty and genuine response make me tear up and grab her in a fierce hug. My eyes turn into Niagara Falls as she hugs me tightly back, telling me everything is going to be ok. For the second time that day, I actually believed it. I hated being wrong.

Chapter 31.