63: And Now I Find Out It All Meant Nothing

Word of mouth travels fast and within the week we have several inquiries of the repellent and even more sales. It becomes a best seller and the ingredients to make it become scary low. But my elation doesn’t last long and when it does come to a screeching halt, it feels like a crash and burn scenario.

“Boy, this place is hoppin’.” Brooklyn stands just off the side. How long she’s been there I don’t know, but I know by the twist to her lips that it’s been long enough. She approaches the counter with her hand resting on her very pregnant belly. She watches my eyes as well as Monty’s travel to her torso. “Isn’t it exciting? Phillip’s plans coming into motion.”

“You need to leave.” Monty shouts into the packed store. Several eyes turn our way, but they quickly pretend to go back to browsing as to not put any attention onto themselves.

Monty’s words were so loud that Gretchen barges out of her office. “What is going on out-” Her words get stuck in her throat as her eyes gravitate to Brooklyn. It’s been a while since she’s seen the backstabbing witch face to face. Her eyes slowly drop to Brooklyn’s stomach. “You’re pregnant?” Her lips don’t move as she asks, so they’re slurred together.

Brooklyn nods with a wide smile on her face and caresses her stomach.

“You’ve only been gone for...two months, if that. How are you so…” Gretchen’s words drop off into nothing, but stunned silence.

“Vampire babies grow fast.” Brooklynn replies.

And she was so skinny to start with there’s no missing her extended stomach. But I didn’t care about Brooklyn and her half vampire baby. My mind keeps thinking about its vampire father. The room seems to cave in on me as I struggle to keep his name from entering my mind. Gabriel.

She didn’t say it’s his, but she looks at me, silent words urging to be heard. I know she’d do anything to rub it in my face, but with Monty and Gretchen looking at her, she puts forth her best behavior.

“I think Monty is right. You should go Brooklyn.” Gretchen says gaining her composure first. “You’ve aligned yourself with vampires and I’m sure they can help you with whatever you need.”

Her face takes on a sadness that I can’t be sure is real or not. “I’m sorry if you feel I did something to hurt you. I’ll respect your decision and leave.” She gives a small, tight lipped smile to Gretchen before turning her back on the rest of us.

I swear she gives me a narrowed glare, taunting smirk to her lips before she passes me. Monty, not being modest gives her best narrowed, evil eye.

The second she walks out, the bell above the door rings loudly, too loud it’s almost deafening. Gretchen waits until the bell stops before saying, “she came to do what she intended to do anyway.”

“And what was that?” Monty asks.

Gretchen just looks in my direction, which leads Monty to stare at me too. With both sets of eyes on me, plus several customers, I stand motionless, speechless, lost in a horrible thought.

“Hazel, don’t pay any attention to what that witch says. Gabriel wouldn’t.” Monty’s voice catches on the last bit.

“Wouldn’t he?” I pause and I can catch the tug of their lips, the widening of their eyes. “You know what,” My hand blots up stopping them from replying, “I know the answer. I’m gonna get back to work. I’ll be in my office making more repellent.”

Hours go by, the hum of customers dies down and the lights go out seconds before Monty comes to stand in my doorway. “Lockin’ up. Tomorrow is another day.”

I finish up what I can and gather my things. Gretchen leaves through the back and Monty walks with me out the front.

“Do you want a ride? We can stop for a treat on the way?” Monty asks hoping her bribes get her a yes for an answer.

“No, I’m good. It’s only a little ways.” Her face drops at my words. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” I start my trek down the sidewalk leaving her to stand behind me. It’s a few seconds before I hear the soft click of her car doors unlocking. A few seconds later the hum of the engine. A few seconds after that the tires on pavement.

I make my home as fast as I can. Posters with Phillip’s face taunt me and small gatherings that linger along the sidewalks, in front of bars or hiding out in alleyways have my heart racing. My apartment is in view as I hear it. The soft tap tap tap of footsteps behind me. My hand instinctively goes to my once injured arm as flashbacks rush through my mind, as my nightmares cloud my vision.

They follow me for the remainder of the block before speaking. “Hazel.” An unfamiliar voice calls my name. “Phillip is requesting your presence.” And then hands are on me. One hand covers my mouth and the other wraps around my body pinning my arms to my sides. He lifts me off my feet and carries to the mouth of the alley that’s right beside my complex. A running car waits for us.

I’m thrown in the backseat carelessly, my head smacking the doorframe on the way in. With the interior of the car spinning and black spots blurring my vision, I blindly reach for the opposite door handle. To my dismay and shock it opens, but only partially. Before I can push it far enough for my body to sneak through a hand firmly clasps my ankle yanking me back inside.

Kicking and screaming, fighting for my life, I don’t get the upper hand like I did in the cemetery. I get a good kick to the vamp’s shoulder, but it’s not enough to stop him. He pins me down on the seats straddling me, desperately trying to contain my flailing limbs.

He grumbles as if I’m deaf. “I don’t know why Phillip didn’t kill this witch a while ago.”

The driver replies back, “don’t beat her too badly, because Gabriel will kill you.”

After that I do become deaf. Just his name shatters me. Does he know I sent for? Does he realize that I’m being attacked?

There’s that moment of slow motion, the check of reality. That moment when my limbs go weak and our eyes meet. I see his menacing face before me, his elbow cocked back, his hand fisted at the ready. He strikes fast. “Fuck Gabriel.” He spits out.

Everything goes black as those ice cold fisted fingers slam into my cheek.

***

“Ugh.” I groan as I start to come to. My head is pounding and even without my eyes open I feel the imaginary slant of the room from my dizziness. “Fucking vamps.” I mumble angry with them, but also myself.

Thankfully, the room I’m in isn’t too bright and I don’t have trouble opening my eyes. But once I do, I wish I was still unconscious. I crawl to my hands and knees, struggling to pick myself up off the floor.

I put the pieces together, because everything is a little foggy at the moment. I was attacked by vampires, Phillip’s vampires, so I’m at the manor. The air is damp and cold, the floor worn and dirty. A small laugh escapes through my lips. No dungeon my ass.

The first thing my eyes go to is the heavy wooden door with a small barred cutout window, then to the bed that’s just to my left, the bed that those imbeciles couldn’t even put me in. I scan more of the room, but there’s nothing else besides a small hidden corner sectioned off with a curtain for privacy. A prisoner's bathroom, I assume.

As soon as my head stops spinning I claw my way up onto the hard mattress. My fingers dab at my cheekbone and I hiss in pain and regret from the lightest of touches. I’m not sure how many bruises my face can take.

It takes several minutes to gain the strength to stand on two feet. I fall down onto the mattress a few times before I take a step forward and when I do I stumble on my feet so much that I nearly collapse.

My eyes close to fight the pounding in my head. There’s no doubt in my mind that I have a concussion and there’s no doubt in my mind that I will not be getting any sort of medical attention. I can’t be hurt and helpless when he shows up. If he knew what was best for him, he wouldn’t show his face, but since when has he done something that is for the best.

My head is hanging down between my knees, palms digging into my temples when the door creaks open. I know who it is before he speaks. “There’s the happy father.” I chime into the silent room.

“What?” He plays stupid quite easily.

“Brooklyn, you. It doesn’t take much to put two and two together. I mean she is the reason I’m here, right?” It takes a great deal of effort to raise my head and meet his eyes.

My chest tightens, my breath hitches. Seeing him in person is ten times worse than seeing him in my head. Put on top of that all my injuries and I'm a wreck.

“That’s the first thing you have to say to me? I haven’t seen you in months and the first thing you bring up is Brooklyn.”

“Fine.” I stand up so quickly, I wobble on my feet. He steps forward to help me balance myself, but I hold out a hand urging him to keep his distance. Instead, I use the bed for support. “How about that there is indeed a dungeon in Phillip’s manor. So where did those buffoons carelessly toss me on the floor? Tessa’s room, Evangeline’s?”

I catch his fists clench and unclench. “You were on the floor?”

“Yeah, I woke up from being unconscious on the floor, inches from the bed. I’m not too popular here, but what does that matter. I’m really not popular anywhere. I got attacked almost in the same spot twice. Once by a demon and once by a vampire. Arm nearly scorched off and then punched in the face.” I point to my cheek where there has to be a darkening bruise forming.

“What demon?” He asks.

“Of course that’s all you hear. Felix, duh. FYI, he wants to know where Evangeline is.”

His face goes still. “Dead,” he replies. “She convinced Tessa to kill herself to stop the ritual from happening, so we had her take Tessa’s place. Still worked fine.”

“But...I thought Tessa was special.” My heart stops. I went through all this because of Tessa. Gabriel used her to instigate all of this and now I find out it all meant nothing.
“Tessa was special. She was to be married to the devil, but how she got there didn’t matter. The coven just wanted her death to mean something.”

My head shakes slowly, then rapidly, too rapidly and I lose my balance again. This time Gabriel rushes over and catches me before I crash to the floor. It’s difficult to pry my arm out of his grasp. Is it because I’m weak or is he holding on too hard?

“I think it’s best if you kept your distance. Does Brooklyn know you’ve been visiting me, playing with my head?” I try to shove him away, but I’m the one that ends up retreating backwards.

“There’s the mention of Brooklyn again. Who cares.” He says as his hands reach out to try to put me fimly back on my feet, but his arms drop before they touch me as he takes in my appalled expression and instead of taking a step forward, he takes a step back. “You really think I would do that? Phillip is the father. Did she tell you otherwise?” Gabriel’s golden eyes are stern as he speaks.

“No, I just assumed.”

“You just assumed that I listened to you and what...moved on? Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I don’t give up that easily.”

I don’t say anything. I already know he doesn’t give up easily, but I don’t voice it. Instead, I stand silent, lips mashed together, arms crossed over my chest. It only takes a second for his eyes to meet mine before he tears them away and turns his back on me.

“I have a demon to talk to.” He opens the door so quickly that I don’t have time I rush him before it slams shut.

I yell at him before he leaves. I can see him through the little barred window. “Wait.” He pauses. “You can’t leave me in here.”

“You know that’s not true. It’s for your own safety. I can’t start killing vamps that attack you when you try to leave.”

“Arrrrgggghhhh!” I scream. “But you let one manhandle me to get me here, so that’s on you.”

“That’s on Phillip. And that vamp paid for his indiscretions.” He says before walking away.

“Gabriel!” I shout after him. “Gabriel, you fucking asshole. Let Me. Out of here.” Silence. “Gabriel!” I shout again, but there’s no reply.

He left me.