Chapter Twenty-Four: An Old Friend Returns

Syphron:

An invisible wall separated us from the corrupt reaper and our wives, Demetros paced back and forth behind me. He was going to pace a damn rut into the ground, my anxiety growing alone by simply watching him. Taking a deep breath, my attention fell back on Pumpkin. The battle looked like three balls of lights, an idea coming to mind.

"Split the Earth with your scythe. I will fix the damage after." I ordered sharply, a wicked death glare from him irked me further. "I know that working with me is the last thing you want to do but my wife is pregnant. She also found the source of your problem. Help her by helping me. I am sorry for every insult I slung in your direction." Shrugging, his hand was already reaching into his top hat. Ripping out his raven covered scythe, the fact that she was related to him sickened me to my core. Her personality made sense, their similarities coming to the surface.

"Watch out." He bragged gleefully, seeming a little too ready to split the Earth open. Slamming the tip of his scythe, a loud crack matched thunder. The ground rumbled apart, the wall crumbling. His wicked grin matched hers, my eyebrow twitched irritably. The similarities between the two seemed a little uncanny, my blade sliding into my eager palms. Sprinting into the battle, the only one who could kill him was Demetros with his scythe. Our wives rolled to our feet, bruises and cuts dotted their skin. Struggling to her feet, she dusted off her shoulders. Wincing in pain, the ivory tip sticking out of her ankle nauseated me. Limping to the side, her trembling fingers shoved it back together. Panic gripped her face, the wound refusing to heal. Motioning for me to get to the fight, shock rounded her eyes. A green arrow quivered in her leg, quiet whimpers exited from her trembling lips. A shrill shriek shattered the rancid air, the reaper had Demetros pinned to the wall.

"Fuck!" Pumpkin cursed, ripping the arrow out from her leg. "I need a blast of your energy to help me with this next attack." Trusting her, my blade spun over my head. Lifting the arrow above her head, a quick flick of her wrist sent the arrow whistling towards his heart. Swinging my blade down, the blast of energy doubled the speed of the arrow. A stifling silence took over the scene, Demetros still clawed at the reaper's bony fingers. Dread bubbled in my gut, the arrow landing in his heart.The energy shifted, Demetros crashed to the dirt.

"Cover her now!" He roared over the blustery gusts, his body enveloping Scarlet. "This is going to hurt!" Clutching her close to my chest, a blast of green energy bathed the cemetery, the surface of my skin burned. Tears stained my cheeks, her palm pressed against the dry grass. A sea of black flames corrected the damage, the flames forming a dome over us. Everything died down, a worn Pumpkin crawled over to the bushes. Vomit burned its way up her throat, a grateful Demtros hung back. His long inky hair clung to his face, his ruby eyes illuminating with joy at a healthy Scarlet. Her mismatched eyes swam with tears, her hand reaching out for Pumpkin. Scarlet made him a better person, the whole scene touching my heart. No wonder why they were friends with my brother. His ability to make friends amazed me, my own lacking abilities at socializing proving to be rather apparent.

"Alice." She wheezed, catching her breath. "You are amazing. Would you like something to eat? I can't think of any way to repay you." Pumpkin shook her head, Felix bounded over to her in his wolf form. Wiping the corner of her mouth, her eyes fell to her bleeding leg and broken ankle. Wincing in pain, the shock of it all hitting her.

"I need stitches and a cast before food." She joked tenderly, flashing them a bright smile. "I can't seem to heal these blasted wounds. Don't worry about me saving you! I did what had to be done. So don't worry about it." Demetros tucked his scythe back into his top hat, his pointed ears pinning back. Climbing onto my back, she rested her weary head. Her rare side had shown itself, a tender blush rose to my cheeks. Moments like this was what I lived for, her acceptance of help becoming a more common theme.

"We will provide that." He offered sincerely, helping Scarlet to his feet. "You did save me after the beating you took from me. I don't see why different parts of Hell come together. Scarlet's father is the king of the demons, or so he claims. Let's get you home to get fixed up." Not protesting, the pit in my stomach only doubled. One gentle touch melted the anxiety away, her lips brushing against the top of my hand.

"Sounds great." She sighed longingly, hoping for the agony to be over. "Maybe we can talk about teaming up if you need it. I am busy attempting to take over Hell with my husband after all." The two of them wore matching grins, the real trouble was seconds from starting. Her laughter twinkled in the air, an exhausted Scarlet held a new raven necklace. Free, she looked so free. No other words passed until we stood in front of the Lalaurie Mansion, the brick mansion oozing raw energy. Several ghosts watched out the windows, angered expressions darkened their faces.

"On second thought I can't go in." She laughed nervously, pointing to the windows. "They don't want me there. You are both lovely people." Apologetic smiles dimmed their faces, their pale faces falling. Scarlet rushed up to her, sliding the necklace over her head. Getting a closer look at her face, her golden eye shimmered bright as her scarlet eyes. They were truthfully breathtaking, jealousy flashed in Pumpkin's eyes. The red door appeared behind us, a bead of sweat dripped off of my brow. Walking through, the door disappeared behind us. A steady stream of curse words flooded from her lips, her leg twitching involuntarily. Felix felt like a shadow, his body shifting back to normal. Throwing on his outfit, concern flashed in his eyes. Crashing into our home, he moved the coffee table closer. Setting her down gently, a soft whimper echoed in the empty home. The three shadow children sprinted up to her, a large medical bag swung in their palms. Accepting it graciously, metal clanked against metal. A crack of thunder hid the door slamming open, Bladesworth shoved me out of the way. A nervous grin twitched on her lips, her curls hiding the terror in her eyes. Another crack of thunder made her jump out of her skin, her hands hovering over her leg. A bright light blinded me, the cracks of her bones healing sickened me. Felix tossed me a bucket, the vomit flew up my throat. The light died down, only faint scars remained. Another crack of thunder sent Bladesworth into a tight ball, her tears soaking the floor. Hopping off the couch, she pulled her in for a tight embrace.

"It's okay." She whispered sweetly into Bladesworth's ear, a tortured wail burst from her lips. "It's okay. I am here to help you ride out the storm. You are a part of my family now." Heavy rain played its song, a flash of light taking the electricity out. Bladesworth's fingers gripped the straps of her dress, cries of despair rang out in the still silence before the next storm.

"Don't die on me, Reds!" She screamed brokenly through a wall of broken tears. "Don't die on me!" Trembling in her arms, the familiar feeling of guilt ate at me. She must have been referring to the day her little brother died. A storm like this took him out, the lightning striking his heart. I happened to be with her that day, his body falling into my arms. Her tears stained my shoulder for weeks, the dark transformation beginning that day. Something felt different this time, the wall she had was crumbling before me. Such was my wife's magical effect on everyone, my chest swelling with pride.

"Let's play a game." Pumpkin suggested in a motherly tone, a weak smile dimming her face. "When I was younger, thunder would scare me as well. I loved lightning, it is so beautiful. Thunder is different though. Its loud and abrasive, the aggressiveness would be sure to unsettle anyone. My mother would make s'mores with me. Truthfully, it was one the few times she was kind to me. With every clap of thunder, we would add on another piece. Can you guess what we called them?" Wet eyes gazed up at her, Pumpkin wiping her tears away.

"Thunder S'mores?" Bladesworth choked out, her smile growing brighter. "Seriously? Who came up with that dumb name?" Embarrassment painted Pumpkin's cheeks, her ears pinning back. Swallowing the lump in her throat, her pride took a hit. Hiding her discontent, she snapped her fingers. Orange flames roared to life, the light bathing the living room. The shadow children came out with a tray of graham crackers, marshmallows and candy bars. Setting them down on the coffee table, her real smile brightened his face. Jumping to her feet, her feet barely touched the ground. Her hair was the last thing we saw, Felix plopping down next to Bladesworth. Running in with a few wooden sticks, she spun around. Tossing us each a stick, her palms pressed together.

"Let's make Thunder S'mores! Thunderstorms make them so special." She chirped cheerfully, taking Bladesworth's hand. "The name may seem stupid to you but you are the reason I told the story. Let's wait for the next clap of thunder. " Forcing her to sit next to her, her slender fingers slid on a marshmallow. Leaning back, her fingers picked up the tray. Waiting patiently for the next rumble of thunder, Bladesworth shuddered with the next clap of thunder. Taking a piece of graham cracker, lightning painted the room a light blue. Little could describe the image in front of me, her motherly nature taking command of the room.

"Now we wait until the next one to add the chocolate." She explained calmly, her beauty in the moment stealing my breath away. "Goodness! Here we go." Tears welled up in her eyes, no one else catching on to the increasing sadness in her smiles. Boom! They placed a piece of chocolate down, Bladesworth fraying nerves relaxing more with every rumble of thunder. Soon enough, their laughter twinkled in the air. Bladesworth chatted pleasantly, a distant look growing in Pumpkin's eyes. A pile of s'mores sat beside her, Bladesworth's head rested on her lap. Snores rang out in the air, a broken Pumpkin glanced back at us.

"The memory was a lie." She admitted tiredly, her tears falling harder. "The truth is that it was me helping out a random kid on the street. It was a hell of a storm and all I had was marshmallows, graham crackers and a chocolate bar. His family were drunks as well and they had locked him out of the house in the middle of a thunderstorm. My parents left me alone for the weekend with a twenty dollar bill. The poor thing was so frightened of storms that he wouldn't let me go. I think I was about ten when that happened. I made up that game to help him through it all. The hard part was his parents died in a car accident a couple of weeks later. The ironic part is that his parents were sober for once. The other driver was a drunk driver. It tore me up because for those weeks after he would visit me all the time. I don't know what happened to him after that but I hope it was way better than it was before. I suppose I have always played the mother role for loads of people. I am crying because he was such a sweet boy who had it all stripped away. Even if my parents were assholes, at least I had them. The sober version of my mother was amazing and sweet. I suppose that is why I stuck around. Sounds stupid, but every now and then I would get a glimpse of her fuzzy side. I thought I could fix her. I guess I failed with that too. I can't seem to do anything right." Her words stunned me, tears streamed from Felix's eyes. Had he experienced a similar thing as well?

"It's not your fault." He blurted out awkwardly, clenching his fists into a tight ball. "You deserved better and you know it. You don't fail, you learn from the mistakes. If there is anything you have taught me, it that you get up when you fall while remembering where the hole is. Hell, everyone's road is riddled with holes. If I am correct, your road has the fewest. Every decision you make is precise. It has a purpose. You have a broken road, the cracks growing by the day because you take on everyone else's pain. You have the hardest road to walk on. It amazes me how compassionate you are with everyone. When was the last time you thought of yourself? Before you come up with some bullshit answer, it is never. You are selfless to a fault. This is a plea from me. Take care of yourself at some point, 'kay." The rain slowed down, his arms scooping up Bladesworth. Turning to leave, Pumpkin hugged him from behind. Violent sobs wracked her body, her tears soaking the back of his shirt.

"Thank you so much for even being here." She wept loudly, not caring anymore. "You are a saint. Don't you ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Only you and Sy can see through me. If you need to. Ask me if I am okay every now and then. I always look forward to it. Now make sure she gets home and please take a couple of these." Placing a couple of s'mores into a bag, he took it in his teeth. Hanging back, she barely reacted as my arms curled around her bump. Resting my chin on her head, the gentle touch of her hand sent chills up my spine. A knock made her jump, the door swinging open. A fifteen year old demon fell to the floor, his emerald hair spread across the floor. Dropping to his side, she rolled him over. Fresh tears flooded from her eyes as the kid reached out for her. His silver eyes glistened with joy, a wide grin danced across her lips.

"Alice, I found you." He stuttered excitedly, pulling her into a warm embrace. "You told me to find you if I was in trouble." Burying her head into his shoulder, their sobs echoed in the room. Calling the shadow children over, the power flickered back on. Ordering them to get some milk, they bounced off. He must have breached the protection spell when the power was out. Mouthing thank you to the sky, she cupped his face.

"You did the right thing, my little nugget. I just made s'mores." She gushed jovially, jumping to her feet. "Would you like some? We made them during the thunderstorm. Come on!" Seeing her genuine smile made my day, a puff of air slapped my face the moment she slammed him down. Sitting down in between us, childlike wonder brightened his face at the s'more on his plate. Watching her dote over him made my heart flutter, her true personality showing. Turning to face me, he offered me his hand. Bruises and cuts dotted his face, rotten rags hung off of his slender six foot frame.

"I am Turk Deshund, her little friend." He introduced himself through a wall of tears, his grin widening at my firm handshake. "I am the kid who would torture her for a few weeks before my parents died." Fixing his wild shoulder length hair, he took a bite of the s'mores. Sinking into the couch, the shadow children brought in a tall glass of milk. Pumpkin cupped his free hand, a frown dimmed her face.

"Tell me how you died and who changed you?" She questioned calmly, hoping to get answers. Taking the glass of milk, he downed it with a dark vigor. Finding the right way to describe it, the wheels seemed to be turning.

"I was killed in a car accident and I woke up as a demon." He answered gruffly, taking his hand away. "What can I say? I woke up in a dungeon. This nasty snake demon made me mine gems. I made a deal with someone named Renkin. He helped me find you." Smiling warmly to herself, a silent thank you left her lips. Calling the shadow children over, she whispered something into their ears. Bouncing off, she ruffled the top of his head.

"I am simply pleased you are okay. How about I whip you up something to eat? My lovely shadow children are drawing a bath for you. Clothes will be waiting for you on the hamper." She chimed with a bright smile, taking the empty glass from his hand. "I will have dinner ready when you come back out." Struggling to her feet, Turk helped her up. Hugging her one last time, he danced towards the bathroom. A loud yes echoed in the home, a gentle chuckle twinkled in the air. Walking into the kitchen, my feet weren't far behind her. Her head was buried in the fridge only for her arms to be full of ingredients to make American Chop Suey. Setting it down on the island, she brandished a knife.

"We are going to rescue those poor souls." She informed me with a determined expression, chopping up an onion. "They can stay here. I can create more homes and we can start a farm to feed them all. I can't stand by while there are slaves out there. Is that okay with you?" Why was she asking for permission? The thought had already crossed my mind to help them out, her compassion would be sure to draw her to this conclusion. Wrapping my arms around her shoulder, my chin rested on her head.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you." I chimed tenderly, her real smile flashing up at me. "We can find things for them to do. A farm would be nice. We can enter the black market with the goods they make. The money should flow right in. They would get all of it of course." Setting the knife down, her hands cupped my face. Kissing me sensually, my hand lowered to her bump. Our breath hitched, her loving gaze never leaving mine. Pressing her lips against mine sweetly, my heart skipped a beat. Releasing me from her spell, her hands cupped mine.

"Moments like these are why I married you." She admitted sheepishly, crimson coloring her cheeks. "Sy, I am sorry about being so hard headed in the beginning. Honestly, no one gets me like you do. You are my knight in shining armor. I was always your damsel in distress." Shaking my head, she was never a damsel in distress.

"You are too strong headed to play the part of a damsel." I said simply, kissing the top of her head. "You were always another knight fighting next to me. Let me help you cook. I have the mushrooms." Passing me the knife, she filled up the pot with water. Setting it on the burner, the way the moonlight bathed her face made me blush a dark red. Has she always been so beautiful? My heart fluttered, her throat clearing. Sliding clean mushrooms in my direction, she nudged my shoulder. How blessed was I to have her in my life?