Chapter Fifty-One: Revenge Gets Served

Evelyn:

Bright lights blinded me, my flat stomach growled. Machines beeped around me, my eyes fell on Flynn. His hearing aids glinted in the light, my eyes scanning the room once more. Chuckling softly to myself, Grappy's head rested on Hudson's shoulders. Susie danced into the room, something seeming off. Her form glitched, my guard up. Cold hands pinned me down, an inky blackness taking over her eyes. Time slowed to a halt, ice crawling up the walls. Unable to move, my body was still too weak.

"Hello." An icy voice sending chills up my spine, the form shifting to a corrupt reaper. "I was sent by my boss to give you a message. You better keep your eyes open because we are everywhere. See you at the next fight." Gripping my arm, an ashy hand print covered half of my forearm. Hiding my panic, my eyes focused on his worn brown robes fluttering in the icy breeze to distract myself. Backing out, the room returned to normal. The real Susie skipped in, her eyes falling on my horror struck face. Sniffing the air, a quiet rage simmered in her eyes. Taking my arm, low growls rumbled in her throat. Focusing on her violet scrubs, her fingers traced the hand print.

"Who did this to you?" She demanded hotly, waking up Grappy and Hudson. "How did they get in here?" Struggling to find the words, worry widened Hudson's eyes. Grappy leapt over the bed, examining my arm.

"Those bastards!" He growled through gritted teeth, his eyebrow twitching irritably. "How many corrupt reapers did you kill?" Confusion dawned in my eyes, his question throwing me off. Clearing my throat, part of me wanted to keep it a secret. The whole event traumatized me to this day, my eyes refusing to meet him. Why couldn't I bring it up?

"I think about five. Why does that matter?" I stammered nervously, Grappy's grip causing fractures to my arm. "I am fine. Could you let go? You are hurting me." Loosening his hold, Death marched into the room. Ripping the tubes out of my hands, my feet swung over the edge. Tearing the gown off of me, my trembling hands pulled on a loose t-shirt dress. How much weight had I lost? Tucking my feet into my boots, concerned eyes watched me walk to the window. My legs felt like jelly but I didn't care. The noise was too much, Death holding me back from jumping out the window. His velvet suit brushed against my skin, my fists smashing into his arms. Something connected us, my mind unable to connect the dots.

"Let me go!" I shouted venomously, everything hitting me at once. Growing limp in his arms, ruby blood dripped onto the floor. Having another group after me shouldn't have been something new, teardrops diluting the pool of blood. Pulling in for a fatherly embrace, he attempted to get rid of the hand print. Nothing was working, his face falling.

"You have been marked by my father. His power surpasses mine." He sighed with defeat, Hudsy groaning bitterly. "The only reason I got the position was because he went rogue. I am sorry you pissed him off. He won't let up until you're deceased." Raw terror rounded my eyes, a splash of fury boiled in my veins. Gritting my teeth, everything was bothering me at the moment. A solitary scream exploded from my lips, my internal frustration leaving with it.

"Whatever. How do I kill him?" I asked simply, my limit having been met. "I can't be cursed forever, damn it! Fuck him! I can't have one day to enjoy my goddamn child! Fuck them all." Grabbing my shoulders, the serious expression sent chills up my spine. Everyone else remained silent, unsure of what to do

"This isn't a hunter you can cut down in a second." He snapped hotly, my heart pounding out of my chest. "That mark is more than a tracking device. It will slowly kill you if you don't win. I am not joking. You have three months left to live." A pin could have dropped, the corner of my lips quivering. Tears welled up in my eyes, my head shaking.

"No. No. No!" I panicked desperately, collapsing to my knees. "I didn't get this far to die because of a stupid curse." The lights flickered, ice spreading across the floor. Storm clouds thundered to life, snow drifting aimlessly. Every tear turned to icicles, the shattering of each one creating a deeper silence. Unable to speak, Death crouched down to my level.

"We can do this but you have to do it my way. Do you promise to listen to me?" He assured me warmly, my ice retracting. "We need to get a handle on your powers. Starting tomorrow I will be training you." Narrowing my eyes in his direction, Hudson rushed over to my side. Pulling me into his strong arms, fear hid underneath his crooked grin. The room spun around me, sweet slumber stealing me away.

The smell of pancakes woke me up, the walls of my bedroom surrounding me. Yawning groggily, the floorboards creaked with each step out of the room. My outfit from yesterday still swallowed me whole, my breasts ached. Milk soaked the front, embarrassment coloring my cheeks. Gritting my teeth, nothing seemed to be going my way. Running down the stairs, my eager friends greeted me with open arms. Folding my arms across my chest, now wasn't a good time. Allowing them to embrace me, the excitement buzzed beyond what I felt. Hudson whisked me away, he pulled one of his sweatshirts over my head. Cupping my face, his lips kissed me tenderly. My heart fluttered while wondering if this could be one of the last times.

"I am just as scared as you are." He whispered so no one else could hear, my body trembling. "I wish the curse didn't happen but it did. The best we can do is what we do best. That is fighting even though the odds are against us. Have fun." Unable to hold it in, tears flooded from my eyes. Sobs wracked my body, his arms wrapping around my shoulder. How could he have such hope in the darkness of the situation? Shoving him off of me, everyone watched with concern. Grabbing a couple of pancakes and my son, I retreated back to our room. Slamming the door behind me, seeing Death on my bed nearly made me drop my son. His casual outfit of a black t-shirt and black jeans threw me off. Dropping my pancakes onto the floor, my eyebrows twitched irritably.

"Get out!" I ordered sharply, a dejected Hudson waiting in the doorway. "I want to run and hide. I just want to catch a break. Is that too much to ask for?" Turning to leave, Hudsy blocked my way. His stern gaze fell on me, his arm curling around my too small waist. Refusing to let me rip his arm off, he stood his ground. Low growls rumbled in my throat, my patience wearing thin.

"I called him here. He will be here for a while to train you. Our family needs you. Hell, we all need you." He stressed with tears in his eyes, Flynn beginning to wail. The noise was becoming a lot, the desire to run coursed through my mind. Snapping my fingers, the bedroom faded to a small black box. Sitting down, I lifted up my shirt to feed Flynn. His big eyes gazed lovingly at me while he suckled on my breasts, clammy sweat drenching my skin. Rocking back and forth, the anxiety wouldn't go away. Wiping away my tears, my chest tightened. Every breath grew shorter, my lungs begging for air. Finishing up, I pulled both layers down. Focusing on my son, his tiny smile made everything okay for a couple of minutes. Screaming into the ceiling repeatedly, nothing was helping. Draining my emotions, the walls crumbled down. Placing Flynn in Hudsy's arms, I wandered numbly over to the window. Leaping out, the chilly morning air lashed at my cheeks. Sprinting into the woods, sharp rocks sliced up my heels. The pain made me feel alive, the smell of my blood arose in the air. Time stopped, an older version of Death stepped out of the shadows. Three months weren't going to go by while my body decayed from the inside, his pinstripe suit always flashing just out of my main sight. Shock rounded my eyes, the onyx tip of a scythe stuck out of my stomach. Choking on my blood, a coughing fit painted the ground with my blood. Ripping off my dagger, it extended to my scythe. Peeling myself off of his weapon, panicked voices called for me.

"Let's take this somewhere else." I wheezed, leaning on a tree. "I don't want my friends to see this." Rolling his eyes, his fingers snapped. The forest turned to a sea of crumbling concrete, my wound beginning to seal shut. Ice crept up my arm, storm clouds brewing over me. Raising his sleek onyx scythe, silver flames devoured his arm. Charging at me, his inky eyes glowered in my direction. Blocking his attack, our powers canceled out the initial attack. Gauging his strength, it matched mine. Kicking me in the stomach, my wound ceased healing. Blood poured from the wound, my knee landing a blow into his stomach. Rolling into the wall, concrete crumbled over our heads. Struggling to my feet, he wasn't fairing much better. Running his hand through his slicked back gray hair, his soul was as dead as my emotions at the moment.

"Hello, Miss Evie." He mused playfully, raising his scythe over his head. "I, Mortimer, condemn you to death." Slamming the tip of his scythe, a canyon groaned open. A blast of ice protected me from falling into Hell, the screams torturing my ears. Ignoring them, he was going down today. Icy spikes shot up from the cracked pavements, my feet dancing to the next one. Leaping into the air, each jump from him shattering my spikes. Panic twisted my features, his scythe swinging down towards my neck. Flames fluttered behind his swing, my hands clapping. Popping up behind him, a single swing chopping off his left arm. Inky sludge painted my face, his elbow smashing into my stomach. A steady stream of curse words bounced off the walls, a rusty pipe impaling my shoulder. Intense pain jolted my body, his fists punching my other shoulder. Cracking echoed in my ear, the bones in my shoulder shattering. Mouthing a healing spell, the tip of his scythe opened up my old wound. Unable to finish the spell, my body grew limp. My vision blurred, my body dangling off the pipe. On the brink of death, little mattered as I slipped off the pipe. Crashing into a heap, the rest of my bones shattered into little pieces. Torn muscles shifted into my wolf form, my guts dangling from my stomach. Ruby painted my fur, my paw scooped up my dagger. Attaching it to my neck, my stomach wound sealed shut. Shaking my head, the blood dotted the concrete floor. Strength and power poured into me, my inner wolf taking over. A triumphant howl burst from my snout, my paws pounding towards Mortimer. Snarls rumbled in my throat, my fangs tearing into his legs. His fingers curled around my tail, the hatred brewing between us. His spiteful eyes met my fearless gaze, his raw strength allowing him to throw me around like a rag doll. One final toss landed me on a pile of red bricks, half of my ribs breaking. Rising to my paws, my tail tucked in between my legs. Tortured whines escaped my snout, his fingers ripping off my dagger. Tossing it out of the rubble's messy maze, my life draining from my soul. Inky black sludge dripped from the corner of my snout. A defiant grin flashed on my determined face, my claws tearing into his chest. Golden ice began to devour his body, shrill shrieks shattered the still air. The clattering of his scythe on the expanding ice granted me a moment of serendipity, his fist smashing into my chest. Wheezes rang in my ear, his flames burning me from the inside. Hanging off of his fist, Hudsy's voice called out to me. My vision blurred, Mortimer's heart beating one last time. One weak howl shattered his body, my body crashing to the floor. The canyon to Hell groaned back into place, one more minute of my life remaining. Hudsy skidded to my limp body, his arms clutching me close to his chest. A ragged Death hopped over the crumbling wall with my dagger. Tossing it towards Hudsy, he clipped it back into place. Nothing happened, his hand print fading from my leg. Teardrops soaked my fur, Hudsy words fading in and out. Death hung back, my name on his scroll. Shaking his head, my paw reached for him.

"Absolutely not." He sobbed brokenly, bloody tears staining his cheeks. "I will be right back." Disappearing in a puff of smoke, Hudsy focused on me. Changing back, all of my wounds returned. Horror rounded his eyes, my blood staining his all black outfit. The warmth in his skin contrasted my ghostly pale skin, my last breath approaching soon.

"I love you, Hudsy!" I whispered sweetly, kissing his hand one last time. Closing my eyes, a whole new world greeted me.

A field of flowers danced in front of me, the blue sky reminded me of innocence. Laying down, serenity bathed me for the first time in a long time. Reaching for the fluffy clouds, all of me wanted to stay. The crippling anxiety disappeared, the image of Hudsy's crooked grin changing all of that. Tears streamed down my cheeks, thunderclouds rumbled to life. Heavy raindrops soaked me, the ivory summer dress clinging to my skin.

"I want to go home." I begged in a defeated tone, my fingers ripping out flowers in a fit of rage. "Let me go home. I was stupid. I am so sorry. I am sorry." A slow clap echoed behind me, my wet eyes watching an inky haired woman approach me. Her sharp ruby eyes never left my curled up ball of depressing sadness, her ashy gray hands pressing together. Narrowing my eyes in her direction, her eyes rolled. Hovering her hand in front of my face, my fingers curled around hers cautiously. Helping me to my feet, she pointed to a worn wooden door. Dusting off her ruby corset gown, she shoved me towards the door. Tracing her high cheekbones, her black claws drummed on her towering figure. Estimating her height at about six foot seven, I felt so small.

"I can't have you here. Go back to the surface. No one wants you in Hell. We are afraid you are going to smite us or something." She chuckled nervously, opening the door. "I am Solary by the way. Never ask me for help." Walking through the door, a blast of energy woke me up.

Jerking awake, my head smashed against a metal ceiling. Panic gripped my face, my healed body touching either side of the small space. How long had I been dead? Kicking the hinge, my foot screamed in protest. Feeling for my dagger, sweet relief washed over me. Smashing my heel into the hinge, each attempt was greeted with a groan. One last swift kick sent the door skidding across the floor, pulling myself out. The warmth of the room was a welcome change to the freezer. Glancing around for clothing, my eyes fell on a white lab coat. Throwing it on, it floated off of my body. The buttons strained around my ample breasts, milk coming in right away. Cracking my neck, my body felt stiff. The door opened, my feet squeaking into the dark office. Hiding under the desk, chaos erupted in the examination room. Cursing to myself, a red light bathed the room. A small window caught my eyes, a sly grin spreading across my lips. Dragging a metal chair over, desperation burned in my eyes with each attempt to open the window.

"Yes!" I cried out gleefully at the window opening. "I am out of here." Pulling myself up and out, the early morning sun felt so nice against my skin. Letting it bathe me for a moment, whistles echoed in the distance. Running into the woods, the longer the distance the better I felt. Crashing through the trees, branches scratched my cheeks. A local burger joint caught my eyes, my stomach rumbling. Getting myself together, everyone looked up at me as I entered the brick building. Burgers dropped to plates, an elderly lady rushing over to greet me. Her silver blue hair was twisted into an intricate bun, her ocean blue eyes twinkling with an unfamiliar warmth. Guiding me to an emerald booth, my lips parted in protest. Reading her name tag, the name Nellie helped me out greatly.

"I just need to use your phone." I asked tiredly, knowing that I looked like the living dead. "I don't have money to pay for f-" Putting her finger in the air, she placed her hands on her wide hips. Winking underneath her turquoise cat eye glasses, her white uniform really brought me back in time. The crisp white cotton collar rubbed up against her neck, her pencil scribbling across the pad.

"I'll just give you my lunch then, today." She drawled adorably, pointing to the corner. "That is our phone. Make your phone call Sweety and please get some water in you. You look like death warmed over." Sprinting over to the phone, all eyes fell on me. Reading the sign, the state I was in was Georgia. How the hell did I get down here?" Dialing Hudsy's number, the phone rang. One ring, nothing. Second ring, nothing. Third ring, tears welled up in my eyes at the sound of his voice.

"Hudsy!" I cried out, a stunned silence not answering me on the other side of the phone. "Hudsy, it's me, Evie. I woke up in a body cooler after getting sent back from Hell. Can you come pick me up? Do you have a pen? I have the address or town I am in." All eyes watched me, the logical side of my brain choosing to ignore them.

"Evie, is that you? You died, didn't you?" He stuttered nervously, the fright was ripe in his voice. "These people kidnapped you and stole your corpse. You were dead and I couldn't feel you until now. It has been a rough couple of weeks. I love you, Evie. What's the address so I can pick you up?" Saying the address, I hung up the phone. Plopping down into the booth, a classic cheeseburger waited for me with an extra side of fries. Snapping my fingers, a yellow rose appeared in my hand. My inner wolf paced inside of me, her tail wagging at the excitement of seeing my Hudsy once more. Sinking into the seat, my home was coming to get me. Thank you, my moon goddess.