It felt as though days had passed being stuck in that room with him, in reality it was probably only an hour or two. I sat on the floor feeling my eye lids get heavier by the second, but I refused to fall asleep. We already know all too well that being unconscious around Chad has very dangerous consequences.
I was just waiting for the moment that Chad was distracted enough for me to quickly pull out my phone and text Reid. So far the opportunity had not yet presented itself. He was on his phone the majority of the time, talking God knows who, everything he said was very cryptic and non descript...but he made sure to keep a constant eye on me. Then it came to me...maybe it wasn't the best idea, but it was my only option at this point, and it was worth a shot.
A collective silence came over the room after Reid's announcement. No one really knew what to say, or what to do...so they all just stood there, staring at each other.
Charlotte felt sick to her stomach and the color completely drained from her face. How can he be doing this? How can her son be destroying so many lives. She felt responsible...after all, she did give birth to him. Had she not allowed herself to fall in love with a witch, none of this would be happening. Had she just put an end to Ashford's destructive behavior 30 years earlier, her son would have never been exposed to such evil, and none of this would be happening. Had she not given birth to that beautiful baby boy with the stunning green eyes 25 years ago, none of this would be happening.
When the reality of the situation set in, and the reality of what Charlotte knew she had to do set in, and she just collapsed. Pogue, being the closest one to her, caught her seconds before she hit the cold stone floors. Charlotte had regained consciousness in less than a minute and Pogue helped her to the bench Reid was sitting on.
Charlotte placed her hand over Reid's and sadly caught his gaze. "I'm going to fix this Reid. I have to fix this."
I had been pretending to sleep for at least half an hour, God if I keep this charade up, I really am going to fall asleep!
Leave the room! Take a piss! Go outside and kill a rabbit!
But he wouldn't budge. He was circling the room while talking on his phone, or doing something on his laptop. I just needed him to leave, just for one minute and that would give me enough time to get a message to Reid. God please, just this once, help me out!
Or not...
In an instant, I felt a rush of ice cold air surrounding me. My skin chilled up immediately, I felt my body shiver from the inside out. I continued to lay there, faking my slumber, but I felt something else in the room. It wasn't just Chad and I anymore...someone else was there. Forcing myself not to open my eyes was like not scratching an itch, it was excruciating, but I had to do it.
"So that's her?" The voice said, deep and raspy.
"Unless there's another chick curled up in the fetal position somewhere else in this cabin, then that would be her." Chad responded
"Did you put her out, or is she sleeping on her own?" The voice asked
"No she fell asleep on her own, the twylo is still in her system, it's going to make her drowsy for at least a week."
"I see the mark on her wrist. I have to be honest, I didn't think you would be able to pull this one off."
"Ah, that's because you underestimate me and always have. Before you know it, I'll be running circles around you old man." Chad said, with a snicker.
"I'm 712 years old and could make you cry before my first cup of coffee you little shit." The voice said.
712 years old? What the fuck? I'm still wrapping my head around this whole witch situation, and now we're going to throw a 712 year old mystery creature into the equation? Fuck me...
"Ok, ok...you have some centuries on me...but a deal is a deal. I got her pregnant, now hold up your end or I'll kill her right here right now." Chad responded, becoming irritated.
"Calm down you impatient rugrat...I am a man of my word."
"I think referring to yourself as a man 7 centuries into your life may be a bit of a stretch."
"Touche...now before I bring you over to the immortal side, I just have to know...what do you plan on doing for the rest of eternity?" The voice said, accompanied by the sound of a lighter and the smell of cigarette smoke.
"I haven't really thought about it to be perfectly honest, but if I had to take a guess...I'm sure it involves thousands pairs of tits...And what about you? What do you plan on doing with her once the baby is born?"
"Well, the child will be taken away and placed with those who are trained in caring for a demon. What I do with her I can't say for sure. If she's compliant, then I'll let her live at the palace, if she's difficult...I'll probably just sell her."
Don't move Christine, stay still...do not let them know you are awake! The ramblings in my head were so loud a concert would have been more peaceful. Who is this person? What are they talking about? Did someone say demon? What the fuck does he mean by demon? WHAT IS GOING ON?
"I've searched everywhere I can imagine him being, there's only one place that I haven't looked…We have a cottage about 60 miles south of Ipswich. Drive fast and take a short cut through the old camp grounds and we can be there in 20 minutes." Charlotte said slowly, as she struggled to compose herself.
The boys all nodded and started to head out of the barn towards the cars. Reid helped Charlotte up and stopped her before following the rest of the boys.
"I don't know what's going to happen tonight, but just let me say I'm sorry and thank you in advance."
She knew what he meant, if he had to kill Chad, he wouldn't think twice about it. And as much as it felt like a dagger to her heart, she had no choice but to understand.
Caleb offered to drive Reid and Charlotte, while the other boys followed in a different car.
The car ride was silent as each passenger anticipated how different their lives would be once the sun came up.
"Alright, so can we get started on the making me immortal process…I kind of wanted to be in Amsterdam by this time tomorrow." Chad said to his guest.
The man didn't respond, but instead I felt a stirring in the air. Almost like a circular breeze, which would make no sense occurring in doors…but then again, what does make sense anymore?
The breeze slowly got stronger, until it was a wind…and then even through my closed eyes, the light was so bright, it actually hurt. I couldn't fake sleeping anymore, I had to shield myself…and I had to know what was going on around me.
I jumped up to my feet, wanting to see, but involuntarily shielding my eyes from the excruciating light. When the men noticed my movement, everything stopped. The light faded, the gusts of wind were gone. They were just there, staring at me.
I slowly dropped my arms from covering my eyes and before looking at them, I walked back until I was against the wall…almost terrified at what I would see.
I slowly lifted my head to look at them and the man appeared to be no older than 30, tall with black hair and the most piercing blue eyes. I actually had to catch my breath when looking at him. He was not what I was expecting to say the least…
"Who are you?" I asked, my voice cracking…barely able to get out the words.
The man smiled at me…a friendly smile, not malicious at all. Chad really should take this guys lead.
"Well, despite popular belief…I am actually the father of the child growing inside of you."
I didn't say anything but look of pure and utter confusion spoke volumes.
"Excuse me…but we were just in the middle of something! Can we get this the fuck over with so I can go?" Chad demanded
The man held out his hand and Chad flew against the wall behind him. Visibly in pain, and humbled by the mans power…Chad remained silent from that point forward.
He then looked back at me. "My name is Aiden. I am, well for lack of a better word, a demon. Unfortunately, my kind can not procreate, but when you've been around as long as I have, you learn how to bend the rules. Your good friend Chad here contacted me because he wanted to be granted immortality…and as you know, everything comes with a price. Chads price was to find a fertile human female and impregnate her with my seed. I've bonded Chad and I in away that allows him to function as he normally would, but with my DNA. Anyway, he chose you for his own personal reasons, apparently to get back at your boyfriend for some high school bullshit which is really no interest to me. And now here we are. I am going to grant him immortality, and you are going to come with me."
"Why do you want a child so badly?" I asked him…for whatever reason after all that was just said, that was what I was most curious about.
"Because no other demon has one. I like to have things others don't. I'm very selfish in that way."
"And what about this?" I asked holding up my wrist. "Why does Chad have it and not you, if it's really your baby?"
"Because Chad and I are still bonded, once I break the bond and grant him immortality you and I will share the matching marks of fertility."
I then looked over at Chad…"Just for my own curiosity…why did you film us having sex? You said you were going to make it easy for Reid to find out, but you don't even plan on being here much longer…and apparently neither am I. What was the point?"
"Not that I owe you any explanation, but once all of us are long gone from here, Reid is going to get a message from me with directions to the cottage. He'll think you're going to be here…but actually all that he'll find is the videotape. Pretty clever huh?"
I was beginning to feel defeated. I had been here for hours and Reid was nowhere to be found, and I can't even blame him…how the fuck was he even supposed to know where I was? This past month I had been put through a lot, and I thought I handled it all a lot better than most people would have…but eventually you get to a point where you just can't fight anymore and I hate to admit it…but I'm at that point.
I looked over and Chad, then at Aiden and just nodded my head.
Aiden smiled, then turned his attention to Chad once more to finish what they had started.
And that's when I heard the screeching tires right outside the window.
"What the fuck is it now!" Chad screamed. He hurried over to the window and pulled the curtains back and couldn't believe what he was seeing. Reid getting out of the car on one side…and his mother getting out of the car on the other. How was this happening, how was this even possible.
He rushed back over to Aiden. "Hurry, hurry you have to do it now…You have to do it before they come in. HURRY THE FUCK UP GOD DAMN IT!"
Chad was legitimately panicking. He knew he only had seconds before the whole thing fell apart.
Aiden was calmer, but visibly disturbed.
"Who are they?" He asked slowly, venom dripping from his words.
"Just perform the fucking ritual! I got her pregnant, I did what you fucking asked…do your part!"
But there was no time…the door behind me was thrown open so forcefully I felt the wind of it on my back. I turned around and met Reid's eyes. Out of instinct I attempted to run to him, but Aiden's arm was circled around my waist, holding me back.
While Reid and Aiden glared at each other for at least a minute, no one moving or speaking, Charlotte entered the room.
"Mother, you have absolutely no business being here. Leave before you get hurt." Chad said with contempt for his own mother.
"I have all the business in the world to be here, after all if it weren't for you being my son, none of this would be happening. I don't know who or what you are Chad and that breaks my heart, but what I do know is that it has to end. And if I have to be the one to end it, then I'm ok with that."
"Why do I feel like I'm in an episode of Family Matters all of a sudden?" Aiden said to me with a laugh
"Truth is, I got what I came for…and now you and I are leaving." With that Aiden took me by the wrist and walked towards the door.
With a swift flick of the wrist, Reid shot some type of flying ember towards Aiden, not knowing what he was and expecting it to send him flying, but it didn't. Instead it just bounced off of him leaving no damage.
Reid and the rest of the boys stared in brief amazement.
Aiden then threw me to the side and began battling with the sons in what appeared to be one hell of an unfair fight. Aiden was coming at them shot after shot while all the boys could do is deflect. Anything they shot back would just bounce right off of him.
They were fucked.
Realizing that his end of the bargain is unlikely to be upheld, Chad pulled out a pocket knife and held it to my throat. The boys, and Aiden were completely unaware of this taking place, but Charlotte was not.
From her purse, she pulled out a 9mm handgun that she has held on to for protection for over a decade, but never had to use…until tonight.
"Chad, I can not let you be this monster anymore. Let her go.'
Chad laughed at the sight of his mother and pressed the knife harder against my throat, blood starting to trickling down my neck and in an instant a shot when off, and I was falling to the floor.
Everything became eerily quiet. After a few seconds, I lifted my head and slowly opened my eyes. Chad was dead, a bullet in his head. Aiden's body was nothing more than a pile of ash. The boys were scattered around the room…hurt, but alive. And Charlotte sat on the floor 20 feet away from her dead son, with a gun in her hand.
Once I took in my surroundings, I immediately shot up and rushed to Reid. He was ok, a little banged up, but he was ok. I threw my arms around him and fell in his lap. I was probably hurting him even more than he already was, but I couldn't help myself. I truly thought I would never have this opportunity again. After the boys were able to pick themselves up, they went over to help Charlottes. She was stoic, probably in shock, but the look in her eyes was almost as if she knew she did the right thing.
The cottage was destroyed, beyond salvation. After a few moments, I left Reid's side and worked my way through the rubble over to Charlotte. I outstretched my arms and she and I held each other and sobbed for what felt like an eternity.
I woke up the next morning in Reid's bed. He was sitting in a chair across the room staring at me. I had a bandage on my neck and some bruising, but was seemingly ok other than that.
"What happened? I don't even remember leaving the cottage." I said, somewhat confused and disoriented.
"You fell asleep in the car, you've been asleep ever since."
"How's Charlotte?" I asked
"She's not good, but hopefully soon she will be."
I looked down and noticed the marks on my wrist were gone. I wasn't sure what it meant, was that a good thing?
"So I did some investigating. That Aiden guy was one of the oldest demons to ever live, under normal circumstances, they're indestructible. Since he bonded his life to Chad's, if Chad died, so did Aiden. I assume he wasn't expecting Chad's own mother to kill him…sucks for them both I guess." Reid said, forcing a smile. I forced one back.
Reid then got up from his chair and walked over to the bed.
"You lost the baby. Both of them. As you know, Chad slipped you the Twylo which, you know….killed ours." Reid said, visibly trying to not cry.
"And Aiden's child died when he did."
I nodded my head as quiet tears rolled down my cheek.
After all that we had been through, I had just accepted the fact that Reid and I were going to be parents together. It didn't matter that we didn't know each other that long, we were destined to be together, and I was ready for it. And now…it's over, my baby was taken from me.
Reid tilted my chin up to look at him. He smiled at me…which for whatever reason was more comforting than anything.
"I know you're sad, I am too…but we're going to do this the right way this time. We are going to get married, you are going to be a beautiful, stunning bride. Then we're going to go on a honeymoon, wherever in the world you want to go, that's where we're going to go. Then we're going to buy our house, decorate the baby's room exactly how you want it to be decorated. You are going to have a baby shower with all of your family and friends…and then you are going to give birth to our child, and we are going to raise that child together, like a normal family…well, as normal as a witch family can be."