More Than Flesh & Bone

Chapter 19

UP IN FLAMES

"What's going on?" I asked, rapidly trying to understand the situation.

The room was large and old. While maintained like the rest of the house, this one had clearly been kept in its original state for a purpose, instead of being remodeled. With only a single dated window, antique shelves full of old books that resembled the summoning one Eliza gave me, and mismatched furniture… I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I didn't really have the time.

Not with Zed's younger brother, Zayne, standing beside the fireplace. In his hand was a wriggling blue sheep being dangled inches above the flames.

"Addison, I see you got my text," Zayne said, flashing a phone I could only assume was Zed's. Halfway across the room, but still a good ten feet away from him, stood Zed.

"Zayne, what are you doing with that sheep?" I asked, slowly starting for it. My heart thundered in my chest.

While the flames wouldn't destroy his soul, I would lose the only connection I had to my brother.

"Aaaaaaads," my brother bleated. I ignored him for the time being.

"This one?" he asked like it wasn't obvious. "Well, you see, I found it on my way up here to grab a book. It was very curious, a demon ending up in the house. I figured I'd take a seat and wait for the person who was concealing it to come back."

"He's mine," I said in a rush. "I dropped him when I was here earlier…"

Beside me, Zed had yet to move or speak. Zayne seemed utterly delighted, and I didn't understand.

"Yes, my brother told me that part. When I asked him why you had a demon, he neglected to answer. Demons are dangerous, Addison. How this one ended up in your possession… well, that's a story I'd love to hear."

I nibbled on my bottom lip.

Zayne seemed a bit off, and that wasn't just because he was dangling Trace over a fireplace. Something didn't seem right with him.

But he was Zed's brother.

"Why did you text me from Zed's phone instead of coming to find me?" I asked, deflecting instead.

"My brother wouldn't answer my questions. I thought you might. Come now, Addison. I saw you at the Bitter Brew. You aren't surprised in the slightest by this little guy moving. I know you know more than you're playing at. Why do you have a demon?"

I swallowed hard. He might be Zed's brother, but he also took his phone.

He might not be Bucky, but he couldn't be trusted. That was for damn sure.

"I… found him," I said, trying to not look away.

"Baaaaaad Aaaaaads," the sheep bleated louder. If it weren't so dire, I might have been amused my brother had it in him to call me bad in a situation like this.

"Found him?" Zayne repeated, clearly not buying it. "Where did you find him?"

"I… uh… at… the graveyard?" I said, answering it more like a question. Inside, I cursed myself. Stupid inability to lie.

"I don't even know you, but you're a terrible liar. So, let's try this again… How did you end p with a demon? If you don't want to tell the truth, well, I'll just have to toss him in the fire. Demons are illegal to keep, you know. It's my duty as a reaper to eliminate any I come across."

My heart was racing so fast that I felt like I could puke. The situation was so far out of my control, I wasn't sure how to even proceed. How had it escalated so quickly?

"Why are you just sitting there?" I hissed at Zed, trying to buy myself more time as I scrambled to think up an excuse.

His eyes shot to mine, a warning a did not remotely understand shining in them. Was he telling me to watch what I said? To stay away from his brother? I already knew we were fucked, so anything other than specifics wasn't going to help me.

Zayne's smile grew at my question. "My big brother knows something you don't."

"Oh? What's that?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm.

"Ah ah ah," he sing-songed, "you still haven't answered my question, Addison. Why do you have a demon?" With each word, he lowered the sheep until the flames were less than an inch away from his face.

"No! Please stop. I'll… I'll tell you, okay?"

"I'm waiting," Zayne said, his hand steady once more.

"Aaaaaaads noooooo," Tracey screeched.

"It's my brother," I blurted, the words coming out in a rush. "I found a spell to summon him back. I wanted to see if I could find out who killed him, but…"

Zayne froze, his eyes wide as he looked from me to the squirming stuffie in his hand. "Tracey Wells, is that you?"

The sheep squirmed harder, as if in answer.

"Well… that's unfortunate," Zayne said, sighing.

I watched in slow motion as he released the sheep from his pinched fingers.

Trace dropped into the fireplace as a scream tore through my throat.

There was a blur of black as Zed moved faster than my traumatized brain could track. He tackled his brother while his left arm shot out, grasping the stuffed animal by its back leg, just barely saving it from the flames.

The zombies fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Zed lost his hold on my brother as he hit the ground. I watched Trace somersault across the ground, only coming to a stop when he hit the wall. He let out a pitiful moan, his tiny body splayed out like a starfish.

I rushed forward, trying to dodge flying limbs as I plucked my singed brother off of the ground.

"Aaaaadie," he said, his voice weak.

"Save your energy. I'm a little busy right now," I growled, setting him on a nearby table.

A surge of pain in my hand had me spinning back around. Zed had his brother pinned, his right arm cocked back as prepared to slam it back into his brother's face. I could feel the impact in my knuckles as bone met bone. But the pain was fleeting.

A shimmer of something metallic caught my eye.

"Zed! Watch out!"

But it was too late. Zayne had already jammed the knife into his brother's side.

I dropped to my knees as pain tore through my body.

Zayne's eyes were on me as he pushed his brother's body off of him. "Well, now that's interesting."

Fucking blood rite. It hadn't even been an hour and already it was going to be the end of me.

My insides were on fire. My stomach felt like it was being torn apart. Zed fell back, hitting the floor flat on his back and trying, but struggling, to get back to his feet.

Blood poured faster from both of us.

"You two have been keeping secrets," Zayne said, his voice eerily excited. "The blood rite hasn't been used in a very long time. Not since the dawn of our kind, when training reapers to be warriors was at its most paramount. I'm curious how you two ended up bound together." He scratched his chin with a bloodied hand.

"You… piece… of shit," I gasped, struggling with my words.

Zayne's eyebrows lifted. "Your brother's last words were more meaningful, but I must say… I prefer yours." He grinned diabolically. The guy was absolutely insane. When I'd talked to him a couple weeks ago he'd been cold, but he hadn't seemed… crazy. But he was. Undeniably. And this whole time it was Bucky I thought had killed Trace. Now, I was going to die for that mistake.

"Why?" Zed asked, trying and failing once more to get to his feet.

Fucker was killing us faster.

"Why?" Zayne repeated, pondering the question. "I could tell you. I haven't told anyone. But then, I'd have to give a shit what you two thought. No, I think I'll let you go to the other side wondering." He walked across the rickety floors.

Greater dread filled me as I saw him lift Tracey from the table.

No. My words moved to say it, but no sound came out as he walked back to the fireplace and tossed the sheep in.

My only consolation as I watched the crocheted form go up in flames was the Trace couldn't feel pain.

But me? I was still in a fuck-ton of it.

I opened my mouth and inhaled as deeply as I could, and then I let out the mother of all screams.

Zayne looked on. His watery blue eyes cold as he made no move to stop me.

"Scream all you like," he said, smiling cruelly. "This room is spelled. Not a sound in or out."

The edges of my vision began to darken.

Goddamnit. No. I couldn't go. Not like this. Not when I'd only just found out who killed my brother. I couldn't let him win.

But I also couldn't stop him.

Pressing a hand to my stomach, I leaned up, willing my torso off the ground. Zayne stood by the fire, watching me curiously. Bastard wasn't even scared. Why should he be? I had no weapon. No anything.

Still, I crouched forward and pulled my feet beneath me one at a time.

I stood on shaking legs.

Zayne clapped.

"You have balls. I like it. Too bad you fell for the wrong brother. Your face is rather pretty."

If I could have been disgusted, I would have. As it was, I barely had it in me to take that first step. Then another. And another. Until I stood before him.

"See you in hell, bitch," I said, using all my weight to throw my head forward.

I hit him square in the nose. Something crunched. He fumbled backward, and I went with him, unable to hold my weight any longer.

Hands shoved me away and my body hit the ground hard. The pain was starting to ebb. Numbness was coming over me. The coldness beginning to set in.

"I'd say you'll regret that, but you already do."

I couldn't tell where the voice was coming from.

A shoe appeared in front of my face. Stars burst behind my eyes as it all went black.

The last thing I heard was Zed's gasped breath as he laid beside me.

And then there was nothing.