Chapter 41
Brandy
00000
Between Jillian's two memories of waking up
00000
Anna eventually stood up from staring at her blood-soaked hands and retrieved a bucket. She didn't even care when Nevermore appeared from wherever he went.
What was she supposed to do while her brother bled out against a clock and her sister was passed out?
Tick-tock.
Tick-tock.
The time to send them home safely was slipping away, and all she could do was hope the doctor could repair a human body before the portal closed.
Nevermore watched for a while as Anna worked, pulling out buckets of water from the fountain.
She splashed bucket after bucket against the stone.
The blood washed away slowly, tendrils of human life, making wispy crimson threads as the stream of water stretched toward a drain.
However, rusty tinges of red settled into the grout between the pavement and refused to yield to her.
Anna's frustration grew in silence, and she began to throw the water at the stains with more harried motions.
When her efforts stopped making any difference, her body began to tense. Her hands trembled at the useless effort. She dug her fingers into the bucket, demanding it make the blood disappear. She looked like she wanted to break something.
The blood stayed, a tint of red stuck in the cracks. Anna could barely notice it with her eyes. But the smell lingered.
Nevermore knew she could smell it.
The few monsters that had ventured into the plaza at the news of humans in town jumped when she screamed in rage and slammed the bucket against the cobblestone, pieces of stone yielding to the force and flying away in little bits. She destroyed the thing with a violent splintering of wood. They had sensed the frustration growing just watching her, wondering when she would finally let it out.
Vinnie's mother quietly ushered the small mummy away and tucked her basket tighter against her side.
Anna paced in a circle for a second, looking for somewhere to run and hide from prying eyes before a second explosion. She kicked the fountain, a single brick shifting. She put her hands into her hair and screamed in frustration through her teeth and sat down on her knees in the slimy wet street.
Nevermore frowned. "I think that's enough of that," he scolded. His eyes lifted to glance at Finklestein's tower.
Jack was still up there, overseeing the surgery. He had kicked Annalise out, though.
Anna didn't lift her head. "I didn't want to make a scene," she muttered, her voice halting. She flinched at Nevermore's snort.
"Well you failed with that little tantrum," he scoffed, before pausing, "I saw the dent you made in the Doctor's wall," he said, "These outbursts are rather hard to control, aren't they?"
Anna nodded and looked away in embarrassment.
"It must be difficult," Nevermore said, "Unable to reign in your emotions anymore. Makes you seem rather childish, hmm?"
The skeleton hiccupped, quiet tears unseen. "I wasn't like this. I had better control. I always...I-I never..."
"You grew up without a sense of fear, Annalise," Nevermore sighed. "I'm not surprised you're struggling."
"I should be struggling with fear," Anna snapped, her voice shaking. "Fear alone! I-I never had a problem with...with anger or...or sadness...or," she paused and breathed out one more, "Or guilt. I could handle those fine!"
"I doubt anyone has their emotions neatly filed away in separate little boxes," Nevermore said, edging closer until he was standing next to her. He didn't want to admit he was a little worried standing so close after seeing what she did to that demon. It was a terrifying show of power she shouldn't have. She destroyed the damned thing and didn't look too worse for wear.
Her, frankly massive, form was pathetically huddled into a little mound of bones in the middle of the filthy street still wet from her near frantic bailing.
He hummed and tapped his finger on his arm, voice a tad softer. "Emotions bleed into each other. Giving them names like 'fear' or 'sadness' or 'happiness' is a human endeavor." He snorted, "The mere concept of names is human. Human and God," he gestured up, "And very little else. You'll find many monsters here simply content with answering to mere descriptions."
"Like the Gatekeeper."
"You've called me by Nevermore more times the last two days than anyone else has in three years since..." he trailed off. "Well...since I officially decided to be called by such that one-year Ivy was here."
"Who's Ivy?"
"Not important at the moment. Tell you later," Nevermore stopped and considered something then chuckled. "In any case, you might meet her soon enough, and I don't want to be standing out here leaning over you like you're some freshly dug grave a moment longer. Get up, will you?"
Anna wiped away her tears and complied. She made a note to ask about "Ivy" later. She ducked as she noticed how many monsters witnessed her tantrum.
"Yes, I supposed it's a little out of place to wash your human brother's scent out of the road," the bird said, noticing her actions. "Then throw a tantrum when you don't entirely succeed."
Anna murmured her apologies.
"Jack's skull girl! Stop apologizing to the wrong creatures!" Nevermore said exasperated. "And for the wrong things. If you insist on apologizing, apologize for unsettling monsters with a human presence but only if you mean it."
"If I mean it?"
"If you regret it. I doubt you regret bringing him here. He would have died otherwise."
Still might… A voice whispered in her mind as she looked up at the Doctor's tower like the Raven had.
Anna's face fell at the reminder. She followed the bird in silence as they went down a street and approached a building, dim lighting seen through the dirty glass windows. She could hear faint chatter through the broken ones.
Nevermore opened the door for her and gestured inside with one feathered hand.
It was a bar. Tavern. Pub. She wasn't sure what term was preferred.
She and Nevermore went to the main bar, Annalise immediately seeing she was too tall to stand next to it.
The owner seemed to have chosen a height just right to accommodate creatures about Nevermore's height for standing. A little shorter actually. The witches would be too short, and Anna was too tall. She noticed sturdy stools at various heights. There was a funny looking set of stairs at one end and what seemed to be a pipe coming out of the floor. It went around the bar at a height where too-short creatures could stand on it, and taller monsters could stand with appendages sliding underneath the pipe without complaints.
After a second, she decided to sit down at a stool rather than lean on the bar.
Her decision-making moment made her miss whatever the bird had said to order two drinks.
"Aren't I too young to drink?" Anna said with soft dryness. She held up the small glass critically, studying the grayish-dark-orange liquid as she swirled it around.
Nevermore scoffed. "Human laws. Now, I don't think the bartender would be unwise enough to pour a drink for say...Angus or, Jack forbid, Lock, but you're mature enough, I think." He flashed a questioning look at the bartender.
"I just handed you that did I not?" the bartender said.
Anna didn't react negatively to the voice projected into her head, eyes not leaving the glass.
Nevermore took a sip of his pumpkin brandy. "Don't tell Jack. I'm not sure how he'd feel about me getting his granddaughter a drink."
He didn't immediately look at Anna at the sound of glass shattering, even as a splash of liquid and a few shards of glass hit his arm.
A few patrons glanced in their direction.
Anna remained in her position for a few seconds, her hand still raised and elbow resting on the bar. Her fingers froze as if she was still holding the glass. Her sleeve drenched with alcohol down her arm. She blinked as if she wasn't sure it was her strength that broke the glass.
Nevermore took another sip, unconcerned about shards that might be in his drink now.
"You know," she said. Her voice dropped but didn't falter or trail. She said it stiffly like she wasn't quite sure how to process that but made a decision nonetheless.
"Everyone does."
Anna's jaw clenched, and there was the sound of skeletal teeth grinding. She glanced around.
No one reacted to what the Gatekeeper said, but they were watching her warily, some more discreet than others.
Another glass slid into her peripheral vision, and the bartender gestured for her to raise her arms so they could gather the glass pieces.
Anna relaxed her arm, taking the glass, though she didn't drink yet. She tapped the rim and glared thoughtfully at the wood grain of the bar in front of her.
"Apparently," Nevermore said as Anna finally took a small cautionary sip, deciding to hold it in her mouth for a minute to taste it. It was intense and burned her mouth, forcing her to swallow out of shock. She was immediately breaking into a coughing fit as Nevermore continued unperturbed. "Barrel had a slip of the tongue, and a fair number of ears and orifices overheard. Then, of course, news spread rather quickly. Especially something like that of all things."
He set the glass down and leaned back slightly with a disturbed look on his beak adorned face. "Frankly, I can't seem to process the idea that Jack had sex out of my mind. Even if he was human," he said over Anna's coughing. Cruel. Didn't even give her a moment to recover.
Anna coughed harder on her drink and spat it out before she got a second chance to taste the liquid. Still racking her bones with coughs, she put her head in her hands and moaned, cold glass against her forehead. This wasn't the direction she expected Nevermore to go.
Nevermore smirked. "So, you visit Jack and Sally pretty regularly now. You wouldn't happen to know if..."
Anna put up a finger and glared at him. "No. Do not go there." She squinted and shuddered. "Jack wouldn't…"
"You seem to think Jack would be the first to ask," the bird smiled mischievously. "I don't knooow," he sang. "Sally's rather up front when she wants to be. Also, I'm confused why you think Jack would subscribe to the whole chastity spiel. If I've learned anything about monsters in my existence as one, virginity is a dangerous thing to value. Hm. You are right that it's a rather Jack way to act, though. He prides himself on being chivalrous."
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god..." Anna ducked her head into the bar again, setting her glass down to cover her skull with her arms. "Stop..." she begged.
"I'll bet this conversation would be a thousand times less amusing to me if you and Jack weren't related."
"Who the hell wants to think about their parents ...?!" Anna protested, incredulously, gesturing sharply at the ceiling with her hands, elbows still on the bar as she looked up, her face a shade whiter while a hint of purple lit under her sockets. "Much less their grandparent... ssssss." She trailed into a hiss, not willing to assign that title to Sally. She was still struggling with that simple word describing Jack. "And to clarify, talking about Sally like this is the bad part, not Jack, though that's freaking awful too."
Awkward snickering caught her attention, and Anna was reminded that their conversation was far from private. She glanced around at the tavern and up at the bartender.
The fire creature's expression was unreadable.
"Anna," Nevermore said, sobering from the awkward amusement he caused.
Anna gave him her attention, though frustrated.
"Do what you will, but I would seriously suggest you and Jack bring forward an explanation sometime soon," he said, "Far better to shape the story now than let gossip run amok, despite whatever secrets you and he hope to keep."
Anna tapped her glass again, quiet for a moment and calmer. "What stories are monsters coming up with?"
Nevermore made a face, and Anna frowned at him. "Gatekeeper..."
"You better tell her," the bartender spoke up in their heads.
"Don't quote me..." Nevermore said.
"Quoth the Raven, Nevermore," Anna chirped jocosely, a wry grin on her maw.
"Hilarious," he responded sarcastically to her interruption. He shook his feathered head. "Speculation is...not well informed. It's only been a few hours since the rumor started. No one who's heard anything knows enough, so there are a few arguments."
"What's the worst?" Anna said, steeling herself.
"Depends on what you think is 'worst.'"
"Vulgar."
"Let's..." Nevermore might have blanched, but she wasn't sure with all the feathers in the way. "Not start there..."
Anna was relieved and concerned all at once, her friend's expression not helping. She didn't tap, but she slightly scratched the rim of her glass with the tip of her finger, drawing out a high-pitched whine. "Which do you think is the most ridiculous?"
The bird thought for a moment. "It's not the most ridiculous, but something I overheard some of the children talking about comes to mind. You're from the future, one of Jack and Sally's future grandchildren. Then the mess with demons came up in conversation, and one of the kids suggested you traded something for a time travel spell."
Anna's lack of a laugh or immediate dismissal worried him for a moment. But slowly, she grinned.
"That one's actually...cute..." she said, chuckling.
"There's another that you're not actually his granddaughter, but someone, a demon most likely, trying to confuse Jack and trick him into letting other demons into town."
"That sounds particularly paranoid," Anna groused. "That didn't come from the Mayor, did it?"
Nevermore's beak turned downward as he frowned. "Actually, he's been silent about everything. He hasn't added to the gossip, which is strange if you knew him better, and he's dodged all the questions. Finklestein too. That's leading others to assume they already know."
Anna mumbled something. "…What's another?"
Nevermore retook a sip of his drink. "Jack sold you as human to demons for something, your worth come from his past human bloodline. There are a couple of versions of that one. Mostly about what the trade was for. Protection for Halloween. The Crown, perhaps. His frightening skill. Another adds that Jack wanted to back out and to get around the deal you were brought here instead of Hell, somehow. Demons aren't happy about it."
"How many believe that one?" Anna said, voice even as she took a drink, the bite of the alcohol seemingly less than before.
"It's one of the most popular iterations," Nevermore admitted. "But not in a way that means monsters like it. It makes a little more sense than some of the others, but no one's really willing to latch onto it. Or at least they don't want to admit that they have."
"Because of Jack."
"He wouldn't do something like that," Nevermore said sternly, a slight shake of his head. "Make deals with demons for power? Fame? His position? Such actions are what caused some citizens to end up here in the first place. We don't care for demons, Anna. I'm not talking about Harlequin or Lock or Satan or any of the others. Our Satan, not the Real one, obviously."
Anna rolled her eyes though he couldn't tell, annoyed that he thought he had to specify for her.
"Real World demons. They aren't to be trusted, nor anyone who conducts business with them."
Anna hummed, "Jack would lose quite a lot of trust if that version were true, wouldn't he?"
"Yes. I suppose," Nevermore said with a distant look. "He's very well liked, Annalise. It would be a painful betrayal and those he isn't on the best terms with may feed on his lost support." He looked at her seriously. "This is why you and Jack need to give an explanation. You can't let doubt due to theories like that fester."
Anna tapped her glass again, and it suddenly occurred to Nevermore he maybe should have been paying attention to when she did that. It may be a tell. He was never very good at poker…
"That seems harsh," she said calmly, "Would it matter what Jack traded my soul for? Or is dealing with demons such an unforgivable thing?"
Nevermore frowned and was quiet for a moment. "It would depend, for me at least. If the town was in some major danger we didn't know about, and it was the only way to save us, I could see why Jack would make such a decision, despite your sacrifice. He'd be very distraught over the act." He watched Anna for any indication that throwing her soul into flames in such a way was disturbing to her, but she merely nodded.
"Would it have to be about the town, you think?" Anna said, waving one hand vaguely. "I mean, would Jack need to make such a decision for the benefit of Halloween Town as a whole, or could such a decision be more personal?"
"Like what?" the bartender spoke up, his voice echoing slightly in their minds.
Anna took the inclusion of someone else in their conversation with stride, turning in her stool to face them better. "What if Sally was dying, for example?" she said, leaning back a bit as she rolled her skeletal wrist in the air, making small clicking noises. "What if Jack had to choose her or their child? Assuming they get married soon. And for whatever reason, having a demon proctor such a decision was the only way."
"What an awful dilemma..." something said in sadness as others in the room made small noises of displeasure.
"That would never happen," other scoffed.
"How could Jack make such a decision?" someone else mumbled, their voice softer than Anna expected for any sort of monster. She vaguely recognized the voice but couldn't place a face.
"Maybe he wouldn't be able too," Anna said, quietly, picking up her glass to set it in her lap as she sat facing the tavern patrons. She sipped. "Maybe the demon would know that."
"And took advantage," Nevermore guessed. "If they knew what humans in the Real World were related to Jack, they could offer another alternative."
"Can beings do that?" Anna asked curiously. "Trade the souls of strangers so distant?"
"Not really," the bartender said. "You can only trade to demons that which is truly yours. Parents can trade their children up to a certain point, and a generation or two may be included if the bond is particularly strong. But it's far easier to trade lives, souls being a secondary equation. It could be as simple as saying you'll murder a random stranger should your lover live. It doesn't guarantee the demons get a soul out of the arrangement, but sometimes the guilt and anguish they cause by turning the deal maker into a pawn is enough for them. In those cases, what you trade is your morality, not a soul, and it's that negativity they can feed off and manipulate for other goals."
Anna hummed. "So, if this happened, I shouldn't say Jack traded my soul, but my years. My life."
"Yes."
Nevermore was silent as Anna leaned back, settling her arm onto the bar as she stared at her glass again.
He shifted. "If that were the sort of situation Jack found himself in, I'd be hard-pressed to blame him," the bird said. "Knowing him, he would saddle enough of that blame on himself. As much as I like Sally, though, it still veers into selfishness."
There was rumbling through the small crowd of tavern-goers as a few growled, a few in agreement.
Anna's visage broke for the briefest of seconds, and a sneer flashed across her face before she stifled it.
But the two closest to her saw, and Nevermore started as the bartender paused in cleaning a murky colored glass. "Th-then perhaps, the focus of the town would need to be on the victim and her safety at that point," he said cautiously.
Anna's sockets twitched, and Nevermore wondered if she had flashed him a short glance. It was hard to tell with skeletons. She hummed again and turned back in her stool. "How kind..."
"Annalise...that's a highly specific situation you described."
"Isn't it?"
"Can't you just tell us what happened?" a monster called from across the room.
Anna finished off her drink, mildly wondering if she would recognize what drunk felt like. She felt utterly unaffected by the brandy.
"I basically just did."
The silence stretched on for an awkward amount of time.
"Stercore," Nevermore swore. He looked up as Anna moved to leave.
"Where are you going?!"
"I need to go check on my brother and sister," she said shortly as she walked out the door. "If Finklestein doesn't want to let me in, I'll just sit on the doorstep." Then she was gone.
"Did..."
Nevermore glanced over at a nearby table, seeing Chifte.
The shapeshifter glanced between him, the door, and her friend she was currently meeting with (and imitating).
The other monster, a single massive eye held up by tendril-like twists of skinless muscle, was too busy staring at the door Anna had exited with to respond to Chifte's unfinished question.
"Did she just...?" Chifte blinked her current self.
Nevermore shifted uncomfortably and drank the rest of his brandy.
000
Annalise kicked at the ground as she stalked up the steps of the Doctor's walkway, a frightful scowl in her eyes.
Her shaking hand lifted to open the door. Could she stand seeing James right now? Surely, he was unconscious, but she wasn't sure if she could watch whatever the Doctor was doing to him.
She didn't get a chance to consider any further as a flash of movement around the side of the tower caught her eye. More out of curiosity than caution, she left the porch and looked up. She frowned in confusion.
Bedsheets and strips of fabrics tied together snaked out of the opened window and fluttered in the Wind.
Mildly, she wondered if its consciousness was present.
She stared up at the open window high above the ground for a moment before she realized she was looking at a makeshift escape rope.
"Great…," she muttered, turning on her heel to look for her human sister.
She really shouldn't have been surprised she was immediately accosted stepping back into the town square.
0000
Nicholas felt someone elbow him while he leaned against a wall.
"There she is," Thomas Marvel said, using a tug of the werewolf's shirt to point at the skeleton girl.
Nicholas slapped the invisible hand away. "I see you brought it upon yourself to show up."
There was a laugh. "After that mess of a 'meeting.' Surely no one wants to miss an opportunity to ask the girl some particular questions."
"Now would be the time to do so," another voice joined them.
Both Marvel and Nicholas looked up and behind to see the Creature approaching, his tense yellow eyes watching Annalise turn around a wall and head toward the fountain.
The Creature continued after a moment. "She may say some things she won't be willing to after Jack speaks with her."
"Do you think she knew?"
"I think we're about to find out," Thomas snorted. "Vladdy's moving in."
0000
Annalise jumped as someone snapped at her.
"Newcomer.," someone said sharply, commanding her attention.
"Crap…" Anna muttered under her breath, not keen on dealing with questions, not while she had living siblings to concern with. She looked up and blinked in surprise at the monster who called her out.
The monster was a tallish man with sharp features and icy pale skin. Red eyes stared at her, demanding respect.
She knew who he was. Dracula. She read his story, of course, but never had an actual conversation with the vampire before.
"Sir."
"I take it you're responsible for the stench of human in the streets," Dracula said coolly.
Anna stared. Normally, she would cower a bit, that lovely unfamiliar fear nipping at her bones. However, she felt different. Surer. Still not her old self, but she wasn't so terrified. It was the demons, she suspected. She had more significant things to concern with than a Halloween Citizen looking to scare answers out of her.
"Perhaps I am," she said. "What of it?"
The vampire frowned, not expecting the near snappish response from the usually mousy skeleton.
The square wasn't empty. Monsters milled about their business, but it wasn't like the talk between the vampire and skeleton was in hushed whispers. Many stopped what they were doing and stared unabashedly.
"You brought humans here?" he asked, almost daring her to agree again. "You run away and bring humans to us? Surely Jack isn't about to excuse such a…mistake, naivety or no."
Annalise blinked at him. She stared down at him, her height near dwarfing the vampire, and tilted her head, a curious mix of stern politeness in her sockets. She wasn't stupid enough to tell off such a high standing citizen. "I apologize for bringing humans here. I don't understand all the rules of town yet, but I know bringing humans here must be a crime of some sort. It seems to me to be something that shouldn't be done at all."
Dracula looked at her evenly, his barely concealed scowl never leaving. He admitted to himself he was intrigued by how clearly the newcomer was speaking. Usually, she was a nervous mess of bones, and the rest of them couldn't imagine her standing before him like she was.
Nicholas and The Creature (and Thomas wherever he went off to) had to note she was a frightful sight too, blood splashed across her clothing while part of her hands and skull were also stained a quickly darkening red. There was quite a bit on her face too. Did she even notice how she looked?
"You didn't answer me, child. Why did Jack allow it?"
Anna's eyes narrowed, "Are you prying me for answers? If so, stop beating around the bush, if you will. They are my living brother and sister. I did try to run away, a poorly thought out decision I regret. I missed my living family too much, and I foolishly thought I could leave to haunt near them. However, I was attacked by demons, and they got in the middle of the situation, my brother mortally wounded. Appeased, Mr. Dracula?" She spoke to him but turned to face the small group of men by the wall, clearly noticing the werewolf and creature. Whether he knew Marvel was around was anyone's guess. She hadn't formally met him.
"And what. You brought them here?" Vlad bit threatening, clearly not "appeased" by her explanation. He stared at her with a critical glare. "No supposed bloodline gives you or Jack the right to twist your past life into…"
Annalise tensed, clenching her fist as her eyes narrowed defiantly.
"Ah. You know," she interrupted.
"So, it's true," Dracula said.
Anna could hear the quiet murmuring of eavesdroppers.
"That highly depends on how much you and the rest of town have heard, sir," Annalise said. "What are you fishing for?"
"An explanation."
"A detailed explanation is rather…complicated. And I have yet to have an in-depth discussion with Jack about how much we need to keep private. I may be naïve. I may be a child, unaware of the politics of town or the social dynamics, but if I noticed enough to see you don't particularly care for Jack, sir, then you can be sure won't be giving you answers before the rest of town. You have no right to any answers ahead of anyone else. I'm sure Jack will call a meeting, if not, we'll talk and decide whether or not to share at any asks that come up. Until then, I'll say this. Yes. Jack and I are directly related. He was a human, and my human life is a distant product of his life. Is that an acceptable explanation for now?"
Dracula opened his mouth to tell her off, but he wasn't expecting her directness. "The demons…"
Her unseen eyes suddenly snapped up and she winced.
"Excuse me," Jack's voice interrupted coldly, startling those who hadn't seen him.
The vampire stiffened despite himself.
Even Marvel, who was facing the opposite direction, hadn't seen him. The invisible man scoffed at himself, not really surprised. Jack wasn't the Pumpkin King for naught.
The onlookers immediately moved to look like they just minded their business.
Jack stared at Vlad.
The vampire wasn't going to risk continuing, not without understanding this new dynamic Anna presented them with.
The other skeleton was quiet for a moment, before looking up at Annalise. "Annalise, Doctor Finklestein has finished with your brother."
"Is James…okay?" Annalise dipped her voice.
"Alive and…well. And very much unconscious. I suggest I take him and your sister back to the human world immediately before Thanksgiving is forced to close their portal," he paused, "However, it seems your little sister is a bit of an escape artist. I don't suppose you had anything to do with that."
"N-no," Anna pointed at the window in the distance, which still sported a makeshift rope, "I just noticed. I came to look for her before she got hurt."
"Is she particularly clumsy?" Jack asked with a confused frown.
Anna groaned a bit. "No, I'm worried about monsters hurting her."
"Why would you think…?!" Jack started, clearly disappointed in Anna's assumption.
"Accidentally!" Annalise said. "She's smart. I'm also worried about her hurting someone if she's cornered and decides to fight. I don't want a well-meaning citizen to lose an eye or such."
Dracula snorted. "A little girl? How old is this human?"
"Eleven," Annalise answered.
"And you expect her to be a danger? I'll find her for you if it means you'll remove the both immediately." He said it as a joke immediately realizing his mistake as Jack grinned, delighted.
"Of course! We must find her as soon as possible. You are one of the best Trackers, Vlad," Jack said. His expression fell at the strangled growl Annalise let out.
"What?!" Annalise spat. "This is my sister! Not some random human you can just terrify half to death. No one's hunting her. Over my dead body! This one!" She gestured at herself.
Someone laughed, stifling it when they were harshly elbowed in the side.
Jack sighed and covered his eyes with a facepalm upon seeing Annalise's bristled expression.
"Touch her, and I will dig your second grave myself," Annalise threatened, whatever fear she had of the older monsters evaporating as horrible images of Dracula getting thirsty around her little sister came to mind.
There was a barking laugh, and Nicholas chuckled. "I'll lend a hand just on the chance I get to see that."
The Creature remained quiet and shook his head, not willing to get involved in the excitement.
Dracula sneered at Annalise's arrogance. "You're an overly confident child if you dare think…"
"Both of you, please," Jack snapped. "Annalise, we don't have time for you to be unnecessarily protective, as endearing as it is. The portal will close soon. Will you really deny help finding her?"
"No," Annalise said in a clipped tone, narrowed eyes glancing at the elder monsters.
"Then hurry. Spread the word as you go. The more monsters aware a human child is darting around, the better."
The Creature took that as his cue to leave, sure the others would fill him in later if something interesting came up.
"The better?" Anna didn't sound convinced.
"We needn't have monsters too surprised."
"Please don't scare her too much," Annalise asked.
The men shared a glance.
Anna looked away. "I don't expect you to understand or care, but she can't possibly be in a good state of mind after everything that happened. I don't want her hurt, physically or mentally. I don't want her traumatized."
"What?" Nicholas said, clearly confused.
Annalise grimaced and sighed, casting one last frustrated look at them before turning to leave. She had better find Jillian herself before anyone else did.
"Traumatized?" Nicholas turned to Jack, "Didn't she just say the child might try to take out an eye. That doesn't sound like a human so terrified their mind shuts down."
"Perhaps she means the long-term effects," Jack said. "Though Anna's concern with that is curious, I admit. I already told her we'd be erasing her siblings' memories."
"Jack."
Jack looked at Dracula, immediately frowning.
The vampire stared at the skeleton. "We will be getting an explanation soon, correct?"
"Yes," Jack said. His eyes narrowed warningly. He spoke quietly, carefully moderating his volume so that other monsters couldn't hear him outside of their little group. "But do not try prying answers from Annalise behind my back again, if you please." He was polite in his request, but there was an underlying warning in his tone. Not threatening, but a warning, nonetheless. "There are things she knows that are dangerous if she shared them with you. She is unaware, currently, but I expect you to understand my concern, for your sake and everyone else's."
The monsters looked shocked, just a bit.
"And you'd tell us this straight out?" Nicholas said dubious, unconsciously lowering his voice to match Jack.
"I may not have eyes, gentlemen," Jack said, "But I am not blind. I'm telling you to be careful about what you pry from me and mine. You, Vlad, may have been a citizen longer than I have, but there are secrets in the depths of Halloween that must remain known to the King only."
"What has that to do with the girl?" Dracula questioned, intrigued (and a little disturbed) in this serious side of Jack.
Jack glanced back at where Annalise went. "Telling you would hasten our trip to the second grave. Don't risk it."
"Our? Not just his?" Nicholas muttered in concern, gesturing at the vampire.
Jack didn't say. He just looked at them. "This is me begging you, as the Pumpkin King. Don't pry. Take that to your little monthly meeting of 'Classics,' as Helgamine so amusingly called it."
They both stiffened as he walked away. "Thomas," he greeted as he passed a space of air.
There was an awkward silence for a moment.
"Well, shit," Thomas laughed weakly, his voice popping up.
Note:
Sorry if that last part didn't make sense, but I was unsure how to work a proper explanation in without resorting to unnecessary filler. In Tricked Out by Aria of Light (I told you to read that story) the Classics, respectfully Dracula, The Creature from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Thomas Marvel, and Nicholas meet semi-regularly to discuss ongoing of town they prefer to keep private. Basically, there a bunch of old men discontent with how Jack runs Halloween, missing the "good ol' days." This is all part of Aria's story and more of a footnote in mine.