Chapter 4

'Alright.' Katherine said as she entered the living room. 'I've found a substitute to take my class for a while.' Amy had also found a co-worker to handle her shifts, and Lisa put her junior in charge of the funerals they had coming up this week. It was Christina who was having a hard time relinquishing Sam's case.

'I can't.' She said, pacing the room.

'Chris, I know how you feel about this one.' Amy said from the couch. 'But we need to be here to figure this out.'

'I can still do both Aimes, I have before.'

'It's not the same this time though, is it?' Dani pointed out.

'Yeah, this demon singled you out.' Lisa said.

'We don't know that for sure.' Christina said, still pacing.

'I think he was pretty clear, and whoever was watching must have realised when he focused on you.' Katherine said. 'And how will you explain that gash on your forehead to the people you work with?'

'I'll say I was in a car accident or something, it's fine.'

'It's not fine Christina!' Lauren almost yelled, causing them to look at her and Christina to stop pacing. 'You could have been killed today, or worse. You and Lisa, because you weren't here with us.' She sighed. 'What happens if you go off to work on your own and something happens?' Christina and Lauren's eyes were locked.

'I have a theory.' Katherine said, standing up. 'What if that was the whole point of these demons being sent. To try and find out which one of us was...'

'Was what exactly?' Amy asked.

'I don't know, what they needed?' Katherine shrugged. 'Whatever's going on, it's safe to say that Christina is the one they want. So Chris, I'm sorry but you need to get someone else to take over your case.' Katherine put her foot down.

'Shit.' Christina said, running her hands through her hair. She looked around the room before heading up the stairs to her room. Lisa was about to follow but Amy stopped her.

'Leave her be for now.' Amy said. 'Trust me.'

'Okay.' Lisa nodded and sat back down.

'We need to figure this out fast.' Dani said.

'We could ask dad?' Lauren suggested.

'Oh yeah, Chris is going to love that idea.' Lisa said. 'She hasn't spoken to him in what, seven years?'

'Chris was eighteen when mum died you guys, she basically took over for her and picked up the slack when dad had his breakdown.' Katherine said.

'I don't really remember.' Dani admitted.

'Me either.' Lauren said, agreeing with her.

'Chris was really good at making it seem like everything was okay.' Katherine said. 'I tried to help her as much as I could but it was a lot.'

'I'm sure I was a great help.' Lisa said with regret in her voice. 'Out all night, never making curfew.'

'You weren't that bad Lisa.' Katherine said.

'Oh I was a nightmare.' Lisa smiled. 'But I do think we should ask dad. He knew mum for longer than we ever did so maybe he can help.' Just then Christina came back down the stairs.

'You alright?' Lauren asked as Christina sat down next to her.

'Fine.' Christina said. 'I'm getting Heather to do my leg work on this case, but when it gets to trial I have to be there.'

'Okay.' Katherine said. 'And we think we have a plan of action.'

'Really?' Chris asked. 'What is it?'

'We want to call dad.' Katherine confirmed. Christina stared at her for a moment, thinking.

'Alright, get him to come to the house. But I'm not talking to him.' She said before leaving the room again.

'That was, easy.' Lisa said. 'Amy, any feelings we need to be worried about?'

'No, she was just tired, and sad.' Amy confirmed.

'I guess I'll call dad then.' Katherine said.

A few hours later they were in the dining room. Their father, Robert, was sitting at the head of the table with five of his daughters staring back at him. Christina was leaning against the wall at the back of the room. 'Wow, look at you girls.' He said nervously. 'I feel like I don't see you at all any more.'

'We had coffee last month.' Lauren said.

'I know, but all of us together, it's like old times.' He smiled, looking up to Christina. 'Christina, you...' Christina shifted uncomfortably.

'Dad, we need to talk to you about something.' Katherine said, taking his focus.

'Of course, what is it?' He asked.

'We need to know if any demons singled out mum from our aunts.' Katherine continued.

'Why do you want to know that?' He asked.

'Why are you so scared all of a sudden?' Amy questioned. Christina stood a little straighter against the wall.

'Your mother, the night she died.' Robert cleared his throat. 'I'm sorry, I...'

'Just answer the question dad.' Christina said suddenly. 'No more lies, no more blurring the details, just answer the question.' Robert looked at her and nodded slightly.

'The night your mother died, she went against your aunts wishes. They were fighting a demon, who had already tried to take your mother a few times, and she went to him on her own.'

'Why would she do that?' Dani asked quietly.

'Because he said he would hurt her family if she didn't.'

'But they had powers, they could have fought him together.' Amy said.

'No, not this guy.' Robert rubbed his arms. 'He came to the house once, when you were younger.'

'It was the middle of the night.' Christina said, looking down. 'Why can't I remember anything else?'

'Your mother didn't want you to.' Robert admitted. 'She cast a memory spell so that you wouldn't remember, the ones of you who were in the house anyway.' He looked at Lisa.

'Sorry.' She said, raising her hands.

'What happened that night?' Christina asked.

'He came cloaked in darkness, foggy, cold, darkness. He had holes where his eyes should have been, and teeth as sharp as a sharks. His hands were bony and skeletal, and he was taller than any man I've seen before.'

'He wanted mum?' Lauren asked.

'He did.' Robert confirmed. 'He said he wouldn't just kill your aunts, but all of you guys as well. Your mum wasn't prepared to loose everyone she loved so she went to him, without telling your aunts.'

'Why would she think that would work? She was giving him exactly what he wanted.' Dani said.

'Did he kill her?' Katherine asked.

'No, he didn't want to kill her.' Robert said.

'You told us she was killed by a demon.' Lisa said.

'That's not true is it dad?' Christina looked at him. 'She went to him knowing she wouldn't come back, knowing she would never see anyone ever again. Didn't she?' Robert nodded. 'What did she do dad?' Christina had tears in her eyes at this point.

'She took a potion with her.' Robert sniffed, wiping at his eyes. 'I don't know exactly what happened, but she drank it.'

'She killed herself.' Dani whispered. 'To protect everyone else.'

'She told me that this demon could not get what he wanted, no matter what.' Robert said.

'What did he want?' Katherine asked.

'Her powers.' Robert confirmed. 'Your mother was the strongest. Something about her powers appealed to this guy.'

'Who was he?' Lisa wondered.

'All your mother ever told me was his name, Belial.' Robert said as Christina's head shot up.

'What did you say?' She asked.

'Belial.' Robert repeated. 'That was the demons name.'

'Have you heard it before?' Amy asked.

'Maybe, I can't remember but it sounds familiar.'

'Not that I'm not happy to see you girls, but why are you asking me about this now?'

'There have been a couple of attacks recently.' Katherine said. 'Christina was singled out by a demon.'

'No, it's not, it can't be.' Robert said. 'It can't be happening again.'

'Seems like it is.' Christina said. 'Did mum ever say anything else about Belial?'

'Only that he was the most powerful thing she'd ever come up against. She didn't keep me that in the loop on demonic issues I'm afraid.'

'Well, thanks for your help dad.' Christina said, leaving the room and heading up the stairs. Robert sat with his other daughters looking at him.

'You need to keep an eye on her girls.' Robert said.

'She can take care of herself.' Amy pointed out.

'I know she can, but if this is the same, then she wont.'

'What do you mean?' Lauren asked.

'She's the spitting image of your mother. She's tough and loyal and protective. She has some of the same powers as your mother for God's sake. I guarantee she will make the same choices as your mother did that night and you can't let her.'

'We won't let anything happen to her dad.' Katherine promised.