Chapter Six
Unexpected Demonic Comfort and a Strange Dream
I spent the next day or two inside, I had had no real reason to go outside, I had no runs to perform as I was the city slut and no one wanted me. They didn't even want me on any of Ivy's runs, if we didn't need the money to survive she'd have told them all to go to hell. I sent my time sleeping, reading, watching TV, just being lazy. Ivy had suggested I look up the mystery guy, but without anything to go on it was pointless. Not to mention the information I need Trent had... yeah, right, I was so calling him.
"Should never have slept with him..." I said miserably for the hundredth time as I nursed some ice cream. "But, damn it was great sex..." I was lying on the couch watching a old movie.
"Who was great?" Ivy said as she sat on the chair nearby and stole some ice cream.
"...No one, movie..." I mumbled and handed her the ice cream.
"You'll move on Rachel, give it time... you got over Nick, Pierce... Kist..." Ivy said the last name with such pain I looked up at her, I was shocked by intense look she was giving me.
"No... this feels different Ivy... Nick betrayed me, so did Pierce... but, this hurt worse. I think I was truly in love with him Ivy, more then anyone else in my life. I don't think I'll ever love anyone the way I did him." I shrugged and took the ice cream she handed me.
"I know, I know. And for that I'm so sorry, I never should have..." She just sort of sank into herself. "If I hadn't been so preoccupied with Nina you wouldn't have been lonely and spent so much time with him... fallen in love." She sighed and I touched her hand.
"It happened before that Ivy... started when we took the road trip to CA." I shrugged and set the empty container aside, I lurched off the couch. I needed more chocolate, a quick trip to the nearby store would be safe... what I'd kill for a assassin attempt or rogue demon.
"Where you going?" Ivy said, she couldn't hide the fear or strain in her voice, the image of me missing still fresh.
"Store, be back." I smiled and tried to show her I was okay, well okay-ish. I wasn't sure I'd ever be okay, but okay-ish was good for now.
"Okay, get me some OJ." She shrugged and went back to her magazine, I sighed relieved and grabbed my stuff before leaving. No one had said anything when I had gone out with Edden and Ivy. Then again who would mess with me while I was with the FIB captain and a vampire. Now, that I was alone I wanted to see the true damage. I had my splat gun, and enough chi to put up a circle if needed. I hoped not...
"Oh look, it's the town slut! How was your fuck with Mr. Kalamack?" A drunk slurred as I walked by, I grimaced and looked at him, he must have seen the look of death in my eyes for he went quiet and hobbled away.
"That was quick..." I sighed, as I entered the store, everyone inside turned to look at me. They froze and some had scared looks, others had disgusted looks, the one I liked where the ones with sympathetic looks. I loved the one who just ignored me like I didn't exist.
"Evening..." I smiled and walked back to the freezer section, I grabbed a carton of double fudge chocolate chunk, then decided to grab two cartons, and a large jug of OJ. I looked up as someone beside grabbed the OJ as I dropped it, they smiled and gave it back to me.
"Whoa, careful there. Bad day?" He smiled at the ice cream in my arms, I shrugged. I guess getting your heart broken was bad.
"Bad week..." I nodded at the ice cream, I couldn't tell if he was just being nice, sympathetic, or was going to turn mean, or maybe he just didn't know I was, what did that drunk call me? 'Cincinnati biggest slut'?
"I see, sorry about that, here try these." He placed a package of brownie filled cookies on top of my ice cream. "They will go amazingly with the ice cream." He smiled and winked at me as he left the store.
I must have been smiling like a big fool, because even though my world was falling part, and half the city hated me, I just had a guy flirt with me.
My day not sucking as bad as it had, I walked up to the cashier, they thankfully were a sympathetic face. "Just these please..."
"Of course Ms. Morgan, so happy to see you with a smile. I never liked that Trent anyways, what a scoundrel. How can you trust anyone who hides what species he is for several generations. Glad I never voted for him, you are welcome here anytime sweetheart." The cashier was a older woman about my age, she had such a kind face about her, I had never seen her so sweet and loving.
"Thank you, that means a lot to me..." I squeezed her hand as she handed me my money, she sighed and returned the squeeze.
"You hear me you lot? Anyone giving her trouble will be banned... permanently!" She was only about four foot tall, but she had a very commanding presence, it also didn't hurt that hers was the only store in The Hollows. No one wants to go all the way to Cincy for a jug of milk at 3am. Everyone muttered and went back to their shopping.
After this that drunk didn't even seem bad, after all he was drunk right? How can I hold it against him... "Thank you again!" I smiled a smile I really meant as I grabbed my bags. I left feeling a lot lighter then I had in a week, I could almost feel as if Trent had never happened. I knew not everyone would feel this way and I'd meet some asses out there. But, then again if they could get over me being a demon, why not this? It was no where near as bad,m no matter how they fluffed it up. Compared to half the shit I'd done in the last few years, this was positively normal. At that thought, I practically skipped home with my goodies, no longer needing to eat away my pain.
Screw Trent, I'm going out tomorrow to buy myself something nice and then I will start work on finding our mystery guy. The hair Ivy found has to be his, hopefully it'll give me something... Yeah! I walked back into the church much happier then I had left, Ivy gave me a funny look as I gave her the OJ to put away.
"Okay, what's up?" She asked suspiciously, I was skipping about getting out my spelling supplies, I was going to test to see if the hair was "human" and not animal.
"Nothing, I just realized there's more to life then sex and love, and def. Men. I have a great life, great friends... why wallow in self pity wondering why he didn't love me." At that I rolled my eyes and placed the baggy with the hair beside my bowl. I had to set my circle to make sure nothing contaminated my spell. Ivy must have noticed as she took her OJ and glass to her table, I gave her a thank you smile.
"Good, Trent's an ass and not worth of one tear." She nodded, I paused as my hands began to shake, I tried to hide it but she saw it before I could.
"The tears weren't for him... they were for me. For my pain, my wasted time, for all the dreams I had for the two of us that no longer exist. For my now empty time, for losing the only person I could love and be myself with. You see, the tears were for my pain and loss, not for him... he got no tears, nothing, just the ever pressing loneliness he will feel everyday of his life until he dies. Knowing that he lost the one and only person whoever truly knew and understood him. No, no tears for him... only for me." I sighed and went about setting my circle.
"Oh... okay... I'm sorry you had to shed tears for yourself then..." Ivy barely whispered, but I heard her, she knew I did.
"Me too Ivy, Me too."
"So, what are you doing?" She asked, she was trying to change the subject and I silently thanked her.
"Seeing if this hair you found is animal or 'human'." I said as I invoked my circle to protect me and my spell. "Okay, one eye of newt, two toe of frog, and three balls of a man." I looked up at Ivy who looked horrified, I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing hysterically, almost ruining my own spell with my tears.
"Oh, very mature!" She grumbled and slammed her book shut, I snorted and gasped for air as she stormed out of the room.
"It was just a joke!" I yelled after her, I was still laughing.
"I liked you better depressed!" She snapped and slammed the front door, I grinned and turned back to my spell.
"Okay, so one of these..." I dropped a seed, with some petals and oil into my bowl. "Okay, that should be it, now to add my blood and invoke it." I bent down under the counter to find a poke stick, when I came back up with it in my hands, I came face to face with a very angry Al.
"Ah!" I jumped back and slammed into the sink, which made me curse a few words. "Al, what's the big idea?!" I rubbed my hip and jumped gain when he lunged around the island and stood, glaring at me.
"What?!" I snapped, wondering why he wanted to kill me with looks alone, until he held up the newspaper with me and Trent in it. My face went slack and I went to take a step back, but his free hand flew out and grabbed my upper arm with such force, I knew I'd have a bruise.
"Been banging the elf have we itchy witch?!" He snarled as he squeezed my arm, I winced and tried to pull away. He had a manic look in his eyes.
"None of your business who I bang Al, now let go you are hurting me!" I pulled but he just squeezed harder.
"It is, when it's a elf you stupid witch!" He yelled in my face, I flinched and just stood there.
"Why?" I snapped back, I got a squeeze in return.
"Because you are a fricking demon, demons to not fuck elves!" He screamed, the ceiling shook and some dust fell, I heard Jenks kids get real quiet in the yard. I hoped they didn't come inside, Al would squish them like bug- Wait, my circle... it's up! How the hell did he get in my circle?!
"Al... how did you get inside here?" I was in such shock, I forgot the pain in my arm.
"Your circle is weak itchy witch, it was easy to slip inside... as apparently it was as easy for Trent to slip inside you and fuck you!" He bellowed as he sprayed me with spit.
"You can do that?" I asked still in shock.
"Yes, like you can fuck Trent." He snarled, I snapped out of my shock and glared at him.
"Well, you don't gotta worry because Trent told me personally it was all a trick, he only seduced me because he told Jonathon he could. He won the bet, and laughed in my face when I found out... I've spent he last week doing nothing but crying." I growled, Al instead of looking at least a little sympathetic grinned.
"Good, you deserved it for fucking him in the first place. I hope he broke your heart real good and bad, and that you cont. to cry for another month." He let out a bark of laughter like he was laughing at some joke, not my heart ache. Now it was my time to be angry, I took the energy I had spindled into my chi and pushed it into my free hand as I slapped him as hard as I could. The energy plus my anger sent him flying over the island and into my barrier on the other side.
"How dare you! How dare you make light of my pain, he hurt me Al! Hurt me more then anyone in my whole life ever has! I loved him with every inch of my soul, loved him so much it hurt, and then he breaks my heart into so many pieces they weren't countable, and then you laugh at me?! How dare you!" I screamed as I sent a wave of ever after into him, it made him groan and collapse onto the floor again. "You men are all scum! You will do anything to make us cry just so you can get a laugh and a good time!Well, I hate you, I hate you all!" I sucked in as much ever after as I could and sent it flying at him, the pulse was so strong that when it struck my barrier it sent back a wave then sent me flying into my own circle which instantly dropped it, I fell to the floor with a loud and hard thud.
I lay on the floor, I was panting and listening to my own heart beat, it was very quiet. Even the sound of Jenks kids was gone. I hadn't realized I was so angry, I guess my happiness before was a fake face, just me trying to hide from the pain by pretending it didn't bother me anymore. But, that was lie, I saw that now. It hurt more then it did before, probably I had tried to bury it, but it failed.
"Trent... Trent... why Trent... why?" I curled up there on the floor and started to cry. A week of of no crying finally coming to a end, as the real heartache flowed out of me like water from a faucet. I didn't remember seeing Al come over, but I heard him sigh and mutter he was sorry for hurting me. I thought he left but then I looked up and saw he had me in his arms, he was rocking me back and forth singing a song in some odd language. Probably demon language, I didn't care I buried my face into his chest and cried until I had no tears left, and then cried some more, all while he held and rocked me, alternating whispering how sorry he was and the song. He must have used a spell as I grew very sleepy and closed my eyes hearing and thinking no more.
"Rachel... Rachel... can you hear me?" A voice said from somewhere nearby, the last thing that I remembered was Al rocking me to sleep as I cried. I was annoyed with myself for breaking down and crying again. I so wanted to be over this and to move on.
"Rachel!" The voice yelled, wait, I recognized that voice.
I opened my eyes and looked around, I was inside some, actually I had no idea where I was. It was white, cloudy, no not clouds in the sky, but clouds on the ground and in the air about head height.
"...Hello?" I asked suspiciously, I hoped it wasn't the voice I thought it was, or I'd be pissed. 'I can't get away from him, even in my dreams.'
"Rachel... you came!" The voice said from behind me, I spun around and came face to face with... Trent.
"You!" I reached up and slapped him as hard as I could. Him, how could he be here, wasn't it bad enough he ruined my waking life...
"Wow, that hurt... but, I guess I deserve it and more. This isn't a dream... this is really happening. It was the only way I could speak with you without anyone knowing." He sighed and took a step back as I prepared to swing again.
"I don't care! You hurt me Trent, you ripped out my heart and shattered it into dust! I gave you my all and in return, you chose Elsbeth over me, then embarrassed me in front of my friends and the city, with those lies you spotted." I found I was screaming at him, I told a step back, glad there was no lay line in here or he'd be toast.
"I know, and I'm sorry, you have no idea how sorry, I a- wait, lies? You knew I was lying?" He asked shocked, it just pissed me off more.
"Of course I knew you were lying! You haven't been able to lie to me since I tried to arrest you for those lay line witch murders!" I snapped and took a step back, I didn't want to be anywhere near him. It just made the pain worse, I was sure I'd pass out from hyperventilating.
"Oh..." Was all he said, which just made me want to strangle him.
"Oh?! Is that all?! Why are you here! To apologize for ruining my life, for breaking my heart, for turning Cincy against me?! What!" I screamed as stormed up to him, bent on giving him a good beating.
"Yes... I wanted to explain, but it seems it would be pointless as you already know. But, I do want to tell you why I chose her. It wasn't for political, lazy, scared or anything reasons. Blackmail... she told me she would tell the world about my illegal operations if I did not marry her. Then when that wasn't enough she threatened to take Lucy and Ray from me, and that when she got home, she'd send a army of assassins to kill everyone I knew and loved. Then she'd start on my workers, my supplies, my people. Even you and your family... she'd have them all killed. She'd only stop once I chose her... I couldn't let hundreds... thousands die just so I could be happy for a short time. That's why I did it, I'm sorry. It's not much of an excuse for what I did to you, but I'm not asking for your forgiveness or acceptance. I just had to tell you the truth, now you know. Goodbye Rachel." He bowed his head and turned to leave, but my broken, dying couldn't stand it.
"Wait!" I yelled and grabbed his arm, he turned and looked at me, his eyes were full of as much pain as I had felt this last week. I was so wrapped up in my own pain I never thought about the pain he must have gone through when he did it. I silently cursed myself as I cupped his cheek. He reached up and wiped away a stray tear. This one was for him, and only him.
He must have seen the understanding in my eyes, for he leaned down and kissed me. I closed my eyes and silently wished this was all a dream, as it was too painful to believe in him, love him, and much easier to hate him. I placed my hand behind his head and returned his kiss, his arms went around my waist and he pulled me to him. I felt such heat, such passion, such pain, I knew without a doubt that it was real, and that he really truly did love me. I wasn't sure if that made me happy or sad.
For even though we made up in here, our there he still has to hate me, and never see me again, or she will destroy this city in her jealous rage, that's what hurt more then anything else.
'How can someone be so cruel?' I sniffed and looked u into his eyes as he pulled away from me. My eyes must have mirrored the pain in his own for he too let free some stray tears,it was my turn to wipe them away.
"I'm working on a way to stop her, but I need to know Rachel. Will you have me when I'm done? If I go through all this to rid myself of her safely... will you have me, or is it too late?" He pinched his brow like he did every time he got worried, I just smiled.
"I will wait until the ever after falls into the abyss and beyond for you Trent, I always will." I smiled and ran my hand through his hair.
He closed his eyes and sighed a sigh of relief, without a word he bent down and kissed me with such force and passion, I was momentarily taken aback. When I returned the passion his moan of pleasure made me smile.
'Could this be true? Could he really be here telling me all the things I've wanted to hear for a week now? Or is this just a exhausted, heart broken dream?' I opened my eyes and found him staring at me, I looked into his eyes and saw Trent there. Not some dream version, but the real life Trent, that I knew and loved, we both smiled at the same time when he saw I finally believed.
"I love you Rachel, and I will always come for you, always." He kissed me softly before he stepped away. "See you tomorrow night." He smiled and faded away.
I opened my eyes to see Jenks was floating above me. "Good dream Rache?"
"Yeah, why?" I asked confused, he just grinned and flew out. I just shrugged and went back to sleep, I slept better then I had in weeks. So, I have a chance after all? I thought, and by god, this time I was going to fight like hell!