Chapter 19

I never thought I'd see the day that Trent willingly went back to the ever after. He was sitting next to me in Al's kitchen having tea and marshmallows? This was so not happening. Al was overjoyed at the idea of having Trent come which worried me even more. Since when was Al okay with my hanging out with Trent? I wondered if he was up to something but I couldn't figure it out. Ever since Trent's office he has known something and not been sharing with me.

"Al, I have to do something before they come for me." I whined. "You're supposed to be helping me."

"I have, love. You're still alive and they've been after you for a week now? I'd say I've done a damn fine job of helping." Al popped another marshmallow into his mouth. I thought bringing him real marshmallows would have softened him up a bit.

"How can I get to them without them possessing anyone?" I asked him not drinking my tea but keeping it to warm my hands.

"Find them." Al's answer was simple, but it wasn't that easy.

"Do you have a way to find them or not?" Trent's first words since we arrived.

Al set down his roasting fork. "Perhaps. What are you willing to give for it?"

"Al! That's not fair. I need it, not Trent." I exclaimed standing up and spilling my tea. "Damn it!" I grabbed a towel and wiped up the bench.

"Rachel." Al groaned. I could tell by his tone that he was softening.

"I need this Al. I've already given you access to all of my funds. I'm risking my ass to help save the whole demonic species and I have to find a way to fix the ever after. Please help me." I asked him again.

"Fine as long as you stop the whining. What is it with all you women?" Al disappeared to return a moment later with a book. It was the same book I had gotten the spell out of to keep Ellasbeth from using magic for anything but good. The book peaked Trent's interest but he stayed put like a good ex-familiar should.

"What am I looking for?" I accepted the book from Al.

"There's a curse that will take out all of the Druchii. It's never been performed because no one demon has ever had enough power to perform it except maybe Newt but that bitch loves chaos. You can do it Rachel." Al explained watching Trent for his reaction.

"I could perform a curse that would kill them all?" I asked already knowing I wouldn't do it.

Al laughed. "No. Don't you think we would have banded together long ago to take care of our little elf problem. It will only strip them of their magic."

"Oh." That I would do. It wouldn't kill them, just make them unable to wreak havoc in reality.

"It's the last curse in the book. Take it with you. Leave the marshmallows." Al said gruffly.

"Thanks Al." I said getting up and moving to the face on the floor, Trent following.

"Yeah, yeah. You owe me again Rachel." Al said and waved his hand towards us.

We landed in my kitchen, the book held tightly in my grip. I almost dropped it as I took in the scene around me. The kitchen was demolished. My hanging rack was no longer hanging, chairs were overturned, the pantry had exploded and food was everywhere.

"Ivy! Jenks!" I rushed towards the living room not finding the scene much better. The couch had been torn apart and all the stuffing removed. The electronics all broken and the scent of ozone hung heavy in the air. Someone had set a circle. Where the hell was Ivy and Jenks?

Trent and I followed the path of destruction all the way to the front of the church with no sign of Ivy or Jenks. I hadn't heard or seen any of Jenks' kids either but if Jenks had given them orders they were following them. Bis dropped from the ceiling and I sent my thoughts out to the ley line putting up a circle around Trent and I.

"It's me Ms. Rachel." Bis said as he dropped into my circle.

"Ivy? Jenks?" I said becoming worried, lowering my circle.

"They went after them. They left here on foot. It was those twins elves." Bis explained.

"I forgot them in Seattle!" It was all my fault again. I had been so sloppy in dealing with stuff lately. I really needed to get my crap straight or someone was going to get killed.

"No, they were spelled Rachel. Someone woke them up. I had sent someone to take care of them." Trent tried to reassure me. Just as I was about to totally freak out I heard Jenks' wings.

"Thank God." I said as he flew in the front door followed by Ivy. They looked completely fine.

"Rache is back!" Jenks took his place on my shoulder. "What did Al say?"

"What did Al say?" I repeated. "Who cares what Al said! What happened here? Are you guys okay?"

Trent moved up next to me gently taking my hand in his. It calmed me a little but probably not as much as he would have liked. "Where's Nick?"

"Oh this?" Ivy waved her hand around the room. "Yeah we had a little run in with your twin friends. They're on the front lawn. Nick got away, again."

-x-x-x-

Several hours later and six trash bags we were done cleaning the church. Sometimes I wished their was a magical, faster way to get this done. Trent refused to go home with the excuse of wanting to be part of whatever was going to happen to his race. I didn't see it that way. The Druchii were something totally different than the elves I was use to, well except maybe Jon. He had finally excused himself to give Quen a call giving Ivy and Jenks and I a chance to talk without him hearing.

"Rache, you're not going to be responsible for that little cookie maker!" Jenks said sweeping some remaining wood shavings off the center island.

"He can take care of himself." I believed it too. Trent didn't need me to watch him anymore. He was getting pretty good with the wild magic.

"The two of you haven't been thinking clearly when you're together. You've always been ruled by your emotions. Trent use to have a brain in that head of his. I think you're rubbing off on him." Ivy sighed sitting down with a cup of coffee.

"Is that such a bad thing?" I asked.

Jenks and Ivy exchanged a loaded look. I didn't even want to hear the answer to that.

"Look we need to just finish this out and Trent and I will have a nice little talk." I slammed Al's book down onto the center island. "Right now I need to look at this curse that Al seems to think will solve all my problems." They both remained silent as I flipped the book open to the last pages.

The curse would need a few ingredients out of the garden which wouldn't be a problem. I would need to have honest intent? I hadn't seen a curse require anything like that before but I wouldn't have a problem with that either. I scrolled down the page to the end and it was the last thing the curse required that I understood why Al was just peachy to have Trent involved. It required blood from a descendant of elves that originally lived in the ever after. Trent was going to have to give me some blood. Swell.

I smelled the hint of cinnamon as Trent came back into the kitchen. He smiled at me noticing his entrance but quickly turned it into a frown when he saw my face. "What is it?"

"To do this curse, I'll need your blood." I said putting it lightly. It was the fashion in that the blood is required to be taken that bothered me.

"Sure. If it will stop them, give me a finger stick." Trent said not even hesitating to help.

"Uh, well that's the problem. I have to take it from you, and not with a finger stick." I looked at the counter not wanting to see the look on his face.

"Tink's little pink thong Rache, just spit it out. What do you have to do to fairy farts?" Jenks broke the silence.

"I have to take it from a knife blade that has penetrated his skin in anger." I whispered.

"Whoa. That's close to crossing a line." Ivy said.

"I know! I know!" I yelled.

"I'll do it." Trent said.

"No. We'll find another way. We can find something else. I'm not going to stab you Trent." I said meeting his eyes. Surprisingly I didn't see any fear in them.

"Yes you will Rachel. I can piss you off enough to get you to stab me." Trent stated regaining some of his confidence. Jenks chuckled and Ivy smirked. What was wrong with them? I was not going to stab Trent. "Get it all ready. We can save the blood for last." Trent turned the book towards him to look over the curse nodding his head in approval.

"I'm not stabbing you." I said more firmly.

"It doesn't say you have to stab me. Just be angry when you break my skin." Trent explained. "I can piss you off and you can swipe my arm with the knife."

"Fine, but if this goes wrong this is your fault." I said pointing my finger at him.

-x-x-x-

The curse was prepped and the only thing left to add was my blood and Trent's. Then I had to invoke it and hope it worked. It was the part about Trent making me angry that worried me. The man had a way of getting under my skin and who knew what he was going to say or do to make this happen. He wanted to see it through to the end as much as I did but I've never performed a curse that hurt anyone but myself. I really was becoming a demon.

"I don't think you're bad if I'm okay with it Rachel." Trent said easing my worries a little.

"Lets just get this over with." I mumbled taking one of my ceremonial knives into my hand. Ivy had decided it better if she waited outside seeing that we were going to be spilling a lot of emotions and blood into the room. Jenks had a few of his oldest kids sitting with Belle and Bis on top of the fridge, the rest of the pixies were to stay outside with Ivy. Jenks had his best peter pan pose waiting on the center island. I felt better knowing he was here. I knew I wouldn't hurt Trent that badly but I hated this whole idea.

Trent stood about four feet back from me and looked deep in thought. I sighed. It couldn't be that hard to think of something to make me angry. Trent smiled and I felt my stomach drop to my knees. He was going to let me have it, I could see it in his eyes.

"I was just thinking about when you were a mink." Trent watched my hand with the knife twitch. I didn't like to talk about that. "I kept you in a cage Rachel. I let Jon torment you for days." I felt little spikes of anger but it wasn't enough. He was going to have to keep going. He saw that also and was up for the challenge. "I put you in the rat fights. You met Nick. He got you your first demon mark." That comment upset me a little more than I thought it would and I tapped the line not even thinking twice. Trent saw that it was working and decided he needed to continue. "I knew that your father was not your birth father since the moment I met you and never said a word. I knew what you were and refused to explain it to you." It wasn't enough. I was mad but I wasn't pissed and I had worked myself through all of those things so they didn't bother me like they use to.

Trent took a breath obviously saving the best for last. He seemed to stiffen thinking that what he said next would cause me to get the blood we needed to finish this curse. "I let Ku' Sox out and now you're stuck cleaning up my mess. You have to save the demons and the ever after or you'll be blamed for the end of magic."

"You bastard! I know it's all your fault! I always have to clean up everyone else's messes when I can't even control my own!" I yelled at Trent. I felt my hair floating behind me as I held the line. "Thousands of people died in San Francisco and I was blamed for it but it was your fault."

"I could have took the blame for my involvement but I didn't. I let you take it all." Trent said not breaking eye contact. He looked so smug I wanted to smack that look right off his face. He came forward only leaving less than a foot of space between us. " I wouldn't change any of it either. You needed to take responsibility for your demon kin."

I moved so quick I hadn't even realized I had done it. I threw a ball of energy out of my hands at Trent knocking him back a few feet but I didn't back down. I came forward throwing out my right foot to catch behind his knees before he could get his balance, successfully dropping him to the floor. I was on him a second later my left forearm cutting off his hair supply and my right had with the knife against his right arm as I strattled him.

I heard everyone on the fridge take a deep breath at how fast I had taken him down.

"Finish it." Trent choked out. For once I listened. I ran the knife down the inside of his forearm only stopping when I felt him stiffen under the skin being broken. The blood ran down the knife, dripping onto my own hand. The smell of cinnamon filled the kitchen as he continued to bleed onto the floor.

Jenks flew down bringing a towel with him dropping it onto Trent's bleeding arm. "Rache, get it into the curse."

I looked at Trent's eyes still not seeing any fear in them. Either he was hiding it very well or he really did trust me. I got off of Trent but kept holding the line. All my warning flags had been tripped and I didn't know why. I gently let three drops of Trent's blood drip into the copper pot. I grabbed a finger stick adding three of my own. The scent of burnt amber swirled with the scent of cinnamon actually smelling quite appealing. Good thing Ivy had waited outside. It was ready to go. I just had to invoke it.

-x-x-x-

Something didn't feel right. I wasn't sure if it was Trent totally being okay with me attacking him with a knife or just the curse in general. I had good instincts and all of them were screaming at me not to do this curse. It was totally prepped ready to go. All I had to do was swallow it, wait until I found the Druchii in the ever after and say the words to take their magic away. I wanted to talk to Al.

I stared at the curse on the counter a moment longer before reaching under and getting my mirror. I was going to listen to my instincts if it killed me.

"Uh, Rache? What are you doing?" Jenks asked seeing the mirror in my hand.

"Checking something." I mumbled. Trent was sitting in my chair at the table with the towel wrapped around his arm where I had cut him. He looked okay but something felt off. I cleared my mind and looked at Trent with my second sight. No weird shadows on his aura, it was him. So why does it not feel right?

I sat in a chair across from him and set the mirror in my lap. I carefully arranged my fingers and tapped the line.

"Al? Al I need to ask you about this curse?" I said out loud. I didn't get a response. I let a few minutes pass before I pressed my fingers harder into the mirror and tried again.

'Hell Rachel can't you leave me alone for a whole day!?' Al finally answered.

"No I can't. Something feels off about this Al. Is there something you aren't telling me?" I asked him.

'I've told you everything love. If something feels off ask your elf. I told you to stop collecting nasty little men.' Al laughed.

"I was afraid of that." I swallowed.

'It requires honest intentions to work. And the blood. Remember that.' Al finished and cut the connection off.

Everyone in the kitchen was quiet as I put my mirror away. Jenks' wings were going full tilt as he watched me walk across the room.

"Trent, can I talk to you in private please." I said looking at him as I shoved the mirror between my books.

He nodded his head and followed me out of the kitchen. I could hear Jenks, Bis, and Belle whispering but I couldn't make out the words. I heard Trent's snort so I know he could. He walked into my bedroom and took a seat on the bed. I closed the door behind us knowing it was only an illusion of privacy.

"Something is wrong with the curse." I said watching his reaction.

He stayed the same. No eye twitch, no touching his hair, no change in his scent. "What happened?" He asked with genuine curiosity.

"The curse has to have honest intentions to work. Mine were honest. What were yours?" I asked staying close to the door.

I saw the skin around his eyes tighten before he answered. "Mine are honest. I just don't want you to go up against the Druchii alone. The curse is set up for you to do it alone. I'm not okay with that."

"That's not your choice! I can do this Trent. You didn't worry about what I would have to take on alone when you cursed me to the ever after!" I was trying to not let my anger rule what I wanted to say but it was hard.

"Now that isn't fair. I did that to help you. Let me help you now." Trent pleaded with his eyes.

It was really hard to say no to that man when he looked at me like that. "I can't. I will not be responsible for anything that happens to you. I can't have you die."

"I'm not going to die Rachel." Trent said getting up from the bed.

"But you could." I put up a hand to stop him from coming closer only he didn't stop. He took me into his arms and I let him.

"I can't watch you go on your own. If you go I'll follow and you know it." He whispered into my hair.

"I know but you're too important. Too many people depend on you. I couldn't live with myself if something happened." I explained.

"This is about Kisten." He realized.

"Yes." I whispered afraid if I said anything else I would cry.

"Okay. I'll sit this one out. I won't follow you." Trent hugged me tighter.

"Promise me?" I asked looking up at him.

"I promise." Trent said.

-x-x-x-

After the little talk with Trent things felt okay. I didn't have the strange feeling that this wasn't going to work. I drank the whole entire awful pot of that curse and memorized the words I needed to strip their magic. It was easy enough, if I could find them. Al had called me back offering to go with me. Either he wanted in on something big that was going to change the ever after or Newt thought I was going to get myself killed again. It didn't matter, I felt better that he would be there. I hated the ever after and I was certain the Druchii were living on the surface. Swell.

I was dressed in my normal ass kicking outfit and was having a fantastic hair day. I looked good and by the way Trent couldn't keep his eyes off me I knew it. I had my splat gun tucked into the back of my leathers but not really sure if it would do me any good or even be needed. I had ten minutes before Al would be here to pick me up and end the temper tantrum by the Druchii. I found it weird that a curse by a female demon was the only way to stop them. That's probably why the elves killed all the females, well the ones Newt didn't get to.

I felt a twinge on my awareness and I realized Al was early. That was going to make saying goodbye go by that much faster.

"Okay guys, I'll be back as fast as I can." I said. "Al's early so I gotta get out there."

"Kick some Druchii ass Rache." Jenks grinned.

"Yeah knock em dead." Ivy said paying attention to her cup more than me.

"Be smart." Trent kissed me lightly on the lips breaking away quickly with all the kissing noises Jenks was making.

I smiled and turned to walk out the back door. I stopped before I could go out hoping this wouldn't be the last time I see the church.