A/N: Here I am! Admittedly, late, but whatever. I only own Cassie.
The next few days passed in a haze. I was a church hand in return for his charity in bringing me here, and when I wasn't doing that, I was reading up on my religion and myths. After all, I was one.
Normally, I hated reading. Absolutely loathed it. But since it was for my survival, I made an exception. The first piece of literature given to me was one I was supposed to read over Christmas break but blew off entirely, Paradise Lost. Once I got over the confounding form, that one was actually… interesting. You know with 'Better to reign in Hell than to serve in Heaven', 'The mind can make a Heaven of Hell and a Hell of Heaven' and all that. That was followed by the Divine Comedy, along with numerous books about angels, demons, Heaven, and Hell. The whole thing with angels was what I liked to read about most. That, along with the Fall.
The day I had to leave, Moreau caught me reading. "Don't you need more light?"
I shook my head. "I never really liked light." That was why I always pulling all-nighters, even when I didn't need to study. I wanted to take full advantage of the time where most everything was asleep and there wasn't a giant circle of light threatening to blind me. I guess it was another thing I was going to have to give up.
"It likes the dark places, then." I just noticed he was out of his normal priests' attire and in jeans, a large black t-shirt, and a black leather trench coat. "I don't really need those dusty old books. You can have them." He leaned against the wooden sliding closet door in the sacristy. "Come outside with me." I followed him where he was holding my bike. Well, not my bike, but it might as well be now.
I shook my head. "I can't. Nowhere to put them, remember?" I spread my arms to show that I, indeed, didn't have a bag or a pocket big enough to hold even one of these.
He smiled, motioning to a leather bag on the side of the seat. "Just as forgetful as your father, I see."
That took me by surprise. "Did you know my father?"
He sighed and sat down. "Oui. For a time, at least. You look like him, you know. He ran for years, and from what I can tell, he's still running. I guess that that will probably happen to you, too. Well, what can I tell you about him? He was sarcastic, withdrawn. But that's because of his curse. He drank a lot, too. He's a biker, he was all his life. I guess you got that from him, too. Now, about your own bike." There was something there I didn't notice before—a black skull and crossbones on it, in front of the seat. "That marks it as yours. If—God forbid—you should change again, there is a class of demon, Ghost Riders, that serve Zarathos. One shall sense your power whenever you change, and be drawn to your vehicle, in this case, your motorcycle, whenever you ride it. This here," he motioned to it, "is a seal that sends the Ghost Rider back to Gehenna the second you change back."
Mounting the bike, I looked up at him. "So… this is goodbye, huh?"
"For now. Oh, and one more thing?" He tossed me something—two flasks. "One has holy water in it. If you feel yourself losing control, put a little on your skin. Do not ingest it at any costs. The other… well, I decided it would be better if you got drunk on something good, instead of the cheap crap you were drinking earlier, when I found you. But if anyone asks, you didn't get it from me."
I was oddly touched by the gift of the whiskey, maybe because it was a priest giving it to me. I looked at the flask with liquid courage in it, and saw an inscription: At the shrine of friendship never say 'die'/ Let the wine of friendship never run dry. I looked up to him again "Thank you. Until we meet again." I nodded. I kicked the kickstand and drove away from everything I knew before.
XXXXX
I covered about fifty miles the first day before the sun started to set. Seeing a church, I veered off. The priest was a kind man who led me in and even prepared a bed in the sacristy. "It is odd to see a girl of your age on your own."
"I've run into some… problems lately."
"You're part demon."
I looked up. "How did you know?"
"Your ears are pointed. You're wearing the mark of an Exorcist, or someone under his protection. I must admit, it is a rare occurrence that I see a half-breed. Do not worry. I have no qualms with your kind. So I suppose that answers my query about your coming here."
"Thank you for your hospitality. Once the sun rises, however, I must be on my way. It is not good for me to be at the same place for too long. I shall help clean the church, though, because you have been so kind."
"There is no need. Rest tonight and continue tomorrow."
XXXXX
The next month went the same way, finding a church and thanking each priest for his hospitality. Until I made the worst mistake of my life, worse than stealing the motorcycle—I kept riding when I saw the sky turn pink with the sunset, thinking I could find another church. The pain started the second the sun dipped under the horizon. I felt the skin melt off my bones as I pulled into an abandoned warehouse. The mix of pain, fear, insanity, and relief ran through me, only faster. It actually felt kind of… good. That's right. Give up. I knew it was easier if I waited it out till morning, but the other side had other plans. Once the transformation was complete, I placed my hands on the motorcycle and the Ghost Rider demon entered it, transforming it. Mounting it with some sick sense of satisfaction, the other side drove off, saying with smugness, I see you've accepted the monster. And there'll be hell to pay.
When I awoke, my head was on fire again, the pain was still there, and once again, I had the mother of all hangovers. There was blood on my jacket. Popping a few of the pills that Moreau gave me, I held my head in my hands, wondering just what I did. Who I killed. If my life was always going to be this hell.
A/N: The inscription on the flask was from the song 'Drink with Me' from Les Miserables, which I saw yesterday in theaters. Want to know how it was? Go to operaghost96. Deviantart. Com, and remove the spaces.
Please drop a review to tell me how I can improve!