When Mekiah came home, Jack and I were coming down the stairs, hair dripping. She could tell right away that we had just gotten out of the shower. Mekiah scrunched her eyebrows, probably wondering why we were showering at such an odd time. She opened her mouth and raised her index finger like she was going to ask us, then thought better of it, made a face, shook her head and just said "Nevermind."
She placed a bag on the table, started pulling things out and setting them down. I grabbed my backpack.
Mekiah gave me an empty, decorative glass bottle, and she had one for herself. They had a very detailed and beautiful design on them, and they were sealed closed with a cork. She did not give one to Jack. She pulled out two large containers of salt, handing me one and placing one in her own backpack.
Jack instinctively took a step back, and I thought I saw him bare his teeth, almost snarling. I blinked and the look was gone. Did I imagine that?
Mekiah began to talk as she unpacked the large, cloth bag. "I went to a church," she informed us, pulling out a large plastic bottle filled with water. She opened a kitchen drawer and returned to the table with a small funnel. She started pouring water into each of the glass bottles and started speaking mid-pour.
"It was a Catholic church. The priest was very kind." She made a motion with her hand toward the water and said, "holy water." I looked at Jack, and he looked like he smelled something awful. He scrunched up his nose. I looked back at Mekiah.
"Didn't he think it was odd that a young woman would show up at the ass crack of dawn asking for holy water?" I asked her, genuinely curious.
"Apparently not, and if he did, he didn't show it," she said, corking the bottles. She reached into her backpack and pulled out the silver, gem encrusted dagger that was given to me by my father, then laid it on the table. "This is what I thought he would have been curious about. I asked him to bless it, and he did, no questions asked. Like I said, he was very kind." She smiled.
"Now, let's go kill us a demon!" she said with a menacing smile.
"I have no idea where to start," I said, looking at Mekiah. "Any ideas?"
"Not the slightest," she said. We both turned and looked at Jack.
"What are you looking at me for? I have no idea either!" he told us.
"But Sean may…" I said, and I prepared myself for the transformations I knew both of us would be making.
We put everything in backpacks so Sean couldn't see any of the tools or supplies we had. If he got suspicious he wouldn't believe us, and he definitely wouldn't help us find Sarah.
I wrapped my arms around Jack, holding him, basking in his warmth and breathing in his essence. I kissed him gently, but he pulled me into his body and deepened our kiss, parting his lips, allowing me to taste him. He pulled back and planted tiny kisses on my lips and neck.
"I love you, Mark. For always," Jack whispered to me.
"And I love you forever," I whispered back, burying my face in his neck. I wanted to absorb this moment because I knew once we started this, things might not ever be the same again.
I grabbed some more zip ties and we once again went through the routine of tying Jack to the banister. I looked down at him. "I kinda like seeing you bound like this, Jack. I may have to pay you back for earlier…" I smiled a wicked, toothy grin and winked at him.
"EWWWW!" Mekiah screeched, crinkling up her nose and laughing.
"So, do you think you will be able to pull Sean out on demand?" I asked.
"All I can do is try, but no promises," Jack sighed heavily. "Get ready, Mark."
I changed forms more times in the last two days than I ever had, and it got easier every time I did it. Fists clenched, I closed my eyes and reached down into the atoms and molecules of my angelic DNA and pulled every bit of power they could spare. I could once again feel the heat form in my belly and rush through my veins out to the tips of my fingers. I felt my body start to tremble and shake uncontrollably. And just like every time, a deafening roar escaped my throat. I pulled my power with every fiber of my being. The transformation exhausted me and I dropped to my knees.
"Mark!" Jack shouted, clearly alarmed at my collapse.
"I'm okay. I'm fine," I said, standing up, breathing heavily.
"What happened?" Jack asked me quietly.
"I dunno… maybe getting more powerful with each change? It felt different. I feel different. Stronger," I said, and I could actually feel my eyes pulsing their golden glow.
Mekiah looked at Jack. "Ready?" she asked him.
"It's showtime, baby," I said to him, smiling.
Jack closed his eyes and lowered his head. He seemed to be concentrating, I assume on Sean. He sat there silently for a few minutes. Mekiah and I watched his fists clench up suddenly and his body started to quake. A sound that reminded me of distant thunder escaped from him, and his head started shaking, as if he were silently saying 'no no no no no' in a rapid fashion. His signature growling roar ripped through the house, then he was still.
I walked closer.
"Jack? You okay?" I asked cautiously.
His eyes opened, and I was once again greeted by Sean's blazing hellfire green gaze.
"Hello, pretty little angel. What do I owe the pleasure?" Sean barked sarcastically.
"Hi, Sean. I asked Jack to bring you here."
"Why?"
"Because I want to make a deal with you..."