The song here is "House on a Hill" by The Pretty Reckless
House on a Hill
The car cruised against the rain and the music was soft and low as to not disturb Anne and Gadreel's sleep. Viviane continued driving, happy to let them rest. She looked up into the review mirror and smiled softly as she watched them sleep with their arms wrapped tightly around each other.
Poor Anne had been through so much. Each time someone she loved was taken from her, part of her gets eaten up by fear she'll never see them again. Viviane's death was the worst. Now that she was back with her daughter, she could see what her death has done to Anne: she was afraid of being alone again, so she clung to the two she feared losing the most.
As she looked back ahead at the road, she wondered what Anne would do if she ever lost her mother and her boyfriend. What if she dies of old age? Will Anne resurrect her with spells? What if Gadreel dies in an accident or was killed? Would Anne kill everything in her path and resurrect him?
Viviane knew a witch gone mad was not at all a fair portrayal of her daughter, but she feared what Anne would do if she was ever grief-stricken again. If Crowley wouldn't help again, would she try to resurrect the dead with witchcraft? That sent a shiver down Viviane's spine.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw someone standing on the shoulder of the road. They extended their arm and pointed to some road to the right. Viviane slowed down and let the car crawl closer to the stranger.
It was a woman looking like she stepped out of a corporate business office and when she blinked and her eyes were black, Viviane knew that the stranger was actually a demon. A bit of panic began to rise and she did the only thing she could think of.
"Anne, Gadreel." She said and they woke up as the demon walked over to the car, standing by the passenger door. The window rolled down on its own and the demon bent over to see them. She smiled at them in a creepy manner.
"Hi, kids." She said. "I'm Nerilla, your friendly neighborhood demon." she added and laughed a little as the humans inside the car just stared at her as if they didn't know what to make of her. "Crowley sent me to put in affect a special order of protection." She said and Anne was the one to let out a little laugh.
"Yeah right." She said and Nerilla kept her smile.
"He realizes that you're better off to him far away from those pesky angels, so I'm taking you to a safe house where you'll be guarded by me and his best Hellhound." She said and the humans were still silent and uncertain. "This is what you wanted, Annie Dear." She added and all kindness vanished from her voice and her facial expression. It was clear that she wouldn't tolerate any stalling.
Nerilla stepped away as the window rolled back up on its own and she disappeared. Anne glanced around for any sign of her, but couldn't. Gadreel glanced at Viviane who was hesitant, but began putting the car into motion.
"Mom?" Anne asked, glancing at her mother.
"I'm not sure I trust her. She seems a little… crazy." Viviane said as she was about to drive past the road to their right, but the steering wheel jerked and the car turned and cruised smoothly down the road. Viviane tried to step on the brakes and tried to steer the wheel, but the car was being controlled.
Anne and Gadreel watched and looked up ahead. Eventually, a small rundown house appeared under the glow of the headlights and in front of it, Nerilla waited with a grin and her hand up with her fingers spread and curled like it was that of a corpse.
When the car stopped and the engine was cut off, Nerilla continued to watch them as she lowered her hand.
"She ain't taking no for an answer." Viviane said, stating the obvious, and they hesitantly got out of the car, stepping into the rain. As they approached, they heard the growl of an invisible creature. Nerilla just smiled invitingly as if she heard nothing.
"Just her way of saying hello." She said and then she gestured towards the little house and once they walked in, they noticed all the sigils that covered the walls and the ceiling.
Nerilla walked in and the door closed behind her with the flick of her fingers. She smiled at them and gestured to the table and the four chairs; the only things in the little house which looked more like a shack now.
"So," Anne began as her mother sat down at the table. "We're just gonna sit here and wait for our lives to waste away?" she asked and Nerilla kept smiling.
"It's what you wanted, right? All together and protected by Hell?" she asked and Anne gestured to the shack and the only furniture it in. "You're welcome." She added and looked out the window, watching Juliet hide under some bushes, keeping watch at the road.
Anne couldn't help but find it odd that this demon kept throwing it into her face. Did she object to the request she made to the King of Hell? Or was she just offended that she was stuck with the job of protecting?
"So," Viviane began, but Nerilla kept her back to them. "Crowley ordered this?" she asked and when the demon remained silent, she knew it wasn't Crowley. "It was Clara, wasn't it?" she asked and still, Nerilla kept her back to them.
"Both." Was all she said and the humans fell silent.
Anne turned and met Gadreel's gaze as he sat in one of the chairs. He extended his hand and she took it, sitting on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck as he wrapped his around her waist.
Viviane smiled at them, but then glanced at the walls, feeling bored. She glanced back at the demon and sighed.
"Can't we have a deck of cards or something?" she asked and Nerilla snapped her fingers and one appeared on the table, of course it had to be a deck of cards with skulls all over them. Was that a hint that they were getting on Nerilla's nerve?
Well, she remained silent and never stopped looking out of the window. She ignored the humans as they played with their cards and talked about insignificant and boring things.
She had a job to do and she always took her job seriously.