The Demon Inheritance

THIRTEEN

The day after my parents' wedding, I filled a duffel bag with clothes and money, even adding a book of photographs into the mix. I flipped through the pages a couple of times before I left for the train that Dillan had tickets to. Earlier in the week, he, Fango, and Delta had gotten the tickets. I never asked how, just knew that they would be used on our journey to Los Angeles to save Mary. Oliver had the theory that they had probably relocated her, but Dillan argued that Bluethorne probably didn't remember me taking the paper since he was hit on the head so hard.

I put foot after foot, carrying the bag at my side. It bounced off and on my leg with each step I took, each one carrying me away from home from what I thought would be sometime. Each and every step added just a little more weight to my heart, tearing me away from my parents and my little sibling, who would probably be born by the time I got back. My heart clenched as I remembered slipping out the door, unnoticed and unseen by my family.

Yet, there were more urgent matters up ahead. Saving Mary.

I sat on the bench and checked the watch in my wrist, which read eleven twenty-two. The train came at one, and the station was right out of Milton. On top of that, I had to wait for my group, which, of course, consisted of Oliver, Delta, Dillan, Fango, Carter - who made himself a new vessel - and Ace. The rest of the group would create vessels once the train was to begin moving.

I groaned as I watched the time tick up to eleven thirty. Each minute seemed like an eternity, especially since it would take us about an hour to get to the train station. "Damn it, boys, what's taking you so long?" And I thought it was the girls that took forever to get ready! Then again, I did just keep on the same skinny jeans and Metallica t-shirt I slept in, then put on a pair of shoes I found in the attic. Groaning, I put one leg over the other, running my sender finger along the bench's plastic wood. "Fuck."

Someone grabbed my shoulders from behind and bit my ear. "Nom!" Their voice was a frightening change from the serenity that had been there minutes before, the sounds of the trees that quivered softly above. My chest tightened with the surprise.

I let out a shriek and backhanded the person, spinning around as I grabbed by ear with one hand and pulled the sword from my belt with the other. My weapon only slipped out a few inches before I saw the person and let it sink back into the sheath my mother had made for it. I blanched. "Dillan Raking, what the fucking hell!?"

"Frustrated people are tasty!" Dillan exclaimed, wiping his mouth with a laugh. "Oh, come on, we're friends now!"

Face burning with rage, I let my arm droop from my ear. The bite wasn't even gentle, and I was surprised he hadn't taken a nick out of my flesh. "Where's all your stuff?" I asked, watching as Oliver followed close behind him. Both of their hands were completely empty.

"Delta wanted to carry it all. There's only two bags with all of the boys' stuff in them, so he will be fine. How do you have so much stuff that you need a whole bag?"

I flushed. "Granted, I have room in here and no one to share room with. Nahara doesn't need a bag. You guys said so yourself. Plus, I am a girl. I have things I would rather not let a bunch of guys snoop through."

Dillan snickered. "Afraid of Fango seeing your bra?"

"I swear, Dillan Raking, I will fucking cut your head off."

Oliver stepped in between us, taking the cigarette from his mouth to speak without mumbling through it. "Don't fight!" The silver smoke wisped from his lips. "Nothing will get solved here. Vurandos, quit teasing my Extant." The white-haired Apotropaic gave the other boy a glare with his sapphire eyes. Dillan smirked.

Soon, Delta came dragging an overstuffed duffle, while it seemed Fango had obliged to carrying the other one. Ace and Carter walked behind them. Carter's deep gray eyes were wandering as he folded his hands into his shorts pockets. Ace had a gentle smile on his face, and he nodded at Oliver in greeting. Oliver grinned back at him.