The things I said (ON HOLD)

Chapter Nine: I called you a million times

Not willing to risk him being seen, I opt for having Ash drop me off two streets over from where the house is. You would think that a building housing people who kill demons for a living and a few non human creatures itself might be hidden somewhere. Maybe set up on some land on the outskirts of town. Nope. Kristoff decided the best place to put us in the middle of the business district. That way he can pass the whole thing off as some kind of military school. In a way it is slightly genius.

Sneaking back in turns out to be much easier than expected. Being that it is nine in the morning on a Thursday, most everyone is either at work or making plans for the next raid or hunt. Lucky for me Kristoff is always too worried I'll "loose focus" at work and accidentally kill someone. The chances of that happening are slim to none. I've basically become a pro at keeping that power trapped down in me. Hell, after the first three years it even stopped hurting.

That was the thing that made it so hard to train me. The pain. There was something so unbearable about forcing myself to stop the pull that during the first few months I refused to do it. I even went as far as to avoid touching people all together. The lack of physical contact didn't bother me nearly as much as the pain did.

As someone who has been bitten, shot, stabbed and burned as often as I have...I think it is safe to say that I am somewhat of an expert on pain. And let me tell you, the pain of forcing my power to stop working was by far the worst pain I've ever experienced. It was an internal pain. Like being burned alive from the inside. Now a day it is just a small flame. Like heartburn.

I manage to make it to my room, shower and to the kitchen before anyone notices I am there. Ash warned me that, after everything that happened last night, I would be hungry as hell. He wasn't joking. I have managed to down two frozen pizzas and half a box of ice cream sandwiches by the time Marcus comes strolling into the kitchen.

He looks a wreck. Hair disheveled. Dark bags hanging low under his eyes. Guilt pulls at me. I should have called him.

"Where the hell have you been?" He asks, rushing to my side. "You were gone the whole night. I called you a million times. What happened? Are you ok? Why didn't you wake me up when you got back?"

He fusses over me with worried hands, pulling at the loose fabric of my shirt. I know he is searching for fresh injuries or bruises. This isn't helping with the guilt. With the uneasy feeling growing in my stomach. The one reminding me that, for a few seconds this morning, I had forgotten about him. Forgotten about us. Those moments when I was inches away from Ash, mesmerized by the way he reacted to how I touched him. Moments when Marcus was the last thing on my mind.

"I'm fine." I brush him off. I had given myself a quit look when I got out the shower and was unable to find any scars. None at all. Not even the ones that should have been there. Scars from previous fights. Marcus could heal but it always managed to leave a scar. Now there were none and I did not need that being questioned. Not yet.

That had been the first part of our agreement, Ash and I. I was to pretend as if I didn't know anything more than I did when I left the house last night. That was going to be pretty easy seeing as he refused to tell me anything else about these 'other things' I could supposedly do. I don't even remember how I managed to heal myself last night.

"Where were you all night?" he questions. "I asked Kristoff to send a search party but he refused. I spent hours looking for you. You didn't take the bike or the car so I went to the train station. I spent hours waiting."

"I went out. Things have been so...hectic around here that I just needed to get out for a few hours. I needed to take some time to think. Clear my head a bit. I lost track of time and crashed in a hotel," I lie. It was the second part of our agreement. Come up with a believable story for where I was last night. One that didn't involve Ash at all.