In The End: Gargoyle Saga

Chapter 9: A Vessel For Evil

'Justin.' Offo couldn't meet my eyes but I knew he nodded.

'His sins have been forgiven and he is a pure vessel, now.' He explained. 

I choked back the tears. 'I can't ask him to do that. He's just... he's only just become human.'

The old butler moved away from Rowan's side and headed towards the door. 'If the evil doesn't come out of Rowan, it will eventually consume him. He will either die or he will become the thing that he is destined to kill.'

A fresh wave of sickness hit me like a brick wall; staring at Rowan's heaving body. I fought back a scream of anguish that was bursting to come out.

When Offo left, I held onto Rowan's hand and lay next to him on the bed, hoping that there was some way to save his life and keep Justin human.

Time slipped by as I lay beside Rowan. Every ten minutes or so, I'd flip the flannel over on his forehead; it soothed him for a while, but he would begin to frown again, and he'd groan as though he was being punched from the inside.

When someone knocked softly on the door and a pale beam of light spilt into the room, I realised that it was quite late at night.

'Verity,' it was Alina. Sliding off the bed, I moved into the hallway, squinting my eyes against the brightness of the wall lights. 'Tyr made it back to Tara and this Dagen fellow is going to meet Hadriana at this place called Glastonbury Tor, I'm not sure where that is.'

'England.'

I slid down the wall and closed my eyes. Alina sat beside me and said softly, 'We know about Rowan. Offo told us.' She put a comforting hand on my arm. 'We'll find a way to save him. I'm so sorry, Verity. I know Rowan means a lot to you.'

I remained silent. I didn't want to talk. I just wanted to stay with him. I hated Hadriana for doing this to him. Was there really no other way than killing him? Then I felt angry towards Rowan for being so goddamn oblidging. He didn't have to be but that was Rowan. He always wanted to help.

'Well, I need to get some sleep. Dawn's only a few hours away. I only came up here to see if you were alright,' she smiled at me, but I couldn't return it. Alina went quietly back to her room.

Even though it was day time I was wide awake. My head was buzzing with questions. Heading downstairs, I found Hadriana asleep in the sitting room, sprawled out on the settee. Justin was sitting staring at the dying embers of the fire. I began to back away when the floorboard beneath me creaked.

'Don't go,' I heard him whisper.

Peering back into the room, his intense eyes bored right into me. He moved to the left and patted the carpet beside him, inviting me, wanting to talk.

I went to sit beside him on the threadbare carpet and whispered, 'Did you want to talk to me?' He glowered at me for a second then his face relaxed.

'No, I'd just like your company. Humans talk too much. I've found it is much simpler just sitting and being with someone and staring at something that you enjoy.'

It then occurred to me that he was staring at the fire, and demons was surrounded by it. Feeling a little uncomfortable, I asked, 'Do you miss being a demon then?'

'Why?' he asked quickly.

I nodded towards the fire, 'You are staring at the fire and... Well, demons practically live for it.' I shrugged. 'I still yern for it sometimes. It's power, it's effortless in it's destruction and mayhem.' Just saying the words made me feel the demon in me stir, relishing in visions of pain and destruction.

'I miss the heat of fire,' he said after a while. 'Fire was our torment. It's a duality in the world, its warmth and life, but if it's tainted by anger and greed it can damage and kill. Being made human, I can see the beauty in fire, I feel its warmth when my hands are cold,' I smiled, raising them up in front of him. 'I sense the life from it and it's mesmerising. I remember once being ordered to track down a family and possess their youngest son. He would have a gift of foresight.'