The Fallen Memory

Chapter Ten ~ Don't Take the Girl

"They're in the basement." Ryder said, his voice unflinching. He stared into Gabriel's eyes, challenging him to make a move into his house. 

A low, menacing growl erupted from him. Ryder watched as Gabriel's eyes started to be tinged gold. 

"Show. Me." He commanded.  

"No."

  His grip on Ryder's shirt tightened.  

"Now." Green gave way to gold.

"Nope." A smiled erupted on his face right before he felt Gabriel's fist against his cheek. 

He didn't even flinch.

Gabriel stared at him, surprise and anger clouded his expression. "Show me where they are."

Ryder smiled. "Say please." 

Gabriel glared at him. "Fine. Please show me where they are." He forced out.

Ryder nodded, "Very well. Follow me."

Nick led the way through the cabin as Gabriel and Azalea trailed behind him, their eyes wide with surprise as they took in the decor. Ander and Ryder brought up the rear. As they all walked by the kitchen, Alyxa was still dancing to her music, a half-eaten sandwich resting on the counter. 

They stopped when they reached the iron door that led to the basement. Nick looked back and winked at Azalea. "Watch your step."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Go on, Casanova." She gently pushed Nick's shoulder. He flashed her his winning smile.

"After you, my beauty."

She giggled and sashayed past him, trailing her manicured hands across his chest. Ryder watched as his brothers eyes flashed to a dark purple - the color of his eyes had been before he Fell. He quickly followed her, his demeanor almost giddy as he descended the wooden steps. Ryder could almost hear his older brother's perverted thoughts.

"Dude, your brother is..." Gabriel trailed off, unable to think of the word he needed.

"A perverted horn-dog that has only one thing on his mind?" Ryder finished for him.

"Exactly." Gabriel half-smiled.

"Well, we should follow them before they start to lose clothing." Ander piped in, his metallic eyes cautious as he watched Gabriel. 

Without a word, Ryder and Gabriel followed Ander as they left the well-lit hall for the dimly-lit basement.

    ∞ ~ ∞ ~ ∞      

Before Ryder had reached the bottom of the steps he could tell something was wrong. The air was electric, causing the hair on his arms to stand on end. A shiver ran down his spine as he rounded the corner that led into the "hospital" that they had built years ago. The corridor was dimly light, yet red sparks illuminated the torches that lined the stone walls. 

"Nick?" Ryder whispered. His voice hoarse as he swallowed the fear that erupted in chest. 

Why do I kept feeling all these emotions?

After centuries of being an emotionless shell, suddenly he began to burst with a new feeling every day. 

And hated it. 

He heard screams erupt from the door that led to the ward. He took off, his Converse shoes slapping against the stone, leaving Ander and Gabriel behind. He rammed into the wall, catching himself on the door frame. His eyes widened as he watched helplessly as Nick and Azalea battled a demon. 

Azalea had sparks crackling in her hands, her eyes an electric red. Nick was covered in clouds of darkness, his gold eyes a deep, dark purple. The tattoo that twisted around his body was the color of tar that swirled. 

"What. The. Hell." Gabriel yelled in Ryder's ear. He turned just in time to watch Gabriel shaking with rage as he shifted into a wolf. 

Granted, a wolf that stood on its hind legs and looked like a man. 

Lycan.

Gabriel growled, his green eyes changing to a warm caramel, as he launched himself into the fight. He howled as the demon whipped at him with its jagged tail. In one swipe, his claws ripped apart the demon's torso. Azalea rushed forward and disintegrated it with her the red sparks. It went up in a burst of red smoke that smelled like sulfur. It permeated the air, suffocating them - everyone except Nick who smiled in ecstasy as he inhaled the poisonous cloud. 

Ander calmly placed a hand on Ryder's shoulder.

"Well, we didn't see that one coming, did we?." Ander murmured as they walked further into the room. 

 "What just happened?" Ryder demanded.

"A freaking demon was in here trying to attack them!" Nick yelled. Ryder watched as his violet eyes shifted back to their original color.

"We have to wake them." Azalea whispered to Gabriel. "They aren't safe here."

"Like hell they aren't." Ryder snapped. "They safer here than out there."

"Not to disagree with you, but a demon did just disintegrate in our basement. They might be safer with their friends. They seem to know what to do." Ander said calmly.

Ryder's hands started to shake as he tapped them against his thighs. He looked over at Ander with wide eyes. His voice barely above a whisper. "She has to stay. I can protect her. Please don't let them take her..." He trailed off, his eyes searching his Ami, begging for him to understand. "Please help me."

Ander shifted, his body tense. He held Ryder's gaze, trying to decipher their meaning. "Okay." He murmured.

Ryder smiled as Ander turned to the others.

"The girls need to stay here."

Gabriel turned around, fuming. "What? They almost died here. Hell no. They're going with us."

"Why don't y'all stay too then?" Nick said, his eyes locked on Azalea. "We can get to know each other on a far deeper level." She rolled her eyes.

Ander glanced at Ryder. "We need to protect them from something far more...dangerous than a demon."

"Oh yeah, and what's that?" Gabriel challenged.

Ander looked at Ryder for the answer. No one really knew what would come... except him.

Ryder sighed, his eyes closing for a split second before opening again. A humorless smile fitting to his lips.

"Death."