Fallen From Grace | ✔

Chapter Twenty Five - "Laura Palmer"

                “A blood deal.  This is the real thing.”  I told him.  Either way, he wasn't going to tell anyone about what was happening.  If it got out, not only would the angels' lives be on the line, so would ours.  I didn't fancy having to fight for the rest of my near-immortal life.  “You're either in, or you're not.”

                “Fine!”  Henry shouted, trying to act macho.  I knew that he thought I was bluffing.  Unfortunately for him, I wasn't.  My neck was on the line.  I wasn't having a rat outsmart me and make my death have a price.

                “You ready then?”  I asked.  We were in a small abandoned house.  It wasn't one that was outside in the countryside, it was in the city.  It had been boarded up and the realtors were currently trying to find the deceased's next-of-kin to take the house.  That meant that for today (at least) we were safe here.  It was also near one of the areas where Immi was supposed to be held.

                “Y-yeah.  We all are.”  He told us firmly after looking round to his group.  They didn't seem so sure, they were just staring blankly at him.  I bet they didn't expect to be getting into blood deals today.

                “All right.  Marcus, get the bowl.”  I said.

                A blood deal was sort of like a contract.  Everyone involved drew blood and the deal was sent to a higher power after but that was where the similarities ended, and the differences began.  For one, there was no silver cord that wrapped itself around you, you just bled yourself into the bowl and secondly, you didn't confirm by saying deal... once you bled into the bowl that was it.  No turning back.  In the demon world, they were taken extremely seriously.  If you broke one, you didn't need to go to Hell... Hell would be brought to you.  And we demons weren't merciless.

                When Marcus came in, he handed me the bowl and his bag.  Inside, was a bunch of herbs and ingredients we needed to use.  Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as a whole “hole in the table” magic that happened at Gustav's.  This one involved herbs, blood and a chant.  It wasn't the prettiest of deals.

                Mashing up the herbs I placed them in the bowl before telling Henry and his goons to make a circle around the bowl.  After placing all of the things needed (a crow's feather, fingernails from a virgin but I think these were from a baby, some jimsonweed and a sparrow's beak) in the bowl, I looked up to see their reactions.  I could see Henry was terrified–he didn't expect me to go through with it.

                “You can turn back, there's still time.”  I chuckled darkly.  He shook his head, after a few seconds.

                “No.  No, I want to be involved.”  I could see he wanted to say more but he refrained himself.  Well, at least he could control what came out of that gross mouth of his.

                “All right.”  I shrugged.  “Er, Marcus, you might want to go out for this.”  He nodded.  Blood deals were nasty and could create problems for people who weren't involved but were spectators.  Needless to say, most people stayed far from them.

                “We'll be in the shed at the back.  Come get us when you've finished.”  I nodded at him and then turned back to the group.

                “So, gentlemen, shall we start?”  I asked, taking the bronze dagger from beside the bowl.  Pressing it against my palm, I dragged it down to produce blood.  I needed more than the others did.  Holding my hand over the bowl, I brought the dagger to my palm again, and winced as I dug harder and let more blood dribble out.  When I was satisfied that there was enough blood in the bowl, I passed the dagger onto Henry, who was stood next to me.