Shire Bottom Chronicles

Chapter Thirty

Rose and Rory drove for fifteen minutes through the woods, before they finally arrived at a clearing where fifteen-foot stone walls stood tall around several acres of land. A three-story mansion stood in the center. Rose stared in awe at the giant structure. Scorch marks were scattered across the wall, along with what almost looked like claw marks from a bear or something.

Looking at the top of the fence, Rose noticed security cameras and spiked posts. Cat wasn't kidding when she said this place was secure. The road narrowed as it got closer to the giant steel gates. There was a loud click, and the gates swung open.

Rose couldn't lie. The property was amazing. There was a large pond near the wall on the left, and to the right lay a beautiful garden. Rose spotted Legolas and Parker unloading a moving van by what she could only assume was the guest house. Danny lounged in a hammock hung between two trees.

The driveway ended at the mansion's porch. Rose couldn't believe someone had built this lavish home without attracting a lot of attention. She raised her hand to the large knocker on the wooden door; it opened before she could even knock, and Cat wrapped Rose in a huge hug.

"I'm so glad you're here!" Cat exclaimed as Lilith and Cerberus came running out of the house to greet their friends. When Cat's eyes landed on Rory, they didn't have the same hatred as the night before. Cat put an arm around Rory and pulled her into the group hug. Rory reflexively jumped away, which received a confused glance from Rose. "Everything all right, Rory?" Cat questioned, as though she didn't understand what had gotten into her friend.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Rory mumbled, half-regretting her decision to accompany Rose to the mansion. She tried to suppress the feeling that there were mass graves beneath their feet. Just imagining it gave her goosebumps.

"I'm happy to see you made it through the doorman's craziness, but I thought you went to the hospital?" Rose wondered out loud, noticing her friend seemed perfectly fine and unscathed.

"I did. He stabbed me when I tried to get away," Cat explained, pulling her red tank top off over her head. Rose opened her mouth to yell at her for doing something like that in front of her guests, but her eyes landed on the gauze-wrapped wound on her abdomen. Blood seeped through the white bandage.

"Sorry—you don't look like someone who just got out of the hospital. I mean, when Matt got out he looked like hell, but you still look like a supermodel," Rose said, picking up the blue Merle puppy that was tugging on her pant leg.

Cat laughed, moving out of the doorway and motioning for the girls to follow her inside. The entryway had a beautiful skylight allowing the sunlight to flood in, a stark contrast to the dark mahogany wood floors.

"Only one rule, no shoes in the house." Cat gestured to the other shoes inside the entryway.

Rose slid her converse off, but Rory hesitated. She didn't know what was on these floors. Rory looked down at her feet, listening to the sound of her own pounding heart. "I...uh..." she trailed off, aware of Cat's eyes watching her.

"Are you sure you're okay, Rory?" Cat asked. "Do you need a snack or something? I think Bane has some orange juice."

"No, I'm just overwhelmed by this house," Rory covered, and slipped her shoes off, telling herself she had to do this for Rose. She would never forgive herself if something happened to Rose because she abandoned her in the house of Lucifer's son.

"Right this way." Cat smiled happily, escorting them into a living room with black leather furniture. A giant TV covered most of the far wall. Cat continued through a state-of-the-art kitchen to a staircase.

Rory and Rose gazed around, stunned by all of the beautiful artwork in the home. Some paintings looked like they were from thousands of years ago, and sculptures from even farther back in history. A door opening in front of them yanked them back to reality.