The Devil Is A Woman

Chapter 1

The dust flickered in the sunlight as her blood curdling scream echoed against the bare walls. She was dying in my arms and all I could fucking think about was the way the dust danced in the rays that shined through the stained glass. Her nails dug into my arms as I held her trembling body.

"You have to promise me something." She choked on her words as blood trickled out of her mouth.

I nodded, sniffling through the sobs.

"You need to promise me that you won't go after him. He will destroy you, Anya." I could tell she was getting weaker by the way her eyelids were fluttering shut.

"I won't, mom." I lied. "It's going to be okay, you'll be okay." Tears began streaming down my blood stained cheeks as I watched the color drain from her face.

"No, mom please stay!" I held her to my chest and heard the last breath she could muster escape her lungs.

It felt like days before I finally let go of my mothers lifeless body. Placing her on the floor, I cringed at the pool of blood soaking into the white carpet beneath me. The gold plated knife that had been shoved into my mothers chest was lying on the floor a couple feet away from her body, also soaked in her blood. The sound she made when it was plunged into her echoed in my head.

Shivering, I scanned the dimly lit room, before my eyes landed on a scarlet red blanket thrown over a small couch. Grabbing the soft material, I gingerly placed it over her and grabbed the knife from the floor.

Wiping her blood from the weapon onto my pants, I swallowed the lump in my throat as I ran out of the church into the morning sun. The bitter morning chill shocked my exposed skin.

Rubbing my arms in attempt to warm myself, I cursed under my breath for forgetting to grab a jacket. I was in such a hurry when I got that call that I barely remembered to grab my knife.

Look where that got me.

Pulling the keys from my back pocket, I struggled to find the key to my car because my eyes were so blurry from crying. After finally finding the right one and unlocking my car, I climbed in as quickly as I could and turned the ignition over.

The ache in my heart hurt more and more the further I drove. But I can't be seen there, holding her dead body in the middle of a trashed church. Keep in mind it was my custom knife that was used as her demise, anyone in their right mind would assume I killed her.

In a sense, her death was my fault. But I wasn't the one who ultimately plunged the knife into her heart.

I know I should be worried about the cops tracking me down, but knowing Gomez and his army of obedient half breeds who follow his every demand, her body and the mess he left behind will soon be cleaned up as if it was never there. Even so, I can't be seen by him or his men again. I'm lucky I got out of there with just a few bruises and a gash above my eyebrow.

Glancing in the mirror, I flinched at how deep it was. That's gonna leave a scar.

I understand it looks like I'm being rather cold towards my mother dying, but she has always taught me to make calculated decisions rather than letting my emotions guide me.

As I was driving through town, an entourage of cop cars sped past me with their lights flashing. My stomach turned at the possibility of them finding the mess I left behind, but I can't let that cloud my judgment. I need to get to my house and clean up. I need to figure out my next move.

I know my mom said not to go after him, shit those were her last words. But I can't let the man who killed my mother get away with this. I will end him if it's the last thing I do.

After driving through town and getting to my secluded house in the mountains, I parked my car in the garage and rushed through the house to my bathroom.

Tearing my blood soaked clothes off, my eyes landed on the tattoo on my forearm. A beautiful snowy owl perched on a branch, and under it in beautiful font "My mother kept a garden".

I got it a few years back in honor of her. I remember the way her eyes lit up when she first saw it, this has always been her favorite tattoo I ever got. Tears threatened to spill over as I turned the shower on and climbed in.

No matter how many times I scrubbed, I could still see her blood on my skin.

"Fuck!" Throwing my fist into the shower wall, the sharp pain that ached down my wrist wasn't enough to numb the pain in my chest. I slid down to the floor and placed my face into my hands.

I couldn't hold back the sobs anymore. Couldn't ignore her screams echoing in my mind, couldn't erase the image of Gomez plunging my own knife into her chest.

After a few minutes of lying on the shower floor, a loud thud from the kitchen caught my attention.

Turning the shower off, I tore the towel from the cabinet and wrapped it around my wet body and opened the door as quietly as I could. Tiptoeing to the kitchen, I grabbed the umbrella leaning against the closet door just in case I needed to defend myself.

Holding the umbrella with one hand, I slowly pushed the large French doors open with the other, revealing a tall blonde with her back towards me.

"Caroline, what the fuck." I hissed, throwing the umbrella to the floor and padding towards her.

Turning around, Caroling flashed her pearly white teeth my way and leaned against the marble countertop.

"Hi baby, I wanted to surprise yo-" Her eyes scanned my face, then stopped at the gash above my forehead.

"Anya, what the fuck happened to your face?" Placing the cup she had in her hands down on the table, she sauntered my way and traced her fingertip on my forehead.

Flinching, I pulled away and rolled my eyes. "Nothing, what are you doing here?" I questioned coldly.

Clearing her throat, she tried to hide the pain from her expression but the way her eyes glistened I could tell my words bothered her.

"I wanted to surprise you, maybe take you out for dinner?" Mustering up the best smile she could manage, she wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me towards her.

Sighing, I placed my hands on her chest and pushed her away from me. "Caroline, I'm not in the mood. I just got home from a job and it didn't go well." Swallowing the lump in my throat, I continued. "I just need to be alone right now. I'm leaving soon, anyway."

But instead of leaving like I'd hope she'd do, she just shook her head and traced my exposed collarbone with her thumb. Looking into her deep blue eyes, my stomach knotted. I do care for Caroline, but not the way she desires. She's like family, and yeah we've had our fare share of fun one night stands and all, but we both knew it would never be anything more.

I need to get her out of my house so I could pack up and leave the state for awhile.

"Baby, you know I'm a good listener. I can make you feel better." She purred, bending down slightly to place a gentle kiss on my neck.

Usually that would make me weak, but right now all I can think about is my mothers blood on my hands.

"No." I protested, shoving her off of me and distancing myself from her seduction. "Just get out of my house."

I didn't have to look at her to know my words stung. A part of me wanted her to stay, to lay in bed with her and trace every inch of her body with my fingertips and forget about the world for a night.

But no matter how bad I wanted to, I can't rest until Gomez is dead.