Oi, oi People!!! UPDAATTTEE TIME!!!!! I've missed this story so much so here it is...enjoy! :) I've had a marathon phone edit with both my stories so if there's a typo here and there i'm sure i'll get to it later so forgive them for now. Near the end of this chapter you'll flippantly discover a little something about two people...it's meant to throw Ariel a bit but she won't get a chance to address it here. But it's a bit of a 'blink and you'll miss it' moment. Oh, and have you ever wondered what Ariel's surname is...? Lol. Anyway, onwards...!! :D
Chapter 26 – Dante's Girl
"You were listening in?" I said down the line.
"Well, if you'd remembered to put the phone down we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"I put it down, just not on the...whatever, you did that to Seb?"
"Did what?"
"Oh c'mon, you were listening the whole time! Did you do that... thing you guys do?"
I heard him sigh. "I did what I had to. So I got into your friends head? So what?"
"So what?"
"It's done. Deal with it, Ariel."
Was he kidding me? "Dante, you totally abused your position."
"What's your point?"
I huffed, frustratedly chucking papers in my table draws and leaning back with exasperation against my chair. I shoved my hand into my hair as I held the receiver close just listening to the quiet down the line and cast an eye over the space around me. I had to fight the very sudden urge to just curse at him right now. There were expletives galore queuing up inside my head. "You know what, Dante, I..." I couldn't even finish.
"You're pissed at me."
"You think? I'm too pissed to even talk to you."
"Oh for fu*ks sake Ariel that was ages ago! And it was that idiot's brother, who gives a damn about him!"
"I'm going now."
"No, you're not."
"You know what, I'm going on my break and this time I really will make sure I put the damn phone down!"
"Ariel, put this phone down and I'll—"
Slamming it down, I slammed it again, and again just to get the annoyance out of me, taking out my frustration on the poor phone receiver before flopping back on my chair and pausing with my hands atop my head. I had a feeling he was aggressively F-bombing in his office right now.
My actions had managed to attract attention from the nearest desk. A new girl. Jazmine was her name, shy, sweet but incredibly awkward. She suddenly dropped her eyes over her work when she realized I'd caught her staring my way. Whoa, look at her eyes, they were huge. Dark and almost infantile. It didn't help that she kohl-rimmed them so definitely. I rifled in my draw and picked up my purse, putting it in the bag over my chair and pulling my jacket from behind me. God, today sucked from the moment I got in, and right now this wasn't making me feel any different about it.
An hour. That's all I needed. Just one hour out of my hour and a half. That resbite would be a welcome distraction, something to pull me out of the slight anger that was threatening to be more than just slight, but take over me. I just knew I would lash out at someone if I didn't take my anger by the reigns right now.
I felt kind of manipulated. That angered me. Hmm, no wonder...that was why I was really angry. He'd manipulated me. Maybe he'd never played with my mind per se, but he'd messed with someone else's to get to me. The thought made me feel so deceived. Now was most definitely the right time to go on an earlier-than-usual break.
It's not like I could really get away with going this early but it wasn't like I was thinking straight. For all the leniency Jacey Longsworth had shown me in the recent weeks since I'd been associated with Dante, I knew I couldn't abuse it any more than I had already. But I was still in a mood over him, and storming off, I went straight for her office, pausing with a collected breath wondering if she'd have a go at me for being so lax since I got back. I straightened up before knocking on her name-plated door, quickly dropping my jacket on the chair outside first before I entered at her say-so.
"Ariel," she acknowledged with a quick shot up at me as I closed the door behind me. I nervously smiled at her before she scanned back over her documents. "Hang on a sec," she said, quickly running her hands over the keyboard with impressive speed and sending off what looked like an email. She soon scrunched her face up over a torn page from the free daily paper, "I swear you're supposed to get better at these things, not worse." She said slapping her palm over the page of crosswords. "Barely managed to get through five words today."
"There's a lot going on around here right now." I shrugged, mind elsewhere.
"Well, I mean..." she stopped as she noticed my face. "Something shitty happen?" she took a moment to look at me.
Jacey was incredibly perceptive. And as a boss she strangely had no problem swearing around us all. I would never do the same though. I knew my working boundaries and she obviously had license to say whatever the hell she wanted, however professional or unprofessional she sounded. I liked it though. 'Shitty'. "You could say that." I answered.
She nodded with pursed lips. "You know, something's obviously been happening these past few weeks. I've noticed. Even Sebastien took an unusually long break. I mean, he never takes more than a week off at a time. Two, he took. Two! I'm not entirely sure what's going on to be honest."
I wish I could have told her. But I couldn't even look at her. No actually, to be honest, maybe I was glad she didn't know. This world would always feel that little bit more innocent if it basked in the ignorance of people like...Dante. There was enough going on in the world as it was. If everyone knew what really existed here, parts of my life wouldn't feel like the normal days before I found out myself. I realized I'd still like to keep that part of my life normal, as if to preserve that piece of time when I was none-the-wiser despite every other aspect of my life now being strewn across a once very settled and routine existence.
Part of me was still letting a Dante I didn't quite recognize get to me. I was starting to think I wouldn't get much work done today. In fact, I knew I wouldn't. My head was already skies away and I'd barely been here three hours already.
"But I can't do business like this." Jacey was stern now, which took me right out of my head. I couldn't even remember what she was saying before? Damn, what was she saying? She carried on, "You do know that, don't you? All my best people being a million miles away."
Oh! Oh yeah, course. The whole taking time away from work...Damn Ariel, get your head together. Don't bring outside thoughts into work. Very unprofessional. I nodded. "You're right. I can't speak for Seb but I'm just a little...off myself."
"I can't afford for you to be a little 'off'."
"I know."
"But as my employee I'm inclined to ask you what's wrong. Everyone needs to be working at their best, these are critical times here, and they can't if they're 'off'. And you know, I'm getting enough stress as it is without having to take on a load you guys should be more than capable of handling."
"I'm sorry, Jacey." Man, I was feeling really bad now.
But strangely she looked slightly concerned now. "What's wrong though?"
I sighed shaking my head.
"Is that handsome devil of yours treating you okay?"
Devil? Oh God...not quite that but close enough to widen my eyes at the mention. I coughed, nodding that things were okay. Coughing fit, I hit at my chest.
"You okay?"
I nodded again, settling now.
"So, you're in my office for a reason. What did you need to speak to me about?"
Oh. Of course. That. "Just uh...no, forget it." I said immediately changing my mind about my break and getting up. "Sorry Jacey, I don't know what I was thinking there."
"What is it?"
I sighed and sat back down again, "I just...I felt like I needed to take my break early." I waited on her reaction. "I mean, I know this is kind of what you were talking about, you know, being miles away, but I wasn't feeling quite 'on it' and just need to sort of, you know...pick up a coffee or something."
Jacey pulled one of her well documented faces. She huffed, flicking up her brows as she thought about it. "Well, if you're not feeling right...you've got the hour for now, it's fine."
Really? "Are you sure? I mean I could always—"
"I'm sure." She was adamant and seemed strangely sympathetic for some reason. "But if you take it now the rest of your day is gonna feel really long 'til your next one."
I didn't care. Gripping harder to my bag strap over my shoulder I said, "I'm fine with that. Thanks Jacey. I really appreciate it." I fixed a smile and took this as my cue to leave. I didn't want to take too many liberties. I felt I'd already taken most of them already.
As I walked off, Jacey said "How is your boyfriend by the way?"
I stopped and turned around. Boyfriend. Hmm, I guess I was still getting used to that. "Yeah, he's fine, actually. Great." I pulled another smile and quickly disappeared, picking my jacket back up off the chair outside and shrugging into it before zooming past everybody like a determined breeze wanting to get as far away from everything as possible. Needing to.
As I stormed out, I determinedly folded my arms across my chest, my head down as I moved towards the lift. I could just about pull a vanishing act for the hour, I was prepared to. Digging for my phone, I had two missed calls. Dante had been trying to call me, but I guess he knew not to try again considering I was in no mood. Smart move. Even smarter man. As I went to leave, Seb soon ran after me, quickly catching me up as he said in an exhausted breath, "Aer, just so you know—"
"Not now Seb." I dismissed, trying to cage my annoyance.
"Halls coming." He panted.
He what? That halted me. I spun around, eyes shooting almost accusingly at him. "What? When is he coming here? Why?"
"Like now. I mean, he kinda owns the place now, you know." like 'duh'.
It was then it occurred to me. "You know about Hall?"
"Yeah?"
"No, I mean, really know about him?"
He paused for a moment for someone to pass by, when they'd gone, he said, "What, you mean like Dante?"
I stood there for a moment gripping hard to my phone. I contemplated whether I should call him and let him know about this, but I decided I just wasn't gonna be around for it. A hardened grip on my phone in a way that showed me how I wanted to grip Dante's neck right now was just about all I could manage before I threw it back in my bag, turned and left for my break.
"Wait, where are you going?"
"On my break!" I yelled back at Seb without stopping.
"But Aer...!"
I couldn't have walked on fast enough missing everything he said next. I was aware that I'd neglected to thank Seb for the warning about Hall, but like I said, I really couldn't get out of there fast enough. If I had a choice I wouldn't return, but I'd taken enough liberties with my boss Jacey already, and I'd be damned if I do it again. She had been only just lenient with me in good faith, and possibly because of her evident soft spot for my silver-eyed handsome prick of a man right now, but whatever faith she had in me, I wouldn't abuse. So, sure, I'd come back, but I couldn't have prayed enough that by the time I returned, Hall would have come and gone.
How long would he hang around here? Just how many times in my working week would he make near-spontaneous appearances? I couldn't help but wonder about his timing, I knew he had power over this place since he'd taken over from Dante, but that couldn't have been it. That was clearly just a cover up. What was this really about?
I couldn't say I was hungry. I wasn't. I was simply looking for a way out of there. Taking my break early, well, that was my way out. And with Hall coming I realized I couldn't have timed this better. Dante had pissed me off, Hall was someone I wanted to avoid, and work was not even a place I wanted to be right now.
I couldn't help the brief skip in my chest when my phone rang. Damn it! How the hell had my heart just betrayed my anger by reacting to the possibility that Dante was calling me? I was still pissed at him! I quickly pulled it out of the deepest recesses of my junk-filled bag; I'd remind myself to clear it out later.
"You're calling me?" Could my greeting towards Dante have been any less deadpan? I exaggerated it just so he would feel the annoyance in my tone.
"You think I'm just gonna leave it like that?"
"I'm on lunch."
"Now?"
"Breakfast-lunch then." I shrugged. What was I talking about?
"Well then, what a coincidence. So am I."
"You're not on break."
"I am now."
"Don't you have work to do?"
"I barely get off until late these days, if I want to take a moment away from work I can do whatever I please. Look, where are you? I'll meet you."
"It's a quick break." I lied. "I'll be in a shop and out again eating at my desk by the time you reach so no point."
"Ariel..."
"What?"
"You're being stubborn again. Quit it right now."
"I'm not..." I huffed. Okay, fine, I was. Not that I'd admit that to him, but even after such a short time together, he already knew me way too well.
"You are."
"I thought you liked that."
"Not if it means you're intent on fighting me again. I thought we were done with that?"
"You want me all obedient now?"
"I want you to listen. Can you just listen, Ariel?"
With an exaggerated sigh, I suddenly had to try to keep on my feet having just had someone bump into me. It had me frantically grasping at my phone as it slipped from my fingers like a drenched bar of soap but I managed to catch it before it hit the ground. But in doing so, my frantic finger grabbing had cut my call off. Clutching my phone tight against my chest in relief that I hadn't smashed it to dust, I frivolously thanked fu*k, only to look up at who had carelessly bumped me.
Looking at who it was, dare I say it may have actually been on purpose?
Oh my days, woman, step aside!
Nope. No such luck.
Dark midnight hair and eyes as clear as water droplets, there she stood. That ever aloof demon henchwoman, Ida, or whatever she was. What the hell was she doing here? Or as she was the eye-candied sidekick of Hall's, did I even need to ask?
I was sucked into the silent menace that was always ever present in her eyes. They never failed to completely spook me. They were strikingly fascinating and equally frightening at the same time. Now, she really did have other-worldly eyes, except unlike Dante, I didn't think hers were the kind you could switch off somehow. They just...were. She made everybody else's eyes look incredibly unremarkable in comparison.
"Excuse me," I said passing by and ducking away like a bolt. I wouldn't even cast her so much as a second look as I went.
"Not just yet." I heard her say, halting me. Whoa, never heard her speak before. At one point I'd actually wondered if she was a compliant mute.
I spun around to face her and straightened up to match her poise. The way she stood and carried herself made her look about six feet tall even though she was practically my height. Maybe beat me by an inch. Her eye contact was sharp. Not to mention her suit being just as sharp. Seriously, this womans look was so on-point from head to toe. She was just so...sharp. Alas, I was made to feel scruffy in comparison.
I was tense, "What do you want?"
Okay, that's good, Ariel. Clear headed, level question.
She sighed. "What I want is not to be in this worthless place any longer but hey, chores to do and all that."
Uh...okay? Though I'll admit, I wondered what she was referring to as "chores". I was sure if it were Dante, he'd be a 'chore' she'd love to do.
"I don't know how he manages it." She remarked before clarifying. "I have no idea why Dante would even want to stay in this place for this long." She insolently looked me up and down. "Or maybe I do."
I didn't like the mention of Dante on her lips. It rubbed me up the wrong way and I could feel myself becoming irrationally catty. "Missing all the fire and brimstone I see?" Couldn't help myself there. Thinking of fire and heat was a contrast to eyes that were a closer match to ice than anything else, and she was equally equipped with a demeanor to match. Brrr.
She forced a smile. "Oh, would you look at that, I forgot my pitchfork. Next time." She sniped back. "So, you would be...? Disney, is it?"
Oh, you are kidding me. I mean, seriously, between her calling me that and Malcolm's 'mermaid', I started to think a demons initiation into humanity involved an intensive course in lectures on The Human World According to Walt Disney.
"Really?" I threw back. "I literally have some cake sitting on my desk at work, can I give you that for originality?"
"No thank you. I'm watching my human figure. Nice of you to offer though." She mimicked my tone and threw in a slight flick of her hair too.
As far as I was concerned I was done here. I didn't need any more interaction with this icy woman. With this...previous connection to the man in my life. I was tired of the past in my present. It needed to stay where it belonged. You know, back there. Waaay back there. "Well, nice of you to stop by." I lied.
"Oh, so soon?" she cocked her head in false disappointment. "It's a shame we didn't get to have a girly chat. This demon world is such a boy's playground. I thought we could commiserate."
"I'm sure." I mentally flipped a middle finger in her annoyingly perfect face and clearly not feeling so hard done by as I equally matched her tone.
I walked fast down the pavement looking back periodically as I went, reaching for my phone to call Dante. She made no attempt to carry on our brief exchange, our...catty exchange. I just watched her smile in a way that unsettled me to my very core.
Dante didn't pick up but it looked like something funny was going on with my phone. I cursed as I tried to call again but this time it wouldn't connect. What the hell? I soon rationalized that it was just a brief confrontation with her. There was nothing to alert Dante to other than we had a slightly catty exchange. We didn't end up in spats fighting each other over him, I mean, as women we'd be totally letting the side down if we did, so I was glad that didn't happen.
That whole exchange left a nasty taste in my mouth, I definitely wasn't feeling hungry—that hadn't changed—but I could have sure done with a coffee. Coming out of my nearest coffee shop, basic black in hand, it was seconds before I'd been elbowed this time, jerking a little as I came into contact with a man who tried to get past.
A rancid smell hit the back of my throat and I quickly slapped my hand over my nose at its strength. The stench immediately enveloped me, shooting through my nose and clamping down on my throat. I looked at the man in front of me, he smelled...burnt. There was something ashen about him, this lingering trail of fire came off him, of burnt flesh.
But what freaked me out more was I noticed this particular smell wasn't completely foreign. I'd smelled it before but I couldn't put my finger on it except it hadn't been this strong before. That much I knew. There was a faint familiarity, so faint that I struggled to place it. It smelled like...like...like singed flesh.
He slowly drifted away from me as if in a dream sequence. I wasn't entirely sure what had just happened. I stopped, blinking at the visual. It was almost as if to do it enough times it would reveal itself as a hallucination, but I once again caught the remnants of the smell that had carried itself through the air. My mind was being triggered by it. I'd smelled it before. I knew I did. But where...?
I watched him duck across the road a moment later. Suddenly I clutched at my bag, rifling through to make sure all my stuff was still in it and grabbing at my pockets. I sighed relief at knowing I hadn't been the victim of some distract-and-grab daylight robbery. My phone, my purse, everything still with me. So what was that about?
As I walked on fast I tried not to think about it, I didn't even know where I was going, I'd turned into a corner street between two buildings, sort of like an alleyway, stopping to look into the nearest window to check myself. I felt like a complete wreck, but as I did so I looked straight into the reflection of the guy who bumped into me just moments ago. I quickly turned around with a surprised gasp but he was nowhere to be seen. My eyes frittered wildly around me. My mind was asking me if I was mad. I shook my head at myself, only to ask myself now if I was seeing things. The sparse glances of passers-by looking at me like I was somehow crazy didn't help.
I picked up my phone, rifled through my directory and in that moment Dante called. He asked me why I'd turned my phone off. That baffled me; I hadn't. Checking the bars on my phones reception it was all fine for call coverage, and holding my phone shakily to my ear I interrupted him and told him I thought I was being followed.
"Followed?" I could immediately hear him sit up as his chair squeaked. "By who?"
"I don't know. Some guy. What do you think? Do you think I'm being silly?"
He paused. "Where are you?"
"So you don't think I'm being silly?"
"Look, just tell me where you are."
"I'm near my work, I'm just outside."
"Go back." He instructed. "Go back or go into the nearest shop, sit by the window in plain view, stay put and I'll come and get you."
"And take me where?"
"Home." He simply said.
"You don't think you're over-exaggerating?"
"If you didn't feel you had a reason to worry you wouldn't be telling me. I can also hear it in your voice. Now, you either do one or the other; make your way back to your building but keep me on the line, or go into the nearest shop and keep me on the line."
"Either way, I keep you on the line."
"Don't try and be funny. You're not getting off."
I dithered.
"I'm out of the office now." He said.
"Already?" Wow, that was fast.
"What's it to be? I'm coming either way."
"You're making me think I really do have something to worry about."
"This guy, what did he look like?"
I told him he was somewhat dishevelled was all I could think. And he smelled like, he smelled...like smoke. Not tobacco, like...actual...smoke. Like burning...oozing flesh... Oh my God...it hit me.
"What is it?"
Dante ripping that guys head off, him burning the man to ashes...the smell that lingered in the room afterwards...ashen, burned flesh...smoke.
I stopped.
"Ariel, what is it? Speak to me."
I couldn't speak for a moment. Swallowing hard, I said, "Like the room that night when you..." set a man alight and burned him to the roar of flames.
Dante immediately went silent and then on a hastened breath said, "Tell me where exactly you are."
"I'm...I'm...outside, this shop—"
"Fu*k, be specific, Ariel!"
"I'm o...outside...outside..." Oh I don't know! I looked up at the name of the place, there was a sign ahead of me linking to the building next door. Yelling to match him I said, "Tinderbox. It says Tinderbox! I'm in the street next to it!" I could only now just hear the panic in my voice.
"Get out of that damn street and go inside. Do it now, Ariel. Now! I'm on my way."
I didn't know what was happening to me right now, if I was seeing things or not, but I could have sworn I saw that guy at my shoulder. I yelped in surprise. It looked like I was reacting to nothing, but I could have sworn I saw him just next to me.
"Dante..." my phone was dead. Puzzled, I examined it. No way had it been low on battery. It usually indicates and I could have sworn I'd charged it last night and again briefly this morning by my desk. But the coverage...there was an X over it. No coverage?
"Sorry, did I scare you?"
I looked up in the direction of the croaky voice, seeing the guy who I could now definitively say was as real as real gets. He wasn't a hallucination. Swallowing and backing away but trying to pretend I wasn't scared, I knew I was failing. The look on his face told me he could see right through me. In fact, there was something about him that told me he wasn't all he appeared.
"It's okay," I lied, "No harm done," I hesitatingly made my move out of the street and onto the main path, I tried to sound calm, unfazed, but when he stepped in front of me, I could feel my pulse do all the panicking for me. I stopped, my chest heaving as my breathing increased and my eyes quickly shot back up to him. I stepped to the left, he stepped to his right matching my position. Blocking me again.
"Look, please, I'll just be on my way, okay?" Fear was rising in me as I attempted to move to my right, but again, he made the same move to block me passing. I froze when I realized what this was. Gripping my bag tighter over my shoulder I tried to think if there was anything in my bag I could use as a weapon. Keys? I just knew this was one of those times when thinking some strange guy was about to attack you was more a reality then an overreaction.
"Dante's girl, right?"
What? I swallowed down hard. How did he know about us? "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Yes you do."
I braced myself. "What do you want?" my voice undeniably shaky.
He lifted a notebook out of his back pocket. What looked like blood stained hands flicked through. Blood...? My pulse ran at double its rate now at the sight of those blood and dirt tinted fingers as he thumbed over the paper.
"Ariel Storeheart." He read. "Human. Twenty-six years old. Five foot, five inches. Darkest-brown hair, brown eyes, London born and raised. A sister, deceased. A mother, deceased. Father: unknown. An assistant exec at AIFP. Boss is Jacey Longsworth. No children. Once dated guardian and demon-hunter Nathaniel Sydes, now involved with demon of the First Hierarchy, Dante Mark Greco...wow, colourful love-life. I could go on. This is you?"
I shivered.
"Dante's girl." He finished again.
My whole body shook at his glare, at all his collective information. "Who are you?"
His mouth twisted into a slimy smile. It made me shiver right down to my very soul.
I was starting to really panic now. "Look, I don't know what this is about or what it is you're after but just let me leave. Please."
"No." He lapped the word with delight as he saw my expression. He seemed to relish in my fear. I cursed myself that I was showing it. "I don't think so somehow."
"What do you want from me?"
"Leverage. And you, my sweet, are the ultimate."
My panic had grabbed hold of me now and I found myself turning around and running. Something told me it was pointless trying. This was a blocked street, but I could see drop ladders and backdoors I could maybe try tugging at. What was I thinking? I knew I wouldn't get away from him but I pushed on hearing my breath catching in my throat at the speed, hearing myself hyperventilate, going as fast as my legs could carry me. But within seconds I felt his hands wrap over my mouth and jerk me back, the stained hands stifling my now muffled screams against his filthy palm, my eyes stinging with panic as every thought flashed through my mind, every damn thought in a nought-to-one second scale.
My back against his chest, he snarled against me, "Why are you fighting? I heard you like this position."
His hand over my mouth, I panted scared. The toughened skin of his fingers smelling ashen against me, grazing me. I felt his other hand come up to roughly grab around my throat, touching his hand down its length, down my chest and roughly taking my breast in his hand. He moaned halfway between a snarl as he felt me.
I could hear myself whimper a defeated cry and squeezed down hard on my lids, whimpering in disgust and fear and all of a sudden feeling dirty at his touch.
I didn't want him touching me. This disgusting excuse for a thing was touching me. I wanted him to stop, I needed him to stop as I begged him to, begging him not to go any further, begging to escape with my life and myself in tact without him going so far as to force himself on me. Tainting me. I moved frantically, moving against him so violently it was as if I was trying to worm myself out of his violating grasp. If I could just try to break free...but the more I struggled, the tighter his grip got like a vice around me.
"Fuck, you're a fighter, aren't you?." He breathed guttural, trying to hold me still. "Don't bother trying to fight; I'm too strong for you."
I shook my head, hot tears stinging at my cheeks streaming in fear. A vigorous shake of my head cupped against his hand and I desperately squinted hard, biting down on the hand over my mouth. He only just jerked long enough to call me a bitch and free his hand for a second. That second was all I needed. With all the fear and panic and breath and sound I could muster I pierced the air with the puncturing sound of what was without doubt the loudest scream of my life.