"It's okay, it's okay. Laura we're here." Alex's trembling hands wiped at the blood the poured out from my nose. My eyes darted around the house, from Alex to Lewis to Arden who stood off at the side.
It burns! Urgh, it f*cking burns!
The all too familiar voice screeching from Kara's body and all I could do was stare at it.
"Arden? Help her to wash up." Lewis gently pushed Arden forward. As though he just remembered where he was, he rushed forwards and took me out of Alex's arms.
"It seems like the toilet is our hang out place huh?" I joked, giving him a weak smile, but even that didn't crack his stoic expression.
"Wash up, I'll be back." He placed me on the toilet and walked back out, closing the door behind him.
My reflection was ghastly. The blood that was smeared across my face was a huge contrast to pale skin. I was as white as the walls in my room.
I started washing my face, cleansing gently, then scrubbing. The blood was gone, but I could still see its mark. How it remained as a stain on my skin. A growl escaped my lips as I scrubbed at my face, my arms and neck. I had to get it off. But it was just as stubborn. A whimper finally got out of me followed by a sob as I sank down to the ground, weakly clawing at my arms.
"Oh, Laura.." I watched as Arden entered again through watery eyes.
"I can't get it out. I still see the blood everywhere. I keep hearing it's voice, it's everywhere." I cried weakly.
"Shhhhh... it's okay, it's not there anymore. You're back with us." He gathered me in his arms, rocking me gently.
"It's not okay, whenever this happens you guys need to come in and save me even at the risk of yourselves. I'm just a bane like Anna said. I'm only going to bring you guys trouble."
"You are not a bane Laura. Never a bane. We made the decision to stay with you. We will stand by you through thick and thin." Arden stopped me in the middle of my rant, his eyes fierce with the words he said.
"Let me help you and we'll join the rest outside alright?" His voice softened as he helped me up to my feet.
"I'm sorry I left. Seeing you like that made me so angry. I almost lost control, I wanted to get rid of it." He leaned his forehead against mine.
"Get rid? You mean kill it?" I gasped and pushed him away from me to look him in the eye, much to his amusement.
"Well you have seen Lewis get rid of the Wanderer haven't you? Why are you so icky about me killing it?" His voice tinged with amusement. My mouth opened to reply but three knocks on the door sounded, cutting me off.
"If you guys are done, can I come in now?" Bri shouted from outside and my eyes widened.
"She can't see me like this! Sh-she can't!" I squeaked, panicking but Arden clamped his hands around my face, squishing my cheeks and stopped me right in my panic attack.
"Brown eyes! Listen, okay? It's alright." He paused, gauging me reaction but seeing that I kept quiet he continued, "she's really worried about you. And she's stronger than Soren. She has this innate strength. She'll be fine. Plus she brought you a fresh set of clothes."
"Okay I get it. Can you let go of my cheeks now?" I spoke through squished lips and he let go immediately with a sheepish grin.
"You looked too cute I couldn't help it." He grinned, "change and come out quick alright. We have things to discuss, including Briana and Soren."
He turned around and opened the door with a click and Bri barrelled in with my clothes.
"Are you alright? I saw the blood everywhere on the carpet. And oh thank god you're fine, I was going crazy with Soren's complain he still hasn't stopped you know. And I- Oof-" I cut her off with a tight hug.
"I'm sorry you and Soren had to witness all this." My voice muffled by her shirt and I held her closer, she was like my sister, I can't imagine losing her.
"It's cool especially seeing Alex being so macho. You owe us an explanation at the very least. For now change and we'll go." I nodded and let her go. She passed took out a hair tie, helping me bunch my hair up into a ponytail. As I changed and I looked at my reflection. I was still pale but at least my eyes aren't dead, Bri stood next to me, her blue eyes shinning as she put her arms around me. "There's my brave looking warrior. Let's go, we'll be right next to you." She smiled, exiting the toilet, Arden who was leaning against the wall stood up straight and nodded.
The stairs beneath my feet creaked as we approached the living room, the screeching getting louder we descended until I stood eye to eye with it. "Arden can you get Soren down, but keep him grounded and on mute." I spoke and the creature went silent. Bri had frozen completely seeing Kara in such a state, I gave her hand a squeeze went forward to Lewis
"Laura! Why are you here? I thought I sent you to rest!" Lewis exclaimed with surprise, in his hands was a bowl with some thick murky looking paste and a spoon in it.
"It's time to face my demons. I want Soren and Bri to be around when I confront this fella." I shrugged.
"I've brought him here." Arden spoke up and I nodded without even turning.
"Listen, if you want Soren and Bri to be around, remember that there will be consequences for mortals to find out about us." Lewis warned and I turned to look at Bri who nodded, the woman practically radiated determination.
"Speak, what else do you know that we don't?" Lewis ordered the puppeteer who was still in Kara's body and within the circle.
"Huhuhu... Nothing you don't know. She is the Chosen One, the key and portal between this world and ours. The hole is expanding and more of us will be here. She will leave destruction in her wake, and the total annihilation of mortals and uprising of demons." It started cackling again, Kara's head was thrown back as the laughter resounded.
"I do hate Kara, but is there anyway to save her? She may be a bitch but she's still a classmate." I jumped when Bri whispered into my ear, I didn't even realise she had approached me.
"Yes, we can but it'll be a painful process and I'll have to wipe her memory clean." Lewis replied without even turning to look at us.
"What key do you speak of?" Lewis asked again.
"She is the key to destruction, an opening of portals to bring in more of my kind. We will rule the world. We will annihilate the worthless mortals. We can work together Immortals and demons we can rule together. We can-"
"That is enough." A new voice spoke, turning a hooded figure appeared in the doorway. With a flick of his wrist, Kara's head snapped up, facing the ceiling. The black mist slowly exiting her body into a vial in the stranger's hand. The black mist that exited soon became mixed with white, with the black mist inside the vial, the hooded figure snapped the vial shut. The residual white mist went back into Kara's body and her head sagged, the faint moving of her chest indicated that she was still alive.
"Lewis Browne, you are under orders to head back to Headquarters where you will remain till judgement." A pair of shackles were placed on Lewis's hands but his face still held amusement.
"Aw, dammit Alastor, I didn't get to use the paste on her. And what is with these?" Lewis raised his hands critiquing the shackles. "You know these don't work on me, these are for the lower levels and halfbreeds with little power, no offence Laura." He looked over to me with a smile and I shrugged, I was more interested in who this Alastor guy was and why Lewis was so calm.
"You know I have to do this. Your charges are so long that I couldn't bring it along and add it to the fanfare. The upstairs aren't happy despite you being on their good side. " The Alastor guy sighed, removing his hood. Then they started doing some elaborate handshake thing that ended with them bumping chests. He looked older than Arden and Alex, like in his mid thirties. I thought Immortals stop ageing after 25? Asian looking, he had black hair which was a stark contrast to how pale he was.
"Just take me back then, since they have requested for me. Pretend you didn't see them and keep them in your care till I can return." Lewis spoke more seriously now, Alastor rubbed his face tiredly and nodded.
"Oh and wipe the little possessed lady's mind of everything that happened tonight and bring her back home. I'm sure you can do that." Lewis grinned at him and Alastor, who had already slung Kara over his shoulder, smacked the back of Lewis' head and they both disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
Silence blanketed the living room as we stared at each other. Even Soren wasn't kicking up a fuss. Well, he was on mute after all.
"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I need a drink." I announced and walked in the direction of the kitchen.