CHAPTER NINE
OLD FRIENDS?
JULI POV
Max had already tackled him to the ground when I landed on his chest. I stuck him in the windpipe with one hand and summoned his dagger to me with the other. I restrained him to the ground with wind as I surveyed the damage. Shit, I'd thrown up a shield to protect everyone but me. Then I shrugged at least I had gotten almost everyone. Jules ruffled my hair as he bent to whisper in my ear.
"That's my baby." I grinned and leapt off of him as Daddy and Jules each grabbed an arm and threw him against the wall. He began to speak to me in my head then.
"Bitch, she killed my family and you're protecting her." I glanced at Mom as he continued. "I kill you too then, kid or not." Without thinking I spoke back telepathically.
"Who's your family?" He stilled as my voice whispered in his mind. The he spoke aloud.
"You know who. The Cassidys' were my brothers and sister and your mother slaughtered them like cattle. They told me what you did to them." He let out a snarl of fury as he tried to jerk away from dad and Jules. Mom stepped beside me as she spoke.
"Raven killed Nicole and Matt died to protect Joey but I brought Joey back." He jerked gain as he screamed at her.
"Liar!"
"Actually that is a lie." I glanced at Max who seemed to just realize what he's said. "Not that he killed them but the Nicole part." We all stared at him. What the hell was he talking about. Max sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. The man froze and stared at Max like he was seeing a ghost.
"Nikki used to do that all the time." Max grinned sheepishly as I looked at him.
"Okay there is heaven and hell but there is also..."
"Max, what the hell? We can't tell them that." Max glared at Mel who grumbled something about him being and idiot and sat back down.
"Anyway there is also Limbo. If you die a good person and heaven is just too happy for you can become a Guardian Angel or Spiritual as Leslie calls them. In this place you can also fall in love get married and create children. You don't actually had childbirth in the true sense because that was a punishment from God and Spirituals are heavenly creatures but you can make your own family and start them out at whatever age you wish. You can even carry the child if you want too. My mom is Nicole Cassidy. Which means you must be Uncle Ricki." Dad and Jules released him as Joey came rushing in the room. I rolled my eyes. Now he shows up.
"What the hell all the noise in here?" He stopped when his eyes landed on Ricki. Next thing I know he was across the room leaping onto Ricki's back.
"Big bro, your back." Ricki laughed and threw him to the ground.
"Yea, yea and I have a nephew." Joey frowned unaware of Max's surprise. I rolled my eyes. This day was way too eventful.
"Joey, Max is Nicole's son. She's in Limbo. Ricki..." I grabbed Ana and Lee's arms and pulled them forward. "...this is Ana and Lee, your nieces."
.........
"So how did Matt die?" We'd all went to kitchen to eat and I paused in my sandwich making to glance at Mom. She rarely spoke about Matt and none of us pushed her. I think she'd have been able to love him too if she'd had the chance. Mom was rubbing her belly when she glanced up with those silver eyes to meet Ricki's stare.
"He burnt them both alive after Raven killed Adam. I had a choice to bring back him or Joey as a reward for what I'd done. I chose Adam. Diane was alone and pregnant while I had Luke. Matt was a good man that didn't deserve to die like that." Ricki leaned forward and placed his hand over Mom's.
"Thanks." We talked long into the night and avoided the subject of us leaving tomorrow.
..........
Mom stood in my room giving me last minute advice for the millionth time when there was a knock at the door. Mom turned around as Max, Mel, and Ricki walked in. I blushed at the look Max gave me and quickly looked at Ricki. He grinned as he answered Mom's prayers.
"We were thinking we could go with the twins to give you piece of mind and all that." Mel grunted and folded her arms over her chest. Max elbowed her and she smiled.
"Absolutely, it's not like if I get blown up again I'll die or anything. Ow, dammit Max quit hitting me." Max just grinned and covered Mel's mouth with his hand.
"It's no problem, Leslie." Mom looked at me then clapped her hands together.
"Well let's get this party started then before I start missing you and try to lock you in your rooms."
...............
We teleported into a room lined with desks. I blinked in surprise and started to say something but Max shook his head and pointed across the room. Turning my head to the front of the room I saw a boy about ten looking at us. He glanced at me and clapped his hands. He didn't seem surprised by our entrance at all.
"So class how many demons does it take to kill six stupid teens, two spirituals, and the one that turned against us? Well, that's easy one." The words ended in a growl as he turned into a huge monster with blue green fur and very sharp teeth.
Lee screamed in surprise as he turned to face her. Taking the advantage I leapt onto a desk then launched myself onto his back as he growled and bit into my arm. Screaming in outrage I used wind to lift me up as I slammed him into the ground. It struggled as I pinned him to the floor until fire leapt from my hand to course through his fur, lighting it on fire. He shrieked in pain and turned back into the boy again. His eyes were blue-green with starbursts in them but they were lifeless as he stared at me. His hair was blonde with a ragged cut but it was his voice that made me pause. Pulling back the fire I kept my grip on his neck as he spoke with an intelligence well beyond a ten year old boy.
"Julianna you came. I've been waiting for you to come and kill me." Shocked I stared at him as Ricki muttered something about a trick.
"Please Juli I don't have a choice but to do this...this killing. It's my punishment. I'm a ghost forced to fight for the wrong side." Sighing I released him to sit back on my haunches.
"What was your crime, beast?" He winced at the insult as tears slid down his face.
"We went to the hall of fear and I failed my test. I lost my essence and the bad guys bagged it. Normally the Guardian keeps you there in the hall but she was...distracted."
"By what?" He sobbed then but choked out the words.
"Your father's death." Everyone gasped as I leapt off of him. Max reached forward to grasp my hand as I spoke.
"Who are you?" He sighed and stood up as my mind went back to the stories my mother used to tell me.
"Bubu. It was your Mom that I failed and only you and Gabe can save me."
"I don't believe you."
"You do, that's why your crying. I chose to fight you here because I know something Raven doesn't." I looked at him warily as he handed me a wicked looking dagger.
"You can kill me and I will be released from them. You or Gabe have to do it. I owe the blood debt to you. Then I will be free to become a spiritual again." My mind refused to comprehend his words.
"I can't kill you in..." He jerked his arm holding the dagger at Lee as I struck him with lighting. He shook as electricity coursed through him. I flashed back to Raven's claws digging into my skin as Bubu fell to his knees, covered in blood. I reached out and pulled him to me as he gasped for breathe one last time and died in my arms. I was still there holding him when I was tapped on the shoulder.
I turned to see a tall blonde guy with serious muscle staring at me. My voice was harsh when I spoke.
"What do you want?" He swept his hair out of his eyes and smiled at me.
"Um...I love you too. Could you let me go now?" Surprised I looked at my arms to see Bubu's body had disappeared. Leaping up I struck the guy in the jaw.
"Where is he?" The boy rubbed his jaw absently as he spoke.
"All Spirituals have their own gifts. Mine is to change my age at will but I'm still working on it. I'm young in Spiritual years and lack experience like Mel blowing herself up. I'm Bubu, Juli."
"I am not inexperienced." Mel stepped forward, tripped and landed smack on her face. I laughed as I hugged Bubu.
"Welcome to the group, Bubu."