As soon as Zack moves to get up, Dominic and I do the same and the Pastor walks away, disappearing behind one of the fully lit candelabras. Quietly, Dominic and I follow Zack toward the door and back into the dimly lit hallway.
"I must tell you something," Zack says, turning around to look me straight on, "Uncle John no longer looks like himself."
"What do you mean?" I ask, reaching for Dominic's hand.
"He has transformed almost fully into the Demon," his voice low and hushed, "It happened after Aunt Kelly..." he stops, taking in a quick breath, "It—it might be better this way."
Suddenly I clue in to what my brother is saying, "You mean it'll be easier to kill him if he no longer looks like our relative?"
"Exactly." Zack says, rubbing the side of his face.
"At this point, I don't think I'll have a problem with it," I say, letting out a breath, "let's see what the bastard knows."
Zack nods, turning toward the dark hallway and Dominic squeezes my hand hard and I stop, "One more thing," he looks down as if wishing he didn't have to tell me, "You brought him back and only you can kill him."
What the...
I don't have time to be pissed but I don't even try to hide my sarcasm, "Um, that would have been beneficial information like, yesterday."
Dominic's expression gets serious, "If I had told you before now, the worry would have consumed you," he whisper-shouts and Zack stops, turning around to see what's going on, "You have the full ability to do it, Kate," Dominic takes my other hand, "and I will be by your side when you are ready."
"We need to hurry," Zack says, snapping me out of my stare with Dominic as I look over to him. Without a word, I drop Dominic's hand and turn to follow my brother. A few steps later, I feel his fingers as they slip through mine again and I know instantly that it's Dominic's way of apologizing.
I can't be mad, not now -- my focus has to stay on helping Skylar.
So, I wrap my fingers around his massive hand without looking up and we quickly make our way down the familiar corridor to the metal room.
I'm starting to know my way around what was once a maze of corridors and know when to turn and which way to go without thinking. We're getting close and when I see the thick, steal door, it's just how I remember it—gunmetal gray and at least four inches thick. Zack quickly opens the combination latch and the eerie silence as we walk in is almost deafening.
We barely get inside before I hear laughter. The kind of laughter that sends chills up and down your body. "I thought you'd never get here." The Demon says as I turn my head, spotting him sitting in a thick, wooden chair completely bound and chained to the floor. Zack was right, he looks nothing like Uncle John. His eyes are completely black and his skin has a clammy, yellow hue to it, almost as though the body has already died.
"Zull," my brother wastes no time, "tell us what the Demons want with Skylar Bennett."
Laughter explodes in the room, echoing off the metal walls and he smiles, staring me in the eyes, "It's a secret."
"Zull, I command you to tell us...now!" Zack says in a more authoritative tone and Zull makes a face like he's somehow being hurt.
"Queen Kate," Zull looks back to me, "isn't Skylar your friend?" he pauses and swallows, like he's still in pain, "the same friend who, by all accounts, stalked you at the cemetery because he's, how do I put this gently in front of your betrothed—still in love with you?"