Among Demons : A Siren's Voice

Ch. 28 : Pitfall

An entire day was taken to ensure that the plan was not only wholly agreed upon, but that all the extra weapons and people involved were completely ready.

The morning of the planned ambush, I insisted on joining them, wanting to be a part of every step they took that would bring me a little bit closer to seeing my nephew. So I watched on from the background while they all gathered in front of the building. They counted those present, volunteers that answered the call, several times while also jotting down names and next of kin. Guns were loaded with bullets, knives were sharpened and polished, and I even watched as Arima, Nyla’s cousin, tested the strength of a dangerous looking leather whip with a lethal smile on her face.

At one point, while they all gathered together to talk it all out with their people, I stepped up to help Sammy. She had piled up a few first aid bags next to three coolers that held all sorts of sandwiches and water bottles for the kids they'd save. She had even made time to drive out and back with a few blood bags for the Vampire children, worried that they might have gone too long without blood while held hostage.

A large part of me felt so very helpless, knowing that there was no way that I could actually join them on the rescue mission itself. Not when I was still mostly mute and unable to reach my power as a Siren. I would end up being nothing more than a liability if I went with them, so I was forced to watch them all when they finally started to pile into vehicles to leave.

Nick approached me while his sister, Marcus and Arima all waited for him next to their car. Danny, Izaak and Nyla had all followed after their other volunteers in the large vans that still held space for the children they hoped would come back with them.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to take.” Nick told me, wrapping his arms loosely around my waist. “But I don’t want you to spend the entire time worrying about me and the others, ok?” He smiled reassuringly at me, giving my lips a peck as I tried to smile back. “Hey.” He tilted his head when I couldn’t meet his eyes, my stomach twisting with so many emotions. “Lora, baby.” A shiver lightly trailed my body at his soft voice, his fingers gently taking my chin and making me look up at him. “I’ll bring him back safely… I promise.”

Something foreboding filled my chest at his words, but I couldn’t pinpoint what it was at all. Though I knew that this promise of his wasn’t something he could truly keep, I wanted to believe his words. I also wanted to somehow gather up any shred of positivity for him, so I could send him off with a smile and a show of confidence. But I just couldn’t even do that for him, not when my heart was so very twisted up inside.

Someone honked the horn behind him, making him turn as I continued to try and smile. When he looked back at me, he looked annoyed but kissed me again, helping me manage the tiniest of grins just as he let me go.

“I’ll be back soon, ok?” I nodded to his words, hurriedly jumped at him and kissed him once more.

He chuckled into my lips before pulling back, his swirling hazel-green eyes shining with affection. I finally let him turn away and watched as he joined the others, climbing into the car and pulling out of the parking lot.

“They’re gonna be alright.” Sammy’s voice startled after I had stood there watching the car until it vanished down the road. “It’s not the first time that they’ve gone off on such a mission fully armed and ready for a fight.” I turned to her as she slipped her hand around my arm, tugging me towards the doors. “I won’t lie to you, it was scary for me the first few times Izaak went off to work when he was still working as a cop.” She continued, shaking her head as we stepped into the building. “But after a while, once I got past all the doubt and fear that came over me, I started to just wish him all the luck I could muster as he left.” She smiled at me and squeezed my arm, leaning out to push the elevator button. “It’s all I could really do at the time. Give him encouragement and wish him all the luck and protection I could think of… tell him that I believe in him and try my best to not focus on the scary, negative possibilities too much.”

I nodded as we stepped into the elevator, understanding her words and trying my hardest to calm my own fears and dark imaginings.

We spent the next few hours talking and cleaning up the lounge with music playing softly from the large speakers in the corner. It helped that everytime I finished something, Sammy would either ask for help with something else or ask me a question that developed into a full conversation. She had invited me to go along with her when it was time to pick up her kids as well, making sure that I wasn’t given too much time to dwell on what was happening away from us.

Her little boy Darren was adorable, shyly tucking into his mommy’s arms when we returned to the lounge. His sister, on the other hand, was more than happy to tell me all about her day at school.

Starting with how she was feeling grumpy when she woke up in the morning, to the happiness at having her daddy make pancakes for breakfast. Then the fun games she played with her friends at morning recess, what she had for lunch and the funny story her teacher read to the class. Absolutely everything was said as she bounced, skipped and twirled around the room, pausing only to ask for something to drink and a snack.

It made me smile to see how energetic and smiley this little elf was, turning to Sammy after Mari became distracted by her favorite cartoon.

Sammy and I spent the rest of the day talking about the kids and how they had been growing up. It felt a little… strange to speak to her about Alder like I was his mother. Though I did raise him along with my dad, I had never allowed myself to think that I was his mother. Though Alder had always turned to me first. Even as a baby, while teething, hungry or just in need of a cuddle, Alder would calm the second I held him. Dad had picked up on that quickly and asked me if I would be alright with being the main person handling most of his care during the day, since he had been left with us while I was on summer break. And I had agreed and quickly formed a rhythm in caring for the little baby Vampire. I had also been the one pricking my fingers to add a few drops of blood into his formula too. This was because when my dad had tried to add his own blood, little Alder refused to drink it.

But now, talking to a mother of two and actually comparing things between the children we had raised, my heart clenched painfully.

I was, in essence, Alder's mother. I had been the one to go through all of the ups and downs with my little nephew as he grew. Been there to help him when he needed me, and shared in his joy when he accomplished something no matter how small. But because I knew who his biological mother was, because I still held out hope after all these years that my sister would come back and connect with her son, I never once allowed myself to acknowledge this fact. I still prayed and hoped and believed, somewhere deep inside, that my sister would see how wrong it was for her to just leave her family without a word. That her own instincts as a mother would pull her back to her son and in turn, reunite her with me and dad.

We would be a family again…

But that was just not going to happen. Not now that I learned so many dark secrets that both my mother and sister had kept. Not when my own gut was telling me that there was more that had been kept from me. Secrets that not only involved my sister but gave her more than enough of an excuse to stay away for so long.

Just as anger over all these revelations started brewing within me, the doors to the lounge crashed open. Sammy shot to her feet and held her kids close, eyes wide with panic. I jumped out of my seat along with her, feeling my emotions still as I turned to face the door.

Nyla stood there, out of breath and glaring at nothing before she turned to look out of the room. Unsteady footsteps could be heard before Izaak came in with an injured Danny leaning on him. Blood spilled from a wound on his left thigh that was tightly wrapped in fabric. All three had dirt and blood and mud coating their bodies, with the hair and face almost completely coated with a few leaves sticking to their heads. Nyla huffed at Izaak to place Danny on the dining chair she moved towards him, narrowing her eyes at her new husband while muttering about him being stupidly overprotective.

My heart began to hammer away again and I was out of the room before I realized that I was even moving. The impatience and panic that took over kept me from waiting for the elevator, choosing to practically fly down the stairs instead, nearly tripping a handful of times before I reached the ground floor. I barely took note of the lobby, barreling through the doors and instantly scanning the parking lot.

I caught sight of the volunteers that had joined them, all busy walking around doing something. A small group of teary-eyed Demon kids were being guided towards a different vehicle near the exit, each one getting looked over for wounds while also getting handed a sandwich and water bottle. They all looked malnourished and there were even some bruises on a few little faces and arms. A few other volunteers were also gathered around a car I recognized and I slowly started making my way towards it.

I spotted Devin and Marcus standing by the car, both holding stern faces as they spoke to the volunteers. They each had small cuts and bruises here and there, with dirt and leaves staining their clothes too. There was also something else in their eyes once they caught sight of me. Something that told me that I wasn’t going to be happy at all. My eyes looked around them, finding Arima sitting on the ground next to the wheel of another car, smiling through a grimace as another woman tended to her blood covered arm.

That was when I realized that someone was missing.

Someone very important.

My feet moved on their own again, making me run towards Devin whose gaze softened a bit as she caught me by the shoulders.

“Lora, Lora…” She started, looking into my eyes deeply as I slowly realized that I was breathing hard, my lips parting repeatedly as I tried to speak. “I need you to breathe, ok?”

I nodded, closing my gaping mouth and trying to swallow the lump at my throat. My hands were shaking and I could feel my chest tightening, drowning in that foreboding feeling I had felt earlier. But I still tried to do as she asked, taking as deep a breath as I could while looking into her eyes. She nodded with me, giving my shoulders a squeeze before mimicking the next breath I took, encouraging me to take more. When I finally don’t feel so panicked and overwhelmed, I reach out and grip her wrists, silently urging her to answer my desperate unspoken question.

She closed her eyes and sighed, taking a second before speaking. “Things become very complicated… There were many more Hunters than we thought possible.” I nodded a little, growing impatient with how slowly she was explaining things. “My brother was at the forefront when we found out where the kids were being kept.” She smiled a little at me as she continued. “Nick was so very determined to find Alder himself… so he could bring him back to you safely.” I smiled at her words, letting out a slightly strangled breath while the sting of tears took over my eyes. “It was thanks to Nick that we were able to get to the other kids and managed to safely evacuate them… but…” She sighed again, pulling me in for a tight hug so her words were said right by my ear. “That Hunter… Mitch… the one that had chased you the night we found you… he somehow got to Alder before we could…” A whimper left me and I clung to her, both wanting to hear the rest, and wishing to stay blissfully ignorant. “And my brother chose to basically turn himself into another captive so he could stay close to Alder.” The sound that left me was filled with pain and fear, making my legs weak as Devin tightened her hold on me.

She helped me move so that I was leaning back on the car, giving me a minute to take in what she just told me. Once I was calm enough, feeling a few tears stream down my face, I looked back at her, needing to hear more, yet unsure what more there was to know.

“I know you’re scared and worried.” She said, bending forward to move a lock of my hair out of my face. “And I know that all of this is very overwhelming for you… but I also know my brother.” She smiled at me, her ringed eyes glowing with a confidence that helped alleviate the heavy weight that had settled over my body. “I know how stubborn he is and how smart he is too… even when he acts like a stupid dork.” Her words made me smile a little and I nodded. “Nick WILL come back with Alder right beside him… He won’t give up until he's back… trust me.”