Mixed Worlds

Chapter Seventeen - No Offence

        I hang by a thread as each ring comes through my phone. On the fifth ring, a man answers.

            “Hello?” He says.

            “Hi, I’m looking for Anna? I’m not sure if this is still her number or not.”

            “Yes, I’m her husband. She’s putting our daughter in the bath.. Give me a moment and I’ll go get her.”

            A few moments later, her soft, sweet voice comes on the line.

            “Hello, this is Anna. Who’s this?” I pause. 

            “Hey firecracker, guess who?” I hear her gasp on the other line, and silence follows. “Anna? Are you there?” I ask nervously.

            “ALLY?! What the actual f**k? I thought you died! How the hell do you go years without talking to me?! Who do you think you are?” She yells. I feel tears well up in my eyes.

            “Anna, I’m so sorry I haven’t called. Things got really complicated after I left, and I meant to say goodbye but I knew I would change my mind if I stayed. You said you wanted to stop hunting one day, and I felt like if I left you’d have a better chance.” I spill out, stumbling over my words.

            “Oh please, you’re such an i***t. Tyler stays home with Marie, and I meet up with Carol when a situation comes up. What have you been up to? Is everything okay?” She asks.

            “Marie? You named your daughter after me?” I respond.

            “Well duh, you’re her aunt. Her ass-kicking, monster slaying aunt. Now, out with it missy.” She demands.

            “Well, it’s a long story. Any chance you can come to Kansas for a few days? It’s better to explain it in person. If not, I understand. I don’t want to pull you away from your family, but I’m out of options here.” I plead. “I really need you.” I feel a tear roll down my cheek.

            She sighs. “Of course I can. We made a promise to each other, and I always keep my promises. I can catch a flight tonight. Tyler is off for the week so I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” Her voice gets distant. I hear her give Tyler the short version of our conversation, and explains that I need her. “Yep, all clear on my end.”

            “Okay. I’ll book you a flight and send you the details. I’ll pick you up from the airport tomorrow. I’ll explain a bit on the drive back here, but you’ll understand better once you see it. And thank you, this means a lot.” 

            “Hey, we’re family. Family sticks together. We may not have the same blood, but you can’t get rid of me by just running away. I’ll see you tomorrow Allycat. I love you.” 

            “I love you too. See you tomorrow. And hey, tell Tyler I said thank you.”

            “Will do.” Click. A shiver runs up my spine as I turn around and see that Jack is leaning against the wall behind me, and he looks a little frustrated. 

            “Who was that you were talking to?” He asks. He crosses his arms over his chest and looks down at me.

            “That was Anna. Anna Blake? She’s who my father sent me off to find once… once he passed away.” I lower my head. “She explained the whole world to me, trained me, and held me when my emotions got the better of me. I was with her for about three or four years, and then I left to follow a lead in New York City. Then I ran into you guys. And a year and a bit later, here we are.” I cross my arms and give him the same look, only I scrunch my eyebrows and squint my eyes. “Why are you so serious?” I poke him in the chest, teasingly. His eyes soften up and he eats out a sigh.

            “I guess I just caught the tail end of that conversation and took it the wrong way.” He lowers his arms and puts his hands on my hips.

            “Wait, were you jealous? Did you think I was talking to another guy? Jack, have some faith…” I laugh and wrap my arms around his neck. “Check yourself boy, you’re stuck with me.”  I stand on my toes and give him a quick kiss. He smiles and kisses me again, but  deeper. “Come on, we have to get a few things ready, and I want to read some of my mothers book. See if anything can help. I want to learn more symbols and runes.” I grab his hand, and he follows me to the library.

            A few hours later, I take a well needed stretch and close my notebook. I’ve learned about a few different runes, chants, and special herbs. Jack found out that apparently there’s a rune you can cut into anyone, including any being, and it will force them to tell the truth. If they try to resist, it can become painful, and in some cases fatal. I try to memorize it, and tell myself to only use it as a last resort. Christian is the only lead I have, as his nest has stayed silent, according to a friend of mine back in Brooklyn. She was following a shapeshifter in Buffalo, and agreed to stay close to New York for a bit in case she catches wind of his nest.  I pull open my laptop, and look for flights from New York to Kansas. I find a flight for 2AM, which should have Anna here at around 5:30. I book the flight, and send an email off to Anna. I close my laptop, and take another big stretch. 

            “Okay. Enough work for right now.” I stand up and put my books back. “I want to get out of this bunker for a bit.” I say to Jack and Lucas. “You guys can come if you want, but either way, I want to get out before I have to pick up Anna from the airport.” I walk to my room, and change into a pair of light wash jeans, and an oversized black hoodie. I pull my hair back into a braid, and sit on my bed as I put on my running shoes.  I hear a knock on the door when I have the first shoe on, and I jump up to answer the door.

            “Hey I was wondering if-” I meet a pair of green eyes as I swing open the door. “Lucas? Where’s Jack?” I peek my head out the door and look down the hallway.

            “Yeah, it’s just you and me are going out. Jack wants to keep working, but he knows you need a break. So you and I are gonna hangout for a bit if that’s alright with you?” I walk back to my bed, and finish tying up my other shoe.

            “Yeah that’s okay, I was just expecting Jack at my door, not you.” I stand up and fix my hoodie. “Sorry, no offence.” I say as I smile and shrug.

            “Hey, none taken Al. What do you wanna do?” He steps aside so I can walk out into the hallway.

            “I actually want to get outside into the forest about 5 miles down the road. I want to test a few things out.” I found some defence spells I want to try out, and as bad as it sounds, I would rather focus my anger on Lucas, and not Jack. “It’s actually better that you’re the one coming now that I think about it. I’m just going to run and say bye to Jack and I’ll meet you in the garage, okay? Could you grab some water too?” 

            “Yeah sure, I’ll meet you there.” Lucas and I part ways, and I head back to the library to find Jack. When I open the ceiling high doors, I walk in and I can’t see Jack. “Jack?” I call out. I walk towards the back and can’t see him. “Weird… Jack? Jack, are you in here?” I walk through the whole library, and can’t find him. I walk to the kitchen, passing by the bathroom on the way, and I still can’t find him. I figure he must be in his room, so I go to his room and walk right in. “Jack?”

            As soon as I look into the room, I see Jack sitting on the bed, with his back facing me. He jumps up and kicks something under his bed, and turns around. “Oh, Ally hey, uh, what’s up?” He says quickly. Somethings telling me he got caught in the act doing something he shouldn’t be. I slowly walk over to the side of the bed, and Jack catches me in a hug. “Hey what’re you doing?” I look beside him and see that there’s a long elastic sitting on the bed, half tucked under his pillow. I get a shiver up my spine, and I know my thoughts are true.

            “Where is it?” I take a step back, and put my hands on my hips. 

            “What are you talking about? Where is what?” He says quietly. I can see the sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

            “Do not make me ask a second time.” I say sternly. I’m met with silence. I take a step and shove Jack onto the bed, and I quickly reach under his bed. I pull out a black case, and run to the door. “What is this?” I ask with a commanding tone. He stands up and quickly walks over to me, and tries to take the case from my hand. I open the case and step to the side, making Jack almost walk right into the doorframe. Inside, I see six or seven black vials, and five syringes. My gut was right. 

            “Ally, I can explain,” he starts.

            “Then get to talking. You better have a good explanation for this.” I zip the case up and hold it under my arm. My other hand rests inside the pocket on my hoodie, and I stare at Jack waiting for him to speak.

            “I uh, well… I’ve been…” he trails off.

            “You’ve been injecting Demons Blood?! DEMONS BLOOD?! Are you serious Jack? Did you not learn your lesson the last time I had to cut you off!? Explain yourself!” I say with a booming voice. I can feel my throat closing up, and I know that if I don’t walk out soon, I’m going to start crying.

            “Ally I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say.” He sulks.

            “How long?” I ask.

            “What?” 

            “I said, how LONG? How long have you been using again?” I can feel my face heating up.

            “About a month. Once a day, sometimes twice…” he says quietly.

            “So you’re telling me, that while I was knocked out, you decided to start using?” I take a step forward.  “And when I woke up, you continued to do it?!” I take another step. “Does that mean you had Demon blood in your system when we slept together?” Step. “When you told me you loved me?!” I take another step, and Jack stumbles into his dresser. “ANSWER ME!!” As I scream, the lightbulb in his lamp on his night side table shatters, leaving only the light from the hallway lighting the room.

            “Yes! Yes! I’m sorry. I’m so sorry Ally.” His eyes quickly scan to the door and then back to me. In a whisper, he continues. “When your were asleep, I didn’t know what else to do. I was trying to figure out ways to wake you up and I-”

            “Ooooh no, no you don’t get to try and blame this on me. I found out I was a f*****g Demigod, pass out because my mom mind zapped me, I slept for two months locked in my own damn mind prison apparently, and you decide to start injecting Demon Blood again? What the actual f**k is wrong with you?” My voice cracks. “Then I wake up and explain the whole confusing ordeal to you and Lucas, and you still didn’t tell me? Or didn’t think to stop? Oh my god, does me know? Or are you lying to Lucas too?!” I scream. 

            “Ally, please calm down, please I know you’re upset and I’m sorry,” he protests.

            “Upset? Oh, I’m not upset. I’m pissed. Actually, I’m furious. I’m done talking.” I turn to walk away, and Jack grabs my arm with the case tucked under it. He turns me around, and I give him the angriest look I can muster. “Don’t f*****g touch me!” I pull my arm free and slap him hard across the face. “Whatever was happening here,” I swing my finger between us, “is DONE!” I leave the room as Jack falls to his knees and holds his face. Finally my tears fall, and I run to the garage. Lucas is leaning against his car, and sees my face. “Don’t,” I say as he reaches a hand out to me. “We’re taking my truck.” I walk past him, and take the keys to my brand-new black Dodge Ram, and unlock the doors.. I get in the drivers seat, and Lucas follows suit. I toss the case onto his lap and speed out of the garage just as the door is high enough for me to pass under.