Hallows: Merciful Death

There Are Others

The Revivalists- I Wish I Knew You

B.B.:

James is pissed about the changes my mom made to the house. He's going around writing things to "fix" down in a little notebook. He hates that she covered the darkness inside of it with pastels and white. He said something about my dad rolling over in his grave right now.

"Not the day I planned on having," Carson grumbles.

Maggie left as soon as she was packed up without saying a word. I don't blame her. She's a devoted Christian mother and the last thing she wants is to have a girl like me around her precious daughters. I didn't get to reply when my phone began to ring.

"Hello?" I answer leaning against his chest. He pulls me closer.

"Hey, it's mom," my mom answers.

"I know. I have your number saved," I laugh.

"Oh, right. Is Jeeves there?" she asks.

"Yeah, James is here," I smile. I look up at Carson's smirk. He's called him that six times now. James has been kind enough to ignore it.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I called him as soon as I landed. He took care of your father when he was your age and well, he's really good at his job,"

"What do you mean? Isn't he here to take care of the house?"

"Yes, and he's also there to cover your ass, reaper girl," she whispers the last part. "I am reading the news right now. Six deep-fried bodies. You don't f**k around do you?"

"How do you know it was me?"

"Please, I fell in love with your father knowing he was a f*****g sociopath," she huffs. "You are no different. It's the only thing you get from him. That little quick-to-kill instinct when you know something isn't right. Your little charming acts when you know you f****d up. Sociopaths," she pronounces each syllable carefully.

"He's mad at you. He said dad is rolling over in his grave because of your, and I'm quoting here. Pastel nightmare," I laugh.

"He can suck my d**k for all I care," both Carson and I laugh. "Are you okay? Was this your first time?"

"Yeah, I threw up a little but I'm okay,"

"Okay, baby. Now that I've cleared my head and know you're okay. I want to apologize for what I said. I was freaking out,"

"It's okay, mom. You don't have to apologize to me about anything. I get it. Thanks for calling James,"

"Maggie called me and she was upset. She said you had two boys over and that they look like hoodlums. My guess is that Anthony's boys are there. Good for you,"

"Mom," I groan.

"We love you too, Mrs. Blackstone," he laughs.

"I'm not on speaker am I, Belladonna?"

"No, I'm just really close to him," I roll my eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You shouldn't have answered, B.B. A call back would have sufficed," she scolds.

"What? No. Nothing is happening. We're watching Prodigal Son," I shake my head.

"Oh, I like that show. Well, what am I supposed to think B.B?"

"I don't know," I laugh. "You're kind of nuts,"

"Kettle meet pot," she scoffs.

"How is your new job going, mom?" I say, needing to change the subject.

"It's-" she pauses. "Everything I ever dreamed of,"

"It doesn't sound like it," I whisper.

"I just miss your father. We were supposed to be here together, you know?" she sighs. "I've been thinking a lot about him,"

"David has been checking in on me. He apologized," I inform her, hoping it somehow makes her happy. Even a little.

"I know he told me he was the last time we spoke," she clears her throat trying to mask the fact that she's crying.

"I love you," I say because I don't know what else to do. I'm not good at comforting people. Especially not over the phone. I rarely ever talk to anyone on the phone.

"I love you too, B.B. I have to go to bed but I'll call you again tomorrow. Yes?"

"Yes, I'll talk to you tomorrow,"

"You okay?" Carson asks me when she hangs up.

"Yeah, I just hate making her cry. It's all I've been doing as of late," I tuck my phone into my back pocket.

"Are you hungry?" he asks. I nod.

"Would you like me to prepare lunch, Lady Blackstone?" James comes out of nowhere.

"Dude, where the hell did you come from?" Carson complains. "No, we're going out,"

"Would you like me to drive?" James suggests.

"Yes," I jump up excitedly. He smiles. Carson groans. "Come on, it's such a pretty car. I need to be inside of it. Like real rockstars,"

"Fine," he grins getting up.

"I'll go get my coat and my-" James holds up my coat and my purse. "How did you do that?"

"I can't spill all my secrets, Miss. Where to Master Carson?"

"Wherever Miss Blackstone wishes," he takes my jacket to help me into it. James smiles approvingly.

"I want Ernie's," I announce.

"That's in the Southside," Carson sighs.

"I know. I want them to see me. See us. So they know who daddy is," I walk out.

"You're going to have a lot on your hands with this one, sir. If she's anything like her father," James chuckles.

"Yes, I f*****g know that already," Carson mumbles.

Carson looks like a rock god sitting across from me with his legs spread. One arm over the backrest of his seat. Surrounded by red velvet. His arm is parched up on the door's armrest while he looks out the window. I notice that he likes to escape into his head. It's something we have in common. I rather read and learn and think about all the things I can be doing with the information I favor. But right now, I want him to be here with me. I want to be here with him. I want to stop thinking about why he's here. He's here for the snake. Not me.

"What are you thinking about?" I ask. A little smile tugs at the edges of his lips.

"You," he answers.

"Are you just saying that?" I ask but I know he's not. I think he's thinking about everything that's happened since we started talking again.

"No, I'm not. I'm still riding the high from f*****g up Cash. That s**t was strong," he admits.

"That was you two?" James asks. "Marvelous. Good work,"

"Thanks?" Carson laughs. James is weird. There's something off about him.

"On my way here, I took the liberty to look up all current crime syndicates in Hellbourne. I am surprised to find that the crime rate is very high as of late. Has Miss Delilah gone to school elsewhere?" he asks. My chest constricts.

"You don't know?" I ask him.

"Pardon me. Am I missing something?" he asks.

"Dilly hung herself from the chandelier, James. It's why mom painted the house," I answer. His body stiffens.

"Forgive me, my lady. No, I didn't know. I am very sorry for your loss. How long ago?"

"Two years ago," I sigh.

"You're both Reaper and viper?"

"Mamba," Carson corrects.

"My god," he sighs. "I see. I will adjust my assessment for better accommodations then,"

"James, what exactly is your job?"

"I am a butler," he answers. "Specifically trained to meet the needs of eccentric folks such as yourself,"

"What does that mean? Are there other people out there like me?"

"Not quite like you. There will never be a bloodline as powerful and domineering as yours but yes. There are others,"

"Why don't we know that?" Carson asks.

"I imagine because your parents passed before passing the proper information down to you. Have you gone down to visit, La Bruja?"

"That useless b***h," I scoff. "She just told me some bullshit story and gave me some journals,"

"I am suspicious of her behavior. She is here to accommodate you in any and all Demonology needs,"

"See, I'm not f*****g crazy. James finds her suspicious as well," I point at Carson.

"She's one of us," Carson rolls his eyes. "She can't hurt us,"

"Not directly but it's not uncommon for hallows to fight among one another. Subtle nudges and wars for territory. The older generations get bored and La Bruja is most definitely an elder,"

I go over to lean on the backrest where Carson is sitting. He pulls me to him adjusting his body so that his leg is between my thighs as I lean on the divider to look at James.

"I think she's hiding something in her stupid magic house. She built it where the stone was cracked,"

"Oh, dear. That's not good. She's living at the location?" he shakes his head.

"Yes," we both answer.

I rotated my hips when Carson pulls my shirt up and began to press kisses along my hip. He smiles slipping his hand into the back of my jeans. I smacked him when he tried to pull my zipper down.

"If you are wary of her, my lady. Follow your instinct. I will pay her a visit soon enough. It's against protocol for her to have built anything around the hell-space,"

"Is that what it's called? How many are there?"

"Many. We're not sure how or why they are but they're there,"

"So this curse. Can it be broken?" I ask.

"Not that we're aware of, Miss. Not from the lack of trying. What I can say is that this is the first one. The strongest and the one with the furthest range. It leaks out into the city for several dozen miles,"

"No more questions," Carson growls pulling me away. "Close it, Jeeves,"

"Yes, sir," James smirks and closes the divider.

"Carson," I laugh when he pulls me onto his lap. "I was talking,"

"No more talking," he pushes his hips up to mine. I can feel how hard he is. "I feel it,"

"The snake?" I whisper.

"Yeah," he smiles grabbing a fist full of my hair. He pulls me down, his mouth covering mine hungrily. "You're not scared of the mamba. You completely embrace it. I can feel it around us. It's always here with you,"