Purgatorial

Sounds of sirens drowned out the crowds yells and cries behind us. Was Samantha dead? That was quite the fall. If she was dead... saving her life would've been in vain. Zeke would've died for nothing. If Sam was meant to die now, here, we should've killed her when the Succubus was inside her, stopping a friend's death.

For that reason, and for her family, I sent out a prayer for her knowing the odds weren't in favor.

"Can't you see what he's doing?" I shook Dawn. Her chestnut eyes grew bug-eyed when I pointed at Cain filled with anger. "He just confessed to orchestrating Samantha's suicide. He blackmailed Vanessa into helping him, Dawn. He's crazy, he's gotten you..."

"What, Nina? He's gotten me what? I love him." Repulse for those words grew so quick I let her go. "Yeah, that's right. I love Cain. Sure he has flaws but it's not like you're dating Mr. Perfection." She gestured toward Cameron, who was getting himself back on his feet with the help of the parking lot's fence. "And you've been hiding all of this from me. That's right. Cain told me all about your super secret world of paranormal. Why would you keep something so cool a secret?"

"Something so cool?" I barked a laugh. "Dawn, our lives aren't a Buffy episode. It's reality. There's nothing cool about being chased by the Demons, blackmailed by the Devil and doing everything to stay alive."

"Sorry to cut this friendly spat short, but this is boring. Why don't you tell me where your ancestor and Lucifer are? It'll make me so happy." Too bad I didn't give a rat's ass about his happiness.

I focused my brimming anger on him rather than Dawn. In the end, she couldn't control how she was acting. I never imagined telling Dawn about my double-alive, thinking she'd be safe as long as I kept her in the dark, sort of what Phillip had wanted for me when we first met. Cain had gone and told her everything. She didn't even seem to care. Maybe he'd told her not to make a big fuss about it and she'd nodded like a good girl.

"You gave us three days. We had until tonight to guess where Etna might be."

"Hmm, no. Not guess. Because if you lead me somewhere she isn't things aren't going to be pretty."

"As opposed to how things are now?" I snapped, hands clenching. I chanced a step forward.

"This? Please. This is nothing. Originally I'd planned to lock up the Vampire, starve her, then release her into society. It would've been a bloody death fest." Cain's arm slithered around Dawn's small waist. The gesture felt provocative. I was sure of it when his eyes beamed Cam's way. "But this had more dramatic flare. Save one, lose the other. Poetic."

"Where's Vanessa?"

"Around," he shrugged. "Maybe eating her boyfriend. Anyway, I got bored and impatient. It happens a lot to me. Why don't you just tell me where I can find Etna, now?"

"We can't. We don't know where they are. Lucifer took off with her."

Cameron's imminent presence filled my senses, I was aware of his movements, how he was coming from behind me to stand next to me. I felt his Power pulse strongly. Warningly. A force little people wanted to reckon with.

"Remember yesterday at the boarder—"

"Of course. I was there, so were you. Good times."

I spared Cam an incredulous look. He looked seconds away from lunging across the road to tear out Cain's tongue. Dawn's giggle served as a reminder to keep his temper in check.

"You can use Power and apparently use Magic. Why don't you just do a locator spell?"

"Yeah, I know." He mussed. "I already tried a locating spell on Etna, but it failed. They're protected by a strong spell."
I frowned.

"Don't you need something of hers to do that?" Since Etna had been kept alive by a Crystal, hidden in the depths of a cave where Magic couldn't pinpoint her, I found it strange Cain had managed to have something of hers.

"Yeah. Or I can use blood, hair—whatever—from someone in her bloodline. I used your hair."

"Ex... Excuse me?"

"I snuck into your house and got some from your hairbrush." Cain stated as a matter of factually, looking at me.

"You what?" I deadpanned.

"Yeah. It was the night you got back in town. I left just before he carried you in Bridal-style. Very romantic." A taste close to sour milk filled my mouth. I hugged myself feeling exposed. Violated.

A comforting weight settled around my hips as Cam's arm secured me to him.

"Of course I already had a backup plan in case the locator spell failed. You guys. Although, I thought it would be easier. I'd ask and you'd spill where they are. Don't you hate your uncle for torturing your brother and stealing your body?"

"Shut it, clown."

"Right. Family business. I get it. You want to keep it under wraps. It's not like I called the police and told them every way I cut my brother up." He scoffed at the thought. "But anyway, I really want to know where they are. I know they're not in Hell. Trust me. I would know." A secret smile I couldn't decipher rolled around. "You should never leave a kingdom without a ruler. You never know who'll steal the tittle."

Was he implying he'd stolen Hell's loyalty for Lucifer? That seemed unreal. Lucifer was the Devil. He might have feelings for a woman, but he was still evil.

Cameron lashed out, uncaring of who was ruling over Hell.

"We don't know. Give it a rest."

"Then you two have a very big problem on your hands. Because you guys are the closest link I have to them. I know Lucifer wasn't stupid enough to reach out to Romeo. So, until you two figure out where they are and kindly inform me, I'm going to keep killing whoever I want. Whenever I want. Wherever I want." He shrugged, showing off a smile that caused his eyes to crinkle. "Blood on your hands." He whispered something in Dawn's ear keeping those unsettling, deep, violet eyes on us all the while, they were radiating glee. Dawn nodded, for a second, it was like watching a mindless dummy trot away from him, then she picked up pace and hopped into the Humvee. "Maybe her blood?"

"You bastard—!" Cameron's arm snuck around my waist, quick as a bolt, tugging me against the hard expanse of his chest. I writhed, thrashing against him, landing some elbow-blows to his gut. Cam didn't heed my brash violence or the insults I kept firing at Cain, totally uncaring of the people who could hear.

"What's your deal? Why do you want Etna?"

Cain lolled his head side-to-side, pensive.

"I guess this is the part where I reveal my plan for world domination." I heaved breaths through my nose, they were short and outpaced. "Err! Wrong." He broke free from his thoughts piercing Cameron with his gaze. "Didn't you ever watch cartoons as a kid? There are three things villains should never do, because you just know the heroes will use it to their advantage. One, never tell them the master plan. Two, never waste time explaining every little detail to show off how clever and bad they are. Why would they do that? It's like they're begging to be stopped. And three, once heroes become a big complication and the villains have a chance to kill them, do it. Don't waste time thinking about what the perfect way would be, who cares? Dead is dead."

A beat of unease passed.

"So, you have a choice. Find out where the dysfunctional lovebirds are—I don't care how you do it—and tell me. And if you send me to some random location just to make me leave, I'll come back and kill you. Not just you. No." Cain snorted seemingly closing in on us without even moving. "I'll slaughter this entire town. Including whittle, innocent Dawn."

Cameron inched the arm around me tighter, slipping me slowly behind him for protection. I carved my nails deep in his skin for that one. I wanted to be face to face with the maniac, I wanted to show Cain just how fearless I could be standing next to a born killer. I also wanted to believe my crazy quick heart rate was the result of adrenaline.

Cam broke the unnerving silence with a smirk. I could see his lips straining, he was forcing bravado, something he only did when he knew the situation was bad.

"Is that the best you've got?"

Cain shoved both hands into his pockets, hanging back a step, looking juvenile.

"Say hello to your Vampire friend and her dead boyfriend."

Cameron's Power pumped the air, I breathed it in. It felt like sharp, panther's claws. The electrical taste threatened to gnaw at skin and bone 'till nothing was left.

"If Vanessa killed someone because of you, I'm coming for your head. I don't care how much Power you have, I don't care what freak of nature you're supposed to be. Magic won't save you. I'll rip out your throat, drain your blood and paint a canvas with it."

I flinched when Cain's mocking expression faltered into serious territory. It was frightening. His eyebrows were in a deep V, his face appeared longer, thinner. His eyes were eerie.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Cameron hid a chuckle under a huff of breath, watching with satisfaction as Cain walked for the Humvee, "You have a nice day."

As soon as the Jeep's tires screeched and Dawn was off with the psychopath, I whirled Cam to face me.

"Don't taunt him. He's insane."

"Little known fact: so am I."

"Yeah, okay. You have your moments of insanity, like, when you rip peoples' hearts out or rip off heads, but you're not an immoral, guilt-free psycho. He is. And he knocked you down with a punch."

Cam pointed a finger down at me, "Rule number one of dating: don't remind your boyfriend of his failures." I rolled my eyes.

"If my boyfriend didn't engage in a pissing contest with a soulless killing-machine, I wouldn't have to."

"I won." That was so not the point.

Forgetting the Humvee driving off with our friend, I headed for the parking lot's fence, threading my fingers through the wires, clinging as I watched paramedics lifting Samantha's body onto a stretcher. A thick collar had been placed around her neck, immobilizing any movement. They hurried into the ambulance, one of them yelled they needed to stabilize her or she'd flat-line.

She wasn't dead. Yet.

I bowed my head against the fence.

"We need to find V." I said loud enough for Cam to hear above the sirens. Once I turned around Cameron was standing very still, expression closed off in a feat on concentration. Subtly, his head twitched. "What?"

"I smell blood. Not Sam's." It had to be Gary. "It's hard to be sure from here, but I think it's coming from inside. We'll have to go in though the back door. Come on." His hand pushed on the small of my back, nodding down the parking lot.

We hurried in a half-sprint, half-walk to the back. Cameron gave one last glance at the disappearing crowd, making sure we weren't followed by curious stoners like Seth. Satisfied, he twisted toward me and gave me a push, I climbed to the top, then jumped, landing with a stumble. Cameron landed with a crouch, the picture perfect of feline grace. We ran for the double doors. The inside was deserted, even janitors were outside. Who could blame them? A student had just attempted suicide.

"Is it stronger here?" Cam didn't say a thing. Moments later his head snapped left and I had my answer.

"Close to the cafeteria," he took one step closer to the hallway on our left. "I can hear her. She's panicking. She's... trapped." His brow scrunched deeply. Cam exhaled. "They're in the boiler room."

"Let's go..." I was tugged back. "Cam."

"I'll go first. Do you know the combination to her locker?"

"I... Yeah." She'd given it to me in case of emergencies. If she needed some nom-nom and couldn't get it herself.

"Then go get some blood bags. That'll take her mind off Gary."

I squeezed his hand in approval, "Okay." The urge to say 'be careful' was huge. I kept it to myself, though. What kind of friend would that make me? I needed to trust Vanessa could control her blood-urges.

Cameron zoomed out of view and I ran to V's locker. Two hallways later I had eyes on it. I grabbed the lock, twisting the numbers to unlock it. I got the first two down and was just about to make three before the lights shut down. Not flickered. They went out completely.

Snapping my head side-to-side, I frowned. The lock slipped, banging against metal.

"Cameron?" I echoed to no one. The halls were empty, only now they were submersed in darkness. A chill fluttered through me. I shook my head grabbing the lock. Maybe the electricians hadn't done a swell job at replacing the electric wiring, maybe some fuse was bad and...

A bang came from the end of the hall. Double-doors split open. A man around Romeo's age walked to the hall's entrance, a hoodie shadowing his face. My lips parted, I edged back a step forgetting about V's blood bags or the combo.

"You're thinking of running, aren't you?" my hands dragged along lockers as I stepped further from the stranger. His presence was all but human. "Please do. It'll make this so much more fun."

Wasting one more second debating, I ran. My footfalls reverberated everywhere, throw in my ragged breathing and all I could hear was myself craving for safe-haven. Who the hell was that guy? I caged a yell when the guy wearing the gray hoodie popped up two feet from me. I stopped running, scrambling for a way out. My eyes fell on a class room door. I barreled inside, then pushed it closed, turning the lock.

Breathing quickly, I pushed hair from my face.

"Oh God," I mumbled, coming up empty from patting my pockets. My cell was in my bag. I couldn't call Cam. I wasn't even sure if Cameron could come and help, or... Oh my God, I thought frightened. The Cambions. The guy outside was one. What if the others had gotten to-

The door was rammed into. I jumped, banging a hip on a desk.

"Crap." I looked for a door into another room or closet. Nothing. There were windows, though. We were on the ground floor, I could jump and... Who knew. But I wouldn't be alive to find out if I didn't outrun him.

Dancing my way around the desks, I latched onto the window locks, prying them open. They were rusty. Another bang echoed throughout. I clenched my teeth pulling the thing up with all my might. It wouldn't budge. I knew the guy was playing. He could've knocked down the door with one kick.

They're predators, I remembered Cam saying. Fantastic. I was his prey.

Come out, little bird.

My fingers numbed on the window. I glared over a shoulder. The door had a big crack below the rectangle window, but it was still standing. No one was inside but me. How the hell had I heard his voice so...

Come on, let's play a game.

So close.

I touched my head. No. His voice, it was... He was talking inside my mind. No.

It'll be fun! The male echo sing-songed through my brain.

"Shut up!" I yelled through my teeth.

The door splintered in half and in two heart beats, he was in front of me, hoodie still framing his face.

"Now, that's not very nice. I'll have to teach you some manners."

"Screw you." I bit out, dodging around him.

An arm three times my own shot out, crashing into my mid-section. It sent me flying against the wall. I landed on my side, gasping. Shaking it off, I tried crawling but was stopped short once the Cambion grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking me up. I yelled loudly as roots were torn.

How about that game?

It was the last thing he sent out before I found myself being tossed over the teacher's table. Pencils, pens and papers scattered as my body swiped the whole surface. Somewhere I heard a mug cracking. Or maybe my skull. It was hard to tell with the ringing in my ears. I groaned, rolling over. My vision tilted from spotty to dark every five seconds, a strong pain settled in my head. Tapping around for anything, I found something long and skinny... yellow. Pencil.

Steps registered faintly. My fingers curled around the pencil. Gulping, I twisted onto my back, heaving. His silhouette hung over me, an impending sign of doom. I closed my eyes briefly. There was just so much spinning. I felt like puking.

Giving up so soon? his mental voice mocked.

"He's..." it left as a short-lived whisper. "He's... going to... kill you." Flickering my eyes, I watched as the mysterious Cambion crouched.

"He's going to try. At least, that's what I'm counting on." Two fingers dug into my chin, forcing me to look at him. "But not yet. No, if he came for you now it would be over too soon."

Slowly, the fingers lowered, skimming the outlines of my neck. Using the last of my strength, I lifted the hand holding the pencil, driving it full force into his forearm. The Cambion jerked back startled. Satisfaction powered through me as his hoodie fell away, though, all I could see were distort facial lines.

Next, I found an unforgiving hand wrapped around my neck. The choking didn't take too long. I was so incredibly tired and bruised, I wanted to slip under and sleep until pain faded into a deceased memory. The little ray of consciousness I had left was mauled by his voice.

I'm going to enjoy the look on your boyfriend's face when I show him your insides.