Devils Roses 05 - Death

though."
    I sigh. "I hear that."
    Dorian holds a hand up. "Let’s not do the maudlin Sam thing again please. We're here to see Marcus. He refuses to meet with us on our land, obviously. He'll be here any minute."
    Hanna looks like she's been stabbed. She walks to an old log and sits. I feel sick when I imagine what she's going through. I glance at Aleks and know her pain.
    "Marcus is here now." A deep voice rings through the forest. He walks over with the same asshole air he always has about him. Snooty and shitty to everyone.
    I see something behind him. Oliver is dragging Ophelia through the forest to us. Yikes. He looks angry. Hot and angry. I can't help but smirk. The fallen have a strange effect on us. I glance at Dorian and hate how attracted to him I am. He grins at me. He knows what I'm thinking. He runs his tongue across his lips. I watch the whole thing frowning.
    Tristan and Phillip walk up behind Ari. I can't help but smile at how cute they are. Holding hands, and oblivious to the world ending, they come strolling over as if this were a romp in the forest. Tristan looks at Oliver and scowls. Oliver unhands Ophelia. Something is up with them.
    I glance back at the group to catch Marcus looking at Hanna and smiling softly. She is the only thing in the world that makes him human. I feel sad for her. It takes away some of the hate. Most of it.
    "Alright Marcus, get to it. I have a huge fuck up to deal with in Japan and don’t have time for this right now. The other Roses aren’t having a much better week than you lot." Lorri stalks out of the bushes in her bog boots. Her feet aren't sinking in like mine. She looks savage, as usual, but this time she suits the forest motif.
    "Okay look, we have an issue. Oliver, Aleks, and I have been pouring over the old ways and we think we have a way to make it so Ophelia dearest, who likes to burn my hallways and irreplaceable art, can take the magic without killing Tristan. However the mother has to die at her hands first. It's backwards and we don’t know if she is going to be strong enough to do it."
    Ophelia's face flushes. She lowers her gaze and looks at Hanna under her lashes. Hanna licks and chews her lip nervously.
    What is going on?
    Lorri paces. "Okay, so if we get the blue sisters to give O their magic and then she and Oliver kill their mother but she delivers the final blow and gets the magic then it should be a snap for Trist to give O his magic."
    I think everyone is lost. The confused nodding is everywhere. I have no idea what she has just said.
    Lorri looks around at us as if it's going to be simple.
    "Are we done? Did you call this meeting for this pathetic problem?"
    Marcus looks annoyed. He blinks at her and when he speaks his accent thickens considerably, "Lorri, the blue sisters can't give the magic until the mother is dead. The situation isn’t going to work the way we want it to. The laws of magic are the laws of magic."
    I look around, wondering if I'm the only nerd thinking this is just like Highlander. I glance at Ben and know I'm not. We watched the movies together several times. I nudge his thick furry body and grin, "There can be only one," I whisper. He makes his wolf chuckle and nods his huge face.
    Lorri shoots a glare at us.
    I press my lips together and fight my grin. Ben drops his head, ashamed.
    "Well fuck. Is the witch going to fight us on this? Is she going to fight for her life?"
    I look around. "Henry can help." My eyes dart at Marcus and Aleks. They both look uneasy.
    Marcus shakes his head. "Shut it Aimee. I mean, no, let's leave poor dear Henry out of this."
    My face burns. "But we all know where the heart is. If you sacrifice yourself and let Aleks tell him he will owe us a favor."
    Hanna's eyes shoot open and I can't help but feel disgust. She loves him.
    The betrayal of Sam hurts me.
    Marcus seers, "Let's not. Just forget about Henry. His favors are never what you expect."
    Lorri looks at me and shakes her head subtly. "He's right. He'll find a way to help us without actually helping. He's Fae, tricky creatures. He'll never betray O's mom. They're his family."
    Dorian looks at me like I'm stupid. "Try to remember we took over their world Aims." His patronizing tone annoys me.
    Hanna looks like she is breathing again.
    Ari glances at the wolves and smiles. "What about Aleks's dad? What if we give him to Henry? Would he help us then? The wolves can track him."
    Lorri looks at Ari and scowls. "Jon is not caught so