Devils Roses 05 - Death

told me about them once. She tried to get Giselle to persuade the memories from her. She even got Dorian to try but they are imprinted to her soul we think."
    I think. "Maybe, it's because she is part angel."
    He nods. "Maybe. Anyway, I've been meaning to ask. How are you?" His eyes kill me. He is sadder than anyone. He and Sam were like brothers. Same as Luke and Sam.
    I shake my head, gripping to my control. "Not so good." I don’t like vocalizing my feelings.
    He shakes his head. "Me too. I just can't stop myself from missing them."
    I glance back at Ari as we walk into the forest. "She must beat herself up so much."
    He sits on a huge mossy log and looks lost, just like Ari. "She does. She constantly tries to think of a way to control the push. Her and O and Trist have been working on it."
    I frown. "Why? Who would they push?"
    He shrugs. "Not sure." His eyes tell me otherwise.
    "You know."
    He shakes his head. "I don't know." His words are firm and even if he does, he isn’t going to tell me.
    He reaches over and grabs my hand and drags me to him. He pulls me down on the soggy log and wraps his huge arm around me. I lean into him and rest my head.
    "We need to get them back, Ben." My voice is hollow.
    He rubs my arm. "She's working on it."
    I glance over to the huge house next to the patch of forest we are sitting in. Aleks is walking across the grounds looking for something. My heartbeat picks up, until I see the silky blonde greet him with a kiss on either side of his face. My insides clench.
    Ben laughs. "Wow, awkward."
    I frown at him. "Who is she?"
    He shrugs. "Janine. She's one of the elders. She's really old."
    I roll my eyes. "You'd think she would have out grown those shorts by now."
    I see Ari walk past them to where we are sitting. She looks back at them talking and rolls her eyes. It makes me smile. She huffs over to us and sits next to Ben. He wraps his arm around her as well.
    We sit, staring at Aleks and the blonde of doom.
    "You'd think she would notice her vagina is longer than her shorts."
    I burst into laughter. Ben chuckles but Ari just gives us a look. "Really though. Look at those things. She could die of exposure if she were a human."
    A jealous growl rumbles through my throat. "I could help her with that."
    Ari nods. "Dude, if she keeps pawing your man, I would for sure be showing her how the hands work."
    Ben squeezes us and shakes us. "Down girls. Your petty is showing. Jeesh. Aleks is a smart guy. He won't fall for the sultry ways of Janine."
    I sigh. "Her hair is awfully shiny and glossy."
    Lucas walks up to them smiling. He gives Janine the up-down, after she greets him with a hug and looks back at Aleks.
    Ari's jaw tightens.
    Ben is gripping her for dear life. "That was a wolf move. We can't fight it. The up-down is a wolf move Ari." He lets go of me and holds her to him.
    The blacks of her eyes have eaten up the whites. She shocks Ben with her skin. He twitches but holds on.
    I jump up and grab her face. "Hey."
    The black floats back to just her irises. She shakes her head and looks at me. "Sorry." She turns and hugs Ben. "Sorry."
    He shakes his head and twitches again. "No. It's cool. I'll kick Luke's ass later."
    She looks back at him staring at Janine's legs and slumps. "Cool."
    Janine paws Aleks and then turns and paws Luke. They stand there with dirty grins on their faces. I grab Ari's hand and lift her up. "Let's walk." I glance back at Ben, "Rio?"
    He puts a hand in but then pulls back. "I better not. Be back soon. The wolves will be ready to leave once they're done going over his dad's priors."
    I nod and wink us to Rio. The warmth in the air and the chaos in the streets is exactly what I need. Ari grips me tightly.
    We slip into a dark alley and lift our faces to the wind, looking for a fight.
    I catch a smell and pull her down the alley. My boots click, my long thick hair feels like my cape, and my heart is racing.
    I point to a building. "You ready?"
    Her eyes gloss over, the black inky looking color fills the whites up. Her powers have developed into something frightening.
    We drop hands and sneak around the side of the old brick building.
    The front of the business looks like every other seedy establishment. Rio is a haven for Vampires and Succubus's to hang out.
    Greasy looking men stand out front when we get to the front steps.
    "Olá, meninas bonitas." The other men in his small group nudge each other and laugh.
    I lean in close enough to taste his sweat in the