Devils Roses 05 - Death

about him. Not this time.
    Aimee opens the door we all know leads to the courtyard.
    The cold wind hits us. I catch a glimpse of him. My insides flutter. His lips, his hard cold face, his steely eyes and thick body. I remember too clearly how it felt to be with him. The ground thaws beneath me. His eyes meet mine but the love and burning isn’t there like it was before. Something is wrong. He doesn't see me. He sees Jonathan's daughter. I can see it on his face. Cold recognition.
    My father stands in the middle of the courtyard looking handsome and youthful. The way they all look. His cruel sneer on his face is all I see though. I hate him. My memories of him burn when they crawl around inside me.
    He lifts his lips into a grin. Two men drag the limp body of a bleeding Ari out into the snow. Lucas and Ben growl. Aimee grabs them by the fur.
    "So, we meet finally." He speaks and I feel sick. I forgot how much I hate his voice.
    He points one finger at Aimee, "You must be Dorian's little puppet. The cure."
    Aimee stands ready to be shot. I'm not sure if she will be or not but I know we all made a pact no one would be near her and she would wink as he fired the gun. He doesn’t have one though.
    He reaches over and grabs Ari's limp arm and drags her tiny body to him.
    "This is the one that has surprised us the most. The push is fascinating is it not?" His voice is silk and evil.
    Aimee steps forward, "She is harmless."
    He smiles wickedly, "She's not though is she? She can change the time. Daniel mentioned it and I realized that of course I knew about this talent. We had one once. She was amazing. Had to kill her." He shakes his head, "She just couldn’t be trusted to let us have things the way we wanted them. Had a conscience. Very annoying." Oliver laughs as if remembering. He is my father's puppet. My heart is breaking. I look around for Lorri and Dorian but they're not with us.
    "Hello Ophelia, love. These nice men are going to take you for a little stroll. We can't let you run off with these Roses you see." The two lugs that brought in Ari walk toward me. Aimee nods once but doesn’t turn her head to see me. I know Trist and Philip will rescue me. I let them take me even though I have to fight my urges to electrocute them both. The snow melts where I walk. Flowers spring from the cracks of the bricks and cobblestone under the deep snow.
    I steal a glance at Oliver. He doesn’t budge. I feel sick. The flowers die on the spot. Like my heart.
    I'm taken to a doorway. I glance back at my father. He is without mercy. I don’t like the way he holds Ari. I have a sick feeling. I'm dragged into a stone hallway just as I watch him reach behind Oliver, who doesn’t budge. Who doesn’t stop him? He pulls out a blade and holds it to Ari's throat. The wolves whine and moan but the door closes as the screams fill the courtyard, and I'm left with the horror of my imagination.
    I'm dragged to the cell. It's all the same. Nothing is different. It smells and feels exactly as it did the other times.
    I'm tied and bound and left.
    I don’t hear the footsteps or the chatting of my brother and his boyfriend. I hear nothing but my own thoughts and the sound of the wind whistling in the cell.

Chapter Fifteen

    Aimee

    The blade comes from Oliver's back somewhere. The glint of it in the air above her head stops everything. The wolves whine and I scream, " Stop please." I put a hand out trying to be calm. "Stop. Please. Whatever you want, I will do it. Kill me, not her. Please don’t hurt her."
    Aleks takes a step for me but I shake my head, "Take me, kill me instead." I step forward. Lucas is beside me, ready.
    Jonathan's fangs glint the same as the blade does. "Why do you think I want you dead? I have something I need you to do." He holds the short blade at Ari's throat, "Go peacefully with Oliver here and when he is back here and you are in the cell safe and sound I will release her. Otherwise I kill her now." He digs the blade in, drawing her dark blood and making it drip in a slow stream onto the white snow.
    I nod anxiously, "YES! Please. I'll go." I put my hands forward.
    Oliver steps forwards, "Hands behind your back death dealer. I know how it works." His voice is harsh. I don’t have any memories of him but I know him, in my soul.
    I put my hands behind my back. The others argue and bicker but I ignore them. I look Jonathan in the eyes, "He will be right back."
    He nods, "Take her."
    Oliver grabs my arms and drags me