Devils Roses 05 - Death

back and shake my head, "No thank you Roland."
    "I'll have some Roland."
    "Very good sir."
    The doctor closes the door and looks at me, "Tell me what's going on."
    I sit in the huge chair across from him. Tears slip from my eyes as the story slips from my tongue. I get it all out before Roland is back with the tea. Doctor Jekyll gives me a long stare and then shakes his head. "Necromancer. You need a Necromancer."
    I frown, "What?" My brain is translating the word but it seems crazy.
    He folds his hands and nods, "Yes. Necromancer. I know of one in the south. Bad business that is."
    He is an old gentleman who reminds me of my father, only English.
    "Raise her from the dead and as she takes her sister's magic she will be cleansed. The magic of seven good witches over one bad witch. You see what I mean?"
    I clear my throat, "Hanna is the only way to get the sister's magic."
    He frowns, "I think I can help. Tell Oliver to take you to Momma Holt. They all know her."

Chapter Sixteen

    Hanna

    My phone rings again. I sigh and pull it out. The asshole behind me groans. I look back and glare. The three calls are from my dad's house. I press my lips together and lean into Rebecca, "I gotta go. Dad is calling over and over."
She shoves popcorn in her mouth and nods, "Text me later."
    "Yup. See ya." I climb out of the seat and run from the theatre. I try not to see too much of him but he's insistent that I sleep over every now and then. He's been sick and as much as we aren’t close, I get scared when he's sick. I run out to the car and drive over as fast as I can. I park and run up to the door. Roland has it opened already, "My dear. What brings you here?" He asks all jolly and sweet. I hug him and notice how quickly he pulls away from me. He's always so cold. "Lighten up Roland. It's a hug. You won't die from it." I've been coming over for the forced sleepovers for a few months and he's still so odd with me. Cold and British.
    "He's in his office my dear." He closes the door and I run down the hall.
    I knock on the closed door.
    "Come in."
    I open it and look at my father who seems robust and healthy, expectantly.
    He smiles and points a hand at a filthy girl with blonde hair and black crusty stains all over her.
    Before I can enter the office a man's voice speaks my name, "Hanna." I look down the hall to see a sexy guy with dark hair and eyes and a smile that kills.
    I grin, "Hi."
    He walks down the hallway to me, undressing me with his eyes.
    "I'm Dorian."
    "Hanna." I say it, realizing he knows that.
    He smiles and looks down. I tremble inside.
    My father calls out, "Hanna, come in here for god's sake."
    I look back at my dad and the dirty blonde and shake my head, "Sorry." I step in. The Dorian guy comes in the room. He stands close and then looks at my dad, "It's strong. Very strong." He says.
    I look at him quizzically, "What is?"
    The guy's face lightens back into a cheeky grin, "You are."
    I tear myself from his gaze and look at my dad, "What did you want?"
    He looks stern and annoyed, "I need you to do something for me."
    I raise my brows, "What?"
    The blonde stands up, "Go and live with a friend of ours, to keep you safe." I realize how pretty she is, behind the filth and the old tear stains.
    "Dad? What is she talking about?" I feel weird about them all, like I know them. I don’t fear them.
    Dad stands up and crosses his arms, "These are friends of mine Hanna. They will be keeping you safe, while I'm away sorting out a business deal. I've made some shady deals in the past that are catching up with me."
    I roll my eyes, "I don’t need to be babysat. I'm almost twenty." I'm not surprised about the shady deals though. He's never worked and always had money. Like a gentleman in an Austen movie.
    He taps the desk, "The decision is made. You will go with them. Now."
    I feel anger burning inside of me, "I don’t want to. You're barely my dad. You can't tell me what to do."
    He slaps the desk hard, "YOU WILL GO AND YOU WILL WAIT FOR ME TO TELL YOU IT'S SAFE TO COME HOME!"
    The blonde flinches with me at his shouting.
    "I hate you." I burst.
    He crosses his arms, "Better to hate me alive, than love me and be dead."
    I point, "Who the hell are they?"
    The blonde reaches for me and instantly we are standing in front of a huge mansion.
    I bend and throw up my meal from the movie.
    "Sorry." She says quietly.
    "Hanna, my love. My dearest precious." I glance up at the sexiest man I've ever seen, walking from the mansion.