Devils Roses 05 - Death

shoves me again. I stumble forward and look back growling. Lorri's growl is scarier, so I look back at O.
    Giselle steps forward, "Don't do it Aimes."
    "I don’t have any choice."
    Oliver's voice lowers, "Don't touch her. We might find another way."
    I reach my hand out and take a deep breath. The blue balls of light hover above Ophelia, who starts laughing. It sounds panicked and sharp. She looks at Oliver and smirks, "I loved you baby."
    He lunges forward, but Lorri grabs him midair and then they're both gone.
    I grab her arm and release the hold I have over myself. As the first blue light jumps into her mouth, she screams toward the ceiling. A burst of darkness, sweet incense tasting darkness, fills me up. The second light floats in and I grab on with my other hand. It's too much. I'm filling up and screaming in sync with her. Giselle grabs my face and plants her lips on mine and pulls from me. We scream inside each other's mouths in unison for second and then it stops. I drop to the hard stone floor. Pools of black blood gather under my hands. I'm panting and twitching still. Giselle is next to me. She's a funny color, ashen. I glance over, "Thanks."
    She gags a little, "You taste bad." She wipes my black blood from her lips.
    I nod, "Thanks."
    She laughs weakly and glances up at O. I'm too scared to look.
    Oliver and Lorri flash in and out of the room for a minute. Both punching and wrestling with each other.
    Lydia grabs my arm and helps me up. Her touch soothes me instantly. "Are you alright my dear?"
    I nod and look at O. She blinks a few times and speaks with the voices of all of them, "It worked."
    My stomach tightens, "Is she in there too?"
    She doesn’t answer for a moment and then frowns, "She isn’t."
    Tristan screams. Phillip cries but holds back his man. The room is in tears. Oliver flashes in free of Lorri. He grabs both of Ophelia's hand. He looks deeply into her eyes and looks back at me. My gaze drops. He looks at Lydia and Giselle but none of us can hold his accusing gaze.
    Lydia's voice breaks, "Tristan it's your turn."
    Giselle snaps, "Give him a minute for god's sake."
    Tristan is being help up completely by Phillip. Lydia touches his face. A smile crosses his lips. He looks up and laughs, "Thank you."
    I know she has given him back all of his memories. Ophelia puts a hand out. Tristan takes it. He grips and shakes his head, "I don’t think I can do this."
    It's too late. The sisters use their magic to pull. His body instantly vibrates. His feet lift off the ground. They pull back and he drops. Phillip helps him stand on shaky legs.
    Ophelia rubs her hands together. "We are ready."
    "Where is she?" Oliver asks.
    "Heaven." Lydia's voice is almost a whisper.
    Oliver looks at me. I know what he's about to ask but I can't. We might need him. Lorri flashes into the room, "Done?"
    Ophelia nods. Her mannerisms are creepy and mechanical. Lorri takes her hand and flashes back out. "I hate how she is so heartless sometimes." The words leave my mouth before I can check them.
    Oliver dives at me and winks. We are in a room with a bed and a bucket. It looks like a prison cell.
    I'm not afraid of him but I can't shake the memory of him ripping my clothes off.
    "Do it."
    "Where are we?" I ask.
    He puts a hand out, "Do it. Do it now while I'm pure and clean and I can go to her again. I'll feed Aimee. I'll kill again. Then I can never get back to where she is. The fallen were never allowed back but she saved me." His eyes are filled with desperation.
    I take his hand in mine. The idea of eating again makes me gag almost. I close my eyes and let it loose.
    "I'm sorry Oliver." I whisper.
    I suck until there is nothing left. He drops to the floor becoming nothing but a pile of black feathers. There is no white one. I know he took it with him.
    My heart can't break anymore than it has. I'm numb and frozen. Sam thinks I've betrayed him. O and Oliver are gone. Dorian is gone. Aleks hates me. Lorri hates me, which really isn’t any different than any other day of the week. Tristan is non magical now.
    "There you are."
    I spin in the cell to see Phillip. I frown, "Hi." The timeline flashes into my mind. Oliver was his father. I open my mouth but he shakes his head, "He told me already. He warned me well in advance. He was a great father until about six months ago. Then he was washed and became a total douche."
    I frown, "Washed?"
    He sighs and nods, "Yeah. He was madly in love with O and ready to go and get her