Devils Roses 05 - Death

poison was in the baby I guess. Lillith and those bad witches did something to the baby. Ari could lose the baby and live or have the baby and then die. You saved her. Don’t feel guilty."
    "I do though. I can't help it. I feel sick. She begged me not to."
    He squeezes and kisses the top of my head, "Aimes, you saved her."
    "I got her dad killed too. Worst friend ever."
    He kisses the top of my head and smells my head when he does it. "No. You're the best friend ever. You sacrificed your friendship to save her life. You made her more important than yourself."
    Lorri bursts in, "We gotta go. That place in Ireland is an old castle. Lillith is there with Phillip and Trist. He turns eighteen at sunset." I jump, startled. She looks at us and shakes her head, "I don’t even wanna know."
    Ben laughs and kisses my head, "You're a good friend. You always have been. Well maybe not so much during the whole Shane and Aleks era."
    I wink us to the living room. He gags, shooting me a fierce look, "Dude. Warning."
    Grinning, I snap my eyes at him and walk over to where Lucas is sitting. "I'm sorry."
    He shakes his shaggy dark head and stands up. "You've got nothing to be sorry for. You made the right choice for her. She'll see it one day." His green eyes sparkle, "I owe you big time."
    "Getting fixed anytime soon? Cause I don't want to do that again."
    He grins, "Already done."
    I whisper, "You got neutered?"
    An offended look crosses his brow, "I'm a man, not a dog. What the hell?"
    I punch him in the arm, "You know what I mean. It's all the same surgery. Ask the vet next time you're there."
    He grabs my head and pushes it down. I back up laughing.
    "What's up with you guys? Everyone is laughing and enjoying themselves lately. Something's up?" Lorri crosses her arms and stares me down.
    I look around. The tension's cut. Even Marcus has pants on. The kids are gaming and the house feels content.
    "Jonathan is dead." Giselle says as if that is the obvious answer. Like we are too stupid to see it. "That’s been a pretty big deal to everyone. Aimee killed him. That’s pretty much the most important thing to happen yet."
    I narrow my eyes and look around.
    Sam is beside me, "Henry." He whispers.
    Marcus snaps his head around, "He's cast something on us." He looks down at his pants and mutters, "I'll kill him."
    Giselle points at the pants, "No, that’s an improvement. I was about six seconds away from tackling you with a garden hose."
    Shane laughs, "You were pretty funky man."
    Ben looks around, "Where is Henry?"
    "He left obviously. After he cast the happy cloud over us." Lukas snorts.
    "ENOUGH!" Lorri shouts.
    We all snap out of it.
    She froths at the bit, "We have to get out of this house."
    Everyone but Ari comes into the room one by one. Lorri looks at Marcus, "Stay here in happy land with the kids and Ari, if you want to."
    "I'm not staying." My head swings around to see Ari in military boots and skinny jeans.
    I swallow hard. She meets my eyes and then turns away.
    Lorri looks at Luke. He shakes his head, "She should stay."
    Ari shoots him a look. "You don’t get to have a say in every aspect of my life Lucas."
    Aleks steps beside Luke and puts a hand on him, "Take a breath." He whispers.
    Luke shakes his head and mutters, "Let's just go."
    Lorri holds up her phone. I grab Giselle and Shane and Ben and wink fast.
    "That was awkward." Shane says. I nod, "Super." I point up the bright green hill, "We're going this way. If she is doing the magic now, she's outside. She's stronger outside." I remember Henry saying that once.
    Hanna and Sam wink up to us. "I sent my dad and Roland a text. They're heading to Marcus's right now. To stay with the kids." Hanna says quietly.
    I glance at her and catch Marcus in my peripheral. He's beside Lorri and slightly pissy looking.
    "He came?"
    Hanna nods, "He's pretty mad about the lab."
    "I feel bad. I just couldn’t think of another place."
    Sam laughs, "He just wants to kill some people."
    Shane points up to the wall around the castle, "Well I guess that’s lucky. Look."
    "Frig. Reinforcements."
    Lorri growls, "Where did you think they all were. The whole army is here. I have a slight fear that the stupid snow globe was glamour and she hasn’t ever really left here. I am not sure she was ever in Alaska." I don’t say anything but I have a terrible fear Jonathan was telling us the truth. The only thing stopping her from taking over and destroying everything was Jonathan.
    Aleks shoots