Devils Roses 05 - Death

him. Sam flashes to us, "Shit, is that Don?"
    Hanna nods and makes weird monster noises.
    I look at the castle grounds. The dirt has become mud with the blood of the dead littered everywhere.
    "This is disgusting. I need to take a picture for Blake. He's gonna shit. It's like a real raid."
    Everyone looks at me in horror.
    "What? We just killed a lot of people. This battle is done. This was pathetic."
    "Like a diversion?" Aleks says. He has actually been to battle.
    Lorri winks to where we are, "They're in the back. Now. Hands in." She looks panicked. We all touch her and Sam. She winks and Sam follows. We arrive at the real party. The other Roses are not there. I see Tristan. He's sitting on a stone bench with his head hanging down. I wink to him and grab him, but when my skin touches his I shoot off the roof. I see the ground and wink back to where everyone is. I look around but the tall gorgeous blonde, I am assuming is Lillith, and the other witches never noticed my little indiscretion. They don’t seem to be paying attention to Tristan. I wink so fast, they miss it.
    Lorri scowls at me, "Yeah, they never thought about the fact we all wink and flash about like faeries."
    I sneer, "It was worth a try."
    Sam points, "She is the one making the guard."
    Henry isn’t there. But Lillith is.
    Lorri whispers and points across the massive stone balcony, "I go for Lillith. Aimes, you get the one who is making the guard. Sam, you get Tristan. Aleks come with me for Lillith. Everyone else stay here just in case. Go."
    We wink. I grab the guard witch, as Sam grabs Tristan. I wink to the lab and dodge a hellfire blast from her fingers as I wink back out.
    I feel sick suddenly leaving her there. My voice cracks when I am with the group again, "I think I just screwed up. Hanna, tell your dad and Roland to get the kids and go to your house. Now." My voice is panicked.
    Hanna texts Roland. "Done. He says they already did that. They aren’t there. He hates Marcus's house. Why?"
    I sigh, "Oh my god. I just left a witch who can do hellfire in the lab."
    Marcus turns his face and snarls, "My lab? My house?"
    I open my mouth but shut it as a giggle escapes.
    His face pinches. He puts a hand up to the bridge of his nose and does the yoga breathing again. "Aimee, have I wronged you in some way that you feel the need to ruin all my shit? Is this penance for my misdeeds? Did God himself ask you to do it?"
    I grimace, "I'm sorry."
    I look around and realize Lorri, Aleks and Sam are all still gone, "Where are they?"
    I speak too soon. Aleks shows up. His side is burning.
    "Hellfire?" I shout.
    He shakes his head, "No. Regular fire. Lorri is fighting her. She's too strong for me. Lorri sent me back to help here in case it's an ambush or more glamour. She wanted me to make sure Tristan still had the power."
    "Do we have Tristan?" I panic when I see Aleks's face paling. Sam flashes back with the limp Tristan in his arms.
    Sam shakes his head, "It doesn’t matter now. He's drained. She has it."
    Aleks looks at him, "Lorri is with her fighting right now in some place Lorri called the Garden of Eden."
    I feel my eyes light up, "I know that place." I look back, "Marcus can you wash Phillip's mind so he remembers shit again? Then we go to the Garden and kill Lillith?"
    He nods, "Really? A favor? After what you just did? A favor? Aimee, I am not happy with you right now."
    Giselle grabs his face and plants a huge kiss on his lips, "Please." She whispers.
    He nods like a robot. Giselle looks back and winks at me.
    "I know. I owe you a new castle."
    He grabs Phillip and looks at me harshly, "You replacing the priceless art as well?"
    He speaks softly to Phillip who sputters and sits up. He looks at us all and then past us. He's up like a shot, "Trist." He winks across the patio to where Tristan is being held by Sam. His eyes well. Phillip grabs him and kisses him but his face is sallow and soft.
    "He's dead inside. She took it all." He cries. He rocks back and forth with Tristan lying limp in his arms. "Baby, I'm so sorry. I don’t know what happened. Baby."
    It's gut wrenching to watch.
    "Trist. My love. My only love."
    Sam steps forward, "We can help. Aimes can suck you both and send you off."
    I glance at Sam and shake my head, "You want me to kill them?"
    He nods, "Yes. Now get over here."
    I take a step back, "I don’t want to."
    Phillip looks at me and cries out, "Please Aimee. He will never wake up. We are both clean in the conscience.