Demon Hunters 2: Retribution (Stand Alone Series) (Demon Hunters.) (10 page)

“Later. You look like you’re about to collapse. Have a rest first.”

Scarlett smiled weakly. “Okay. Home then. But do you think he’ll go and see Des for me? See if things are…” her voice trailed off as she searched for the words she needed.

“To see that he’s human and not a demon?”

“Yes.”

“What did you think?”

“I saw what I wanted to see.”

“I saw what was true. But he’ll visit Jesse if that’s what you want him to do. You know he’s always there for us. We only have to ask.”

“But he can’t sense demons like we can,” Scarlett said the words she knew her cousin was thinking as she touched the demon mark on her wrist.

“No. But he’ll go anyway. Just to set your mind at ease.”

“Good. I think I need that.”

“Come on. I can hear police sirens. I know we shouldn’t be leaving like this, but what can we tell them? A demon attacked Jesse?”

They ran to the vehicle and Blake pulled out onto the street. He drove sedately away while Scarlett glanced out the back window.

After an hour of trying to sleep, Scarlett gave up and went to knock on Blake’s bedroom door. “Blake?”

“Yeah, come in.”

She opened the door to see him yawn as he sat up in bed. “I can’t sleep. Can we go to the hospital? I really need to see Des.”

Blake yawned again. “They probably won’t let you in this early.”

“I don’t care.”

He silently watched her for a moment before he nodded and climbed out of bed. “Go get ready. I’ll only be a few minutes. And Scarlett, start thinking of him as Jesse. That’s who he is now.”

They picked up Alyssa on the way to the hospital and she was fascinated by their night, even though Blake reminded her a young man had lost his life.

Blake dropped Scarlett at the front door of the hospital while he and Alyssa went to find an empty car park. She walked to the counter and asked about Jesse Finley.

“And who are you?” The woman sitting at the computer asked.

“Scarlett Hunter.”

“Are you family?”

“No. But I really need to see him. I need to make sure he’s okay.”

The woman shook her head sympathetically. “I’m sorry, but unless you’re family or have the permission of his family, you can’t see him.”

“How is he? Will he be okay?”

“You’ll have to ask the immediate family.”

“Excuse me.”

Scarlett spun around to see who had tapped her on her shoulder. “Yes?”

The man, who looked like he hadn’t slept all night if the bags under his sharp blue eyes were anything to go by, flashed a badge at her. “Detective Tuck. Did you say you were Scarlett Hunter?”

“Yes.” Scarlett wished she’d waited and not been so impatient.

“I know some Hunters, I don’t suppose you’d be related to them?”

Scarlett forced a smile. “What are their first names? It’s always possible. My family’s very large.”

“Now that is a problem. Never found out.” He smiled wryly. “I don’t suppose you know anything about the car that hit the Finley kid.”

Scarlett was startled by the sudden question. “I wish I did. It doesn’t seem right someone isn’t charged over it. I’m Jesse’s friend. Can you tell me how he is? Do you know when he’ll be able to have visitors?”

“Hospitals don’t make that sort of information available to just anyone. Although if you were related to the Hunter family that I know, I could vouch for you,” Tuck said.

Scarlett stared at him. She wanted to open her mouth and admit the truth. But she couldn’t do that to her family. She waited until she’d smothered the urge to say she was before she spoke again. “You can’t imagine how much I want to say yes. I really need to see him. To know he’ll live.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you.” He handed her a familiar business card. “Let me know if you hear anything.” He turned to go and ran into Blake and Alyssa.

“Blake, this is Detective Tuck,” Scarlett said hurriedly.

Blake nodded and held out his hand.

“I don’t suppose you know anything about the car that hit the Finley kid?”

Blake shook his head.

“Not very talkative are you?”

Blake shrugged and smiled slightly.

Alyssa threaded her arm through Blake’s. “I like the strong silent type.” She grinned.

“Are you two from the Hunter family too?”

“Only Blake,” Scarlett answered. She looked at Blake and mouthed ‘what is going on’, before Tuck turned back to face her. She saw Blake mouth the word ‘voice’ as soon as the detective no longer looked at him. Scarlett stared at Tuck and wondered if that was why he’d questioned her. She’d certainly spoken to him on the phone many times so it was possible he’d recognised her voice. She hadn’t even considered that.

“Did you get to see your boyfriend, Scarlett?” Alyssa asked.

Scarlett shook her head. “Only immediate family can visit.”

“How unfair,” Alyssa wailed.

“It would be unfair to the family to let some random person off the street wander in and see the kid,” Tuck said. “If you’re his girlfriend, I’m sure his father will let you in to see him when he arrives.”

At Blake’s confused expression, Scarlett explained, “He’s under the impression we might be related to a family he knows by the name of Hunter. A family he trusts enough that he’d be willing to arrange for me to see Jesse.” She saw the anger Blake fought to contain.

“Scarlett-”

She interrupted Blake. “I’m sure he has some little test in mind to make sure I don’t lie just to be able to see Jesse.”

“Some decisions can have long reaching repercussions, detective,” Blake said softly.

“Are you threatening me?” Tuck demanded.

Blake shook his head. “You’d bend the rules for my cousin if she was of the correct Hunter family. And yet because you don’t think she’s from the right family she isn’t worth the effort. What could it hurt for her to see him? You can escort her there and back. Five minutes isn’t much to ask.”

“I have other things to do than babysit some kid,” Tuck said.

“And how would she know what to say to prove she was from the correct family? Have you given her a name maybe to ask if she knows them?” Blake persisted.

“No names. But all it would take is one word. And she’d know what that word would be if she was from that family. Call if you can help me with the car who hit the boy.” Tuck started to turn away.

“Hell of a way to treat a girl who’s desperate to know how her boyfriend fares. Even the devil himself wouldn’t be so cruel,” Blake said, his voice still very soft.

Tuck slowly turned to face Blake. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

“Only that you’re being uncharitable and unchristian to a person who may one day be in a position to help you,” Blake said.

“Blake,” Scarlett reached out and put her hand on his arm. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll sit over there in one of those chairs,” she gestured towards them, “and check every hour until they say he can have visitors other than family.”

Tuck didn’t take his eyes off Blake, he acted like Scarlett hadn’t spoken. “If you have something to tell me, don’t speak about it in riddles.”

“Only what everyone who has read the story of the lion and the mouse knows. Help often comes from the most unlikely of sources. Think of it as your Good Samaritan deed for the day.”

Tuck’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t like riddles.”

“And I don’t like people who wield their authority like it’s a power. I tend to want to avoid them. Permanently.”

Tuck looked at each of them. Blake stood in the middle with Alyssa and Scarlett on each side of him. He glanced at the demon mark that wound its way up Blake’s arm to just past his elbow. “What’s the meaning of that? Is it a gang mark?” He looked at Scarlett and Alyssa’s wrists.

“Blake.” Scarlett pleaded. Her family was more important than her need to see Jesse. Or at least it should be. A part of her didn’t want to stop him.

“You have to face your demons to get one of these marks,” Blake said.

Scarlett couldn’t believe Blake had spoken the word Tuck was waiting to hear. She wanted to make him take it back, but couldn’t think of any way to do so without drawing more attention to it.

Alyssa giggled nervously. “Their family has a tradition of lengthening the mark for every important milestone they pass. Or what the family thinks of as important milestones.”

“Demons.” Tuck continued to stare at Blake.

Blake grinned. “Metaphorically speaking of course. Aren’t demons fairytales told to keep children in line?”

“Five minutes. And you two wait here.” Tuck pointed first to Blake and then to Alyssa.

“Thank you, Detective.” Blake said.

Tuck’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything. He turned to Scarlett. “Hurry up. Before his father gets here and wants to know what you’re doing in his son’s room.”

Scarlett followed the detective to the elevator. “No one’s been to see him yet?” When he shook his head she closed her eyes for a second and thought of the hours Des… Jesse had been alone. “Why hasn’t anyone come to be with him?”

“No one’s been able to track down his father. He’s not at home and isn’t due at work for about another hour. There’s no other family.”

“How…” Scarlett cleared her throat and tried again. “How’s he doing?”

“Not good. He seems to be fading before their eyes and they’re not sure what’s wrong.”

Scarlett swallowed hard. She was about to ask another question when the elevator opened and a couple entered. She fell silent. Another two stops for more people to hop on and then Tuck ushered her out of the elevator. He led her down an almost empty corridor and the sound of their footsteps echoed around them. Tuck opened a door and gestured for Scarlett to enter.

She froze in the doorway and her hands covered her mouth, one on the other. She took three hesitant steps forward and her legs felt like they would give out from under her. He looked so small with all the machines, cords and tubes. And he was nearly as white as the sheets.

“Only five minutes,” Tuck reminded her.

Scarlett nodded her head and choked back a sob that threatened to escape. She forced her legs to carry her to his side and took his left hand in hers. All his jewellery had been removed, including the ring. She looked frantically around for it. Moving to the set of drawers beside the bed, she opened it. There it was, tangled with his earrings.

“What are you doing?” Tuck came into the room.

Scarlett ignored him and slid the ring back on Jesse’s finger, relieved to see it still fit whoever wore it. She bent forward and pressed her lips to his forehead. Then she moved her head until her mouth was near his ear. “Wake up, Jesse. Please. Des! Open your eyes now. You’re scaring me.” A tear dripped down her face to land on Jesse’s cheek. “Des, you said you’d protect me. Who’s going to protect me when you’re lying in this bed?”

“Scarlett?”

Scarlett pulled back to see dark eyes looking at her. She laughed, giddy with relief. An alarm went off and a nurse bustled into the room to check on Jesse. The nurse tried to move Scarlett out of the way.

“No!” Jesse tried to sit up and the alarm the nurse had turned off started again. “Scarlett.”

“I’m here, Jesse. I’m not going anywhere.” She clung to his hand and the nurse moved around to the other side of the bed.

“You’re Scarlett?” The nurse asked.

Scarlett nodded.

“We thought he was talking about the colour of the blood. One of the doctors said it was all gone and that was the last he spoke. I’m glad you came in. You’re just what he needed,” the nurse said. “Are you able to stick around for a while? It’d do him a world of good if you could. A patient’s recovery can be sped up by their desire to heal.”

Scarlett looked over to Tuck. He nodded and headed for the door. Scarlett turned back to the nurse. “I have family waiting downstairs for me. Can someone give them a message that I’ll be staying for a while?”

“Sure thing, love. Here, let me pull a chair over for you.” The nurse dragged one of the visitor chairs over and put it close to the bed.

Scarlett dropped thankfully into it. The moment the nurse had left, she rested her head on the bed, her left hand wrapped around Jesse’s. Within seconds she had fallen asleep sitting there with her head still on the bed.

The sound of the door opening jolted her awake. She blinked and tried to focus on the large man who filled the doorway. Light brown eyes glittered in anger, knuckles white where they gripped the door, the other hand clenched into a fist. He wore a high visibility work shirt, navy shorts, had a neat trimmed beard and hair as short as Jesse’s.

“Who are you and what are you doing here? On second thought, I couldn’t care less. Just get out. I’m sick of all of you. Ever since Jess started hanging out with you lot, he’s been permanently in trouble.”

“I’m n-”

“Out. Now! Before I call someone to throw you out.”

Scarlett rose reluctantly to her feet. She tucked Jesse’s arm under the sheets then turned and lightly kissed his forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as possible,” she whispered. She walked towards the door and waited for the man to get out of the way. There were enough similarities in looks for her to know this man was Jesse’s father.

He shifted to the side and continued to glare at Scarlett until she’d walked past him. Scarlett turned back when she heard the door close. She stood in the middle of the corridor and stared at it. Jesse’s father had to leave at some stage, but how was she to know when that would be? As badly as she wanted to stand in the corridor and wait for him to leave, she forced herself to walk to the elevator and press the button. When the door pinged open, she pushed the ground floor button then leaned against the back wall, closing her eyes. She was so tired. She’d go home first and have a sleep. Maybe then she’d be able to think clearer.

Scarlett stared at the angry man who blocked Jesse’s room, Blake stood in the corridor behind her. She had managed to avoid Jesse’s father for the past five days, sneaking in late at night so she didn’t run into him. “I-”

“You’re not welcome here. And I’m guessing this is yours.” He held the ring out to her.

Scarlett took it, her mouth opened to speak. Nothing came out. Her eyes filled with tears. “He has to-”

“They told me you put it on him. That you’ve been sneaking in here around midnight every night this week. If you keep visiting I’ll take a restraining order out on you.”

Fear rushed in on her. How was she meant to help Jesse survive? “But you don’t und-”

“That’s my son in there.” He gestured towards the room. “My son! And to put that ring on him like you’re married. I don’t know what game you’re playing, but my boy’s fighting for his life.”

“I know-”

“You don’t know anything. They said he might not make it through the night. He’s had a relapse. So don’t keep coming around here pushing yourself in where you’re not wanted.”

Anger made her hands curl into fists as he interrupted every comment she tried to make. “Was that before or after the ring was removed?” Scarlett was amazed she actually managed to get a full sentence out, but her anger didn’t lessen.

“That’s none of your business. Now get out of here before I ask the staff to call the cops.”

Blake came to stand beside Scarlett. “Come on. Time to go, Scarlett. You’re wasting your time here. We could light a candle for Jesse in the chapel.”

“But, Blake,” Scarlett wailed.

“Scarlett. Now.” Blake’s eyes pleaded with her to follow his lead.

Scarlett sagged against him. She didn’t want to take one step away from Jesse. She wanted to push past his father and run to his side. How could Blake expect her to walk off without trying to see him? Without trying to save him.

“You’re trying my patience,” Jesse’s father growled.

Blake took a step away and tried to get Scarlett to follow him. She wouldn’t budge. “Scarlett. Be sensible. Jesse’s father has the right to deny you entrance to his room. Come to the chapel and light a candle for him.” When Scarlett shook her head, Blake sighed heavily. “You move on your own or I throw you over my shoulder and drag you away from here. What’s it going to be?”

Scarlett gasped at Blake’s tone. “Blake?” How could he fail her? He was family. They were meant to stick together.

“That’s an order,” he said firmly.

Scarlett pulled away from him and strode away from Jesse’s room, fuming. Turning right at the next corridor she gasped as Blake grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into a room marked ‘Staff Only’. She pushed him away from her.

“How could you?” Tears stained her cheeks and anger gleamed in her eyes.

Blake pulled out his phone. “You won’t have long. You’d better make the most of it.”

“What?” Scarlett frowned as her anger started to evaporate, replaced by confusion.

“Can I speak to Thomas Finley, please?” Blake rattled off Jesse’s floor and room number. “Could you page him to the nurses’ station so the phone doesn’t disturb the patient? Thank you.”

“Blake?” Scarlett’s mind struggled to go from devastating pain back to hope.

Blake grinned at her when they heard Thomas being paged. He held up a hand to stop her when she was about to rush out. He pressed mute on his phone. “Give him a moment.”

“How did you know his name?”

“What else have I got to do other than read Jesse’s charts while you’re busy holding his hand and staring intently at him?”

Scarlett threw her arms around her cousin. “I love you.” She couldn’t stop grinning.

“Yeah well, a little more faith in me earlier would have helped.”

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

“I hope you’re thinking clearer now. Go to him, Scarlett. I’ll pray you can help him.”

Scarlett swiftly kissed him on the cheek and then opened the door enough to check the corridor. It was clear. She hurried back to Jesse’s room. Her heart pounded loudly. The door was closed. Holding her breath, she reached out to open it. Only Jesse was in the room. She ran to his side and pushed her ring back on his finger.

“Jesse. Please. Oh, Des, don’t you dare leave me. I need you here.” She clasped his hand in hers. “Des. Talk to me. Tell me you’re still there. I won’t let you leave. Do you hear me?” Tears ran freely down her cheeks. “Please,” she whispered. She should have fought Blake harder. Des was going to die and it was all her fault.

She stared at the monitors that were hooked up to him, but they meant nothing to her. Sniffing, she checked in her pockets for a tissue. Instead she found Des’ feather. She looked at the small, soft feather then down at Jesse. It was all that was left of his demon self and belonged to him. She pressed it into his left hand and curled her hand around his to hold it between them. The feather moved and brushed against the ring. There was a flash of light, extreme pain shot through her hand and then alarms went off on monitors.

Gasping, Scarlett clutched the rails of the bed to steady herself until the pain subsided. She reached out for Jesse’s hand again only to stop. Curving from the base of his palm towards his thumb was what looked like a black feather tattooed on him, the real one gone. She gingerly reached out and touched his palm. When nothing happened, she clasped his hand to her.

Two medical staff burst into the room and brushed Scarlett out of the way. Another entered and went to the monitors. Everything fell silent until Blake burst into the room minutes later. He halted when he saw the crowd in the room. He cautiously entered and his eyes sent warnings to Scarlett.

She turned to the closest person and read the name badge. “Doctor Penfoll, is he going to be okay?”

The doctor smiled at her wearily. “You’re the best medicine he could have at the moment. Every time you visit with him his vital signs improve. Part of medicine is in the patient’s mind. He needs to want to recover.”

“No!” Thomas bellowed from the doorway. “I don’t want her near him.”

Doctor Penfoll sighed heavily. “That is of course up to you Mr Finley. But if you want your son to recover, like you say you do, I’d make this girl sit at his bedside every second of the day.”

Thomas sagged visibly. He moved out of the way to let the rest of the staff out, only Doctor Penfoll stayed in the room. He waited patiently for Thomas to make his decision. No one else spoke and Scarlett could barely bring herself to breathe.

“Scarlett.” The single word from Jesse made Scarlett run to his side and grasp his hand again.

“I’m here. I’m here.” She pressed his hand against her cheek. “Just don’t go.”

“Scarlett.” Her name was a relieved whisper.

Thomas staggered into the room to sit heavily on one of the visitor chairs. When Doctor Penfoll started to move towards him, he waved him away and his head fell into his hands. Doctor Penfoll hesitated and then, with one last look around the room, left.

Minutes passed as Scarlett stood by Jesse’s side and clung to his hand, Blake stood against the wall and Thomas sat with his head buried in his hands while the occasional shudder tore through him. He eventually rose to his feet and stumbled to the door.

“Scarlett,” Blake called out.

Scarlett looked over to her cousin who nodded towards Thomas as he opened the door. “Mr Finley.”

He turned to face her, his cheeks damp, his eyes underlined by shadows. “He needs you more than he does me.”

Scarlett shook her head. “He needs you too.” She couldn’t say what was really in her mind. That Thomas needed to be by Jesse’s side possibly more than she needed to be there. Guilt tugged at her that it wasn’t Thomas’ Jesse in the bed.

Thomas shook his head. “No. He hasn’t needed me for years. I hardly know him. We share a house and occasionally run into each other. Barely housemates. I don’t even know who his friends are anymore. I didn’t even know you existed.”

Sorrow mixed with the guilt she felt. “Then keep me company. It gets very lonely siting here waiting for him to talk.” She tried for a lighter tone and half succeeded. “Has he always been so terrible at holding up his end of the conversation?”

Thomas smiled weakly. “Ever since he became a teenager. I kept hoping he’d grow out of it.”

Blake brought a chair over to Scarlett so she could sit down and put another on the other side of the bed. Thomas sat silently and his eyes fell on his son, eventually being drawn to the ring. His lips tightened.

“He’s too young to marry. He’s at uni. Not doing very well though. Too many parties and not enough study.”

“It hasn’t anything to do with marriage.” She tried to think of a way to describe the binding without sounding crazy or scaring Thomas. “It’s has to do with promises and being responsible to yourself and those in your life,” Scarlett said.

Thomas met Scarlett’s eyes. “Responsible. He certainly needs to know the meaning of that word. I’ve worried about him a lot in the past few months.”

Scarlett’s gaze was drawn to the scars on Jesse’s wrists that Thomas stared at. She brushed her thumb over one of the scars. Looking up, she saw Thomas watching her. “His dark days are behind him.” She smiled reassuringly. “He has friends who care what he does with his life now, Mr Finley.” Maybe he wasn’t Thomas’ Jesse, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be. And wasn’t it better than Thomas being without Jesse? She didn’t know. Her feelings about the situation were torn in a million different directions.

“Thank you. And call me Tom. You’re Scarlett, right?” When Scarlett nodded, he began to turn towards Blake.

“Blake,” Scarlett called out sharply when she looked up to see he was putting salt along the window ledge. He turned to face the room, the shaker behind him. “Blake, this is Jesse’s father Tom. Tom, my cousin Blake.” Scarlett guessed Blake had put the saltshaker in his back pocket because she couldn’t see it when he took a couple of steps forward to offer his hand to Thomas.

The door opened and Alex stepped in, a roll of white electrical tape in his hands. It disappeared into his pocket as Thomas turned towards him. “Scarlett?” Alex looked from Scarlett to Thomas.

“Tom, this is my brother Alex. Alex, this is Jesse’s father Tom.”

Alex stared at Scarlett for a moment before he came forward to shake Thomas’ hand. “How are you coping, sir?”

Thomas smiled. “A lot better since he spoke. My boy spoke. He’s got to pull through this.”

Alex nodded. “You must be relieved.”

“Yes. I guess you know this isn’t the first time I’ve had to sit by his bed and wonder how much longer he’ll live.” Thomas glanced back towards Jesse’s wrists. “It’s just him and me. Has been since he was two and his mother walked out on us. I don’t know what I’d do without him. He might pretend I don’t exist half the time, but I know he exists. And that’s important to me.”

Alex’s lips thinned and he turned away after a glare at Scarlett. He moved to Blake’s side and quickly gave him the roll of electrical tape. He turned back to Thomas. “I hope he recovers for your sake. I might see you next time I’m here.” He turned to Scarlett. “Gran said to tell you she’s praying for him. Now.”

Scarlett smiled slightly. Des certainly wouldn’t have wanted their prayers when he’d been a demon. “Tell her, thank you. I’m sure he appreciates it… now.” Alex made it to the door, before Scarlett called out, “Alex.” She waited until he faced her. “I’m sorry, Alex. But I’ve learned life isn’t a clear choice between good and evil, right and wrong. I don’t regret any of my choices.” She might not regret them, but she was still torn that a boy had lost his life and Des struggled to live.

“That’s between you and God. What do you want from me? Forgiveness?” Alex asked.

Scarlett shook her head. “Understanding.” She smiled sadly when he didn’t speak. “Love you.”

Alex strode back to her side and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Always, Scarlett. No matter your choices. Just don’t expect me to agree with them if I think they’re wrong.”

He left the room before Scarlett could say another word. She turned to see Thomas staring at her. She shrugged. “Guess you can’t always see eye to eye on everything with your family.” She looked towards Blake who was behind Thomas’ back. He held up the electrical tape and saltshaker before he shoved them in his pockets, pointing towards the door. The electrical tape was the only way they could keep a line of salt in front of the door.

Blake strode across the room, pausing at the door. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours to pick you up, Scarlett. Nice to meet you, Tom, even under the circumstances.”

Scarlett and Thomas both nodded before they returned to their vigil. They spoke very little. Scarlett continued to hold Jesse’s hand and prayed that the body would finally stop trying to reject the new soul. Thomas sat and stared at his son or paced restlessly in the small room.