Page 13 of When Embers Become Ashes

“Home.” I hear him say ‘soon’ as the door shuts. Blacknessthen takes me as I fall asleep.

I know as I wake, I’m not in the hospital anymore or in a car. I have no idea where I am, and I’m lying on something cold and hard. The air smells damp and musty like I’m underground. I can hear the buzz of artificial light, so that’s a bonus?. I think! I sit up and look around: concrete walls, steal door with a viewing window, dirt floor, there’s a wooden toilet in the corner, but it looks like there is a bucket in the base not plumbed in, there’s a wooden shipping crate with a thin blanket for a bed, which I am laid next to.

Yup, Jameson is pissed, and I’m fucked. Ren and Jenson won’t ever find me here, and I will be lucky if Dex and Levi can reach me here. I get ‘My Chemical Romance-I’m Not OK’ in my head – brilliant, nothing like my inner monologue confirming my fears.

13 years old

This place is definitely the worst I’ve been to, and that includes when I had to be dragged out of a pool by a Demon because I nearly drowned from being malnourished and passed out.

I’ve been here nearly two years or thereabouts, I’ve been trying to make marks on the wall based on my daily meal. I get a shower once a month, usually when they change my roommate, who has been one sadistic bastard after another.

I had to trick the Python shifter into headbutting the steal door and knocking himself unconscious to stop him from attacking and biting me, got a lovely graze down my left thigh where I dived out the way, got disinfectant poured over it so I didn’t get an infection ' stung like a bitch ' kind of wish I just took the bite. Now the healed wound feels like a cheese grater, a little like Mel Gibson describes in one of the Lethal Weapon movies.

I’ve had various level Demons, but once they realize I can talk their language they back off. Incubi trying to use their powers on me. Alpha shifters of all types trying to command me to shift, the funniest was the Mage that spent a few months trying different spells and none of them worked, one of the guards killed her when he asked to buy me so she could experiment if my blood held the key to certain countermeasures.

I've just returned to myroomcell after my monthly shower; the day guard is an odd guy, always singing something random. Last month, he was singing Vengaboys, and today it’s ‘Shaggy - It wasn’t me.’ So yeah, I guess that will be in my head for a while.

He is a little nicer than the others, though Troy regularly sneaks me in food. Today, it’s sliced-up cantaloupe and some pringles, and he always gives me a bottle of cold water rather than a polystyrene cup of warm, dirty water.

I have to give him the bottle back, or I’m not allowed one the next time. He never talks to me, just sings; as he closes the door, he starts belting out ‘Shaggy-Angel,’ he’s got a great voice, which, knowing he’s a Mermaid, that’s a given.

My cell has changed today while I’ve been gone. It's the same room, but it’s been decorated, as there are runes all over the walls and ceiling, and it looks like the floor has some too, but the dirt seems to be still covering it as if to hide it. Idiots have done one over the door, it becomes void every time they open it. I notice the shackles that have been added near my crate, the viewing hatch opens a little, meaning Troy is leaving. He’s giving me the ability to hear when the next guard starts. I hear the rhythmic shuffling of Troy’s dancing. He’s now singing Mr. Boombastic.

I finish my cantaloupe and chips, sip my water, and hide it under my crate, making a note of the runes.

Nonna and Pops taught me some when I was there, but it’s been a while, so it takes a while to figure some out. They have the room warded, so nothing under a level nine nightmare or Beta level Demon can get in or out without opening the door, but there is one that’s peeking under the door, so I’m guessing they have to be touching someone authorized to leave through the door ' what the fuck am I rooming with next?’.

Nothing happens when my food is delivered, but when Bodhi, the night guard, collects my paper plate and empty cup, I’m grabbed and roughly pushed into my shackles.’ Not that I’m fighting; but they like to remind me who’s boss. Cue an eye roll’. Bodhi licks his lips at me, then sneers,

“Tomorrow, you get a new friend. If this one fails, your tight body is MINE!” He turns and slams the door. Because they slammed me into the crate, it splintered a bit. I hold one of the broken pieces tight and hope it saves me from my new 'friend' or, more importantly, Bodhi.

I nod off a few times, but I stay propped up in the corner behind my bed. I hear Bodhi’s voice but not what he’s saying.

When door opens, the hall light momentarily blinds me.

They turned my light off even though it was not that bright, in hopes it would make things scarier. Bodhi’s mass fills the doorway, and I can make out another figure,

“Once I take the collar off, you will have access to your abilities, BUT this room is warded, so you won’t be able to get out or affect anyone but your little friend.” with a smirk in my direction as my eyes fully adjust to see who he’s talking about SHIT!

“Make the bitch shift or some sign of ability, and you can have her virgin cunt, or you will go to Inferno and live forever in that collar, and I get her cunt.” He pushes a button on the controller in his hand, and the collar clinks to the floor. He shoves the nightmare into the room and slams the door.

The Nightmare is a level ten, even though he’s only shifted to level eight; he looks up with a terrifying growl, and I voice my one thought.

“Sorry, Trick, I can't do it! Please forgive me!” I take my 'weapon' and slice both my wrists, copying my earlier marks, “Third times the charm.”

Saint

“Third times the charm,” she whispers, and then the smell of blood hits my nose.

Using my shadows, I hold the wounds together and stop the blood loss. In my nightmare form, I can only speak demon, which is basically Latin, I mutter to myself as I take note of the markings on the wall when the girl in my arms speaks perfect Latin.

“You can escape the runes; only stop a level nine or below! You’re a level ten, nearly an Alpha! Go, find someone to help the others.”I growl my answer,

“If I leave to get help, my shadows won’t hold long enough for your wounds to heal, and I’m not strong enough to take you with me unless I fully feed and the door is open.”which will break one of the runes, ‘idiots.’

The one on the floor is pointless against a level ten. I look down and notice her eyes catch a small amount of light and shine like stars as she gives me a small smile,

“My biological family abandoned me at birth as they didn’t want a broken supe. I can’t take any more of this. Let me go, but first feed from my bad memories and save everyone else.”She presses her forehead against mine, not caring what I look like, and whispers,

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