Higher Hell
Chapter 8: Hell Hath No Fury…
Her what?
Wait a minute.
Her WHAT!?
I looked back and forth between the two of them a few times.
“Cas, what are you doing with my father?”
I dropped Bianco like an embarrassed kid caught doing something bad.
“What…uh, what are you doing here, Gabby?”
“You didn’t come back. I thought you might be in trouble again. I knew you were coming to my father’s building, so…”
Bianco was rubbing his throat where I’d held him. His voice came out hoarse.
“Gabriella. It’s…It’s good to see you again.”
He sounded nervous. Not like when I’d attacked and threatened him. This was awkward for him.
Awkward for him?What about for me? Or Gabby, for that matter.
There was obviously something up between them. They were carefully avoiding each others eyes. The air was so full of tension it was oppressive.
And it wasn’t just because Gabby had caught me kicking her Dad’s ass.
“Why are you in my father’s apartment, Cas?”
She sounded like she knew the answer already, but didn’t want to believe it until she heard it from me.
“You know this- this monster, Gabriella?”
“Gabriella?” I asked.
“That’s my full name. Gabriella Maria Angelina Bianco. But I hate that name. It’s so flowery. That’s why I go by Gabby.”
“It’s a beautiful name, Gabriella. Your Mother’s name. A beautiful name for-”
“Don’t talk about my Mom.”
She hadn’t even raised her voice, but Bianco shut up as if he’d been slapped.
“This scumbag is really your father?”
Gabby moved into the room, flopped down into a chair with a huge sigh, and covered her face in her hands.
“I knew it. I knew it when I saw the doors busted in.”
She looked up at me, her eyes moist and glistening, like when she’d told me about her Mom.
“It’s him isn’t it? He’s the one you’re after. You came to take my father to Hell.”
I shrugged.
“Well, yeah, actually. I never would’ve guessed he was your father…Sorry.”
It sounded pathetic to apologize, even to me. But what could I say.
Gabby waved away my apology. Instead she finally fixed her eyes on Bianco and glared at him.
“Mom knew. She knew you were headed for something like this. She knew if you kept it up, you’d end up in prison or dead! But I doubt she ever thought the fucking Devil himself would come for you!”
She gave a short humorless laugh and shook her head.
“You have to do everything fucking big, don’t you? ‘Go big or go home’! Or go to Hell, right?”
The tears were threatening to come in earnest now, but Bianco’s voice came cold and stoic.
“You don’t know what went on between your Mother and me. You were too young to understand.”
Bianco still wouldn’t look his daughter in the face as he spoke, trying to fix his shirt and tie.
“You…You really shouldn’t be here, Gabriella. You should just go home.”
Gabby wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand and stood up, defiant. The rebel child.
“No! I want to see it! I want to see you pay for everything you’ve done with your life!”
“But he’s not going to do anything to me, are you?”
Well, he’s got me there.
“Um, no. Unfortunately.”
“Why not?” Gabby asked, rounding on me like I was siding with him or something.
“Apparently, he’s made a new deal with the Big Guy, with Satan. I don’t have to take him to Hell now.”
Gabby threw up her hands and shook her head again. If looks could kill, Bianco would’ve been on his way to Hell then and there.
“You really are a bastard, aren’t you? Making deals with the Devil to save your own ass!”
“You have no idea.” Bianco muttered. “You should go, Gabriella. You and your…friend, if that’s what he is. You should both just go now.”
“Fine!”
Gabby turned on her heel and stalked quickly out into the foyer. I gave Bianco a quick menacing sneer and followed Gabby out.
As I stepped into the elevator with her, I turned to see Bianco watching us go.
I flipped him the finger just before the elevator doors closed.
Outside, Gabby was silent, walking with a fast angry step down the sidewalk.
I had changed back into Human form in the elevator, and now I was walking fast just trying to keep up with Gabby.
I turned my collar up and jammed my hands into my pockets. I still had the feeling of an embarrassed kid being dragged home to be punished.
Ridiculous.
“God damn him!” Gabby spat.
It wasn’t me she was mad at.
“I knew he was mixed up in all kinds of illegal shit! Mom knew too! That’s why I never let him give me any money when he offers! The fucker! I don’t want his dirty money!”
I kept quiet and let her vent. She was talking to herself more than to me anyway. Just saying the things she’d liked to have said to Bianco.
“He deserves to have his soul taken to Hell! If he even has a fucking soul!”
Gabby marched on, fuming in silence for a moment. Then, suddenly, she came to a halt and punched me hard in the shoulder.
“Ow!”
What the fuck?
“And you! How could you try to kill him like that?!”
Okay, now I was confused.
“What? I- but, you just said he deserved it!”
“He’s my father, Cas!”
I’ll never understand Livies.
Thought I understood this one though. But now she was glaring at me.
“But, you sound like you hate him. And besides, I was just doing my job! I didn’t know he was your Dad!”
“I do hate him. But I love him too. He’s my father. He helped raise me along with my Mom. He does deserve to be punished for all the shit he’s done, but still…I don’t want him to die! He’s the only family I have.”
“I’m sorry. I just didn’t know.”
We started walking again. Not so fast this time. I think she had gotten all the anger out of her system.
“I know. I know you were just doing what you were sent here for. It’s not your fault.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, it looks like he’s got a bunch more time to live now that I don’t have to take him to Hell.”
“What the fuck’s up with that anyway? They send you all the way here to take his soul, and all of a sudden the Devil changes his mind?”
“He’s cut a new deal with the Big Guy. He must’ve offered him something, bargained away something in exchange for more time. Apparently, he’s marked my Satan himself. That’s the only reason I hadn’t already taken him when you got there.”
I shuddered.
I didn’t want to think what Gabby’s reaction would’ve been if she’d got there and found her father dead with me hovering over his body.
She’d probably never have been able to forgive me. Hell, she’d probably hate me.
That really had been a close one.
I might’ve lost two friends in one night.
I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye.
Those two locks of purple hair framing her pale face were brushing back and forth against her cheeks as she walked.
Those smooth wet cheeks.
She was silently crying as we walked the empty streets heading home. All this shit with her Dad must’ve really gotten to her.
I suddenly had an overwhelming urge to protect her from all pain. It broke my demonic heart to see her hurting inside. I actually wanted to put my arms around her and just give her a hug.
Hmm.
Guess I’m a bit of a sentimental demon.
We kept walking. I didn’t want to say anything. I didn’t know what to say. I just focused on the quiet night and the emptiness around us.
It was like the whole city was asleep. Not a soul around but us. Beauty and her Beast, wandering the city streets.
But…
Something didn’t feel right.
I got a feeling like we were being watched.
Just then, Gabby stopped and lightly touched my arm.
“Cas.” She whispered.
“Huh?”
She nodded very slightly in the direction she was staring. I followed her gaze across the street about a half a block ahead.
There, standing half hidden in the dark opening of an alley, was a skinny, dirty man with messy black hair.
The Freaky Guy.
“What’s he doing here?” Gabby wondered softly.
I don’t need this shit. Gabby’s upset and I just want to get her home. The last thing I need is this asshole popping up in our path again.
He stood there staring at us with those dark angry eyes, but he didn’t move a muscle. It was like he was daring us to come closer, waiting for us to make the first move.
“Do we keep walking?” Gabby whispered.
The Freaky Guy laughed just loud enough for us to hear. That weird cacklish snigger.
“No.” I answered Gabby, and I took off running at the Freaky Guy.
He grinned that dirty smile and ducked into the shadows of the alley. I pounded across the deserted street, jumped the curb, and charged into the dark mouth of the alleyway.
It was a long, clear corridor between the buildings. None of the trash and boxes I’d seen in the alley behind La Villa Blue. There were doors on either side every few feet, and metal fire exit stairs on both walls.
But there was no Freaky Guy.
I wandered down the alley a ways looking at the doors and scanning above me on the stairs.
Nothing.
He was gone.
I paced back and forth, getting pissed that he’d given me the slip once again.
“Leave us the fuck alone, asshole!” I yelled.
A dog inside one of the buildings started barking in reply.
“Cas.”
Gabby was at the opening of the alley. I stomped back to where she stood on the sidewalk, frustrated and angry that this puny fucking Human kept making a fool of me.
“Cas, what happened? Where’d he go?”
“Don’t know. Coward must’ve gone in one of the doors down there.”
She shook her head, exhausted.
“Let’s just get home.” She said with a sigh.
“Yeah. I’ve had enough bullshit for one night.”
We moved on with a little more purpose in our quickened steps now. All the way back to Gabby’s apartment, I couldn’t shake the feeling we were still being watched. But no matter how hard I looked, I didn’t see the Freaky Guy again.
What a fucking night!
And what really made my head ache, was the fact that I still needed to try and piece together exactly what was going on.
I don’t have to take Bianco to Hell.
Bianco turned out to be Gabby’s father, for Christ’s sake!
The Big Guy supposedly made a deal with Bianco, but didn’t tell me.
Gamygyn is fucking dead!
And, according to Scirlin, my mission has been changed, but I’m just supposed to wait around to see what it is now.
Jesus Christ!
Will someone throw a demon a fucking bone here, please!
When we finally reached the apartment, I collapsed in the recliner with a heavy sigh. My head was pounding as I massaged my temples.
Gabby didn’t say anything for a while. She wandered around the apartment like her head was too full of the night’s events to let her rest.
Finally, she reached out and lightly squeezed my hand, muttered a soft “Good night”, and went off to bed.
I felt bad about all the trouble I was causing her. She didn’t need any of this drama.
Neither did I.
I put my feet up, closed my eyes, and hoped I’d drift off into peaceful dreams of watching my fire back in Hell.
I was missing my fire more than ever after all I’d seen tonight.
My fire never gave me all this stress.
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