The reaction was immediate. The second the gates to hell opened and she was sucked back down into the underworld, her Auntie was there. Waiting with open arms, and slightly bloody clothes. She tried to ignore that part. "What happened to you!!" Astaroth chided, holding her shoulders as she scanned the young woman head to toe
"Ah. Well, I kind of got shot.". The blonde's jaw dropped, showing an array of sharp, shark-like teeth.
"You kind of got shot?" Astaroth echoed. "You can't 'kind of get shot'. You either get shot, or don't." The last part seemed more to herself than anything else, muttering curses in unintelligible Latin under her breath. Annalise shrunk back slightly, it reminded her of the times she'd come home late, when she was human, and her mother was waiting for her, glare and abonishments in toe.
"Look at you! Hardly a month on earth and look at what they've done to you." She bemoaned, hurdling her off to the manor where she lived. Annalise shrugged, she still hadn't fully come to terms with the fact that she'd been shot yet. But she wouldn't regret it. She saw it on Harvey's face, the guilt lining his eyes. Had she not been in the way, the witch would be dead. And that was not anything she could regret.
Besides the point, they'd been scared. The army at the time had been an appropriate response to a terroristic threat the Revolution had made. They'd massacred innocent children, men and women in that shopping mall.
She could hardly blame them for brandishing weapons, could she. She could also understand the media's response, the initial fear of the unknown. Fear and anxiety had gotten human's this far in evolution. It was only natural. That was why she had to bridge the gap, show them that there really was nothing to fear. That they could all coexist, in fact that had been till then just unknowingly.
Astaroth hustled her into the manner, pushing aside the lesser demons that worked as servant theres to push her onto a plush sofa. Apparently she had been more deep in thought that she realised, having not remembered how they got there. Annalise sighed heavily.
The tall demon disappeared for a moment, returning quickly with two large glasses and a bottle of pomegranate wine in hand. "Should we really-" Annalise began, rubbing a hand down her face, only to be cut off with a harsh hush.
"You've been shot. You're allowed a drink." The demoness sat down, sashaying her hair out of the way, as she put down the drink and glasses on the obsidian table in front of them. Crossing one leg over the other as she fiddled with her billowing skirts.
"Actually i think it's the opposite- ''Annalise started again, only to be cut off.
"I don't care. Drink if you want too. Or don't. Tell me, my darling niece, what happened to you." The half demon stared at the wine, tilting her head as she contemplated the pros and cons. 'Fuck it' she thought, grabbing herself one of the crystal glasses. Asatorth hummed approvingly, pouring out a large glass for her.
Annalise sipped on it, for a pause, wondering how best to explain to her that clusterfuck that had happened.
"Well, i guess it sorta began when i watched a vampire blow up-
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There was an eerie silence between them as Astaroth, one of the seven leaders of hell, contemplated what she said. It was hard not to feel intimidated in her presence, despite the kindness she'd shown, her appearance alone commanded authority. She rapped her sharp, unkempt nails along the neck of the wine glass. She took a moment, frowning into the distance, before gulping down the rest straight from the bottle.
"To be honest, Annalise. This was the furthest thing I could have expected." Astaroth opened up, licking the drops of wine from her lips. "You remind me so much of my brother, before, well-" She cut herself off for once.
"It doesn't matter now. What you plan on doing, are you sure it's going to work. I have little understanding of human culture but from what you said, they seem to be heavily resistant to other supernaturals." Astaroth said, putting her glass back on the table. It landed with a slight tink.
Annalise gazed at it, as she spoke. "Yeah, I'm sure. I mean, no I'm not. But what else can we do? I can't just sit, and let things be. When I know I can do something." Her auntie smiled at that, sending her a kind look.
"No. You aren't. You haven't changed, have you Anna?" Astaroth gleaned warmly. Annalise didn't know what to say back, so kept quiet, instead shrugging her shoulders. "But, to answer your question. I can't intervene." The half demon closed her eyes in disappointment. Not moments ago, Annalise had asked for her help in this. In contacting human governmental services to organise a meeting on neutral grounds to discuss cohabitation.
Having someone as powerful as her Auntie there, would have assured her safety. While Annalise could understand humans, she also understood that, when pushed into a corner they would do anything to get themselves out of it.
"In fact, Eiseith and Bael won't be able to either. Demons and angels are strictly, under no circumstances, allowed to intervene with human affairs. Them taking out those vampires was bad enough. No, none of us are allowed. You, my Anna, are a loophole to that clause." Astaroth explained, placing a hand on her shoulder in comfort.
"And because you are a loophole, my dear, you will be able to do more than any of us can imagine." She reopened her eyes to offer her auntie a smile, the reassurance was welcoming, in the face of what she was about to do. But then, a thought popped into her mind.
"If that's the case, that neither angels nor demons can intervene in human affairs, then what about the angel that I told you about? The one that was stalking us. How were they able to intervene?" Annalise asked, placing her still half full cup down.
"Hmm. I was wondering that myself. I'm sure the Arch Angels will be after him soon. If not, have got him already. Unless, he too is.." Astaroth trailed off, narrowing her eyes. "I doubt it though, you have nothing to worry about."
"Unless what?" Annalise persisted, urging her auntie to reply, shuffling closer to her. Astaroth couldn't meet her eyes as she responded. .
"Unless he's a half angel. Then, he too, is a loophole."
Annalise thought back, tried to scour her memories for any sort of indication or marker, that the angel was like her. But, she had nothing to go on. All she knew was that, at one point, they'd been stalking her and her friends. That they were working with the Revolution. That was all she knew. An image of the man, who'd walked through her flames during the hostage fiscoo popped up.
Bulky, tousled, with what seemed to be golden short curly hair. A face that was barely visible. Then, in conjecture to the man who'd walked through her flames, appereaded the person from her dreams.
Mors tua, vita mea.
Annalise gazed out of the open window, to the landscape of hell.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you more. But I can offer you more wine, would you like some?" Astaroth offered, raising her glass with a cocked eyebrow. Mors tua, vita mea. Your death, my life.
An angel with no face.
It was like the pieces of a puzzle coming together in her mind, she could almost hear the 'click' it would have made. The Angel that had been stalking them, had been there that day at Lower Marsh Market, he'd been in her dreams.
Annalise didn't know if he was like her. But she did know this. Sooner or later, he'd confront her. And when he did, she'd be ready for him. Perdita, rather, would be ready for it.
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Authors Note:
Hey guys! What do you think of this update? Id love to hear your thoughts and opinions on it, and what you think might happen next! Things are going to be picking up reallll soon. So keep reading!!
How are you guys? I feel a lot better now, so updates should be back to normal. If you like this series, check out some of my others! Thank you so much for reading, i really appreciate it <3
Lots of love,
Sam.E
YOU ARE READING
The Vampire And The Demon
Romance[BOOK TWO OF The Vampire and The Ghost Series] Hell, it turns out, wasn't half as bad as it seemed. It wasn't half as bad as earth. As being human, Annalise would come to find out. Having been thrust down under, quite literally, by her new found Aun...
