Hellfire | Hayley Marshall

Chapter 14

Eisa did not feel like attending church.

"You must attend," insisted Elijah when he found Eisa in pajamas, eating a tub of ice cream and watching an episode of a historical documentary. "It is the first service the church has seen since the massacre."

"So?" said Eisa, holding up her spoon and shrugging. "Someone needs to stay with Hayley."

"Hayley is perfectly asleep in her own bed, and won't wake in time for the service. There are other vampires to defend the house. Some of them which you sired, if you recall."

"All my sirelings are nightwalkers, and considering how often Nik's bested the vampires that form part of this kingdom, I wouldn't have that much faith in them."

"Eisa, it is proper—"

"For once, Brother, can we ignore being 'proper?'" she hissed. "I tolerate your 'nobility' because you apparently enjoy it, and I wish to be supportive when I can. But I will not partake in it everytime you ask it of me."

Elijah frowned, apparently having been expecting for his sister to accompany him. "It is one service," he said bluntly. "One short service for the community."

Eisa snorted. "Did you forget that I was assaulted by a manic witch homophobe just yesterday?"

"Papa Tunde will not be—"

"I won't go, Elijah. You won't make me."

He sighed, assuming she was cross with him. "Eisa, if I had known where you were, I would have come sooner—"

"I'm not bitter about that," she told him. "I've neglected religion since the thirteenth century. I won't switch it up at your request. You may be my favorite, but not even the favoritism could sway me to accept."

Elijah sighed, and came to stand beside her, offering her a handkerchief from his jacket pocket. "Then, at the very least, proceed to take care of Hayley in a location a tad closer to her bedroom."

Once her siblings were gone and the episode was over, Eisa clicked off the television and made her way downstairs, where she found Hayley already awake, but still not out of her bed.

"Where did everyone go?" she asked, stifling a yawn behind her hand. "And when did I..."

"I carried you here once you fell asleep," said Eisa, leaning into the doorway. "And they went to church. Father Kieran is doing a service today."

"Oh. And you didn't go?"

Eisa snorted. "I'm gay, darling, no church wants me within their walls." She looked out of Hayley's window, shrugging. "In the past, it was those were were most religious— both human and vampire— who did the most damage to me. I understand that nowadays, there are religious individuals who support the LGBTQ+ community. But considering what I've had to endure at the hands of those who quote scripture to justify an attack on a homosexual... I'd rather not be involved in any of it. I'll go and apologize to Father Kieran later."

Eventually, there would be a song that Eisa would scream at the top of her lungs, to explain perfectly what she felt in regards to religion. But 'Take Me to Church' by Hozier would not be released until 2013, and they were still a year away from that.

"I'm going to go to get something to eat," said Eisa, gesturing out the door. "Want me to bring you something?"

Hayley stretched her legs. "Mm... no. I'll be out there soon."

The Original nodded and left the room, going into the main courtyard to get to the kitchen, but she stopped dead in her tracks, finding a familiar salt, chalk, and bone circle, with the dead body of Papa Tunde in it.