The Impact (Book II)

The Truth

Cole and I went to get ice cream while I constrained Rayi once more, whose thrashing was quickly growing tiresome. His favorite flavor was black raspberry—something the rest of us found quite disgusting—and I got vanilla. My stomach was a little queasy still from earlier. We sat in the car, munching on our ice cream. He had gotten a cone and I opted for a cup.

"We hardly spend time together. I'm sorry it had to be under this kind of circumstance." I said, breaking the companionable silence between us.

He nodded, the corner of his lips twitching in a fleeting smile. I spooned the last bit of my ice cream into my mouth and got out of the car to throw the cup out. Getting back in the car, I turned the key and a blast of warm air hit our faces. I gripped the steering wheel, glancing at Cole when he placed a hand on my own. When I looked at my hands I saw I was gripping the steering wheel until the tendons in my hands stuck out against my flesh and that my hands were shaking.

Flashes of Keith covered in blood, crying filled my head. I gripped harder and exhaled loudly. There was little doubt about it at that point; he had an Adsecula. I just wondered why he lied to me when I asked him if he had been hearing a voice in his head.

[Come now, surely you know the answer to that,] Rayi murmured, grumpy from being forced back. She was right, though; I knew the answer to that. Adsecula loved to lie and young demons with little to no control over them just loved to listen for some reason. It wasn't like Adsecula were particularly charismatic, though some could be.

My grip on the steering wheel relaxed and I shifted the car into reverse. Cole let his hand drop from mine, his worry nearly tangible.

"I'm fine," I assured him. He nodded but I doubt he believed me. What parent would be alright in knowing one of their children killed someone?

We got home and found Will standing in the kitchen, absentmindedly stirring a pot of macaroni. To my slight amusement, he was wearing the apron I bought him for his birthday last year that said, "Kiss the cook." Cole slipped past him and I walked over to him, hopping onto the counter.

"How is he?" I asked quietly.

He paused in his stirring and took the metal spoon out, tapping it on the rim of the pot to rid it of excess water. He placed his hands on either side of me, barring me and leaned forward until his hair tickled my nose. I leaned into him, closing my eyes when his warm forehead touched mine.

"In shock," he admitted, "but unharmed. I'm afraid to even think of whose blood that is. I'm making macaroni and cheese for him."

I bit my lip and opened my eyes. I was hesitant in telling him what happened in town, knowing he would likely jump off the deep end and do who-knows-what to Keith. After all, Will was an angel; he would not and could not possibly begin to understand the psychology of a demon. I barely understood it myself. Then, I thought of how often he goes into town and knew he would find out sooner or later and it would become another headache if he found out I tried to hide it from him.

"A human—maybe more—was killed in the park earlier. Police are looking for a black haired young man about my height and wearing what Keith was wearing earlier." My mouth grew dry as I spoke, hoping I had not signed my son's death warrant.

Will stiffened and withdrew from me, his expression unreadable. Flatly, he asked, "Why?"

I linked my fingers behind my neck and tilted my head up. Almost inaudibly, I replied, "He does have an Adsecula."

"How do you know it isn't him just being a demon?"

I made a noise of exasperation. "Because I'm a demon and I can tell you for a fact demons have different personalities than their Adsecula. Most demons, or at least Optima and Old Ones, are passive and don't actively attack people. The Adsecula does that; they are literally parasites that eat away at the most sophisticated parts of our minds. At least, they can if one is not properly trained."