Deaths Apprentice

Chapter 8

~~~~~~~COLE~~~~~~~

We have had to move hotels a total of four times during our hiding. Caroline was asleep during two of them. Our current room was a brown themed and had an earthy feel. We are sitting in the room in silence. She is reading a book about a murder and I'm watching her, thinking. It's been three days since I told her about the supernatural and she still is ok with it. When I first told her it didn't seem to faze her at all. I remember when Death first told me about everything. I freaked out in less than a day. Not only that but ever since I saw her soul she has smelled a little off. It was her scent at first but underneath it, mostly hidden, was a hint of lemongrass. It could just be me overthinking it but it's kind of odd. I've never smelled it on a human before nor on a monster. Her soul was white and Death didn't seem to like that. "What are you?"

She looked up at me."What?"

I snapped out of my thoughts. "What?"

"I thought you said something." She was looking at me nervously. All I could do was stare at her. If she was anything like her grandmother then she would be a witch. But the scent isn't witch. What is she?

~~~~~~~CAROLINE~~~~~~~

He's getting suspicious. I need to distract him. " Hey, we should..." My words were cut off by a knock at the door. I looked over at him and he acted like it was no big deal, like we weren't in hiding. He sauntered over to the door and opened it with a wide smile.

"Welcome, she's in here." He opened the door wider and I nearly burst into tears.

"Grandma!" I bounded across the room, my book long forgotten. I couldn't hide my excitement that I could finally see her after so long apart. I had begun to miss her crude humor.

"Hey dumplin'." She said while locking me in a hug. She was surprisingly strong for an old woman. "I hope Cole has been nice to you, remember if he tries to pressure into anything you aren't ready for you can always so NO." She winked.

"Oh my god! Grandma!" My face was flaming and when I looked over at Cole, so was his.

Grandma chuckled. "Dear, I'm just making fun." Then a thought occurred to me, "Grandma, why are you here? How did you know where to find us?" Her and Cole exchanged a look.

"She knows." He said. She looked at me a gave a sad smile.

"I am a witch, and so was your mother." Her voice caught. She paused closing her eyes, it has always been hard for her to talk about mom. "I would tell you of your father but I regretfully never met him. Your mother ran away to be with him before you were born. That is why you never knew me before I took you in. Under regretful situations." I lead her to the couch against the far wall and waited for her to finish. "Anyway, that means that you have witch blood. No matter how diluted it is."

I wanted to see the extent of what they were hiding from me. "What was my dad?" I already know what he was. Grandma hesitated.
"I'm sorry dear but I'm not sure what he is. " her voice quivered slightly. That's her tell when shes lying.

"OK, that sucks. I would love to meet my father. " I can't believe she lied to me. "Well it's been great seeing you grandma, how long will you be staying?"
"Are you ready to get rid of me already? Probably a few days. Now go wash up, I'm gonna take you somewhere. "
I did as I was told and was off to the shower.

~~~~~~~~~~~~COLE~~~~~~~~~~~

We waited until we heard her shower water running. Martha looked over at me. "Her father is someone you know very well. " her sweet grandmother vibe was instantly replaced by a business one. "He is your beloved mentor. He is the reason her mother is dead. His own wife. She was going to leave him, she couldn't stand how isolated he had become. He was furious so he caused her wreck. Which was the very same wreck that had killed you. He was lucky that you had the Grind blood. He took you as a souvenir, a token, for what he did. " she looked at me expectantly. All I could do was stare at the wall behind her head. Processing this new information. Death was Carolines father. He killed his wife with no regard to anyone else which took the life of a thirteen year old boy and his family. It was just convenience that I was a grim.
"How is that possible. That would have made Caroline twelve or thirteen at the time but when she talks of her mom it's like she was like five. "

"She was twelve, her birthday was the next day. She only remembers up untill she was about five like you said. Her mother, Maria, had cast a spell on her to make her forget about the supernatural. She doesn't remember her father at all because she always knew what he was. She only found out about her mother when she was five. Therefore she remembers her up until then. I wish I was there, I would have cast him to the deepest,darkest parts of hell. I can't though because, until you succeed him he is the carrier of all souls." She was so angry and I could hear sadness in her voice.

"If it means anything, I'm sorry." I rested a hand on her shoulder.

The shower shut off and we could hear Caroline singing. "You shoot me down but I won't fall, I am titanium." her voice glided on the notes like silk.
A couple minutes later she opened the door and she walked out with a towel on her head wrapped around her hair.
Martha immediatly snapped back to grandma mode.
"Now when Caroline is ready, make sure to use protection." she was wagging her finger in my face making a show.
"Grandma! " we both said in unison.