Killing Hope

Chapter Twenty

"You cannot defeat all of us," Reaper's voice rumbled through the clearing, filled with anger and malice. "Even with all four of you."

"We held you all easily enough," replied the Human, Dominic. Reaper turned his sharp gaze on the arrogant youth and an evil smile curved his lips. Lifting his arm he mimed a choke hold and Dominic reached to his throat, gasping for breath as the female Demon turned to him, concerned.

"Let him go," she ordered, angrily. "You cannot harm him!"

"Oh he can," said Kane, twisting his hands together then parting them to reveal a white hot fireball. "Where is Lita?"

"And our master," chimed in Edge.

"What have you done with my wife?" Drew said, drawing his sword. The Demons glanced at one another and laughed.

"Release Finn and we might tell you," said Damian. Hitman glanced at Reaper who nodded curtly. Tapping the thread at Finn's wrists he released him and the Demon hybrid rubbed his wrists then staggered slightly against Hitman before he went back to his companions. Some sort of silent communication seemed to pass between them and then the clearing started to fill with smoke.

"No!" Drew cried, realising  what they were doing. But before they could vanish there was a rush of air; the Little Folk who flew dispersed the smoke before its effects could work on them again and then there was movement behind the Demons. At first it seemed that hundreds of Little Folk were running towards them but then a beam of blinding purple light filled the clearing and an exceptionally pissed off Persephone appeared.

"You don't know who you've messed with," Reaper said, grinning as his wife appeared in all her powerful glory. Persephone floated above them, her hair floating about her face and her eyes blazing with fury.

"You will pay for this, you insignificant Demons and Humans! How dare you place hands upon your Queen!"

"I'd take cover if I were you," Reaper muttered to those closest to him, as the blinding light surrounded the Judgement Day and then they vanished.

***

Hope looked around the table as they sat down to dinner. Her mother and father were sat with their heads close together talking opposite her, Drew and Juniper were holding one another just to their right and Sheamus was in deep conversation with her uncle, whose Demon had returned to the Fire Pit. She couldn't quite work that one out. Kane had clearly been desperate to have her back, but now he seemed disinterested again.  Hitman sat next to her, a glass in his hand clearly brooding. She gave him a questioning look.

"It was too easy," he said, quietly. Hope raised an eyebrow, thinking of the room she had been trapped in and then the fact it had taken a troop of the Little Folk to help them escape. Hitman met her gaze with a challenging look. "They're gonna regroup and be back.  I can feel it."

"My mother took care of them," Hope replied. Hitman looked towards where Persephone sat whispering in her husband's ear and sighed.

"Maybe," he said and she shook her head.

"Bret, you saw what she did. They vanished."

"Yeah but where to? Where did they vanish to Hope?"

"Same place as the Hunters no doubt; out of existence."

"Something that has existed doesn't just vanish," Hitman replied. Hope shook her head.

"I don't agree," she said. "I saw Mom blast them the same as you did and then they vanished. Stop being negative."

He raised an eyebrow at her tone and she squirmed a little.

"Sorry, but we've just won a huge victory and got our people back. I just want you to be happy about that."