Secrets And Sins Part 3: Happy ever after

Chapter 29

***Ugh this chapter gave me some grief! Anyways, I hope you enjoy it... but brace yourselves, it's gonna hurt. Let me know what you think...***

~Ava~

The silence in the car was heavy as Bea drove them back to Cat's cradle. Ava shifted uncomfortably on the back seat. Sandwiched between two of her closest friends, the tension between Lilith and Mary was so thick, the Halo bearer could probably cut it with her sword.

Remind me why I had to sit in the middle again?

Bea's eyes met Ava's in the reflection of the rear-view mirror.

"Do you really think it would be a good idea to have him in the back instead?"

Her fiancé's gaze flicked right toward the behemoth of a man, demon, sitting in the passenger seat and currently fiddling with the radio, his battleaxe balanced between his feet. He was heavy enough that the whole car leaned to the right.

It would serve Lilith right, she's the one that didn't tell anyone about her secret fucking marriage after all.

"Perhaps, but I don't think Vincent would appreciate a brawl tearing up his leather upholstery, or shotgun spray for that matter."

Ava's eyes dropped to Mary's lap where her shotgun lay casually pointing in the direction of Lilith's husband. She still had no idea where Mary had been hiding that while they had been at the tasting.

Her finger was resting on the trigger.

Ava swallowed.

Fair call.

"What is this chariot called again?"

Ava jumped at Bael's sudden booming question. He certainly didn't seem to have an 'inside' voice.

Bea had white knuckled the steering wheel to avoid flinching at the unexpected volume, "A car."

"Ka-arr." Bael repeated, somehow drawing the word out into two syllables, "And are the horses inside that part?"

As he pointed through the windscreen to the bonnet, Ava watched a driver in the oncoming traffic swerve as they did a double take at the hulking, scaled demon in the front seat.

"Something like that."

"Fascinating!" He bellowed with excitement, shaking the entire vehicle as he turned to look at Lilith in the back, "We must take one back home with us!" Ava winced when she felt Mary tense beside her, "Imagine what could be done with it!"

Lilith paled, fidgeting with her hands. Ava almost felt sorry for her, that was until she reminded herself the former sister warrior hadn't told anyone about her fucking husband. The Halo bearer was definitely on Mary's side in this.

Bael tilted his head, still waiting for an answer, and Lilith cleared her throat awkwardly, "I... Oh, look, we're here..." The relief in her voice was obvious as Bea turned into the short cobblestone road leading up to the gates of the convent.

"Excellent! I've always wanted to see your castle."

Ava snorted, "Your castle?"

Lilith elbowed her hard in the ribs and Ava stared daggers at her.

"Ahh. I see your guards aren't happy to see a stranger..." Bael commented as they drove through the iron gates and were met by a dozen heavily armed sister warriors, "That is good, it is hard to find suspicious enough fighters these days."

"Yes... well..." Lilith was purposely avoiding everyone's eye contact.

They pulled up in front of the convent and got out, the car creaking ominously as Bael struggled to unfold himself from the tight space.