Bump in the night.

Chapter Ten: Slayer Ball

We made our way through the grand foyer of the museum, a few security guards lined the deep red carpeting that ran from the front door to the elevators.
Another guard waited in the elevator, selecting the floor for us and holding it open when we arrived.
Reed was waiting for us just outside of the exhibition hall, nervously trying to retie is bow.
Juliette rolled her eyes at him and stepped forward, taking over and expertly tying it within seconds.
He gave her a shy smile and a thank you, offering his arm for her which she took to my surprise.
We entered into the hall, filled with other guests dressed in beautiful dresses or tuxedos.
I refused the first tray of wine that passed us, looking around the crowd to find no familiar faces than the three I stood with.
Until I heard a familiar enchanting giggle.
I looked at Grayson who had the same surprised look I did, we followed the noise to the dining hall that was set up for the speeches and dinner.
At one of the grand tables designated for the Council, sat my grandmother in a white off the shoulder dress and my grandfather standing behind her in a tux.
I almost fell over seeing them, my Grams patting another man on the cheek while she spoke animatedly to another.
Gramps looked up, spotting me and smiled, letting out a loud yell that drew attention.
"There she is!" He called, he walked across the floor with his arms wide, wrapping me in the familiar strong hug.
"Hi Grampy," I whispered against his bearded cheek.
"Hello Petal! My, you've gotten so beautiful!" He admired, stepping back to look at me as he squeezed my hands lovingly. He pulled me behind him to the table Grams sat, Grayson, with his hands in his pockets, trailed behind me.
Grams opened her arms for me to give her a hug and a kiss to the cheek, she looked over my dress approvingly, patting my thigh with the dagger.
I giggled at her and sat down, holding her hand.
"No one told me you were coming." I frowned at her.
She smiled.
"No one knew we were coming. Your grandfather was talking with Dr. Hyde, who mentioned it and gave us his invitation." She winked at me, I felt the ball of nerves inside me untangle slightly, knowing they were here.
Gramps squeezed my shoulder then turned to Grayson, sizing him up.
"Aren't you the boy I trained for the Hunters?" He asked, pointing at Grayson.
He gave a small smile and nodded.
"Yes, sir." He said, holding out his hand to Gramps. "You got me to Leader ranks, then I moved Recovery and Retrievals, which your wife helped me excel at." He gestured to my Grams, giving her a smile.
Gramps beamed down at me, patting Grayson's shoulder while Grams still seemed hesitant.
"He's a fine boy, this one." Gramps chuckled.
I reached out and grabbed Grayson's hand, squeezing it lightly.
"Don't I know it." We shared a smile and, seeming to ignore my two grandparents, he ducked down and gave me a soft kiss.
Grams seemed surprised, turning away to have a sip of her gun and tonic, Gramps slapped Grayson on the back before laughing and dragging him away to talk.
Grams shooed the admiring Slayers who surrounded us. They all listened to her and ran off into the exhibition hall, grabbing my hand on the table.
She set me with a serious stare.
"There's someone here who means you harm." She whispered.
"I know, Councillor Vikrom." I nodded.
Grams eyes flared. "You remember?"
"Yes, he doesn't know I remember though."
"You've already seen him?"
"I ran into him when I was picking up my dress."
Gram thought for a moment, looking around before she checked the diamond watch on her wrist.
She frowned.
"Damn, it's too late to get you out of here."
"Why would I leave?"
The lights in the room went out, the sound of the power being cut hummed in the air.
"Because, we don't host Slayer Balls in human museums." Grayson was suddenly in my ear, grabbing my waist.
I breathed in surprise, my hand going to to his wrist as his hand slid along my stomach then down my thigh.
In the darkness, he pulled up my dress and drew the knife from my leg sheath, he pushed the handle into my hand, his lips pressing against my cheek.
"Stay close, anyone touches you, swing." Gramps growled.
I felt surrounded suddenly, Grayson in front of me, holding my wrist and walking me through the pitch black, Grams and Gramps stood either side of me.
I could stop the panic that make my breaths uneven, Grayson squeezed my hand and I heard a click.
Gunshots rang out and Gramps shouted, light suddenly beaming out of his shoulder where a bullet struck him.
The room illuminated enough I could see we were surrounded, not by Slayers, but Dark Ones.
A group of skinwalkers and demons.
Gramps arm healed over, surrounding us in darkness again.
Grayson hurled me forward, slamming into a door with a metal bar.
The stairwell!
"Go!" He shouted in the dark, the sound of violence and beams of light starting to pierce the room.
I pushed the bar and threw myself down the stairs, reaching for my phone, I clutched the knife and dialled Juliette's number.
It rang out, making me panic more as I passed the fourth floor finally.
I heard the door upstairs open, the sound of animalistic growling followed and I picked up the pace.
I threw open the floor to Astronomy and ran into the pitch black of the halls, thankful I knew the area well enough to dodge around the exhibits.
I found the large plantery room, set out to mimic what it would be like on Mars.
I dashed across the artificial dirt and into the dome habitat that was another door.
I fell into the dark stairwell, closing the door behind me and sitting against it, trying to slow my breathing and listen.
I could hear the snarling of a skinwalker hunting me, use to following its preys scent.
I thought for a moment, pulling out my perfume bottle I quickly stabbed a hole into the side of it and threw it up the the middle of the stairs, curving it to land a few floors up.
I ran down the stairs then, hearing the snarling getting too close.
I had it to the second floor when I heard the stairwell door open, hearing the clawed footsteps go upwards, I let out a quiet breath I'd been holding.
I stumbled my way down to the ground floor, finding all the lights were off there.
I went to turn the corner when someone grabbed me, I turned to slash only for them to grab my wrist before I could.
"Stop!" Juliette hissed, I relaxed, pulling the weapon back and breathing in relief I threw my arms around her.
She hesitated before patting my back.
"Where Grayson?" She asked when I pulled back. In the darkness, I could just make out her shape, something seemed off about her cheeks though.
"Upstairs." I whispered, trying to make my eyes adjust.
I got frustrated, squeezing them closed tightly and then opening them again.
This time, the room lit up like some had turned the lights back on, but everything had a blur around it, like it was being pulled into focus.
It was Slayers sight.
I had perfect vision in the darkness now, enough to stumble back at the woman in front of me.
Half of her face was Juliette, the other half was torn to pieces and clawed, her eye was missing and part of her lip destroyed.
She didn't open her mouth to speak, instead the noise came out of her throat like a ventriloquist.
"Silly girl," it cooed in Juliette's voice, making me stumble backwards as I understood.
Juliette was dead.
A skinwalker had taken over her body, not realising how badly injured she was, only caring that she smelt heavily of me.
A scream escaped my lips, I turn and ran for the elevator, smashing the button and thankful the door opened.
I threw myself in while the skinwalker Juliette limped towards me, her leg was bare of any flesh, large chunks missing from her calf.
I threw up once the doors closed.
The basement.
I had to get to Dr. Hyde's office.
I tried to call Grayson, his phone ringing out before I dialled Cindy.
She answered on the second ring.
"Hey! Having fu-"
"Put Ben on!" I shouted at her interrupting her greeting. She sensed my tone and I heard the phone shuffle.
"What's up?" Ben asked, his voice tight.
The elevator opened to the basement and I stared into the darkness, my vision picking up nothing I ran for down the hall and turned to Dr. Hyde's office not slowing for a second, I pushed open the door and then slammed it behind me, pulling the heavy bolt across to lock it.
"Penelope!" Ben shouted at me.
"Dark Ones. The museum!"
"Where's the others?" He asked, I heard him moving and the sound of Cindy shouting something.
"I don't know. Grayson was with my grandparents, someone cut the lights and he told me to run."
"Where are you now?" I heard the car start and bullets being loaded into a gun.
"Dr. Hyde's office. Juliette's dead, a skinwalker took her." I cried, falling against the door.
"We're on our way, Penny!" Cindy was suddenly on the phone. "Ben is driving like a mad man, we'll be there soon honey!" The phone cut off, I checked it seeing the signal had disappeared.
Shit. Jammers. I went to Dr. Hyde's desk, turning on his computer, I used the old temp log in to access the security cameras.
The fifth floor was lit up again, but there was only a see if Dark Ones on the floor, I could see the bodies of other Slayers, but none were the ones I was looking for.
I moved through the floors, finally finding the cameras for the head office on the ground floor.
Grayson was on his knees, a pole was strapped across his shoulders and throat, his wrists bound to the pole.
I watched in fear as Vikrom came into view, striking Grayson violently across the face with something.
I watched red blood spill from Grayson's face, making my eyes wide.
I redialled Cindy, thankful when Ben answered.
"We're almost there."
"They're using angel metal!" I said quickly.
I heard him hesitated. "Are you sure?"
"It's the only thing that makes Slayer bleed red, yes?" I snapped at him. "They have Grayson. Head office."
"I'm in the delivery bay, we'll be there soon." He hung up, I checked the camera for the delivery bay, seeing the Jeep pull in and Cindy jump out, a rifle on her back and a revolver in her hand, she carried my gun case in her other hand.
I smiled and went to meet them, stepping into the darkness, I hesitated, my Slayer vision failing me.
Something made me uncomfortable, I gripped the blade, dropped and spun right, connecting with something that hugged a shadow.
I felt warm liquid cover my hand and a heavy weight fall, I sidestepped and smelt the sulfur smell of a demon.
I ran for the delivery door as Ben opened it, he grabbed me, checking me over for a moment.
"It's demon blood." I reassured him.
He gave a small smile I could just see as Cindy handed me my gun case.
I pulled out the handgun, checked the chamber and magazine, throwing and extra two into the band on my leg beside the knife.
Ben led the way as we headed for main lobby.
Ben room out two skinwalkers and another demon on our way through, Cindy followed beside me, keeping one hand on my shoulder so she didn't get lost.
We slipped into the office bull pen, the lights were on and Grayson sat in the open middle, Vikrom standing behind him with a smile when he saw me.
I looked around my Grams and Gramps, panicking slightly when I didn't see them.
"Don't worry, I haven't hurt the Everlight elders." Vikrom said, holding a hand up with a smile.
"What do you want Vikrom?" I demanded, aiming my gun at him.
Cindy was right, I wasn't a great shot, I had no intention of shooting at him while Grayson was between us.
But I know she was curving around to find a good spot for a shot.
"Come with me," he said simply, he held out his hand towards me.
I had to resist the urge to recoil, staying frozen and looking at him.
"If I do? You plan to sell my womb out too?" I asked, raising a brow and trying my best to appear unaffected.
He chuckled.
"No, child. Something as personal as you, deserves to be for one man only." He gave me a disgusting smile that shook me to the core.
I took a step back, seeing Grayson's mouth twitch in a smile.
Vikrom saw my rejection, enraging him he drew his blade and placed the tip at Grayson's neck.
"Last chance!" He shouted, smiling when he saw my fear. "Come with me, or he dies."
I never got a chance to answer.
Grayson had started to laugh, first a soft chuckle then it escalated to a full mad-man laughter.
Vikrom watched him, unnerved for a moment.
"You think you can take her?" Grayson asked through his laughter, his eyes suddenly blazed with gold light and he turned them on Vikrom.
"You underestimated me, Councillor."
Vikrom faltered, stumbling back slightly.
Grayson stood, his arms dropping to his side, breaking the angel metal in half like it was tear away fabric, clanging to the ground loudly.
We all watched in amazement as Grayson turned to face Vikrom, his eyes blazing and the golden glow starting to seep out of his skin like smoke.
"Impossible!" Vikrom shouted at him, making Grayson smile.
He crossed the gap between them in a flash, gripping Vikrom's face in his palm.
He started to squeeze, making the man scream in agony and drop his sword, falling to his knees.
Grayson leaned down, his hand twitching and one of Vikrom's eyes popped with a sickening crunch.
He howled into Grayson's hand.
"Tell the demon you sided with, I'm coming for him next." Grayson closed his hand into a fist, crushing Vikrom face.
He gave a final, quick shout before he was silenced by the sound of his bones crumbling and blood spraying.
I dropped to my knees, staring at Grayson as he turned to me, his eyes glowing but the truth saddening his face.
He stepped closer to me, his expression wary as he watched me.
I could see the faint glow that outlined around him, showing me he wasn't a Slayer at all.
He was an angel.
I dropped my blade and my gun, reaching out for him.
He fell to the ground in front of me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me tightly against him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't want you to find out this way." He whispered.
I shook my head, quickly wiping the tears away.
"I'm just glad you're okay." I whispered truthfully, stroking his cheek.
He gave me a sweet smile, kissing me quickly before he got to his feet and looked at Ben.
"We good?" He asked.
Ben shrugged. "You're still a dick."
They shared a smile.
"Your grandparents are in the antiques vault, we have a few demons to get through." Grayson said to me and Cindy, I grabbed my weapons and nodded at her, she holstered the hand gun and pulled out her rifle.
The vault room was two stories, a perfect snipers nest direct across from the door.
"Good, I can take the top floor." She said, checking the chamber.
Grayson was looking at the bands on my arms, he touched one of the jewels, causing it to light up.
"Did Bianca give you these?" He asked.
I nodded. "Juliette said she made them for me."
He chuckled and pulled one off my arm, putting the jeweled head in my hand.
It felt warm, like the angel blades, thinking of it like that, made the metal glow and straighten until it became a thin whip.
"Banisher metal." Ben said, staring at it. Banisher metal was blessed metal, designed for killing and destroying Dark Ones very soul, making them unable to resurrect unless summoned.
It was ancient and rare magic metal.
If I focused, the metal would reshape itself between a whip and a sword when then the bands were combined.
I gripped the golden blade in my way, enjoying the feeling it brought me.
We headed for the vault, Cindy took the stairs with Ben to get to the top floor.
Grayson and I hugged the walls as we made our way through the darkness.
He gripped my hand, leading me through the weaves of office blocks.
We took out four demons on the way, we managed to make our way to vault without issue.
Finding the door of it sealed.
We waited for a moment until Cindy started to fire, she was using silver bullets, causing the demons to scream as the metal burned their skin.
I sliced the head off one demon, Grayson dealing with four more a head of me.
I ran to the vault, ignoring the hands that tried to grab me, Grayson stopping every one of them.
I punched in the code, swiping the access card and yanking the heavy door open.
Grayson and Cindy had disposed of all the Dark Ones in the room, all of us ready to take on the next group who guarded my grandparents.
Only Grams was sitting on the large metal table in the middle of the room, passionately kissing Gramps.
The room around them was filled with blood and demon bodies, neither of them had a scratch.
I made a noise of disgust.
"Okay, they don't need us, let's go." I said, pushing the vault door closed again.
Grams yelled at me, stopping me and jumped off the table, stepping over the bodies and coming to hug Cindy and I.
"Hello, babies!" She cooed.
"Hi Grams!" Cindy smiled, hugging her tightly. She went and hugged Gramps who gave her a kiss on the cheek.
We walked back through to the main office.
Grams, seeing Vikrom's body, stopped and turned to Grayson.
"Spilled the beans, huh?" She asked him, wrinkling her nose a bit.
Grayson gave her a shy look.
"Couldn't help myself." He scratched the back of his head, his eyes finally calming to their normal honey.
Grams chuckled, patting him on the cheek.
"I always said, a girl would be the end of your secrets." She turned and winked at me.

Grams had called the head of the Council, a man named Edward Benedict, finding that Vikrom had organised the entire ball under their noses, all as a ploy to kidnap me. 
After that, he demanded a full lockdown of Carson City.
Any Dark One or Slayer would be tracked, in or out of the city.
We headed to the ranch to wait for the Hunter leader and Councilman Benedict to arrive.
I'd managed to get through to Reed who'd left shortly before the lights cut out, he'd been bored already and went to watch Dr. Hyde's lecture across town.
I was relieved to know they were both okay, but they insisted on stopping by to check on me.
I sat in the attic, partly hiding from the full room of people downstairs in the loungeroom.
I felt overwhelmed and uncomfortable, despite them all being people I loved, I knew they were here because of me.
I was putting them in danger.
I hugged my knees to my chest and watched out the attic window across the front of the ranch.
Almost seeing it as an unfamiliar landscape, it no longer held treasured memories.
Just a land of lies and nightmares.
I jumped slightly when Grayson slipped his arms around me silently.
He pulled me into his lap and watched the night with me, holding me close and refueling the hope inside of me.
"So, an angel hiding as a Slayer." I muttered, feeling his chest rumble with a chuckle.
"I wasn't hiding, no one asked." He said simply.
I giggled. "Not very religious."
He rolled his eyes, kissing my cheek.
"We don't have to be. We're allowed to be whatever we want, as long as we stay on the side of good and right, we won't fall." He explained.
"What makes an angel fall?" I wondered, thinking of my dad.
"Some do it for love." He sounded far off, like he was thinking. I found his hand in the darkness and intertwined our fingers.
"And the others?"
"Greed. The want for power and control. Usually, they severe their connection to the others by cutting off their wings, disappearing amongst the Dark Ones." The thought sounded horrible.
We sat in silence for a while longer, until Grams came up to say she was heading to bed, sleeping in the room Juliette had.
She hugged me tightly, kissing my forehead and gave Grayson a pat on the cheek before she left, Gramps waving from the bottom of the stairs.
We laid on the wicker couch for a bit, cuddled together quietly, but I must have fallen asleep because I woke up in bed.
I could hear Grayson whispering, it sounded like he was talking to someone.
"You need to leave." He was saying to them, making me worry for a moment until I heard the other voice.
"No, not until you tell me what you plan to do!" It was Grams, she sounded angry as she whispered.
"I plan to love her, is that so wrong?" Grayson demanded, his voice edging on rage.
"You're playing a dangerous game, you know what happens to rejected angels!"
"I don't care if she rejects me! I'll fall for her, a million times."
"Grayson?" I called into the darkness, sitting up. I heard the silence that fell and then he was there, holding me.
"I'm here." He whispered lovingly against my skin, kissing me.
"Rejected angels fall?" I whispered, feeling him tense.
"Angels love very strongly." Grams said when he stayed quiet.
She walked into the room, switching on my bedside lamp, making me squint.
She stood with arms crossed looking at Grayson.
"If an angel falls in love and it's not returned, it breaks their hearts so badly, they become fallen." She gave him a hard look, one of disappointment and concern.
I looked up at Grayson, meeting his warm honey eyes.
I smiled.
"You love me?"
He chuckled and leaned in, kissing me.
"Don't say it!" Grams warned him as he opened his mouth.
He set her with an angry stare.
"Yes, I love you, Penelope." He said, turning to look at me. His eyes hardened slightly, almost prepared for silence or a rejection.
I stroked his cheek, unable to stop the smile.
"I love you, Grayson." I said to him.
His eyes flared with the golden glow for a moment, before his dimples flashed and he pulled me against him, kissing me deeply.
Grams looked between us, almost shocked.
"Well, I'll be going then." She said, leaving us and closing the door behind her.
I saw the hesitation and worry in Grayson's eyes, making me climb into his lap and straddle him.
"I was so scared of losing you tonight." He whispered, pushing my hair back.
I kissed him again, letting all my worry, fear and care flood into him until he took it away from me and I took all his weight from him.
We fell into the bed, roaming and claiming each other in every way we could.
We laid in each other's arms after, a little breathless.
"Say it again?" Grayson whispered into the night.
I rolled into him, kissing his collarbone and chest.
"I love you, Grayson." I whispered against his skin, watching it flair with the glow of an angel.
He chuckled, pulling me up to kiss me.
"I love you, too." He said against my lips and held me until we fell asleep, putting an end to a horrid night and waking to a new day.
A day filled with planning and revenge.