Survivor's Guilt

XX (If You Mean It, You'll Make It)

While Spencer heads toward the merch table to help his bandmates provide equal parts assistance and relief to my crew, I head for the Motionless In White dressing room. The last time I visited them like this, I discovered Ricky had been the vessel of the Prince of Envy—the bastard who wanted to take credit for my parents' murder all to get himself into Lucifer's good graces.

I don't knock on the door, an action that has my ancestors rolling in their graves at my sheer impoliteness. The room is quiet and it's almost unsettling. I'd come to expect Ryan, Justin, Vinny, Ricky, and Chris to be ecstatic over being back in their hometown. I turn on the light silently wishing I had kept it off. Between the carnage and the moaning bodies, the desire to bolt out of the room is strong. I spot Chris in the sea of bodies, and his jet-black eyes find me and sneer.

Asmodeus.

The Prince of Lust rises to his feet. I try not to stare at the tattoos decorating Chris' skin. Tattoos I remember tracing or had it been Lilith. I shake my head to clear it. There would be a time and place to distinguish my memories from hers. Ricky, or should I say, Leviathan emerges his body covered in blood. My stomach flips, I'd been taught many things by Cookie and Aunt Carolyn. Nothing could ever prepare me for seeing the carnage first-hand.

"Kaitlynn Porter, it has been a while." Asmodeus purrs. He clicks his fingers clothing himself in a black suit that leaves nothing to the imagination.

"Little Porter isn't so little anymore. She has an inner wildfire burning through her veins." Leviathan does the same.

Can I fight two princes at once? It wasn't impossible, my mentor made sure of that. Multiple opponents? Piece of cake, but these weren't retired war buddies. These were royalty. Closing my eyes I tell myself to remain calm. I remind myself to stay in the present once more. Out of the corner of my eye Ryan, Vinny, and Justin meet my eyes for a moment. Their fear keeps them in place.

I need a plan. My conscience says. On instinct, I find myself walking towards Chris first. The memories from the first part of the tour play in my mind. Taking Chris to Rico's Taco Truck. Our kiss in Swampscott, as brief as it had been. He told me I was his anchor. My eyes widened, that was it! I didn't need to fight two at once, I just needed to get Chris to break through.

"It's Charnas now." I hold up my hand showing them the ring on my finger. "Chris, do you remember my aunt's funeral? What you told me after you told me your possession story?"

"Is that your big play, Kaitie? I am going to recommend you go back to the drawing board." Leviathan chuckles. "We have our vessels trapped within their darkest fears."

"I am not backing down from this fight." I take out both daggers. "If I have to fight both of you, I will, but know this. I am going to get Chris and Ricky back."

"Aren't you precious? A meat suit with a backbone." The Prince of Envy lunges. I sidestep hooking my arm around his and flipping him to the ground. He swears at the wind being knocked out of him. My eyes meet Asmodeus.

"Chris, this is important. I need you to take control. Please, I have to know you're still with me. You said I'm your anchor, tell me that's still true. Tell me there is still a part of you that loves me."

The room goes quiet, and the bodies in the room turn to ash before. Asmodeus watches me like a wild cat. I would see them sometimes in Cookie's backyard. The cautious look with their bodies going still. There were two options he'd consider. The first he would bolt but the problem with that option is the place had been warded by Cookie to isolate the demons and prevent them from escaping. Option two involved the Prince of Lust coming at me and leaving me a pile of bones.