Curse Of The Aswangs (The Vasquez Brothers #1)[COMPLETED]

47: ASH

As the scroll unfurled in my hands, it was like opening a thousand-year-old takeout menu written in a language no one had ordered from in centuries. Zade was squinting at it, muttering something about it looking more complicated than his tax forms. Jasper, of course, was just as confused.

"Okay, so... any idea what part of this mumbo jumbo is supposed to close a portal to hell?" Zade asked, half-serious, half-panicking.

I rubbed my temples. "Maybe it's the part where we don't accidentally summon more demons, huh?"

Jasper tapped a particularly intricate section. "This looks promising... or it could be a recipe for soup. Either way, we don't have time for a deep read."

Zade snorted. "Well, we could wing it—what's the worst that could happen? Oh right, the apocalypse."

We began to utter the spell and the ground shook. We looked up to see Enrique, in all his grotesque glory, storming towards us like some kind of demented boss battle.

And then, with zero hesitation, he threw a sword right at us. A freaking sword.

"DUCK!" I yelled, and the three of us hit the ground like synchronized swimmers—if synchronized swimming involved dodging sharp death at high speeds. The sword sailed over our heads, embedding itself into a tree with a satisfying thunk.

"That was close," Zade muttered, brushing dirt off his jacket. "Who knew hell portals came with free weaponry?"

"That was Enrique, you stupid bastard!" Jasper said.

Before any of us could process how ridiculous this was getting, Trevor sprang into action. In the blink of an eye, plunged his sword into Enrique's chest.

Enrique's monstrous face twisted in agony, and for a second, I almost pitied him. Almost.

As Enrique staggered back, clutching his wound, the entire battlefield went still for a moment. Trevor stood there, breathing hard, eyes blazing red like he'd just pulled off the most epic finishing move in a video game.

"Nice stabbing," Enrique let out a laugh that echoed ominously through the chaos. "Really, Trevor? A sword? How quaint. What do you think you're going to do with that? Slice my bread?"

Trevor squared his shoulders, ready to retort, but before he could, a slow burn began to spread across Enrique's chest. He blinked in confusion, glancing down as if he'd just noticed a bee sting.

Enrique looked around frantically, searching for the source of the heat.

Then it hit him. His gaze shifted to the ground, where a puddle of holy water lay, shimmering innocently.

Trevor's expression turned from smug to gleeful realization.

Enrique's eyes widened in horror as the burn intensified, spreading like wildfire through his veins. He looked at Trevor one last time, eyes filled with disbelief and rage.

Zade raised an eyebrow. "Well, that escalated quickly."

But before Enrique could say anything, his body erupted into ash, swirling away like a forgotten dream. The remnants of his power scattered into the wind, leaving behind a stunned silence.

"Wow," Zade said, breaking the tension with a wry grin. "And to think, all he needed was a little holy water to spice up his day. Your boyfriend's a badass." He said to me.

"He is not my boyfriend." I answered.

Jasper crossed his arms, trying to hide his amusement. "That was surprisingly poetic, Trevor."

As we stood in the aftermath of the chaos, I couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and disbelief. We'd just taken down a powerful enemy, but the fight was far from over. The portals were finally closed

"Great," Zade interrupted. "I'd love for my last moments to be spent mispronouncing ancient runes and getting incinerated."

Jasper nudged us both forward. "Less talking, more saving the world."

As the three of us gathered around the scroll, there was still tension in the air, but now, a strange sense of humor lightened the chaos. We didn't know what was coming, but at least we were in it together, making bad jokes as we faced certain doom.

Trevor, meanwhile, stood off to the side, sword in hand, keeping an eye on Enrique. "No pressure, guys," he called out. "Just, you know, we stop the apocalypse."

"Yeah, yeah," I grinned, "we sure did."

****

"I thought you wouldn't want to see me."

"It's really hard to deal with all of these." I whispered. "I'm still the eldest of the Vasquez. I have to take care of my brothers. They're still kids. But this is about more than us now. We're mandirigma. I don't see paycheck and house rents. I see angels and demons."

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting soft rays across the room. I leaned against the kitchen counter, brewing coffee, the aroma filling the air and soothing my nerves. After everything that had happened, I felt a strange mixture of hope and apprehension.

Trevor was sitting at the table, fiddling with a piece of toast while we talked about what lay ahead. "So, you're serious about digging into your past?" he asked, his eyes bright with curiosity.

"Yeah," I replied, feeling a sense of determination rise within me. "There's so much we don't know, and I think it's time we find the answers."

"Now, the Enrique problem is gone, I'm happy to help you with that." Trevor gave me a curt smile.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Trevor still looked conflicted. There was a bit of venom in his tone. "He's gone. That's what only matters to me."

"When will people understand?" I muttered as I searched his eyes. He was a little defensive. As a psych major, it was truly a gift and a curse to see through someone's masked emotions. "That the most aggressive humans are also the most damaged...the most scared."

Trevor finally looked at me, starting to understand me. "Be proud of your kind heart, Ash. Not all humans are capable of that."

"Hey, I don't care if you're a demon." I said. "All I'm seeing is a man who's trying to make things right."

A smile broke across his face, and for a moment, it felt like everything would be alright. He leaned closer, the warmth between us thickening, and I could feel my heart racing. This was the moment—a spark, an electric tension that promised something more.

But just as our lips were about to meet, the door burst open with a loud bang, and in walked Zade, Jasper, and Dylan, dressed in their school uniforms like a trio of over-caffeinated superheroes.

"Good morning, lovers!" Zade called out, a smirk plastered on his face. "Hope we didn't interrupt anything too scandalous!"

"He is not my boyfriend." I answered.

Trevor walked down the stairs, and he gave me one nod before riding his motor away from our house. "Guess I'll have to go," Trevor said, winking at me. As they all filed out, laughter filling the air, I exchanged a look with Trevor. The moment had slipped away, but the connection lingered, pulsing between us like a promise.

"I mean, come on, we've got a reputation to uphold. We can't have you two getting all mushy before school. Who would we tease?" Dylan said.

I could feel my cheeks flush as I shot them all a glare. "Thanks for ruining the moment, guys."