Omens (wattys2016)

Twenty-seven

"There's been another attack." Gabriel slams the newspaper down onto the kitchen table, finger pointed to the headline.

Portland Citizen's asked to stay indoors after 8pm. Mayor considering city-wide curfew as murders continue. There is a picture of a bloodied sheet directly under the headline. I guess the mayor has decided simply warnings are no longer working.

The attacks began three nights ago, the day before Asher had arrived. Four women had been found murdered, their bodies mangled beyond recognition. Gabriel had passed it off as exactly what it had appeared to be, some crazed person had flipped and murdered the first group of people he/she found.

Since then the bodies had begun to pile up. All women. All found mangled to the point where cause of death could have been one of many things. Gabriel had somehow managed to break into the coroner's office and survey the damage himself. He had come back completely shaken. He told us later that whatever had attacked them had been ruthless, and not human.

"This is getting ridiculous," Jackson growled. Even before he had entered the room I knew he was there. Despite the fact that he had not spoken a word to me since the fight, our bond was stronger than ever. Whenever he was gone, even if it was in a different room, I felt on edge. The closer he got to me the more the anxiety faded. It was slowly driving me crazy but seemingly had no effect on him.

I had tried speaking to him only to be shut down. It had gotten so bad that I had found myself in front of his bedroom door at three am the second night. He knew I was there, flinging the door open before my hand even reached the handled. His eyes had glowed neon green, anger covering every inch of his face. He had not spoken, just stared. For a second I thought he was falter, that he would pull me into his arms and all would be forgiven. Instead he had slammed the door in my face, the lock clicking heavily into place.

Max and Liam had offered to talk to him. Correction, Liam had offered to talk to him. Max had gone on a rant about 'knocking some sense' into him. I had brushed their offers off, knowing Jackson had every right to be mad. I had allowed him to risk everything for me and in return I had shut him out.

"When are we going to do something?" he demanded, slamming his fists onto the table. Yet another side effect of our argument, his new found lack of patience.

"What would you have us do?" Gabriel questioned calmly. Despite our previous interactions, Gabriel had handled the tension quite well. He had allowed me to mope around the house, even going as far as joining me as I sat alone in the living room. He had kept his calm during Jackson's random outbursts. One had ended in Jackson punching a hole through the wall and yet, Gabriel had remained calm.

"Find the thing and kill it."

"Well that's a great plan and all but we have no idea what we are hunting. There was no poison in their systems, so that rules out half of the demon population. The bodies were hidden, so that cuts out a portion of the demons we know who just love to flaunt their kills. The others aren't known for destroying a body. They just take what they need and leave. That leaves us with no options Jackson. So unless you've suddenly stumbled upon another rarely seen supernatural creature then I suggest you remain calm and wait until The Sanctuary calls us with answers."

Jackson huffs angrily, tossing his dishes into the sink. I hear the definitive sound of breaking porcelain. At the rate he was going there would be nothing left for us to eat on by the end of the week.

"Jackson."

After days of the cold shoulder I am sick of this shit. He has stormed around this house, slamming doors and snapping at anyone who talks to him. He make small talk on his good day, still avoiding addressing my existence. He refuses to make eye contact. I have dealt with it, quietly waiting for him to calm down. But that doesn't seem to be happening any time soon and I am tired of waiting around.