Eight
When I woke up the sun was shooting light into the RoadHouse, burning my retinas for a second before my vision focused.
'Dexter,' I croaked, spitting blood. 'Are you OK?'
'They didn't touch me.' He whispered. 'But you...' I felt him shiver.
'They can't touch you.' I whispered back. 'Where are they?'
'They gave up as you passed out.' He muttered. 'Why didn't they hurt me?'
'Because...uh...because they can't, OK?' I stammered, rotating my head and spitting blood again. My arms were cut deeply and bleeding, and I think I had a couple bites on my neck- I couldn't feel anything anymore, besides sharp stings every couple of seconds.
'What were they talking about, the deal with the Crossroads Demon?' Dexter asked, trying to see me.
'It doesn't matter, look; can you get out of those ropes? Go find Johnny, get him to come here and help me.' I said.
'Uh...' He struggled against them, and I heard something break.
'Did you do it?'
'Let me get the other one.' He quickly untied his other wrist, then both his ankles, then crouched in front of me.
'Whoa, you do look bad.' He said.
'Just shut up and get me out of these things before the demons come.' I snapped.
He untied me quickly, and I stood shakily. 'C'mon.' I said, rubbing my bloodied wrists with bloodied hands. 'We've gotta get out of here.'
'What about mum?' He said as I stumbled towards the door. 'She's not really dead...is she?'
'She's not.' I said strongly, quietly. 'I know she's not. But I'm no help to her in this condition, and either way we're too outnumbered. Come on, let's go.'
'I can help.' He stood in front of me as I tried to keep going.
'No, you can't.' I snapped. 'You can't fight for crap. Now keep moving before I collapse.' As if to enforce that I wavered; Dexter jumped forward and let me lean on him.
'Fine.' He growled, half carrying, half dragging me out. We opened the door silently, walking out over the dust as he let me go beside my long black car.
'This is too easy.' I muttered, fishing my keys out of the pocket of my jeans and unlocking the car silently. 'Why are they letting us get away so easy?'
'Don't ask questions, just unlock the car and let's go. Uh...do you want me to drive?' Dexter asked as I sat in the drivers side and kicked the car into action.
'No. My car, I drive. Now let's go!'
'OK.' He muttered, sitting in the shotgun seat.
I pulled the car out violently, skidding in the dust and roaring down the street. Looking in the rear view mirror, I saw Gloria in Ruby's body, standing alone on the side of the street, watching us get away.
It was all WAY too easy.
*********************************************************
Dexter sighed and rolled his eyes, pressing the rag harder to my forehead while getting ready to sew up from my temple down to the middle of my cheek. I didn't remember getting that wound.
'Ow! That hurts!' I cried.
'Baby.' He muttered, pulling away the rag and starting the stitches.
'Like to see you get stitches and- ow!' We were in a hotel room far away now- Dexter had salted the door and windows... but I still didn't feel safe.
