Once Upon A Dream

Chapter 17 - Dante vs. Ash

Ch. 17

After that, everything happened so fast. Aesc-or Dante-or Ash grabbed the lamp next to the door, and Ravus backed away. As he ripped the cord out of the socket and chucked it at the she-demon, she darted away. The lamp crashed, shattering the bulb as the wail of sirens closed in. Ravus retreated out of the window as Aesc rushed to my side. 

"No-don't-" I began as he picked me up, then screamed, "Let me go! What do you want? Who are you-really?!" With a shocked and unclear mind, I was panicking and fighting him. 

"Ssh, it's me, Kate," he said, making my blood run cold. Was that good? Bad? I couldn't tell, I didn't know. All I could hear was Aesc; all I could feel was his warmth; I could only smell his cologne; I could only think about Aesc. I felt as if I was shrinking as he seemed to take over. 

Aesc, carrying me, pushed his way past the crowd that I didn't even notice or care about. I clutched onto his gray hoodie. 

"Kate," he continued as he carried me closer and closer to the back exit of the dorm building, away from the police. "It's going to be okay. You'll be all right. Don't worry, Kate." I sobbed like a starving baby-maybe not quite as loud-while he brought me to his red car. 

Aesc placed me into the passenger seat. My hands shook, and my head throbbed. I wanted it to be all over. Meanwhile, he was driving away from my school and had called Blain. 

"Faellan, meet me back at our apartment," he ordered into the phone, and hung up instantly after. 

Faellan? As in Kellan? What about Roger? I was still not in the disposition to talk, and thus, no questions were asked. It wasn't even until we'd made it into the apartment building that I dared to think about speaking up. 

Aesc had asked if I could walk, and when I nodded, he grabbed my hand and led the way to the elevator. I stared at him from the corner of my eye as he grasped my hand tightly. Out of shear fear or shock or confusion, maybe all, I wrenched my hand free. He didn't even look at me, just bowed his head in despair. 

"Faellan?" I asked feebly. "Is that Kellan? Is Blain Kellan?" 

"I wish you cared enough to ask that about me," he replied softly. "But, yes, he is." 

"I don't need to ask that about you," I blurted out. "It's not that I don't care..." 

It's that I care too much, despite you scarring me worse than I ever have been-and no doubt ever will be, I finished my sentence mentally. 

"I'll prove it, if it'll make you feel any better," Aesc murmured. 

"I'd like that," I told him, "However, I do doubt it'll make me feel any better." 

Aesc turned his head to look me in the eye. His pale blue eyes grew brighter. He went from over six feet tall to almost six feet tall. His face morphed, became more youthful. His cheek bones became rounder, as much of his features did. His chin wasn't as broad anymore, and the facial hair disappeared. His black hair became wavier and longer. He went from Dante to Ash in a matter of seconds, and he resumed the Dante look even faster, faster than my eyes could process. 

The elevator door dinged, and I gulped. This time Aesc didn't grab my hand; he just let me follow him to the apartment. He unlocked it and opened the door cautiously. I tensed all over, afraid Ravus would be there waiting for us. 

Suddenly the door jerked open, torn from Aesc's hands, and I let out a squeak of fear. Only it was Faellan, looking like Blain. 

"Kate?" Faellan asked. "How are you holding up?" Aesc pushed past the other demon, and I followed him inside while Faellan shut the door. 

"I've had better days," I mumbled honestly.

"I empathize," he grumbled. 

"Where's Roger?" I asked. 

Faellan fidgeted. "Oh, he, uh...After we...left, he came back." 

"And?" I murmured, intrigued. 

"And he tried to kill you so we had to end him," Aesc said curtly.

I felt like every organ had melted inside me. My legs shook as my knees buckled slightly. He's been the best friend I never had, and just like he was...gone, in a way worse than Aesc and Faellan. They returned. He never would; he was gone. 

"Dante-" began Faellan. 

"She knows, you don't have to hide it," Aesc snapped, standing with legs apart and arms crossed a few feet away. "Just pack."

"Pack?" I echoed.

"Road trip," Faellan muttered and added sarcastically, "Fun!"

I looked down at my tee and shorts. I didn't even have my wallet!  

"But-" I began as Faellan disappeared into his room. 

"Don't worry, we'll take care of you," Aesc said. 

Right, because that makes me feel better, I thought sardonically.

Aesc walked over to me, and I braced myself to have to dart away, but all he said was, "I'm sorry."

I shifted my feet. "I thought...you couldn't say that, being...evil and all."

Aesc sighed, uncrossing his arms. "I...Some people change." He turned away.

"You changed," I observed, and he turned back, a blue spark of hope in his eyes. "I loved Dante, but is Dante Aesc? If you made him up, I want...I don't want anything to do with you."  

I wasn't sure what I was saying. I couldn't tell if I meant it or not. I wasn't sure why I even opened my mouth to let the words spill out. I did know I wanted some way for Aesc and everyone to go back. I was hoping I was fixing things, thinking most of what was happening was my fault.

Ravus said that if Aesc went back, everyone who helped him would be safe and less people would die. I didn't realize, but I had thought about what Ravus told Aesc so hard that I was the one who ended up being manipulated. 

Aesc's hands twitched at his side. "Tell me, am I not Dante? Or even Ash? ...If I no longer act like myself, you may kick me to the curb, but I promise I am me. I mean, demons are moody after all so every person they create is just a part of them that's been exaggerated, and being the prince of it all only makes it worse. So, the day I'm not me is the day I'm back in hell, the day you're...dead." He stepped towards me. My feet were planted to the ground; I couldn't move away from him, even if I wanted to. "Kate, the Dante part of me is much better than the Ash part-he's more mature, less afraid, and will give everything to fight or you. And if you've become better, well, then, Kate, you'd be willing to fight for me this time too, no matter what." 

*What will Kate's response be? What do you think she's thinking, how she's feeling, etc.? Oh, and I finally found a picture that matches what I think Dante's bouquet would look like ->> *