Chasing Demons (Book 2) Rated R

Chapter 5

It'd been five nights since I slept.

Because when I slept, I dreamt of him and the last thing I wanted was to see his face in the only place I was supposed to have peace.

So, like every other night since our last encounter, I found myself at the consulate's gym.

Of course, he hates you, I reminded myself. You told him you hated him first.

I swung at the punching bag, my knuckles turning red.

I mean, what were you expecting? You practically told him to fuck off.

Punch.

Okay. But even when I hated him, I never wanted to destroy him.

Punch.

Whatever. Like I care.

Punch. Punch. Punch.

I hissed as blood sprayed the punching bag and splattered me on the face.

Before I could focus on the pain, or return to punishing both the bag and myself, I felt the presence of another unwelcome intruder arrive.

She materialized within the mirror across the room and I knew something about her blood-covered clothing was supposed to scare me, but right then all I felt was annoyance.

She was like a buzzing fly you'd chase all around your home but could never quite squash, leaving you wondering what in the hell had ended up happening to it once you no longer saw it.

Seeing Ally felt a lot like that these days.

"Marcy will continue to be tortured until you do something." She said, getting straight to the point. She'd been doing that a lot lately. Telling me all about what would happen to mom and Taylor the longer I stayed here hiding like a coward.

With Ally's return had come the dark reminder that I still had yet to rescue either one of them. Not that it was something I could actually ever forget.

It was something, much like Ally, that haunted me day and night.

"Eventually he'll get bored of her and move on to Taylor, ya know?"

I flinched, picking up speed as I punched and kicked the bag until my knuckles were raw.

I didn't stop.

Blood slid down my knuckles and across the inner crease of my wrist, disappearing into the sleeve of my shirt.

Ally stepped out of the mirror, black water spilling onto the smooth linoleum flooring. When I glanced away and back, the water had disappeared and so had Ally.

I stopped, drawing in a deep breath to steady myself.

She reappeared just then, on the other side of the punching bag and I wished I could punch her instead of the inanimate plastic.

"They can't wait much longer. Why aren't you listening?" Her voice was mild but there was a hint of teasing in it. Like she enjoyed the prospect of my family being hurt.

"Garton's promised to help me rescue them soon." I snapped. "So fuck right off to hell, Ally. I don't have time for you right now."

"Garton," She laughed. "I think he's a little too busy with all the dark things going on around here." She said in a sing-song voice. "I wish for once you'd listen to me. It's because I'm older isn't it? You always had a problem with authority."

"Leave me alone, Ally!" I shouted, steadying the bag before fixing her with a glare. "Please, I don't need you reminding me how horribly I'm failing my family, ok?"