Nephilum

Chapter 25

I faded in and out a few times since I passed out in the demon's car.

Once I was being carried. My legs swayed as whoever was carrying me walked. "Can you get the door for me?" He asked someone. The last thing I heard before blacking out again was a door opening.

Then I was in a bed. The bed felt familiar. My head was propped up on a pillow and someone was next to me. My eyes were still closed, but I could feel the even breathing of the person beside me. It seemed like they were asleep too.

The third time I came to conciousness was the last time. Gentle murmurs were the first thing I noticed. They were somewhere above me. I groaned and opened my eyes. Derek and Sam were whispering directly over me. It seemed like they were engaged in an argument.

I groaned as my body started to ache. The hushed voices immediately quieted and the two people above me looked down at me. Sam looked worried and a slight bruise covered the left side of her face. I reached for my glasses on the night stand, but my hands found nothing.

"Where are my glasses." I asked. Out of all the things I could have said, I chose that. My voice was raspy and my eyes felt sore.

"You lost them sometime two days ago. During the fight at the demon compound." Derek commented.

I stared at him blankly. I blinked. Then it all came rushing back. Alex's kidnapping, Ethan's father Jeremy's death, fighting the demons, and worst of all James was missing. I shot up in bed, narrowly missing Sam's forehead with my own. My muscles ached in protest, but I ignored them.

"James. Where's James?"

Sam and Derek shared a glance. They were obviously hiding something from me. "Where's James?" I asked again. My voice had a certain edge to it.

"Lizzy," Sam began, "we don't know where James is."

I froze. Six simple words was all it took. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply.

This is not happening. I repeated the phrase in my head a few times, but it didn't help.

I swung my legs to the side of the bed and hopped down. "I need to take a shower." No one stopped me as I walked to the bathroom.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were red and my skin was blotchy. A large blueish bruise covered the left side of my jaw. My hair was a tangled mess and half of it was falling out of the ponytail.

I sighed. I turned the water on so hot that it scalded my skin. I relished in the burning feeling on my skin as the water cascaded over me.

My thoughts were running wild and I had to blink repeatedly to keep tears from forming in my eyes.

Is he dead? Is he hurt? Where is he? Is he still in the demon compound?

I shook away the unwelcome thoughts as I turned the water off and got dressed. The hot water helped soothe my impossibly sore muscles.

I walked out of the bathroom and rode the elevator to the living room, where everyone probably was. I didn't even feel sick as walked off of the potential death trap. I guess after getting shot at by demons your normal fears don't seem all that bad.

Everyone from the mission was in the living room. Everyone but James. As if they could sense me, everyone whipped their heads up to look at me as soon as I stepped foot into the room. I gulped awkwardly and smiled unconvincingly.

No one moved a muscle. Their eyes bored into me, as if they thought I was about to freak out and start throwing chairs at people.

"Um hey." I mumbled.