Trail of Ashes

Epilogue

Henley POV~

2 months later

Mortem holds my hand as we make our way to the 2-story house I once called home. My father is inside. He doesn't know I am coming. He may even beleive I'm dead. I haven't looked upon that monster's face in over 3 years. Part of me is afraid. I feel like that little scared girl I once way. I don't want to feel that way again.

Mortem squeezes my hand to reassure me. He told me that my father's time is almost up. He's going to die. He wouldn't tell me how he'll die but his end is near. Mortem gave me the option of revealing myself to my father or to just stay hidden and invisible. I decided I wanted him to see me. He needed to see that I'm whole. I can't wait for the look on that bastards face. Maybe that's how he dies. Shock or a heart attack from the sight of me. His only daughter.

I take a deep breath and take in the house. It looks bad. Worse than it did. The siding is dingy and dirty. Old cars litter the side yard. The ground is covered in a layer of snow but I can only guess that the gardens are weeded over and the grass is tall. We stop at the door and Mortem turns to me.

"Remember, he cannot hurt you. I won't let him. I can teleport us out of here in a blink of an eye."

"Ok. Thanks for being here with me. I love you."

Mortem nods and kisses me. I am met with his warm tongue but he ends the kiss guickly. He's giving me a taste of him. To remind me of what I have to live for. I'm Mortem's and nobody can take that from me.

My life has changed dramatically in the past couple months. Mortem saved me from a life of misery and ultimately from myself. After we made love for the first time, my eyes were opened. I saw what Mortem saw when he looked at me. I saw how beautiful and precious I was in his eyes. It has forever changed me. I cried tears of happiness then. I will forever be thankful for everything he has done for me. The beautiful life he has given me. I feel honored to be his woman. His Henley.

"I'm ready." I say. My words come out more certain than I feel.

I push the rusted brass doorbell. I hear footsteps and curse words. Then the doors creaks open and my nose is assaulted with the smell. The metallic smell of blood, burning flesh and whiskey. I also sense the distinct smell of rot. I look up and I'm standing face to face with my father. I keep the emotions off my face as best as I can. He eyes me up and down. A chill slips over my spine. Then he notices Mortem. The shock slightly registers on his face along with anger.

My father is a shell of the man he once was. He has easily aged fifteen years in the three years I have been gone. He's balding and his hair is greasy. His clothes are filthy but that's not the worst part. The worst part is the smell. The rotting garbage smell is a new one for him and it's bad. Really bad.

"What the fuck do you want?" He spits out.

"Mr. Black I'm sure you remember your daughter Henley." Mortem says. His voice hard and flat.

"That fucking kid died years ago. Now get the fuck off my property!"

He tries to slam the door but Mortem is quicker. His arm reaches out and grabs ahold of his sweaty neck. He pushes my father backward into his house. Never letting go of him. I follow behind quietly.

"Your time is almost up Mr Black. You will sit down and listen to what she has to say. Or I could end your pathetic mortal life now." The hard edge to his voice is scary. He has never spoken like that before. I see the fear in my father's eyes. Noting scares my father. He obeys but he's not happy about it.

I make my way over to him. Garbage litters the floor. Stacks of papers are thrown about. The stench is horrible and I fight the vomit that builds in my throat. I steady my nerves. My father's eyes roam my body again and I fight the disgusting wave that washes over me. Then his eyes change and everything clicks into place. He remembers me. I break the silence.

"Hello Daddy. Did you really think I was dead? Did you think I died that night you stabbed me and tried to rape me?." I grind out the words and narrow my eyes. I feel Mortem's heat behind me and I calm my nerves again.

"You should of died you brat! Where have you been hiding all this time? Did you whore yourself out for money like your mother?" His voice takes on an evil sneer. Mortem makes a low growl deep in his throat. I steady myself and prepare to spew it right back at him.

"I did no such thing! I kept my virginity intact. No thanks to you. You nasty pedophile. Tell me daddy...How's that stab wound of yours look?" My words come out strong and I barely recognize the courage in my voice.

"You tore me up pretty good you nasty slut! I stayed in the hospital for three days." I turn my lips up in an evil smile. I lift the hem of my shirt and allow my father to see my perfect skin.

"That's not possible. You're full of shit and you covered it up!" He spits. I give him a wicked smile.

"You failed. You are a disgusting excuse for a man. You killed my mother! You asshole." He interrupts me.

"You're damn right I did! That woman was a real piece of work."

"Shut up! You're not gonna talk crap about by mom. That's not why I'm here. You're gonna die soon you evil bastard! Now would be a great time to clean your act up and become a little less shitty. Even if it's only for a day."

"That why Mr tall, dark and broody is here? He gonna kill me or kick my ass?" He laughs at the thought.

"He's not gonna do anything unless I tell him to." I take a deep breath and start again. "Listen, I'm not here to fight and play your evil games. I'm here to say goodbye. I hoped that you would of changed. Turned your life around and became a better man. I thought I might find you in prison or dead but instead, here you are. Alone, bitter and broken. You have always been evil and you will always be. Regardless of the piece of shit you are. I turned out ok. I'm not like you and I never will be. You're pathetic. Ya know...you almost ruined me. Almost. But I fought back and I won. I'm gonna have a great life. But you...you're gonna rot in Hell for your sins."

"Fuck you bitch!" I shake my head. There is no getting through to him and my patience and courage in waning.

"Goodbye dad... and by the way...I know how much you love the smell of burning flesh. Well, you'll get to inhale that scent forever while your own flesh is being scorched off." I drop my shoulders in defeat and turn to Mortem. He nods to me. Then he addresses my father.

"Well Mr. Black. Henley has said her goodbye and you are not worthy enough to be in her presence. I will be seeing you real soon. But I wont be the one to kill you. No, the demon inside you will take care of that." Mortem smirks. My dad starts yelling out terrible things but I ignore him. Mortem pulls me into him and we leave the house quickly. Once we make it out the door, I'm in his arms and we teleport away from that awful place.

I don't know where we're going but I don't care. Any place is better than that nasty shell of a house. The darkness ebbs it's way from my vision as Mortem places me on the ground. I open my eyes and find a darkened sky and a beautiful tower in front of my face. The Eiffel tower. He wipes the tears from my cheeks and smiles down at me. His dimple on full display.

"You are safe Henley. You said your goodbye. He only has a few days and his heart will give out. You will be free of him. Never again will you have to hide. " His words caress me like velvet. More tears well up in my eyes at his kindness.

He kisses me deep then and my fingers find their way into his black hair. He pulls away after only a few seconds and his eyes get serious.

"I brought you to Paris. The city of love to tell you that...I love you Henley."

I beam up at him and the tears continue their journey down my face. He told me once that he is unable to love. He said it was not one of his abilities.

"But you said you don't have that ability. So how do you know?"

"I did not think it possible because I have never loved before."

I step on my toes and quiet his mouth with my own. I taste the saltiness from my tears of happiness. I am truly happy. Mortem thought it impossible to love and I never thought I could be happy. Together, we found something we were missing and we found each other.

THE END