Little Demons (Demon Road fic)

10

Marion felt her heart shudder in her chest, this was not good. Diego ran up to them.
"I saw which way they went, I can follow them!" He started to turn.
"No!" Marion said sharply, halting Diego in his tracks. "Diego you don't have your bike, if anyone goes it's me." She faced towards Axl. "Get your car and collect these guys, then take them back to the hotel. When I find Amber and the Charger I'll bring them there." With that she sprinted the way Diego pointed. The street turned left and Marion realised she'd need to track them. Mid sprint across the road she shifted and felt herself speed up. As her strides lengthened, she heard her dress rip. Oh well, she thought. It's not like I was going to wear it again. She smelled Amber's scent on the breeze and effortlessly changed direction to follow it. She was aware Amber probably had shifted too. As she was thinking this, a car sped down the road and smashed into Marion's side. Luckily, her armoured scales worked faster than she did and although she was propelled across the road, the car's bonnet crumpled and the car itself skidded to a screeching, metal twisting stop. Marion groaned from within the crater she had created in the road and heaved herself to her feet. The car's engine had stopped and was smoking slightly. Marion watched the car cautiously, aware that this was the Charger, on edge as she could afford to be. A hand stuck out the window and fired three shots at her with a gun. The bullets ricocheted off Marion's armoured scales. She knew there were two more shots left.
"Amber," she called. "Get out the car, we can talk this through."
"Who are you?" Amber called back, her voice sounding much less aggressive than earlier. Marion took a few steps forward.
"My name's Marion, I'm an old friend of Milo's." The car door clicked and opened and Amber climbed out the car. She too was in her demon form. Her armoured scales peeked out from under her clothing and even in the night, Marion could see her red eyes widen as she took in Marion.
"You're a, a - I mean are you one of, of the Shining Demon's?" Amber stuttered. Marion nodded her head. Amber thought about this for a moment. "And how do you know Milo?" Marion watched Amber, evaluating every outcome before she answered.
"I used to be hired muscle for demon road travellers. As long as they could pay, I'd protect them. I came to heads with another demon travelling the road. He was looking for his memories." Amber gave a noise of understanding and shifted into her normal self. Marion didn't.
"Please, Amber. I know it's confusing, and unbelievable but that man is really Milo, and that girl you shot, that's Char, the manifestation of the Charger's demonic energy. I need your help. I need you to drive to our hotel and help them. If you don't then... Well I'm not sure what will happen. One of them may die." Marion maintained eye contact with Amber in the hopes that the girl would see she was being genuine.
"Okay, I'll bite," Amber gave in, and Marion let loose a breath she'd been holding in. "Tell me where and I'll drive." She got back in the car and waited for Marion to get in. As she did, Marion shifted back to her normal form. She tucked her hair behind her ears and flicked her eyebrows at Kelly who was staring at her from the front passenger seat. Amber started the car, which groaned and wheezed hideously as it came to life. "I don't think it will make the drive." Amber said.
"It will," Marion responded, then gave her the directions and they rattled off down the road.

Axl paced in the hotel room. Char was semi-conscious on the bed, Milo bowed over her trying to staunch the bleeding. She had lost a lot of... Blood? He wasn't sure what it was, the oily colour and consistency confused him. Back and forth and back and forth he paced, feeling helpless. He wasn't used to having other people around him, wasn't used to worrying about them. Marion had been gone for 10 minutes and with each second that ticked by, the tension in Axl's chest had gotten tighter and tighter. He moved to the window and looked out. They had left Diego and Willow out the front of the hotel to keep watch. He was leaning on his bike playing with his necklace, shoulders squared against cold night air. Axl turned away from the window. He was freaking out, he knew he was but he couldn't stop himself. Axl looked back at Milo who was murmuring to Char. Headlights from the street below flashed through the room and Axl looked out the window again. A nearly totaled Dodge Charger creaked to a stop, it's mechanical death rattle echoing into the room. He made eye contact with Diego who nodded.
"Milo!" In two strides, Axl crossed the room and held the door open. Milo swept Char up into his arms and carried her out the door, Axl close behind. They thundered down the hotel stairs and out into the night. Diego had approached the car and was watching as Amber and Kelly got out the front. Axl saw the Amber's tight, white lipped expression as she beheld Milo arriving with Char's prone form.
"Milo... I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely. Milo ignored her apology and set Char on her feet. She swayed but stayed upright. Axl looked around wildly for Marion who was absent from the scene. Then, the severely dented back door was punched open and Marion slipped out, leaving the door open. Her dark eyes scanned over Diego, then Willow and snapped to Axl's. He assessed her for any injuries and saw she was unscathed as she did the same. He felt the tension in his chest ease. Marion walked briskly past Milo and Char to stand in place next to Axl. He stared at her profile for a moment before turning his attention back to Milo. Char had placed a hand on his face and smiled, her eyes were glazed and she appeared to be far away. The street was utterly silent. Milo helped her walk to the Charger, towards her old form. Marion sucked in a breath next to Axl, he knew what she was thinking. Was Char really going to get into the car? He felt Marion move but he grabbed her wrist.
"Let her do it," he muttered. "It's her choice." Marion nodded but Axl could tell it annoyed her, not being able to do anything. They watched as Milo opened the door wider for Char who stopped to look at him. Axl saw her expression. It was full of remorse. And love. It was an apology.
"I'm sorry," she said, and climbed into the backseat.
"Wha-" Milo didn't finish his question. Char was enveloped in a flash of red light. Axl saw the understanding cross Milo's face as he grabbed for her, but it was too late. She was gone.

The street was utterly silent. Axl exchanged a look with Marion. Diego and Willow looked just as confused as they probably felt and Amber and Kelly stood frozen, shock pasted upon their faces. Marion stepped forward.
"Amber, Kelly, come stay in the hotel. You can have Milo's room," she held a hand out for them to come over. They did silently and Marion ushered them inside. Axl watched them go before facing Diego and Willow.
"You two, go wherever," he said. "I need a moment with Milo." Diego nodded and headed over to his bike. He swung a leg over and reached for his helmet as Willow hopped on the back.
"What are you doing?" He demanded. Willow shrugged.
"Calm down little demon boy," they chirped. Diego's shoulders slumped and he wordlessly handed them the helmet. As Willow clipped it in place, Diego revved the bike's engine.
"Hold tight," he growled and they shot off round the corner. Axl focused his attention to Milo who was still standing next to the door of the Charger. Axl approached, his shoes scuffing the sidewalk.
"I know we don't know each other," Axl started. "But I get it." He looked at the curb and steeled himself before sitting on the dirty ground. He looked up at Milo.
"See, my oldest sister had three kids. That's the whole reason I ended up involved in this world. They were taken when they were babies. Demons praying on human children and the like." Axl shrugged. "I made a deal to get them back but I was played and only got two. I was forced to watch as they killed my nephew." Axl bowed his head, the memories flashing by hard, vivid and fast. "I couldn't tell anyone what I knew, how I'd got them back. So after the FBI got involved in the investigation of the missing third child I left." He looked up at Milo. The older man was terse, his face solid like stone. As Axl looked at him he moved.
"Why did she do it?" He asked, eyes trained on Axl.
"Char made a deal with Demoriel. You, with your demon powers, and in return Char gets back into the Charger. She did it for you." Axl explained. Milo closed his eyes, a pained expression on his face. "Take as much time as you need. We'll all be here. And Char is still here, just..." Axl trailed off looking at the messed up Charger. He stood up and brushed his hands on his jeans. "See you later." He walked back into the hotel. Just as Axl let himself into his hotel room, he heard the Charger's distinctive growl as Milo drove it away. Axl sighed and pressing his forehead against the cool door.
"Did he say anything?" Marion asked quietly from behind him. Axl started and shot her a look over his shoulder.
"Jesus Marion! You scared me," he muttered, not sure if he was talking about just then or earlier. The air in the room felt heavy, thick. Her normal vicious scowl had been replaced with a softer look of quiet resignation. She held his gaze with her own. Axl walked towards her. "He said nothing, just drove off after I told him to take some time." Marion nodded, her distinctive white hair falling about her face.
"I let Amber and Char have Milo's room," Marion told him needlessly, he had heard her offer it to them earlier.
"Diego and Willow left on his bike. I don't know where." Axl stopped in front of her.
"Those two are not a combination that should be left alone," Marion commented, her voice quieter than before, eyes boring into his.
"No," Axl agreed, voice barely a whisper. Marion stared at him, and he at her. Something unspoken passed between them. Axl felt the tension in his chest appear again. The moment seemed to stretch for an eternity. Somewhere in the hotel a door slammed, and the spell was broken. Axl broke away his gaze from Marion and went to shower. As the hot water beat down on his head he tried to wash away the image painted behind his eyelids. Marion staring directly into his eyes, her expression sombre but soft, her eyes intense. That one moment in the hotel room had felt like a thousand. For a second, he had thought he was going to kiss her. Axl cursed and stepped out the shower. He was not going to sleep well tonight.