Age of Demons

Chapter 41 - Jace

Detroit Safe House

Jace hated being left in the dark. He should be familiar with it by now—he was in the dark every day, unable to see into his own past. Des did it to him all the time, too, never conveying the whole truth to him.

He just wasn't used to Ash doing that.

Jace rested against the cracked wall and crossed his arms. Protrusions of cement dug into his back.

Ashlyn headed his way, just getting back from being out in the field. She stopped in her tracks once her eyes found him. "Jace, what are you doing here?"

"I haven't seen you in a while. So I decided to come by," he said.

"Oh."

"It's been a week."

She scrunched her brow. "A week? I just saw you a couple days ago."

"No. It's been a week." He frowned at her confusion. Her forgetfulness of time concerned him. "Ash, you're distancing yourself from me."

"I'm not doing it on purpose."

"Take me to Sylvia then."

"What?"

He inclined his head. He had to see for himself what was going on. Both Des and Ash weren't going to keep him in the dark anymore.

She hesitated, but then gave in. "Okay." She led him to the demon prison.

Soon, they were in front of Sylvia's cell. He peered inside and saw her awake, sitting on her bed, her back leaning against the wall, her eyes boring into the other wall.

Her eyes flickered over to them. His muscles tensed as he stared into her dark eyes. They lit up when she saw him.

"Hello," she said.

Jace didn't say anything; he was too stunned to answer.

"Sylvia, this is my friend, Jace. Jace, this is Sylvia," Ashlyn introduced.

"Hi..." he finally uttered.

"You're possessed," Sylvia stated.

"Uh, yeah..."

Sylvia then gestured for them to come inside. Ash gripped the handle and opened the door.

Jace gasped. But Ashlyn didn't react the same way as him, pulling him in with her.

Sylvia immediately stood up. He was a couple inches above her. But she gazed up into his eyes, her face determined as she neared.

"Your mind is blocked," she said.

"Er, what?"

"You don't remember a whole lot, do you?"

"How do you know that—did Ash tell you?" Automatically, he glanced over at Ash. But she held her hands up in defense and moved her head no.

"She doesn't have to. I can see it. I can see you use the demon to keep the memories at bay."

"No, I don't."

"But you do. I guess not consciously—here, do you mind if I take a look?" She edged closer to him.

He pressed against the back wall, his eyes darting to the door.

"It's okay," she said smoothly. Sylvia held her hand up to his face and laid it flat on his forehead. Her cold fingers made him want to squirm away, but he stayed still, trapped, his back against the wall. Suddenly, he felt like he was falling, as if the ground had disappeared right under him. But in an instant, the vertigo was over and he met Sylvia's dark eyes again.

She dropped her hand, and he slid down against the wall.

"What the..." Jace panted, his hand on his chest.

"It's because of the demon," Sylvia announced.

"Yeah, you already said that," Jace said between ragged gasps.

"You gave it your memories."

"But—"

"I can tell you everything."

Jace squinted at her, breathing in hard as if he had just ran a race.

"You remember that day don't you—the first day entering the safe house. You were with your mother and siblings. Felix and Emery."

The words carved into his mind. He could feel the truth, and it hurt, because for years it had all been a blank slate. But not as painful as what Sylvia said next.

"Demons attacked. Everyone went beserk. They tried forcing themselves inside the building. People started shooting guns. Your family was far back in line. There was no way you'd make it.

"You were possessed. The demon took over immediately. Yet you were different. You fought. Your mind was too slippery for it—but it was too late, wasn't it?"

The memory was flashing in his head. The gray sky, the bullets dotting the air, the people rushing past him, the dark figures billowing after them.

"That part where you become possessed, and your struggle for dominion—you remember what you blocked?"

"No..." Jace gripped his head, his fingernails digging into his scalp. But he could see it. He saw the blood drenching her shirt.

Just barely above a whisper, she said, "You killed your mother."

He trembled under the aching onslaught warring in his brain. The memories were tiny darts, but there were many, and they tore into his mind with a hungry fervor. Her eyes engulfed his mind, the wild look glazing over them. He saw her falling to his feet.

Ash reached out for him. "Jace?"

He shook his head. The floor blurred. His brain was trying to keep up with the memories that were drenching his head. He saw flashes of his younger sister—Emery—of her running away from him but laughing, as if they were playing a game. But in the next instant he would see a scene of Felix yelling at him, red heating his cheeks.

The memories replaced reality. And he only came to in spurts—when Ash was trying to guide him up the stairs—and then finally falling into a bed that smelled just like her. Voices surrounded him. He couldn't tell if they were from the present or his memories. He briefly glimpsed Leyla on her bed, writing something in a journal. Then another memory crowded his sight.

He heard a muffled "Is he okay?"

He wanted to yell no—help—but his brain had disconnected from his mouth.

"Are you okay?"

Then he heard Ash's voice. It pierced through the memories tearing his mind apart. "I will be," she said. He wanted to stand up, tell her what was happening—but then images of his mother reading a book to him rolled over like a wave and forced him under.

A/N: Ohmyglob getting closer to the end. Thanks to anyone reading! And please vote/comment if you have the time!