Diabolus: The Lethal Hunt

Chapter Two

BEVERLY WOODS

   The ride home was silent, just how it usually is. Kevin, just like the rest of us, knows that I love to sit in silence while driving; to be alone with my thoughts and feelings. And all those thoughts are about only one person, depressing, but at the same time, making me smile from time to time.
   When I remember his tall frame, and how safe it felt to be in his hands. His sonorous voice, laughter that still seems to be echoing in my head. The kiss that took all the problems away, that cleared my mind and allowed me to feel that everything in this world is possible.
   We stop by the house outside the city, another one we rented. We got used to it, though, a new place to live every two weeks. This one is a square grey building, with narrow big windows in straight rows. There is nothing about it in the very least attractive, it's far too modern to at all find anything mysterious or pleasing about it; but what comforts me, it's that it's temporary.
   As I hop out of the car, without talking to Kevin, I notice Maileen, sitting at the front porch and reading a book. Her gray dyed hair with some purple hues, dancing in the warm wind. She doesn't lift her eyes up; like we weren't here. Well, I got used to it. Whenever she's reading one of her historical books, she doesn't notice anything around her at all.
   "Maileen, hi."
   Hearing my voice and my footsteps towards the entrance of the house, she lifts her green eyes at me, that seem like the picture of perfection, slicing into my soul. There was a momentary flash in them, a sparkle, like a nice, mute way to greet me.
   "Oh, hey. I didn't see you. How was the walk?"
   "Alright, like always. There was nothing special."
   She puts a smile on her face, as a proof that she doesn't believe my words, but actually trying not to show it. And I don't believe in them, either; I still catch myself thinking about those twins that I saw. That weird feeling, insecurity, suspense that make my skin cover in goosebumps. Or maybe I'm just trying to make sure I would be able to protect myself. And the baby.
   "Avery made some raspberry cupcakes. You should try them, they're so good."
   "Oh? What's the occasion?"
   "I don't think there's an occasion. Just a way to distract herself."
   I bite my lip as I feel my hands loosen by my sides. Avery doesn't feel like herself lately, I see her trying to distract herself with so many things. Cooking. Cleaning. Reading. Drawing. Practicing her clairvoyant skills with Maileen. But actually, she became much more confident about it. What makes me happy, that she's not ashamed of it anymore. She's proud of herself.
   "Hi there." Kevin walks to me and smiles at Maileen, who gives him the same warm smile before drawing her eyes back to the book.
   "Let's see what others are doing, shall we?"
   I nod and feel how the smile starts to play on my lips; the sign of politeness, yet Maileen is already drowned into her book. Both me and Kevin turn to the heavy oak doors of the house, entering the bright white place. All the walls are white, some of them, made out of bricks, and some are just plain painted walls. The couch, the cushions in the living room are all light gray, just like Maileen's hair; and so is almost the rest of the furniture in the house.
   The heavy, big table in the dining room just next to the kitchen. By the gray painted oak table, on the smooth-lined chairs, there's Brooklyn, Aaron and Lexi, playing some card game like they usually do every afternoon.
   "No! You can't do that! That's cheating!"
   "Suck it up, Aaron."
   Aaron frowns at Lexi, who gives him a cocky smile and draws a strand of her bright pink hair behind her ear. Although her hair colour changed unexpectedly, impulsively, still, he keeps calling her Red. I guess if her personality was a colour, it would be red. Hotheaded. Impulsive. A little bit rude, but none of that makes her a bad person. She became an inseparable part of our group, and had a chance to prove that she really cares about us.
   "Bev!" Brooklyn's face lights up with a smile when she sees me walking towards her; in an instant, I see her drawing her eyes to my stomach. I haven't even noticed that I'm rubbing my belly, all over again, as if I was trying to feel it grow. I guess now I finally know what a feeling of becoming a mom feels; I want to feel the baby. Everywhere I go. The only memory of Kai that I have left...
   "Hey there. Another card game?"
   "Oh, what are you playing? Can I join?" Kevin's eyes light up with excitement.
   "Only if you will stop Red from cheating!" Aaron frowns at Lexi.
   "Bite me."
   Lexi throws a card at Aaron, before he does the same; little by little, the table becomes a mess of their hate-love game. As I walk to the table, listening to their arguing, which they try to make serious; I feel Brooklyn's hand, sliding into mine. Warm fingers, carefully touching me, as if I was made out of glass and she was afraid I would shatter.
   "Avery's in the kitchen."
   "Um..."
   "She needs to talk to you."
   "About what?"
   Brooks smiles and starts to rub my palm with her thumb, keeping her eyes on mine.
   "Don't worry. Just go and talk to her."
   The confusion, or worry, starts to gnaw at my insides; what if something happened to Kai? What if he's in danger? And I can only sit in here... and do nothing.
   I immediately turn to the left, straight to the bright gray kitchen where Avery is. As I reach it, the view of her beautiful thick hair falling freely below her shoulders, meets me, as she rubs the dishes by the sink. I know she hears the footsteps because of the wooden floor squeaking; but somehow, she refuses to turn around to face me.
   "Hey, Avery, we're back."
   Only after hearing my voice, she turns around. Her blue eyes, having the same warmth; yet there's something behind them that I don't see often. Satisfaction, maybe. Or probably... hope.
   "Hey. How was your walk today?"
   "It was good, thank you. Brooks said you wanted to talk to me?"
   She stops. Freezes in the spot, before turning off the tap without even looking at it. She grabs one of the black kitchen towels, neatly placed on the oven's handle and slowly wipes her hands, as if the towel wasn't too soft for her sensitive hands.
   "Yes. Yes."
   "What is it? Is it about... Kai?"
   Avery purses her lips, but surprisingly, shakes her head. The feeling of relief runs down my throat, as if I just drank a glass of ice cold water on a hot summer day.
   "No. It's not... bad. But I have to confess, that I've been doing something behind your back."
   For a moment, I feel how my brain refuses to keep working. Like it was blocked from any thought that tries to get inside my head. My breathing gets heavier with every moment as I look at Avery. But her look comforts me. It's not that usual sad, depressed and scared woman that I'm used to see. She's brave. She's proud of herself.
   "What? What do you mean?"
   "I know there are some things that you want, like, find our father, but also, you wanted to take away your stepfather's business."
   "Yes, but we still need a plan for that."
   "I didn't say that I have a plan, although I might know where to start."
  "Okay... Tell me."
   Avery sighs and takes a few steps towards a little stool placed by the kitchen counter. Before sitting down, she takes a glance at the dining room; others, playing cards and not caring about anything. Or at least they look so. We're all frustrated and sad about Kai and Brent, about James, and Ben; and we all have our own ways to get through that pain.
   "I was thinking about it for so long. I mean, I was asking myself what could be there that he's hiding about his business, or maybe, if he's doing something that is not right."
   "And?"
   "And also, you know I was practicing with Maileen. Learning from her. Which gave me the opportunity, now, to see things whenever I want to see them."
   "So you saw something? About my stepfather?"
   "Only a few images, but we could start there."
   Before continuing to talk, Avery sighs. This is not the sigh that blows out the tension from her insides; it's the sigh of hope. Of ambition to do something, after two months doing completely nothing. Like some sort of grief for Brent just have vanished away.
   "I have two options on how to ruin it. One thing that I saw, was the word taxes. Only one word, but it made me think-"
   "He somehow avoids to pay the taxes. Of course."
   "And another thing, what I saw, is very interesting. I saw him by the truck, I didn't see what's inside, but I saw how he got a suitcase from some guy, probably, with money."
   The blood in my veins start to boil. My heart starts to beat faster. I hate him. And hate is powerful, but even though my hate is huge and I know the answers to the questions above, hate motivates me. This time, it gives me hope.
   Hope to destroy him.
   "Avoiding to pay taxes. Illegal money."
   "All we need to do is to make sure the world finds out, and he'll go to the same place as Brent and Kai is."
   "I'm sure Kai's "hello" won't be pleasant."