{Chapter 11}
“We have to go back for Aunty Ariel,” Rose whined as Cherry and Mickie dragged her along.
“Hush,” Cherry hissed.
“HEY! STOP RIGHT THERE,” Punk yelled.
“Come on,” Mickie screeched scooping Rose up. Gunshots could be heard and Cherry yelped as a bullet grazed her shoulder and another imbedded in her thigh. “Cherry,” Mickie moaned as she slid the blonde’s arm around her shoulders to keep them all moving.
~~~~~
“Marcus,” Layla said as she entered the living room of the small cottage. “It’s time for bed. Marcus?”
She walked over to stand in front of him. Marcus sat on the floor cross legged, his wide sapphire eyes staring off into space and mouth agape. “Marcus?” Layla waved a hand in front of his face, but he did not react.
Growing more and more concerned she grasped his shoulders and shook him gently. “Marcus? Marcus, speak to me. Marcus, what’s going on,” she demanded, tears clouding her eyes. She clutched the child to her, sobbing. “Marcus, please talk to me!”
Just as suddenly as the episode had started it ended. Marcus’ eyes came back into focus and he looked up at Layla blinking. “She’s hurt,” he said frowning.
“Who is, Marcus,” Layla asked.
“The blonde lady,” Marcus replied prying himself out of Layla’s arms and heading toward the stairs. “She got hurt when the bad man shot her.” With that he headed up the stairs to bed leaving Layla wondering what was going on. She made a mental note to speak to both Glen and Heath about it the next day.
~~~~~
“Rosie, go up to your room,” Mickie said once the women were inside the mansion.” The child frowned, but did as she was told.
“It’s silver,” Cherry wailed. She had gone significantly pale on the way home. The poison was already working it’s way through her system. “Mickie, I’m dying.”
“What happened,” Kennedy demanded scooping Cherry up and taking her into the sitting room. He gently placed her on the couch. “Where’s Ariel?”
“They got her,” Mickie said wringing her hands.
“Who has who,” Mark demanded coming down the stairs with Rose in his arms. She was sniffling, her face buried in her father’s neck. “Why is my little girl all dirty and scraped? Mickie, what happened?” They were soon joined by Thorn and Glen.
“I’m so cold,” Cherry whined, shivering. Kennedy was looking over her wound. The bullet was deeply imbedded in her thigh and the poison had worked quickly. There was nothing he could do for her. “Ken…I’m so cold.”
“I know,” Kennedy said softly, finding a throw and wrapping it around her. “Just close your eyes, Cherry. Rest.” She nodded weakly, closing her eyes. Her breathing soon became labored. Fat tears slid down Mickie’s cheeks as she watched her friend expire right before her eyes.
“What the fuck is going on here,” Mark demanded, his cold green eyes boring into Mickie.
“Hunters,” Mickie said sniffling. “They ambushed the market. They took Ariel. I think they were trying to get Rosie, Master.”
“Did you see what they looked like,” Glen asked.
“There were four,” Mickie wailed. “It all went so fast. I think…I think Michaels and Helmsley were with them.”
“Son of a bitch,” Glen muttered.
“Master, they were after Rosie,” Mickie sobbed. “They wanted to hurt Rosie.”
“Why do the bad men want to hurt me, Daddy,” Rose asked her emerald orbs wide with fright.
“Because the bad men are mad at Daddy,” Glen answered for Mark. “They want to hurt Daddy by hurting you, but we won’t let that happen to you, sweetheart. Right, Mark?” A part of him wanted to go find the hunters and hand her over to them, knowing full well what kind of monster she’d grow up to be.
Mark glared at his brother, appalled that he would ask such a question. “Of course it’s right,” he replied trying to keep his temper in check. “Daddy won’t let anyone hurt his Rose Red.” He kissed Rose’s forehead, feeling that she was still trembling from the night’s activities. “Come, darlin’, let’s get you cleaned up and in bed.”
He looked at Cherry’s corpse on the couch and sighed. “Thorn, Kennedy, take her out back and lay her to rest.”
“Yes, Master,” Thorn said softly. Kennedy just nodded as he consoled Mickie. Thorn and Glen busied themselves with the preparations while Kennedy ushered Mickie up to bed.
Kennedy and Thorn carried Cherry’s lifeless body to the backyard. She had been wrapped in a white sheet. Glen had finished fashioning a funeral pyre for the fallen vampire. Kennedy and Thorn gently lay the body on the pyre.
~~~~~
“How’s he doin’,” Shawn asked London, who was sitting by Kendrick’s bedside.
The dark haired younger man looked up and sighed. “He’s got a bad concussion,” he replied softly. “Doc says he’ll be all right after some rest.”
Just then Cena came into the room. “Shawn, can I have a word?” Shawn nodded and patted London on the shoulder before heading out into the hall with Cena.
“What’s on your mind, John,” Shawn asked, showing no signs of his rage from the forest.
“You taking in strays now, Shawn,” Cena asked motioning toward London and Kendrick.
“The kid was wounded, John,” Shawn replied. “What would you have me do? Watch him die?”
Cena looked Shawn over and sighed. “You’re not sleeping well again,” he said. It wasn’t a question. Shawn scoffed. “Shawn, have you been having nightmares again?”
“John, I sleep enough to get by,” Shawn said waving off Cena’s concern. “Just concentrate on healin’ the kid.” He attempted to walk away, but Cena caught his wrist and made him face him.
“Bobby and Hunter told me what happened out there,” Cena said his blue orbs full of concern for his friend. “You stopped taking the pills I prescribed, didn’t you?”
“They were makin’ me all foggy,” Shawn replied wrenching his wrist free. “I get enough sleep to get by, Doc. Now do your damn job and heal the kid.” With that he stalked off leaving Cena staring after him. He knew that Shawn was close to his breaking point and short of being seriously wounded he wasn’t going to slow down to take care of himself.
~~~~~
Marcus lay snuggled up in his bed, the covers pulled up to his chin. He was asleep though his eyes were wide open, staring sightlessly into the darkness of his room. Softly he began to hum a melody he had only ever heard in these visions that haunted him.
Mark made his way outside, Rose holding his hand tightly. Glen arched an eyebrow at him. “Rosie wanted to say goodbye,” he murmured. “Go on, darlin’.”
Rose released her father’s hand and walked forward placing a single crimson rose on the body. “Goodbye, Aunty Cherry,” she sniffled. She returned to her father.
“Come on now, darlin’,” he said scooping her up as Thorn and Kennedy lit torches. “Let’s get you to bed.” They touched the flames to the pyre and within moments the entire body was engulfed.
Marcus sat up in bed, a strangled scream escaping his lips as the vision of the burning body replayed over and over in his mind. Layla’s footsteps could be heard in the hall moments before she appeared in his room. She skidded to a halt beside him, dropping to her knees to pull him into her arms.
“Marcus,” she said. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“She was burning,” Marcus cried.
“Who? Marcus, who was burning,” Layla asked, holding the child close to her. His body trembled as he continued to sob. “My poor boy,” Layla crooned. “What are you seeing that frightens you so much?”
It didn’t take long for Marcus to cry himself to sleep. Laying him back on the pillows and covering him up Layla pressed a feather light kiss to his forehead before heading back to bed herself. In the morning she would call Heath to see what he thought was going on.
~~~~~
Rose screamed in horror at the sight of the burning pyre and Mark forced her to look away, humming to her softly. “Don’t look, Rosie,” he crooned, stroking her auburn curls. “She’s gone now. Aunty Cherry is never coming back.”
Glen watched, his head cocked to one side, as his brother showered affection on his daughter. He was unaware that his brother could show love at all. Though she was a hellion at times Glen had to remember Rose was just a small child still.
“Aunty Ariel is gone too, isn’t she Daddy,” Rose asked, raising her tear stained face, her emerald eyes full of pain and sorrow. Mark sighed and nodded as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “Why, Daddy? Why are they gone?”
“Don’t you worry about them, Rosie,” Mark said, holding her tightly. “Daddy will always be here for you.” With that he brought her back inside to put her to bed.
Glen met Mark as he was coming out of Rose’s room. “Is she sleeping,” he asked. Mark nodded. “Mark, you know that what I said earlier is true. If Michaels and Helmsley are after Rosie…it’s to hurt you and while you’re down…”
“It will never get that far,” Mark replied. “They won’t harm a hair on Rosie’s head.”
“You can’t guarantee that, Mark,” Glen replied. “She’s headstrong now. Imagine how she’ll be in a couple of years when she’ll be the equivalent of a teenager.”
“They won’t harm a hair on Rosie’s head because her Uncle Glen is going to make sure she’s safe at all times,” Mark replied. “Are we clear?”
Glen cursed under his breath. “Crystal,” he replied glaring at his brother.
“Good. Now if you’ll excuse me,” Mark said nudging Glen out of his way. “I’m feeling a little peckish.” With that he headed downstairs and out of the house.
Glen just shook his head. Leave it up to his brother to want to hunt after losing an underling to hunters. Mark never ceased to amaze him. With a sigh he headed into Rose’s room to check on her before retiring to his own room to rest.
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