Later that evening, Audrey is back in my room. This times she has something that's wrapped in a plain white cloth she held to her chest.
I guess this has something to do with raising "a little hell" that she mentioned this morning.
She makes sure to lock the door before she comes to sit on my bed. When she peels the cloth back to reveal an old leatherbound book, that earthy, woody smell of decomposing paper, along with a dank smell of old leather fills the air.
There's no writing on the aged brown cover except for strange symbols and runes. A thick malevolent vibes that splitters out from between the pages is a warning for me not to go near it.
Slowly, almost reverently she leafs through it to a marked page, then she hands it to me. "Here, commit every word on these pages to memory."
My heart races and I have chills running up my back as soon as it lands on my lap. The veins in my hand darkens - bulging and pulsing, pushing against my skin when I place them on the yellowing pages.
"Is this a book of spells?" My eyes skitter all over the page, running over the writing an symbols trying to make sense of it all. "This is the forbidden grimoire Audee! It's dangerous and ancient, where did you get it?" If she stole it from Astaroth we'd both be in trouble.
"Just do as I say, Memorize it!" She sounds irritated.
It's written in Latin, "This is the spell of resurrection," I whisper. My voice shakes.
Resurrecting the dead is no small matter, it could be deadly. I flip the fragile pages and there are warnings. Page after page of warnings, it warns that the 'thing' that comes back may or may not be the spirit of the person who died. It could invoke a spirit or it could invoke a demon. The spirit or the demon that entered the body could be malicious and vengeful. Then there's the danger of using the same body more than once. Invoking the wrath of the spirit for being disturbed.
Audee closes the page and snatches it out of my hands. "Please Danica, I just need you to memorize it," she says. This is the closest to begging I've ever heard from Audee.
"Why Audee?"
"You'll know when the time comes," she says.
I don't like it and her answer is very cryptic but I let out a heavy tired sigh and nod. 'Okay'
She nods back and opens the book back to the marked page before handing it back to me.
It takes me less than ten minutes to memorize the two pages of words and symbols. I have no problem memorizing things. My brain soaks up facts, numbers, formulas, events, spells… pretty much everything like a sponge and doesn't let go.
Some people might think it's a gift, but to me it's a curse. When you can't forget, you remember everything in great detail… including every painful event in your life.
Audee wraps the old scripture back in white cloth and quietly leaves when I'm done.
That night, I pick one of my snakes from the glass tank. I carry it all the way to the other side of the house and stop at the hallway just before Astaroth's lair.
I bring it up to my eye level to gaze into its eyes to make a connection. "Go in there and be my eyes, feel the vibration and be my ears," I whisper before I carefully release it., willing it to go straight into Astaroth's lair.
I haven't done this in a long time. When I make a connection to see and hear through the snakes and lizards,I also experience their death and that's painful. But I have a feeling that I have to do this.
An announcement of Sterling Roseinheim's engagement and upcoming nuptials to Eleanor Yates, the only daughter of the real estate mogul. Graham Yates comes a few days later.
I stare at the photo of sterling next to the tall skinny blonde in a designer dress on my phone.
Audee and I are having our lunch, al fresco. The weather is warm enough so the maids and laid out our meal at the table on the balcony just off the kitchen. It's over looking our beautiful backyard.
My eyes gleam over the article before they land on the picture of the happy couple once again. This woman is pretty enough, ordinary.. she pales in comparison to my stunning sister, Audee.
I know Audee said we're not the kind of women men marry, but sterling and my sister had been together for four years; I thought he had some kind of feelings for her.
"She looks like a prude bitch, I bet she's frigid in the sack," I say. I don't know the woman but I'm offended in Audee's behalf.
I paused, alarmed after those words left my mouth..since when did I get offended on anyone's behalf? It's a foreign feeling since all I've ever cared about was me, me, me.
Audee's face remains cool and indifferent. If she's upset over the news, I wouldn't know. If she's shocked by my outburst she doesn't show it. Her eyes dispassionately skim over the picture of the couple on my phone before they glide over our neat garden.
Maybe so, but she comes with the money and the parental approval. Sterling loves money and he doesn't have the balls to go against his parent's wishes. She says before bringing a fork full of salmon to her mouth. Her tone is signaling the end of our discussion on the subject of her ex lover.
I think back on Audee's outburst about men and the forbidden spell. I wonder if it had anything to do with today's announcement. Had she already seen this coming?
It's true that half demons like us, who are sold to the highest bidders on a regular basis aren't the type of women men bring back home to their mothers. We have our expiration dates. Our sole existence is to do Astaroth's bidding. He sees us as an extension of himself and he doesn't tolerate imperfections or forgive weaknesses. So, the moment we show weaknesses or we're no longer young and beautiful, he'll get rid of us like useless chewed up gum.
Hopes of love are futile, happily ever after is not in the cards for us. And just like that, I'm thinking about Alexander Gunther again. He's a useless dream and I'm useless to hope.
I'm still feeling sick and empty but I'm trying to move on, not very successfully so far. I still think of him constantly, breathing still hurts. But I haven't touched alcohol since that last time and I'm still counting it as a win.
I spear the asparagus on my plate with the fork and bring it up to my mouth. I have to force myself to chew the food and swallow even though it tastes like aawdust in my mouth.
I want to tell Audee that I understand her pain, or at least I think I do. But I don't say anything, why should I? It's not like I care.
I'm glad I implanted the snake in Astaroth's domain that night as at a couple of days later. Robert Roseinheim and Graham yates show up at his office.
I can see them, but it's very hard to make out what they're saying. Snakes don't have ears. I mostly lip read and try to decipher the vibrations the way the snakes do.
From what I gather, Roseinheim and Yates wants their wealth to merge together and their children's wedding to go without a hitch. It seems that sterling is still dragging his feet, unwilling to marry Eleanor and they blame it on Audee. He still wants to continue to see Audee after the wedding and Eleanor is throwing a hissy fit over it. She threatens to ditch Sterling at the altar.
The two men threaten to 'take care' of Audee and expose Astaroth's illegal activities if he doesn't keep his daughter in line.
Astaroth remains cordial, a benign smile playing on his lips throughout the interaction. But anyone reckless enough to threaten Astaroth must be stupid.
Astaroth doesn't take kindly to threats and intimidations. These humans clearly don't know what they're dealing with.
I'm surprised that he let them go unharmed and with the promise that he'll care of Audee. I know Astaroth enough to know they'll pay dearly.
The pit of my stomach feels cold and my heart feels heavy with unease…and rightfully so.
The next day, I arrive home from school and decided to pick through the snake's eyes. Astarot's office is currently empty but I see someone lying face up on the floor face up and she's not moving.
"Audee," I whisper. Then I tear through the house as though it's on fire.
I burst through the door, and there she is. Her glossy dark hair fans out around her, her flawless skin is pale almost as white as the marble floor beneath her. Her big cornflower blue eyes are staring into space unseeing. Her normally red lips are now purple.
I grab her wrist, then the side of her neck, below her jaw to find her pulse. Her skin is still warm but she's not breathing and there's no pulse.
"No, no, no… Audee! Wake up Audee!" I grasp her shoulders and shake her. "Audee you bitch! Get up!"
She remains still as I search for injuries, there's no blood and everything appears intact until I pale pink chiffon top apart. Her rib cage , her stomach… basically everything below the neckline of her shirt is blue and black. So much damage.
Sob claws up my throat and I clamp my mouth shut. I don't care, I don't care, I never cared about her.
There's an unbearable sharp pain in my heart but that has nothing to do with Audee, nothing at all…. I try to convince myself.
I wipe the tears that escape my eyes with the back of my hand and sit down, quietly staring at my sister. She looks so beautiful even in death.
Suddenly, i realize what Audee wanted me to do. Clever vengeful bitch! I swipe another drop of tears and a harsh back of laughter escapes my mouth as i get up to find Mona.