Arianna Rose: The Gates of Hell (Part 5) by Jennifer Martucci, Christopher Martucci Page A
Authors: Jennifer Martucci, Christopher Martucci
Ads: Link
where you get these wild ideas,” he continued in a feeble attempt to diffuse his brother’s accurate assumptions. “Now get out of here and let me enjoy my drink.” Dane awkwardly handled his bottle of whiskey, sloshing it to his mouth and sucking down a messy drink.
“Okay, if that’s what you want,” Jason said with exasperation. “But do me one favor, will ya? Stop showing your powers to people and acting like this.”
Dane rolled his eyes, his thoughts rolling along with them. “Just go!” he roared.
“Fine!” Jason shouted back.
“No, no don’t go! Don’t leave me with him!” Collin cried as Jason turned and walked out the door.
“Pipe down, Collin. He isn’t comin’ back,” he twirled the bottle in his hand, fascinated by the way the liquid looked like molten amber in the light. “It’s just you and me now.”
He took another long drink, his thoughts returning to Arianna, only now, relaxation evaded him, and giddiness was long gone. All that was left was an ache of loneliness that ate at his insides like a parasite determined to consume him.
Chapter 8
Ripped from deep sleep, Arianna was awakened by a knock at the door. Time and experience had taught her that a knock on her door in the middle of the night was never good news. She sat bolt upright and listened for the sound again, hoping it was just her imagination, but suspecting it had not been part of her dream.
When Desmond roused beside her and pushed himself up, her suspicion was confirmed.
“What was that?” he asked groggily.
“The door,” Arianna answered and felt an icy wave wash over her. She sprang from the bed, Desmond a step behind her, rushing, but at the same time hesitant about making it across the small cottage to the front door. She couldn’t handle hearing of another death among her people.
But when she reached the door and opened it, Jason stood before her. “Everything’s okay. No one is hurt,” he led off and she was grateful for him prefacing his call with that statement rather than the usual “something terrible has happened” she’d grown accustomed to. She sighed and felt relief relax her somewhat.
“Come in,” she waved him in. “What’s going on?”
“Actually, I was hoping to talk to you for a moment,” he said, emphasizing that he wanted to talk to only Arianna. He looked at Desmond apologetically. “Sorry man, nothing personal,” he shrugged.
“Oh , somehow I doubt that. I’m guessing it’s very personal,” Desmond commented as he turned and started to walk away. He stopped and kissed Arianna on the cheek. “Hurry back to bed, my love,” he said then disappeared into the bedroom.
Once Desmond was out of earshot, Arianna looked quizzically at Jason. “Okay, you woke me up and piqued my curiosity. What the hell is going on?” she cut to the chase and asked.
“It’s Dane,” he replied and Arianna felt the color drain from her face, a whirlwind of thoughts and questions spinning through her brain. All of them marked by worry.
“Is he all right? Has he been hurt? What happened?”
“No, no, nothing like that. It’s just that he’s been out drinking since Ramiel’s ceremony broke up.”
Arianna glanced in the kitchen at the clock on the microwave. “Jeez, he’s been gone this whole time?” she asked and realized she was the last person to see him.
“Yup, and he won’t stop. You know how much one of us has to drink to get drunk,” he said and gestured exasperatedly.
“No, actually, I don’t. I’ve never been able to get drunk. And it’s not for lack of trying,” she said and laughed self-depreciatingly.
Jason looked at her with an expression that was equal parts puzzled and amused. “Too bad for you,” he said and smiled weakly. “But Dane, he can get drunk apparently. He’s been downing bottles of liquor and the owner wants to close up, but he won’t go. He
“Okay, if that’s what you want,” Jason said with exasperation. “But do me one favor, will ya? Stop showing your powers to people and acting like this.”
Dane rolled his eyes, his thoughts rolling along with them. “Just go!” he roared.
“Fine!” Jason shouted back.
“No, no don’t go! Don’t leave me with him!” Collin cried as Jason turned and walked out the door.
“Pipe down, Collin. He isn’t comin’ back,” he twirled the bottle in his hand, fascinated by the way the liquid looked like molten amber in the light. “It’s just you and me now.”
He took another long drink, his thoughts returning to Arianna, only now, relaxation evaded him, and giddiness was long gone. All that was left was an ache of loneliness that ate at his insides like a parasite determined to consume him.
Chapter 8
Ripped from deep sleep, Arianna was awakened by a knock at the door. Time and experience had taught her that a knock on her door in the middle of the night was never good news. She sat bolt upright and listened for the sound again, hoping it was just her imagination, but suspecting it had not been part of her dream.
When Desmond roused beside her and pushed himself up, her suspicion was confirmed.
“What was that?” he asked groggily.
“The door,” Arianna answered and felt an icy wave wash over her. She sprang from the bed, Desmond a step behind her, rushing, but at the same time hesitant about making it across the small cottage to the front door. She couldn’t handle hearing of another death among her people.
But when she reached the door and opened it, Jason stood before her. “Everything’s okay. No one is hurt,” he led off and she was grateful for him prefacing his call with that statement rather than the usual “something terrible has happened” she’d grown accustomed to. She sighed and felt relief relax her somewhat.
“Come in,” she waved him in. “What’s going on?”
“Actually, I was hoping to talk to you for a moment,” he said, emphasizing that he wanted to talk to only Arianna. He looked at Desmond apologetically. “Sorry man, nothing personal,” he shrugged.
“Oh , somehow I doubt that. I’m guessing it’s very personal,” Desmond commented as he turned and started to walk away. He stopped and kissed Arianna on the cheek. “Hurry back to bed, my love,” he said then disappeared into the bedroom.
Once Desmond was out of earshot, Arianna looked quizzically at Jason. “Okay, you woke me up and piqued my curiosity. What the hell is going on?” she cut to the chase and asked.
“It’s Dane,” he replied and Arianna felt the color drain from her face, a whirlwind of thoughts and questions spinning through her brain. All of them marked by worry.
“Is he all right? Has he been hurt? What happened?”
“No, no, nothing like that. It’s just that he’s been out drinking since Ramiel’s ceremony broke up.”
Arianna glanced in the kitchen at the clock on the microwave. “Jeez, he’s been gone this whole time?” she asked and realized she was the last person to see him.
“Yup, and he won’t stop. You know how much one of us has to drink to get drunk,” he said and gestured exasperatedly.
“No, actually, I don’t. I’ve never been able to get drunk. And it’s not for lack of trying,” she said and laughed self-depreciatingly.
Jason looked at her with an expression that was equal parts puzzled and amused. “Too bad for you,” he said and smiled weakly. “But Dane, he can get drunk apparently. He’s been downing bottles of liquor and the owner wants to close up, but he won’t go. He
Similar Books
