Damned

chapter 13

Lizzie

“Room service.”

I heard a southern twang and sat straight up in the bed.

A tall, lean man with short dark hair was staring at me. He was smiling and leaning against the desk on the other side of the room.

Darrton stirred beside me and sat up. His hair was ruffled, his shirt off, and his eyes were narrowed. “Ian, nice surprise.”

Ian? The fallen angel Darrton had been talking about? Suddenly, I realized what it looked like. Darrton and I in the same bed? My face heated.

“Aw, good mornin’, sunshine.” Ian leaned forward, his gaze so deep, I could feel it in my bones. “Cute,” he said.

I was too embarrassed to respond. I dug my elbow into the bed and swung my feet over the side.

Darrton sighed. “Leave her alone, Ian.”

“Just makin’ conversation with the lady in the room, Darrton. I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t.” Ian walked, well rather staggered over to the side of the bed and grabbed my hand. He pressed his lips to it and I could smell the alcohol on his breath. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, darlin’.”

“Please to meet you,” I said quietly then jumped when I noticed the guy in the corner of the room.

Ian laughed. “Oh, my, what a dunce. I forgot to introduce Scotty.” He pointed to the young guy standing silently in the corner of the room. He had blonde hair cut short and tanned skin. He smiled and I noticed his teeth were perfect. “Scotty will be watching over you while we go on our trip.”

Scotty walked toward me. He couldn’t have been over nineteen or twenty. He was dressed casually and didn’t look as if he could defend himself. But if I had to guess I’d bet he could.

“Nice to meet you, Elizabeth.”

“You, too. You can call me Lizzie.”

Darrton reached over and shook his hand. “I wish you would have called before you came over, Ian. We could have been ready.”

Ian’s smile was amused. “Yes, y’all would have had time to cover up the evidence.” Ian pointed to the unmade bed and Darrton’s shirt lying on the floor.

I gasped. “We did not!” I knew my face was flushed and I had all the reasons in the world to smack him across his smiling face.

“Guilty dog, dear,” Ian said, still smiling.

“Leave her alone, Ian. Damn it.”

“I’m only pickin’ with you, sweetheart.”

“Picking what?” I asked.

Ian laughed, throwing his head back and holding his stomach while bending over. “I’m telling you a joke.”

Nothing is funny. “Oh.”

Darrton sigh and looked over at me. “He was originally from Georgia, before he died and became an angel. Excuse him and his drunkenness. He has a problem and does not know how to stop it.”

“It’s called AA.” I wrapped my hand around my stomach noticing I did not have a bra on. I’d shed it late last night.

Ian pointed his finger at me and swayed side to side. “Yes, dear, and they are deadly wrong about me. I have no problem. They have the problem. Who are the ones sitting around, cryin’ and feelin’ sorry for themselves?” He winked at Scotty. Scotty rolled his eyes.

“Right,” Darrton said, then turning to me, “would you like to take a shower before we leave?”

I nodded. “Please, I’m barely awake now. Actually, I’m hoping I’m dreaming.”

Darrton nodded, grabbed my bag, and handed it to me. “Believe me, Elizabeth, you’re not dreaming. Wishful thinking.”


My hair was a hot mess. There were strands standing up all over. It looked like a rat had taken a bath and had babies on the back of my head. I stripped off my clothes and waited for the shower to turn hot. My phone beeped from the counter. I leaned over and opened the text.

“Where are you? It’s been two days. We haven’t heard a word.” It was from Millie. She really had forgotten about last night. A strange sharp pain hit my side. She didn’t even remember seeing me. I was thankful and utterly devastated at the same time.

The water was hot on my skin. It felt like heaven to wash away my thoughts and worries from last night. At least for ten minutes until I would have to get out. I lathered up my hair and let the warm water rinse it clean. The hotel soap smelled better than it had the day before. After bathing, I jumped out and wrapped the towel around my body. Sliding down against the cabinet, I relaxed and kept my eyes closed. This was the most miserably wonderful trip I had ever been on in my life. My family and friends were left with nothing, War and Conquest of the four horsemen were after me, but spending time with Darrton made it tolerable.

The door creaked open and Darrton slid inside. His brow was furrowed. “What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

I shook my head and held myself tight. “I’m afraid, Darrton.”

The lines on his forehead disappeared and he relaxed. “I know, Elizabeth. But I’m not going to let anything happen to you, I promise.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

He slid his fingers underneath my chin and lifted it. “I’m promising you will be safe and back home soon.”

That sent a surge of energy through me. “What will happen to you afterwards?”

He didn’t answer. “You need to get dressed. We need to leave as soon as we can. Ian and I have to hurry, so we can find Ferdia.”

I nodded. Darrton got up and left. I cried silently. He was going to go. I could see it in his eyes. He was scared, too, even though he didn’t want to admit it. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but I knew he would try and I was sure it would be worth it


Darrton, Ian, and Scotty were standing outside, talking in the hallway, when I walked out. Of course, the conversation stopped and everyone looked at me. Oh brother.

“Are you ready?” Darrton asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, let’s just go.”

“Well, that’s no way to treat the day, young lady,” Ian said, taking a sip out of a flask that he pulled out of his pocket.

“Neither is that.” I pointed toward the flask.

“Oh, how the youth have changed. Does no one get a little tipsy around here anymore?”

Scotty laughed. “Yes, but you’re not a little tipsy, Dad.”

Dad? How could Ian have kids, especially one that young?

Darrton exchanged a glance with me but it didn’t tell me anything. I was so out of the loop on everything. We left the hotel and walked toward the parking lot. There was a stretch limo waiting on us.

“Driving fancy,” I whispered tersely to Darrton.

He shrugged. “That’s Ian.”

Ian swaggered over to the door and drew it open. He waited until we got in before he did. I thought he was just being nice, but then I noticed this put him closest to the bar. I wasn’t sure which reason was the right one.

He had poured himself a drink before we even left the parking lot. I had never been inside a limo. We had talked about getting one for senior prom since we were freshman. I wasn’t sure if I would ever get back to go when it was time.

Ian smiled and shot down his gin and tonic. “Let’s watch some news, shall we? I’m sure there are interesting things our brothers are doing.”

I cringed. I didn’t want to see one more effin thing that their brothers were doing. They were putting me in a crappy mood. Ian flicked through the channels and stopped on some news station. There was talk about Israel and the war there but then Ian turned it up. He had a serious look on his face.

A man was being videotaped. His eyes were white and his face smooth and angelic. “Everyone, if you follow me, all will be fine. Everything will pull through. This war that is spreading, we will find a way to stop it. We will stop this disaster.” Next to him a man stood. His hands in his pockets and a red glare in his eyes. War.

“Those bastards,” Ian mumbled below his breath. “Warren will get them all on their side and have each and every one of them doing their biddin’.”

Darrton hadn’t moved since the TV started. He sat beside me, still and quiet. His hands were gripping his knees. I wasn’t sure what was going on in his mind but it wasn’t good. I could tell.

Ian sighed and placed his arms on the back of the seat. “Well, we have our work cut out for us, Darrton. We have to get those bastards.”

Darrton nodded. “They are moving quicker than we had planned.”

Ian looked over at me and then over at Darrton. “She will be fine, my boy. She will be fine.”

We were only in the limo for a few short miles after that. The driver pulled up to the gate and I looked out the window at Ian’s house. My breath caught in my throat. It reminded me of an eighteen-hundred. Savannah, Georgia, Victorian home. The giant columns on the porch were as big as my bedroom. Ian jumped out and swaggered over to the gate. Darrton helped me out and we followed closely behind Ian. He pressed the button on the brick wall.

“Yes. Who it is?” an Asian voice asked from the other end.

Ian sighed. “Who is it always? It’s Ian, Yuki.”

“No. Do not sound like him.”

“Ah! You blasted fool. Let me into my own house!”

Darrton was holding back a brief smile. I couldn’t help but notice Scotty was leaned up against the brick with a cocked eyebrow.

“Yes sir, what is the parsword?”

Ian held the bridge of his nose and sighed. “It’s golden boy.”

“Goldern boy?”

“Yes! Fool! Let me in!” He threw ups his hands. “My God in Heaven above, that bastard does this to me every damn night. I swear I will have his head before it’s over with.” The iron gates opened and we pulled onto the paved road leading to Ian’s home.

The wooden porch was beige and there was a swing to the right that I swear could hold twelve. Ian opened a door that was made of a deep dark wood, and I smelled lavender breeze by me.

It really wasn’t a home, it was a mansion. The ceiling was at least fifteen feet. The foyer was well proportioned and a huge spiral staircase led up to a skylight.

“Welcome to the home of Ian Mercer, a former southerner and still one at heart. I couldn’t leave my house behind once I was back here. I had another one built.” He glanced up at his masterpiece. “I think we did a pretty damn good job.”

“I’d say,” I mumbled.

Ian smiled. “Scotty why don’t you show our lovely guest to her room for the time being? Darrton and I have business that needs to be discussed.”

Scotty pulled himself away from the doorframe and jerked his head toward the stairs. I quickly followed him up toward the second story. He walked smoothly across the marble floor, ignoring all the dynasty mirrors hanging elegantly on the wall. We passed several rooms before he stopped in front of a door with angels engraved into the frame. Ironic? I think not!

Above the door, painted in a perfect cursive script, was the word Iofiel. Scotty was watching my face. “It means Angel of Beauty.”

I nodded. “I know. I just...I’ve heard it before.”

He smirked. “Darrton requested this room for you.”

A rush of heat burned my face. “Yeah, that’s where I have heard it before.” I passed by Scotty into my room and noticed instantly the fireplace in the far corner. A skylight was open to reveal natural light and the bay windows overlooked the close cut lawn below us. The bedposts were so huge, I couldn’t even get my arms around them. Not to mention a comforter that looked like clouds was placed inside them.

“Here is your bathroom.” Scotty pointed toward the second door. “I hope this is okay?”

I tried to keep my laughter down but it slipped. “Okay? This one room is nicer than my entire house. Shit! My entire neighborhood.”

He laughed and pulled his hands from his pockets. “Yeah, well Dad always likes to do things big. He is drunk a lot but he means well.”

“I didn’t think he wasn’t. He seems funny, yes, drunk often, but he seems like an all-around good guy.”

He shrugged. “They’ll be gone a couple of days, so you want me to show you around, so you can get used to the place?”

“Of course.”

Scotty led me around the upstairs. There were several rooms and bathrooms and he showed me his dad’s collection of Civil War guns. One room even had an old car in it. I’m not sure what it was. But it was cool as hell.

“This is where I like to hang out with friends.”

“You guys have a theater?” I asked, enthralled with the large screen and rows of black, theater-reclining seats.

“Yep. Mom had always loved going to the movies, so he thought he would bring a reminder of her to us.”

Biting my lip I smiled at him. I wanted to know more about his Mom and how exactly he was even here and only looking around twenty but I didn’t ask. I couldn’t. When my phone began to ring, Scotty looked down at my pocket.

I groaned. “Trevor.”

“Boyfriend?”

“Uh no. Thank God. He is an ass and I can’t stand him.”

Scotty nodded. “So, is Darrton your boyfriend?”

I nearly choked on my own tongue. Pushing my toe around in the carpet I said, “Well, I mean. We just met and everything so I don’t really...”

“I understand. One of those, ‘it’s complicated’ things?”

“Very complicated. I’m not even sure if I’ll be alive next week, so I’m trying not to make anything more complicated than it has to be.”

“Understandable.” I guess he felt my awkwardness as he said, “Let’s go downstairs, surely they are done talking.”

I followed Scotty back downstairs and into the kitchen. I could smell something cooking. It smelled delicious. It smelled like chicken.

The kitchen was more modern than the rest of the house but still had an elderly vibe about it.

“Hello, darlin’s, just in time for some food,” Ian said. “We southerners love us some food.”

Darrton was staring at me when I walked through the door and I watched as he watched me walk. His eyes moving with every move I made. “We are leaving soon,” he said.

“Yeah, I figured.”

Ian passed a plate and pointed for me to sit down. “Now, you eat your fried chicken or my feelin’s will be hurt and I will go all drunk southerner on you.”

“You’re not drunk now?”

Ian cocked an eyebrow. “Sweetie, this is just an early mornin’ tradition. I’m just a happy person.”

Scotty sat down across from me. “He’s drunk.”

I nodded and laughed. “For some reason, I think it could get much worse.”

Ian held his hand to his chest. “I’m offended. You think I’m a drunk, young lady.”

“If the shoe fits.”

“Well, actually the shoe is a size too big.”

I snorted and took a drink of the tea that was waiting for me beside my plate. “Ewe! What is this?”

“It’s sweet tea, love.”

“Sweet, why?”

“It’s the southern way. Kids these days do not appreciate anything.” He smiled and went off into the kitchen.

Darrton sat beside me and shook his head as Ian walked off. “We’re getting ready to leave soon, Elizabeth.” He looked at me. “Everything will be fine, I promise. No one will hurt you or your family. You have my word.”

I took another bite. “Yeah, I know.”

“You will be fine here with Scotty.”

Scotty looked up at me. “I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you.”

Even though I believed them, and I knew they would never let someone hurt me intentionally, I was scared, anyway. I nodded and put on a fake smile. “Yeah, I know. I’m fine.”

We finished our diner and then followed Ian into the living room, I mean living house! Because the size could have been someone’s home. He sat next to an end table and lit a cigar. “I have to calm my nerves before we leave, or I might go ballistic.”

I had many things I wanted to say to that but I felt a sudden turn in my stomach. They were going to leave me here with only one person to defend me against two fallen Horsemen who were designed to end the world. Not that I didn’t think Scotty would try to fight them, I just wasn’t sure if he could take both of them.

“Don’t worry, darlin’,” Ian said, tapping the end of his cigar in the crystal ashtray. “We have security cameras on every corner. Believe it or not, I’ve had robbers before.”

“What happened?” I asked, not really caring to know but just trying to get my mind off of my possible death.

“They are buried in the backyard.”

This caught my attention. “Say what?”

“Yes, we buried the bastards in the backyard.”

Darrton let out a laugh. “My God, Ian, you’re a criminal and a murder. What has become of you, Brother?”

Ian swung one leg over his other. “I’m a murderous criminal mastermind, friend. You forgot mastermind.” He winked and Scott rolled his eyes.

It was quiet for a few minutes before Ian stood. “I am going to pack a few things. Scotty would you like to help me?”

“Uh, no?”

Ian kicked him and grabbed his ear. “Get in here, child.”

“Ouch, Dad, okay, stop.”

“Damn it, you fool, I’m tryin’ to give them some privacy. Have I taught you nothin’?”

Scotty’s mouth was shaped like an o and he turned a dark shade of red. “My bad.”

I placed my head in my hands and shook it. “My God, help us Lord because I am about to kill myself.”

Darrton sighed and placed his arms on the back of the couch. We didn’t say anything for what seemed like a long time. We hadn’t even had a chance to talk about all of the stuff that happened last night. The whole making out and stuff. Which there wasn’t really much to talk about. It had been amazingly perfect and I wanted more. Period. End of sentence.

“Elizabeth, don’t be scared. I know you are.”

I shrugged. “I’m not scared.” I started clicking my tongue and picking at my shoelace.

His hand fell over mine. “Yes, you are.”

I shook my head.

“You’re clicking your tongue. You are scared.” He turned my face toward his. The chiseled outline of his jaw tightened. “Elizabeth, please, just be calm and trust me. If anything happens to you, I would kill myself if I could. I will not let anyone hurt you. The truth is that I would rather be damned to Hell than to let you die. I couldn’t stand it. I’m the only reason you are in the position you are in now. I’m the reason Caden and Warren will try and take revenge. I’m the reason we have to run away like cowards, and I’m the reason any of this happened, because I broke the bond. But I will not be the reason you die, Elizabeth. I refuse. I will sell my soul many times to keep you from death. It’s not your place or time.”

I choked back tears. “Did you practice that speech?”

Darrton laughed. “Ah, Iofiel. Just promise me you will stay strong? Scotty will take care of you. He is a good kid. We won’t be gone but a couple of days, maybe not even that long. Can you manage to stay out of trouble?”

My shoulders lifted and fell. “I will try my damnedest.”

His eyes softened. He raised his hand to my necklace and let a butterfly appear out of his hand. “It’s funny, huh?”

I watched in awe as the butterfly flapped his wings.

“That your favorite insect has wings?”

I glanced up at him. “I’d never thought of that.”

He nodded. “Maybe you were thinking about me before you even knew it.”

“I’m sure I was.” My answer came without hesitation. “Do you think Warren and Caden would really kill me?”

His eyes darkened and he frowned. “I know they would.”

“Well, you two better go find Ferdia. Because I don’t want to have to whoop some Horsemen ass today.”

Darrton pressed his lips to my forehead and I felt his breath roll down my face. His hands were holding me so tight; there wasn’t space in between us. Burying my face in his chest, I said a silent prayer. We needed more help than we ever could imagine. I wasn’t sure if God was listening but I utterly hoped he was. There was something pushing at my stomach. There was something wrong with all of this. I didn’t want them to leave but I knew I had to let them go. They were going to find help, which was a step in the right direction.

“Elizabeth, be brave,” Darrton whispered into my ear. “Scotty will keep you safe. Just calm down and try to relax. You deserve it.”

Ian’s drunken swagger emerged from the stairs. “Now, I believe that it’s time to go find a friend, am I correct?”

Darrton sighed. “And this is who is helping me?”

“Darrton, you’ve hurt my feelin’s. I am taking the time out to help you and you talk about me being drunk?”

“No one said anything about being drunk, Dad.”

“I believe they did. Where is my flask?”

Scotty sighed and rolled his eyes. Darrton wrapped his arm around my waist and for the second time he kissed me. This kiss scared me. It was urgent, hard, relentless, and strong. It was a kiss someone gives to a person before going off to war, or when they’re scared they won’t come back.

When he pulled away, I wasn’t breathing normally. “Be safe, Darrton.”

“Always.”

Ian walked up to me and even though I smelled the whiskey on his breath his eyes showed no fear. There was a hint of hardness around them. “I will keep him safe, darlin’.”

“I trust you, Ian.”

He winked. “Of course, you do.”